2012 was a very strong year for our Stock Picks. The six Strong Buys were up an average of 19.6% each. The 17 Buys were up an average of 14% each. Only 3 of the 23 Stocks rated in the Buy or Strong Buy range at the start of the year fell in price. Meanwhile, the the TSX was up only 4.0%. The Dow was up 7.3% and the S&P 500 was up 13.4.
| InvestorsFriend Inc.’s performance – Year 2012 | ||||||
| 2012 was a very strong year for our Stock Picks. The six Strong Buys were up an average of 19.6% each. The 17 Buys were up an average of 14% each. Only 3 of the 23 Stocks rated in the Buy or Strong Buy range at the start of the year fell in price. Meanwhile, the the TSX was up only 4.0%. The Dow was up 7.3% and the S&P 500 was up 13.4. | ||||||
| Group | Rating to start 2012 | Price Increase | Our Performance | |||
| Average of 6 strong buys | Strong Buy | 19.6% | good | |||
| Average of 17 buys | Buy | 14.0% | good | |||
| Average for all 23 buys and strong buys | 15.4% | |||||
| Average of 2 weak buys | Weak Buy | 36.2% | very good | |||
| Average of 1 weak sells | Weak Sell | 18.5% | bad | |||
| Average for all 3 Neutral ratings (weak buy or weak sell) | 30.3% | |||||
| Average of 1 Sells | Sell | -1.7% | ||||
| Rated As – Strong Buy at January 1, 2012 | ||||||
| Name | Beginning 2012 Price | Starting Rating | Ending 2012 Price | Price Increase | Our Performance | |
| Microsoft (MSFT, NASDAQ) | 25.96 | Strong Buy | 26.71 | 3% | good | |
| Wells Fargo (WFC, United States) | 27.56 | Strong Buy | 34.18 | 24% | very good | |
| Stantec Inc. (STN, Toronto and New York) | 27.57 | Strong Buy | 39.75 | 44% | very good | |
| Research in Motion Limited (RIMM, U.S., RIM. Toronto) | 14.50 | Speculative Strong Buy | 11.87 | -18% | bad | |
| Canadian Western Bank (CWB, Toronto) | 25.80 | (lower) Strong Buy | 28.44 | 10% | good | |
| Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., ATD.B | 31.70 | (lower) Strong Buy | 48.93 | 54% | very good | |
| Average Strong buy | Strong buy | 19.6% | good | |||
| 6 | ||||||
| Rated As – Buy | ||||||
| Name | Beginning 2012 Price | Rating to start 2012 | Ending 2012 Price | Price Increase | Our Performance | |
| Wal-Mart (WMT, New York) | 59.76 | (Higher) Buy | 68.23 | 14% | good | |
| Canadian Tire (CTC.a, TO) | 65.90 | (higher) Buy | 69.38 | 5% | good | |
| Boston Pizza Royalties Income Fund (BPF.un, Toronto) | 14.19 | (higher) Buy | 19.30 | 36% | very good | |
| MELCOR DEVELOPMENTS LTD. (MRD, Toronto) | 13.17 | (higher) Buy | 15.75 | 20% | good | |
| Shaw Communications Inc. (SJR.b, Toronto SJR, New York) | 20.25 | (higher) Buy | 22.84 | 13% | good | |
| Walgreen (WAG, New York) | 33.06 | (higher) Buy | 37.01 | 12% | good | |
| FirstService Preferred (FSV.PR.U, Toronto) | 24.76 | Buy | 25.87 | 4% | good | |
| FedEx (FDX,NY) | 83.51 | Buy | 91.72 | 10% | good | |
| Canadian National Railway Company (CNR, Toronto CNI, New York) | 80.15 | Buy | 90.33 | 13% | good | |
| Canadian Oil Sands Limited (COS, T) | 23.25 | Buy | 20.17 | -13% | bad | |
| Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRKB, New York) | 76.30 | Buy | 89.70 | 18% | good | |
| Bombardier Series 4 Preferred Shares (BBD.PR.C, Toronto) | 23.00 | Buy | 24.35 | 6% | good | |
| Preferred Shares of RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust (REI.PR.A, Toronto) | 25.81 | Buy | 25.94 | 1% | good | |
| Toll Brothers Inc. (TOL, New York) | 20.42 | Speculative Buy | 32.33 | 58% | very good | |
| The Brick Inc. (BRK, Toronto) | 3.08 | Speculative Buy | 5.36 | 74% | very good | |
| Omni-Lite Industries Canada Inc. (OML, Toronto Venture Exchange) | 1.39 | Speculative Buy | 0.85 | -39% | very poor | |
| FIRSTSERVICE CORPORATION (FSV, Toronto) (FSRV, NASDAQ) | 26.49 | Speculative (lower) Buy | 28.23 | 7% | good | |
| Average Buy | Buy | 14.0% | good | |||
| 17 | ||||||
| Rated As Weak Buy | ||||||
| Name | Beginning 2012 Price | Rating to start 2012 | Ending 2012 Price | Price Increase | Our Performance | |
| eBay (eBay, NASDAQ) | 30.33 | Weak Buy | 51.00 | 68% | very good | |
| RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust (REI.UN, Toronto) | 26.43 | Weak Buy | 27.56 | 4% | good | |
| Average Weak Buy | Weak Buy | 36.2% | very good | |||
| 2 | ||||||
| Rated As – Weak Sell | ||||||
| Name | Beginning 2012 Price | Rating to start 2012 | Ending 2012 Price | Price Increase | Our Performance | |
| Costco (COST, New York) | 83.32 | Weak Sell | 98.73 | 18% | bad | |
| Average Weak Sell | Weak Sell | 18.5% | bad | |||
| 1 | ||||||
| Rated As – Sell | ||||||
| Name | Beginning 2012 Price | Rating to start 2012 | Ending 2012 Price | Price Increase | Our Performance | |
| Canadian Western Bank Preferred Shares (CWB.PR.A, Toronto) | 27.35 | Sell | 26.88 | -2% | good | |
| Average Sell | Sell | -2% | ||||
| 1 | ||||||
| Rated As – Strong Sell | ||||||
| Name | Beginning 2012 Price | Rating to start 2012 | Ending 2012 Price | Price Increase | Our Performance | |
| Average Strong Sell | ||||||
DISCLAIMER: All stock ratings presented are “generic” in nature and do not take into account the unique circumstances and risk tolerance and risk capacity of any individual. The information presented is not a recommendation for any individual to buy or sell any security. The authors are not registered investment advisors and the information presented is not to be considered investment advice to any individual. The reader should consult a registered investment advisor or registered dealer prior to making any investment decision. For ease of writing style the newsletter and articles are often written in the first person. But, legally speaking, all information and opinions are provided by InvestorsFriend Inc. and not by the authors as individuals. The author(s) of this report may have a position, as disclosed in each report. The authors’ positions may subsequently change without notice.
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