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Tuesday, November 10, 2009 07:01 PM
These firms disappointed on the downside
Gordon Edall
What are we looking for?
As earnings season tails off for this quarter, we're delving into the numbers to pull out some of the companies that came in ahead of expectations, as well as a few of the names that didn't fare quite so well.
Yesterday, we looked at the companies in the S&P 500 index that topped profit estimates this time around, and today we're turning our eye to companies that came up short of the profit bar the Street had set.
Link to this postMonday, November 9, 2009 07:07 PM
Some S&P players left forecasts in the dust
Gordon Edall
What are we looking for?
Earnings season is beginning to wind down, and here at Number Cruncher we thought we'd take a look back at the quarter that was. We'll highlight some of the winners, and some of the laggards, as companies struggled to shake off the lingering effects of the recession.
More than 440 companies in the S&P 500 have tabled their results for this quarter and 18 more are on tap this week.
Today, we're concentrating on companies that topped the best guesses on the Street. Tomorrow, we'll focus on the companies that weren't quite able to hit the marks analysts had chalked up.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 04:07 AM
Smaller gold miners show their lustre
Shirley Won
What are we looking for?
Precious metals funds are shining the brightest this year.
Gold futures surged this week after India bought 200 tonnes of the metal from the International Monetary Fund. Gold for December delivery hit a record high of $1,100 (U.S.) an ounce yesterday, but closed at $1,095.70 in New York.
This week, DundeeWealth Inc. chairman Ned Goodman told a group of analysts that the reaction to a potential rising gold price since 1999 has gone through disbelief, acceptance and now optimism.
“The next stage will be euphoria, leading to the mother of all bubbles,” he predicted.
| Precious Metal Funds as of Nov. 5, 2009 | ||
| Fund name |
YTD Nov. 5 % return |
YTD Oct. 30 % return |
| Sentry Select Mining Opportunity Cl | 118.1% | 101.0% |
| Sprott Gold and Precious Minerals | 93.2% | 79.6% |
| Sentry Select Precious Metals Grwth | 72.6% | 56.6% |
| *Since inception date. The inception date for Dynamic Strategic Gold Class was August, 2009. The inception date for Sprott Gold Bullion was March, 2009. Source: Globe Investor | ||
Thursday, November 5, 2009 06:29 PM
From ‘priced for extinction' to a top performer
Allan Robinson
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
The S&P 500 is up about 55 per cent from the March lows and the stock selection strategy employed by the team at O'Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC, which manages $5-billion (U.S.), is being tested under extreme circumstances.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 06:43 PM
Worst performers become best in ‘junk rally'
Allan Robinson
What we are looking for?
This week we have been running a series of screens to find undervalued stocks developed by best-selling author James O'Shaughnessy, a quantitative analyst.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009 07:41 PM
‘King of value factors' reveals cheap stocks
Allan Robinson
What are we looking for?
A vicious bear market transforms into a stunning bull market. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the emotional swings.
“Our philosophy is that the best investment strategies are devoid of emotional decision-making,” according to a report by money manager O'Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC.
This week we are running a series of screens developed by James O'Shaughnessy, best-selling author of What Works on Wall Street and manager of the RBC O'Shaughnessy family of mutual funds.
Monday, November 2, 2009 06:31 PM
Selecting winners by focusing on sales
Allan Robinson
What are we looking at?
Stick with a healthy level of stocks in an investment portfolio, says quantitative equity analyst James O'Shaughnessy, author of the bestseller investment guide, What Works on Wall Street .
“The flight from equities is pervasive – our salespeople are hearing time and again that financial advisers are decreasing their allocations to stocks – to as low as 5 per cent,” he said in a report to clients.
Friday, October 30, 2009 08:05 PM
Technology and health stocks rebound strongly
Shirley Won
What are we looking for?
It's Halloween so let's see which funds are handing out the best technology treats. With signs of a global economic recovery, this cyclical sector should benefit from increased capital spending.
| Science and Technology Funds as of Oct. 29, 2009 | ||
| Fund name |
YTD Oct. 29 % return |
YTD Sept. 30 % return |
| TD Science & Technology | 41.9% | 45.8% |
| CI Glb Science & Technology Corp Cl | 41.4% | 43.1% |
| iShares CDN Tech Sector Index | 40.2% | 41.0% |
| *Valued monthly; Source: Globe Investor | ||
Thursday, October 29, 2009 06:46 PM
Eclectic equity mix taps shifting global economy
Shirley Won
What are we looking for?
This is the final look this week at the top securities in mutual funds.
Every quarter, we check out the major holdings of several investments to find out what the pros are buying. For investors, it's a good way to gain more insight into a fund, or get stock tips to begin further research. Today, we examine Brickburn Small Cap Fund at www.brickburn.com .
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 07:11 PM
Investor demand powering gold's bull run
Shirley Won
What are we looking for?
Top stocks in mutual funds.
This is our third look this week at what the pros are buying. You can get stock tips or gain insight into a fund by checking out the top securities. They are available at the end of the quarter or month on the firm's website. Today, we examine AGF Precious Metals at agf.com .
Number Cruncher Contributors
Scott Adams
Scott Adams is the investment editor for Report On Business and Globe Investor. He has been a business journalist for more than 10 years, worked as an associate analyst on Bay Street and has been The Globe and Mail Investment Editor since spring 2007.
Rob Carrick
Rob Carrick has been writing about personal finance, business and economics for close to 20 years. He joined The Globe and Mail in late 1996 as an investment reporter and has been personal finance columnist since November 1998.
John Heinzl
John Heinzl has been covering business and financial markets for the Globe and Mail since 1990.
Steve Ladurantaye
Steve Ladurantaye wrote about technology companies in Ottawa before reporting for the Peterborough Examiner and Kingston Whig-Standard, where he won a National Newspaper Award for explanatory journalism. After joining the Globe and Mail in 2007, his work has regularly appeared in Report On Business and Globe Investor Magazine.
David Parkinson
David Parkinson has been covering business and financial markets since 1990, and has been with The Globe and Mail since 2000. A Calgary native, he received a Southam Fellowship from the University of Toronto in 1999-2000, studying international political economics.
Shirley Won
Shirley Won covers the fund industry and investments. She joined the Globe and Mail in 1996, and has also worked at the Montreal Gazette and Canadian Press.
Gordon Edall
Gordon Edall is the deputy investment editor for Report On Business and Globe Investor. Prior to joining The Globe and Mail in fall 2006, he worked for BNN producing TV shows including Squeezeplay and Market Call.
