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stars and dogs

A humorous look at the companies that caught our eye, for better or worse, this week

Netflix - STAR

Things that keep going up:

1) Home prices in Toronto and Vancouver;

2) The number of CBC journalists facing allegations of misconduct;

3) Netflix’s share price.

The stock surged to a record after shareholders of the video-streaming company approved a motion that paves the way for a stock split. News that Netflix bought the rights to Brad Pitt’s upcoming film War Machine – its biggest movie deal yet – also added some theatrics to the stock.

NFLX (Nasdaq), $660.93 (U.S.), up $27.71 or 4.4% over week


Dollarama - STAR

Money-saving tip No. 483: Instead of choosing a gift from your friends’ expensive wedding registry, get them an entire kitchen set – cutlery, plates, bowls, spatulas AND a sippy cup for the baby they’re expecting – at Dollarama for about 20 bucks. Shares of the discount chain spiked after same-store sales leaped 6.9 per cent in the first quarter – more than double the growth of a year earlier. If you take the price tags off, they won’t even notice.

DOL (TSX), $72.01, up 73¢ or 1% over week


Oxford Industries - STAR

Oxford says its Tommy Bahama clothing line is geared to “affluent 35 and older men and women who embrace a relaxed and casual approach to daily living.” Apparently, it’s more lucrative than selling clothes to poor, stressed-out people: Oxford’s shares climbed after first-quarter profit topped expectations, lifted by an 8-per-cent increase in Tommy Bahama’s same-store sales and 20-per-cent growth for Oxford’s Lilly Pulitzer line. Investors are looking sharp.

OXM (NYSE), $83.95 (U.S.), up $4.84 or 6.1% over week


Quiksilver - DOG

Quiksilver sells apparel for surfing, snowboarding and skateboarding. But it might want to expand into boxing wear, given the way its stock is getting beaten up. Less than three months after replacing its CEO, the company posted a 16-per-cent drop in second-quarter sales and a bigger-than-expected loss of $37.6-million (U.S.), hit by discounting and logistics issues. With the shares down more than 90 per cent in the past 18 months, investors have a black eye.

ZQK (NYSE), 64¢ (U.S.), down 73¢ or 53.3% over week


Dave & Buster’s - STAR

If you enjoy mediocre food, screaming children and overpriced arcade games, you’re gonna love Dave & Buster’s. Well, some people apparently do: The restaurant chain lifted its forecast for the full year after same-store sales surged 9.9 per cent in the first quarter, leading to a 70-per-cent jump in profit. With the stock more than doubling from its $16 IPO price in October, owning this thing is way more fun than a stupid game of skeeball.

PLAY (Nasdaq), $36.36 (U.S.), up $2.84 or 8.5% over week