Did these Auditors Just Burn a Bridge?

Several years ago, a friend reached out about a distressing personal matter involving her mother’s retirement savings. Her mother, a client at one of Canada’s “Big Six” banks, had her savings spread across four different mutual funds, and two of those four funds became suddenly frozen. (Note: Mutual funds are pooled vehicles and their underlying […]

Maple Leaf Foods’ Shareholders are Tasting an 80% Gain This Year

To my surprise, Maple Leaf Foods (“MFI”) has been our strongest performer this year, up nearly 80%. (Disclosure: Clients, Jeff Pollock, and Sunni Schneider are shareholders of MFI. No compensation was received to write this blog.) On February 26, 2024, we started buying MFI for clients at $22.82. At the time, the stock was about […]

Don’t Put All Your Bricks in One Basket

Canadian real estate prices took off during the last two decades alongside ultra low interest rates. Many people sought to buy a second property in a real estate market that once seemed invincible. Lately, however, many regret that decision as prices have come back down to earth amid higher borrowing costs. As a portfolio manager […]

Pet Valu is Finally Off its Leash and Ready to Run

Anyone with a furry companion doesn’t need convincing about investing in a company that sells pet food and toys. Pets aren’t just animals; they’re cherished members of the family. The resilient pet industry even grew during the 2008 financial crisis and the recent global pandemic. Our clients are shareholders of Pet Valu, which is up […]

After Gaining +30%, is Canadian Utilities Running Out of Gas?

Our investment in Canadian Utilities (“CU”), which delivers gas and electricity, in November 2023 was based on a straightforward premise: its attractive 5.7% dividend yield positioned it as a prime beneficiary of anticipated interest rate cuts. We believed falling rates would naturally enhance the appeal of high-yielding dividend stocks like CU for income investors seeking […]