Top 5 Canadian Stocks For 2014

On Thursday, Toronto-Dominion (NYSE: TD  ) will release its latest quarterly results. The key to making smart investment decisions on stocks reporting earnings is to anticipate how they'll do before they announce results, leaving you fully prepared to respond quickly to whatever inevitable surprises arise. That way, you'll be less likely to make an uninformed, kneejerk reaction to news that turns out to be exactly the wrong move.

Even as U.S. banks were struggling during the mortgage meltdown in 2008, Toronto-Dominion and its Canadian peers held up relatively well. But the persistent strength in Canada's housing market has led to fears that it might be headed for a bubble of its own. Let's take an early look at what's been happening with Toronto-Dominion over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its quarterly report.

Best Forestry Stocks To Own For 2015: Agrium Inc.(AGU)

Agrium Inc., together with its subsidiaries, produces and markets agricultural nutrients, industrial products, and specialty products worldwide, as well as involves in the retail supply of agricultural products and services in North and South Americas. The company?s Retail segment markets crop nutrient products, including nitrogen, phosphate, potash, sulphur, and micronutrients; crop protection products, such as herbicides, fungicides, adjuvants, and insecticides; and seeds. This segment also offers agronomic services, as well as product application, soil and leaf tissue testing and analysis, and crop scouting services. This segment operates 1,192 outlets in the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. The company?s Wholesale segment produces, markets, and distributes nitrogen, phosphate, potash, sulphate, and other crop nutrient products for agricultural and industrial customers. This segment also owns and operates facilities that upgrade ammonia t o other nitrogen products, such as urea, nitric acid, and ammonium nitrate, as well as provides Rainbow plant food products. Agrium?s Advanced Technologies segment produces and markets controlled-release crop nutrients and micronutrients for the agriculture, specialty agriculture, professional turf, horticulture, and consumer lawn and garden markets. The company was formerly known as Cominco Fertilizers Ltd. and changed its name to Agrium Inc. in 1995. Agrium Inc. was founded in 1931 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  As anyone who's tried to trade fertilizer stocks like Potash Corp./Saskatchewan (NYSE:POT), Agrium Inc. (NYSE:AGU), or Mosaic Co. (NYSE:MOS) already knows, these agricultural chemical names are all over the map. They're affected by their underlying fundamental values, as most stocks are. MOS, POT, and AGU are also pressured like any other commodity stocks are, and those ebbs and flows don't necessarily jive with the normal, fundamental-based ebb and flow. Finally, stocks like those of Potash - sometimes still referred to as Saskatchewan - Mosaic, or Agrium are also impacted by the ever-changing level of crop yields, crop supply and demand, and food-commodity prices. And, that market isn't in sync with the stock market or the overall commodity market. The overall result is a lot of volatility, but not a lot of predictability.... or is there?

Top 5 Canadian Stocks For 2014: Research in Motion Limited(RIMM)

Research In Motion Limited (RIM) designs, manufactures, and markets wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. The company, through the development of integrated hardware, software, and services, provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information, including email, phone, short messaging service, and Internet and Intranet-based applications and browsing. Its products and services principally comprise the BlackBerry wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld product line, software development tools, and other software and hardware. The company?s BlackBerry smartphones use wireless, push-based technology that delivers data to mobile users? business and consumer applications. Its BlackBerry smartphone portfolio includes BlackBerry Bold series, the BlackBerry Torch, BlackBerry Curve series, the BlackBerry Style, BlackBerry Storm series, the BlackBerry Tour, BlackBerry Pearl series, and the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. T he company?s BlackBerry enterprise solutions comprise BlackBerry enterprise server, BlackBerry enterprise server express, BlackBerry mobile voice system, and hosted BlackBerry services. Its technology also enables third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services through software development kits, wireless connectivity to data, and third-party support programs. In addition, the company offers BlackBerry technical support services, non-warranty repairs, and nonrecurring engineering services. Further, it provides BlackBerry App World that offers BlackBerry smartphone users an electronic catalogue that aids in the discovery and download/purchase of applications directly from their BlackBerry smartphone. The company markets and sells its BlackBerry wireless solutions primarily through global wireless communications carriers, and third party distribution channels. Research In Motion Limited was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Waterloo, Canad a.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon] east loved of these is ��of course ��RIMM. Einhorn already has a paper loss in that stock. His average cost was $18.88 a share. Today�� price is $15.05. That�� a 20% loss. And Einhorn only started buying Research In Motion in the last three months of 2011.

  But Research In Motion is a pretty small position ��0.81% of Einhorn�� total portfolio ��compared to one of his other new buys: Dell.

  Einhorn already owns $255 million of Dell shares. He paid $15.36 a share. The stock is now at $18.08 a share. That�� an 18% gain. And Dell will mean a lot more to Einhorn�� performance than Research In Motion. Dell is a 3.9% position for Einhorn. That�� almost five times the size of his investment in Research In Motion. So ��for now at least ��Einhorn�� paper gain on Dell will more than make up for his paper loss on RIMM.

  Finally, there�� Yahoo.

