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It is a light day in terms of news releases.

There are no Canadian economic announcements due out today.

In the U.S., weekly mortgage application data was solid, showing an increase of 5.8 per cent from the prior week. Later this morning, weekly oil inventory data reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration will be released at 10:30 a.m. (ET).

Briefly recapping Tuesday's performance, North American equity markets closed in relatively neutral territory.

In the U.S., the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.16 per cent, the S&P 500 Index was unchanged, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 0.36 per cent to close at a record high.

Turning to Canada, the S&P/TSX composite index gained 37 points, or 0.24 per cent, led by strength in the health care and materials sectors. Energy stocks were once again a detractor to performance.

Month-to-date, the TSX Index is up 0.91 per cent.

On today's TSX Breakouts report, there are 35 stocks on the positive breakouts list (stocks with positive price momentum) and nine securities on the negative breakouts list (stocks with negative price momentum).

Discussed today is a stock that appears on the positive breakouts list. The stock has an unanimous 'buy' recommendation by 14 analysts. The security highlighted is Quebecor Inc. (QBR.B-T).

A brief outline is provided below that may serve as a springboard for further fundamental research.

The company

Quebecor Inc. is a telecommunications and media holding company with an 81-per-cent interest in Quebecor Media Inc. Quebecor has three key business segments. Its largest is telecommunications, with its core asset, Videotron Ltd., followed by the company's media segment, with its crown jewel, TVA Group. Finally, its smallest segment is sports and entertainment.

On Nov. 3, the company reported its third-quarter financial results that were a touch below expectations. Revenues came in at $998-million, close to the consensus estimate of $1-billion. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) was $389.8-million, just shy of the Street's expectations of $401-million. The share price was relatively unchanged, falling 9 cents that day.

A key catalyst for the stock remains the potential sale of its unused spectrum assets, which would unlock shareholder value.

Returning capital to shareholders

The company pays its shareholders a quarterly dividend of 4.5 cents per share, or 18 cents on a yearly basis. This equates to an annualized dividend yield of 0.47 per cent. Over the past two years, management has announced a dividend increase in May.

Management has been active with its share buyback program, repurchasing 233,200 shares during the first nine months of 2016.

Valuation

Analysts commonly value the stock using a net asset value approach. The average one-year target price is $43.45, implying the share price may appreciate over 13 per cent over the next 12 months. Target prices range from a low of $41 to a high of $45.25.

Earnings forecasts

The consensus EBITDA estimate is $1.44-billion in 2016, expanding to $1.51-billion in 2017, and $1.64-billion in 2018. The Street is forecasting earnings per share of $2.38 in 2016, rising 13 per cent to $2.70 in 2017, and expected to climb over 10 per cent to $2.99 in 2018.

Earnings estimates have been revised slightly lower over the past year. For instance, last year, on January 12, the Street was forecasting EBITDA of $1.53-billion for 2016 and $1.62-billion for 2017.

Analysts' recommendations

According to Bloomberg, the stock is covered by 14 analysts, all of whom have 'buy' recommendations on the stock. Several analysts have this stock as their "top pick".

Recommendation revisions

This month, Drew McReynolds, the analyst at RBC Capital Markets, revised his recommendation to "top pick" from "outperform" and raised his target price to $44 from $43. Last month, analyst Neil Fonseca from EVA Dimensions lifted his recommendation to an 'overweight' from a 'hold'.

Chart watch

Year to date, the share price is up 2.6 per cent, extending its 10 per cent price return realized in 2016.

Looking at a long-term chart, the stock looks attractive, remaining in a multi-year uptrend.

This week, the share price broke above $38, a resistance level, on high volume. On Tuesday, over 400,000 shares traded, and on Monday, over 600,000 shares traded, above the two-month historical daily average trading volume of approximately 360,000 shares.

In terms of key resistance and support levels, the share price faces initial overhead resistance between $40 and $41. There is initial downside support around $37, which is close to its 200-day moving average (at $37.42) and its 50-day moving average (at $37.17). Failing that, there is support around $35.

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The Breakouts file is a technical analysis screen intended to identify companies that are technically breaking out. In addition, this report highlights a company's dividend policy, analysts' recommendations, and provides a brief technical analysis for a security to provide readers with more information.

If a stock appears on the positive breakouts list, this indicates positive price momentum, and that a company may be worthwhile for investors to look at the fundamentals in order to determine if the recent price strength is warranted and will continue. If a security appears on the negative breakouts list, this indicates negative price momentum, and may be indicative of either deteriorating fundamentals or perhaps indicates a buying opportunity.

Securities screened are from the S&P/TSX composite index, the S&P/TSX Small Cap index, as well as Canadian small cap stocks outside of these indexes that have a minimum market capitalization of $200-million.

A technical analysis screen does not replace fundamental analysis, but can help identify companies worth having a closer look at.

TSX breakouts

Positive BreakoutsJan. 10 close
AW.UN-TA&W Revenue Royalties Income Fund $38.82
AOI-TAfrica Oil Corp $2.69
ALC-TAlgoma Central Corp $13.00
BBD.B-TBombardier Inc $2.47
CFW-TCalfrac Well Services Ltd $5.24
CCO-TCameco Corp $15.66
CS-TCapstone Mining Corp $1.41
CJR.B-TCorus Entertainment Inc $13.27
DML-TDenison Mines Corp $0.90
DRT-TDIRTT Environmental Solutions $6.51
EFR-TEnergy Fuels Inc $2.89
FN-TFirst National Financial Corp $29.75
GPR-TGreat Panther Silver Ltd $2.47
IGM-TIGM Financial Inc $40.52
III-TImperial Metals Corp $6.99
IVN-TIvanhoe Mines Ltd $3.01
LUN-TLundin Mining Corp $7.78
MRD-TMelcor Developments Ltd $15.27
NLN-TNeuLion Inc $1.18
NXE-TNexGen Energy Ltd. $2.97
ONR.UN-TOneREIT $3.67
QBR.B-TQuebecor Inc $38.29
QSR-TRestaurant Brands International Inc $65.63
RME-TRocky Mountain Dealerships Inc $10.07
RY-TRoyal Bank of Canada $92.97
SJR.B-TShaw Communications Inc $27.94
S-TSherritt International Corp $1.51
SHOP-TShopify Inc. $63.34
SVI-TStorageVault Canada Inc. $1.54
TKO-TTaseko Mines Ltd $1.37
TXG-TTorex Gold Resources Inc $27.22
TA-TTransAlta Corp $7.58
TCL.A-TTranscontinental Inc $22.86
TCW-TTrican Well Service Ltd $5.21
WRG-TWestern Energy Services Corp $3.50
Negative Breakouts
ARX-TARC Resources Ltd $21.79
AAV-TAdvantage Oil & Gas Ltd $8.38
CLR-TClearwater Seafoods Inc $10.13
HBC-THudson's Bay Co $10.16
PEY-TPeyto Exploration & Development Corp $30.04
SVC-TSandvine Corp $2.65
SCC-TSears Canada Inc $2.18
VII-TSeven Generations Energy Ltd $27.00
TOU-TTourmaline Oil Corp $31.69

Source: Bloomberg