Something to Buy December 2017

There is always something to buy in the stock market. On Tuesday, I put out a list of the stocks that I covered and showed what stock might be a good deal based on dividend yield. Now I am trying to categorize what sorts of stocks may be a good deal based on dividend yield.

The advantages to using dividend yield to judge how cheap or expensive a stock is, is that you are not using estimates or old data (like last reported quarter's data). You are using today's stock price and today's dividend yield.

For other testing, like using P/E Ratios and Price/Graham Price Ratios, you use EPS estimates or from the last reported financial quarter. When using P/S Ratios, P/CF Ratios or P/BV Ratios you are using data from the last reported financial quarter.

This system does not work well for old Income Trust companies. These companies had quite high Dividend Yields which will probably never be seen again. So I started a column called VT (for Valid Test) and this applies to checking stock price using dividend yield. If not a valid test I use N to show this. For these stocks, you might be better comparing the current dividend yield to the 5 year median dividend yield.

However, no system is perfect. But if you are interested in buying a stock a list of stocks cheap or reasonable using dividend yield data might be a good place to start.

Categorizing stocks is not as simple as it might seem. Every site you go to has categorized stocks a bit differently. I try to keep this as simple as possible. See Something to Buy December 2017 Spreadsheet to see what stocks are showing whether a stock is relatively cheap based on historical high dividend yields (P/Hi), historical average dividend yields (P/Ave), historical median dividend yields (P/Med) or on 5 year median dividend yields (P/5Yr). As in other spreadsheets, you can highlight a line or a number of lines for better viewing.

In the following notes I am only going to list stocks showing as cheap using the historical high dividend yields (P/Hi) and historical median dividend yields (P/Med).

I follow 22 stocks in the Consumer Discretionary category. One of these stocks is showing as cheap by the historically high dividend yield and that is Newfoundland Capital Corp (TSX-NCC.A). Five (or 22%) are showing cheap by historical median dividend yield. They are DHX Media Ltd. (TSX-DHX.A, OTC-DHXMF), High Liner Foods (TSX-HLF, OTC-HLNFF), Leon's Furniture (TSX-LNF); Newfoundland Capital Corp (TSX-NCC.A) and Reitmans (Canada) Ltd. (TSX-RET.A). Dorel Industries (TSX-DII.B), Magna International Inc. (TSX-MG) and Molson Coors Canada (TSX-TPX.B, NYSE-TAP) have being removed from cheap by historically median dividend yield.

I follow 12 Consumer Staples stocks. No companies are showing as cheap by the historically high dividend yield. Four stocks (or 33%) are showing cheap by historical median dividend yield. These are Empire Company Ltd (TSX-EMP.A, OTC-EMLAF), Jean Coutu Group Inc. (TSX-PJC.A, OTC-JCOUF), Loblaw Companies (TSX-L, OTC-LBLCF) and Metro Inc. (TSX-MRU, OTC-MTRAF). Alimentation Couche-Tard (TSX-ATD.B, OTC-ANCUF has being removed from cheap by historically median dividend yield list.

I only follow two Health Care stocks and both are US stocks. None of these stocks are showing as cheap by the historically high dividend yield. They are both cheap by the historical median dividend yield. The stocks are Johnson and Johnson (NYSE-JNJ) and Medtronic Inc. (NYSE-MDT). This is the same as for last month.

I follow 11 Real Estate stocks. None of these stocks are showing as cheap by the historically high dividend yield. Five stocks (or 45%) are showing cheap by historical median dividend yield. They are Artis REIT (TSX-AX.UN, OTC- ARESF); Granite Real Estate (TSX-GRT.UN, NYSE-GRP.U), H & R REIT (TSX-HR.UN, OTC-HRUFF), Melcor Developments Inc. (TSX-MRD, OTC-MODVF), and SmartCentres REIT (TSX-SRU.UN, OTC-CWYUF). SmartCentres REIT (TSX-SRU.UN, OTC-CWYUF) has been added to cheap by historically median dividend yield list.

I follow 8 Bank stocks. None are showing as cheap by the historically high dividend yield. One stock (or 12.5%) is showing cheap by the historical median dividend yield. This stock is CIBC (TSX-CM, NYSE-CM). This is the same as for last month.

I follow 13 Financial Service stocks. None are showing as cheap by the historically high dividend yield. Eight (or 62%) stocks are showing cheap by the historical median dividend yield. These stocks are Accord Financial Corp (TSX-ACD, OTC-ACCFF), AGF Management Ltd (TSX-AGF.B), Alaris Royalty Corp (TSX-AD, OTC-ALARF), CI Financial (TSX-CIX), Equitable Group Inc. (TSX-EQB, OTC-EQGPF), Gluskin Sheff + Associates Inc. (TSX-GS), IGM Financial (TSX-IGM) and Power Corp (TSX-POW). This is the same as last month.

I follow 5 Insurance stocks. None are showing as cheap by the historically high dividend yield. Four stocks (or 80%) are showing cheap by historical median dividend yield. These stocks are Great-West Lifeco Inc. (TSX-GWO); Manulife Financial Corp (TSX-MFC), Power Financial Corp (TSX-PWF) and Sun Life Financial (TSX-SLF, NYSE-SLF). Sun Life Financial (TSX-SLF, NYSE-SLF has been added to cheap by historically median dividend yield list.