  This is a quasi-new buy for Einhorn. He actually bought a 8.5 million shares of Yahoo in the first quarter of 2011 only to sell them for a 2% loss the next quarter. Einhorn was out of Yahoo completely for the third quarter of 2011. And now he�� back in with about 3 million shares bought in the fourth quarter of 2011. Einhorn�� average price is a wee bit lower this time. His original purchase price ��back in first quarter 2011 ��was $16.64 a share. He got his Yahoo shares about 6% cheaper this time around. Einhorn paid $15.66 a share for his 3 million shares of Yahoo. The stock is down a smidge from there. Around $15.25 a share.

  There have been reports of a breakdown in Yahoo�� buyout talks. But that�� par for the course in a situation like this where a company is shopping itself around. There will be lots of people leaking stories for lots of different reasons. Don�� believe everything you read about Yahoo. And certainly don�� try to trade on everything you read about Yahoo.

  Why is Einhorn buying Yahoo?

  Probably on a sum of the parts basis. As everybod

• [By Trustamind]

  It pays to distinguish between stocks and productive assets. Some companies, such as Research In Motion (RIMM), generate diminishing returns. They belong to productive assets but certainly not good ones. As a result, their stock prices --- the value of the asset --- kept falling.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  If an idea doubles within a year, the contestant will win more. This month, GuruFocus is awarding author Jean-Francois Nobert (Ecotycoon) $1,000 for his idea, Research In Motion (RIMM), which doubled since he submitted in July.

• [By Trustamind]

  Technology is disruptive. It changes everyone�� daily life. But it also may cause unpleasant financial consequences to investors. Technology brings dramatic economic growth which is, unfortunately, less predictable. In Buffett�� own words when asked in the interview if he would buy other tech companies: �� look at everything but most things I decide I can't figure out their future.��For some examples, just look at Research In Motion (RIMM) versus Apple (AAPL), Yahoo! (YHOO) versus Google (GOOG), and Kodak versus all the other digital camera makers. The last one is especially ironic because it is Kodak that invented the digital camera in the first place.

Top 5 Canadian Stocks For 2014: Consolidated Graphics Inc. (CGX)

Consolidated Graphics, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides general commercial printing and print-related services in the United States and internationally. The company�s services include traditional print services, such as electronic prepress, digital and offset printing, finishing, and storage and delivery of custom manufactured printed documents; and fulfillment and mailing services for such printed materials. It also offers technology solutions that enable its customers to procure and manage printed materials and/or design, procure, distribute, track, and analyze results of printing-based marketing programs and activities; and multi-media capabilities, which allow customers to supplement the message of their printed materials through other media, such as the Internet, email, or text messaging. The company prints multi-color marketing materials, product and capability brochures, point-of-purchase displays, packaging, direct mail pieces, shareholder communicat ions, trading cards, calendars, and photo books, as well as customized materials for the financial services, insurance, healthcare, and other industries. In addition, it offers e-commerce software solutions and other print-related services. The company�s customers include national and local corporations operating in a range of industries, as well as advertising agencies, graphic design firms, catalog retailers, direct mail marketers, state and local governments and quasi-governmental agencies, educational institutions, not-for-profit associations, and political campaign organizations. Consolidated Graphics, Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Breaking news

  Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (NYSE: HOT) reported a gain in its third-quarter core earnings and lifted its full-year earnings forecast. To read the full news, click here. Procera Networks (NASDAQ: PKT) and Skyfire, a fully-owned subsidiary of Opera Software, today announced a joint solution and partnership to tackle the rapid growth of video traffic on global mobile networks, based on an open, scalable ICAP architecture. To read the full news, click here. R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company (NASDAQ: RRD) and Consolidated Graphics (NYSE: CGX) jointly announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement by which RR Donnelley will acquire Consolidated Graphics, a provider of digital and commercial printing, fulfillment services, print management and proprietary Internet-based technology solutions. To read the full news, click here. Dunkin' Brands Group (NASDAQ: DNKN) reported a 36% rise in its third-quarter income. To read the full news, click here.

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• [By Seth Jayson]

  Consolidated Graphics (NYSE: CGX  ) reported earnings on May 15. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q4), Consolidated Graphics met expectations on revenues and crushed expectations on earnings per share.

Top 5 Canadian Stocks For 2014: Talisman Energy Inc.(TLM)

Talisman Energy Inc., an upstream oil and gas company, engages in the exploration, development, production, transportation, and marketing of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. It primarily operates in North America, the North Sea, and southeast Asia. The company was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Arjun Sreekumar]

  In Pennsylvania, for instance, several hundred wells have been drilled but not completed because the takeaway capacity to get their production to market simply isn't there. Several operators have been forced to drastically reduce their rig counts in the region. For instance, both EXCO Resources (NYSE: XCO  ) and Talisman Energy (NYSE: TLM  ) have just one rig each remaining in the Marcellus.

• [By Eric Lam]

  Calfrac Well Services Ltd. and Bankers Petroleum Ltd. (BNK) added at least 4.4 percent to pace gains among energy shares. Talisman Energy (TLM) Inc. increased 1.7 percent after Lundin Petroleum AB began drilling in a field co-owned by the two companies in the North Sea. B2Gold Corp. jumped the most in six weeks, ahead of its inclusion in an index of gold mining stocks. Rogers Communications Inc. rallied 1.3 percent after an analyst with Canaccord Genuity Inc. raised his rating for the stock.