I follow 32 Industrial stocks. Because I have so many and Industrial is not very descriptive, I have divided my Industrial stocks into 4 separate categories under Industrial. They are Construction, Industrial, Manufacturing and (Business) Services.

I have 6 Construction stocks. None are cheap by the historically high dividend yield. Two stocks or 33% are showing as cheap by historical median dividend yield. They are SNC-Lavalin (TSX-SNC, OTC-SNCAF) and Stantec Inc. (TSX-STN, NYSE-STN). There is no change from last month.

I have 3 stocks I have left with the sub-index of Industrial. None are cheap by the historically high dividend yield. Two stocks or 67% are showing as cheap by historical median dividend yield. They are Finning International Inc. (TSX-FTT, OTC-FINGF), and Russel Metals (TSX-RUS, OTC-RUSMF). There is no change from last month.

I have 7 Manufacturing stocks. None are showing as cheap by the historically high dividend yield. Four stocks or 57% are showing as cheap by historical median dividend yield. They are Exco Technologies Ltd. (TSX-XTC, OTC-EXCOF), Hammond Power Solutions Inc. (TSX-HPS.A, OTC-HMDPF), Intertape Polymer Group Inc. (TSX-ITP, OTC-ITPOF) and PFB Corp (TSX-PFB, OTC-PFBOF). There is no change from last month.

I have 16 Services stocks. None are showing as cheap by the historically high dividend yield. Three stocks or 19% are showing as cheap by historical median dividend yield. These stocks are Canadian National Railway (TSX-CNR, NYSE-CNI), Pason Systems Inc. (TSX-PSI, OTC-PSYTF) and Transcontinental Inc. (TSX-TCL.A, OTC-TCLAF). Wajax Corp (TSX-WJX, OTC-WJXFF) has been deleted from cheap by historically median dividend yield list. .

I follow 8 Material stocks. None are showing as cheap by the historically high dividend yield. None are showing as cheap by historical median dividend yield. Methanex Corp (TSX-MX, NASDAQ-MEOH) has been deleted from cheap by historically median dividend yield list..

I follow 10 Energy stocks. Ensign Energy Services (TSX-ESI, OTC-ESVIF) is showing as cheap by the historical high dividend yield. There are five stocks (or 50%) showing cheap by historical median dividend yield. They are Canadian Natural Resources (TSX-CNQ, NYSE-CNQ), Cenovus Energy Inc. (TSX-CVE, NYSE-CVE), Ensign Energy Services (TSX-ESI, OTC-ESVIF); Mullen Group (TSX-MTL, OTC-MLLGF) and Suncor Energy (TSX-SU, NYSE-SU Cenovus Energy Inc. (TSX-CVE, NYSE-CVE) has been added to cheap by historically median dividend yield list.

I follow 8 Tech stocks. None are showing as cheap by historical high dividend yield. Four stocks (or 50%) are showing cheap by historical median dividend yield. They are Absolute Software Corporation (TSX-ABT, OTC-ALSWF) Computer Modelling Group Ltd. (TSX-CMG, OTC-CMDXF), Evertz Technologies (TSX-ET, OTC-EVTZF), and Sylogist Ltd (TSXV-SYZ, OTC-SYZLF). Maxar Technologies Ltd (TSX-MAXR, NYSE-MAXR) has been deleted from cheap by historically median dividend yield list.

I follow 7 of the Infrastructure type utility companies. None are showing as cheap by historical high dividend yield. Two stocks (or 29%) are showing cheap by historical median dividend yield. They are AltaGas Ltd (TSX-ALA, OTC-ATGFF) and Enbridge Inc. (TSX-ENB, NYSE-ENB). Enbridge Income Fund Holdings Inc. (TSX-ENF, OTC-EBGUF) has been deleted from cheap by historically median dividend yield list.

I follow 12 of the Power type utility companies. None are showing as cheap by the historically high dividend yield. Four stock (or 33%) are showing cheap by historical median dividend yield. Those stocks are ATCO Ltd (TSX-ACO.X, OTC-ACLLF), Canadian Utilities Ltd (TSX-CU, OTC-CDUAF) and Emera Inc. (TSX-EMA, OTC-EMRAF) and Just Energy Group Inc. (TSX-JE, NYSE-JE). Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp (TSX-AQN, NYSE-AQN) has been deleted from cheap by historically median dividend yield list and Just Energy Group Inc. (TSX-JE, NYSE-JE) has been added to cheap by historically median dividend yield list.

I follow 4 of the Telecom Service type utility companies. No stock is showing cheap by the historical high dividend yield. Three stocks (or 75%) are showing cheap by historical median dividend yield. These stocks are BCE (TSX-BCE, NYSE-BCE), Shaw Communications Inc. (TSX-SJR.B, NYSE-SJR) and Telus Corp (TSX-T, NYSE-TU). Quarterhill Inc. (TSX-QTRH, NASDAQ-QTRH) has been deleted from cheap by historically median dividend yield list.

On my other blog I wrote yesterday about Chesswood Group Ltd. (TSX-CHW, OTC-CHWWF)... learn more. Next, I will write about Northland Power Inc. (TSX-NPI, OTC-NPIFF)... learn more on Friday, December 8, 2017 around 5 pm

This blog is meant for educational purposes only, and is not to provide investment advice. Before making any investment decision, you should always do your own research or consult an investment professional. I do research for my own edification and I am willing to share. I write what I think and I may or may not be correct.

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