For long-term stocks, blue-chip companies are some of the best investments one can make because of their resilience, growth, and ability to create wealth over long periods. One of the most remarkable and essential maxims of successful investing is finding stocks that one can hold for very long periods. It helps investors benefit from the magical effects of compounding. However, business in today’s world is ruthless because of the increasing adoption of disruptive technologies and rapid development. This makes finding companies that will not only survive the test of time but thrive very difficult.
Over the past decade, there has been an explosion of cheap, simple, and low-risk passive investment products such as ETFs and Income Funds that give investors a diversified portfolio of an index or theme. An index is a weighted average of a country or sector’s best companies, weighted by size/market capitalization. For example, the TSX Composite is Canada’s flagship index and, by that extension, includes some of the country’s most prominent and resilient businesses.
However, the diversification of indexes reduces returns over time. If an investor is willing to make an effort to analyze blue-chip stocks individually, they can make outstanding returns for themselves. Luckily for us, the best and most resilient blue-chip stocks exhibit specific characteristics that dramatically improve the odds of long-term success.
Here are some of the qualities investors must look for in long-term stocks to hold;
- Industry – A company’s line of business is essential for its long-term success. Over long periods, technology and disruption have been responsible for entire industries disappearing. For example, the rise of mobile internet and social media has had a very adverse impact on print media companies. A second example is the shrinking brick-mortar retail industry due to the rise of e-commerce. Hence, investors must look for companies in sectors with a low threat of disruption, for example, food and banking.
- Barriers to Industry – Companies that operate in industries with high barriers to entry have a substantially higher probability of long-term success as it makes it difficult for other companies to enter the sector and capture market share or erode margins. High barriers to entry can be caused by factors such as capital intensity or government regulation—for example, power and utility companies.
- Brand Value/Trust/High Switching Costs – Companies in sectors where brand value and trust are critical determinants of success have a high chance of long-term success because brand reputation takes a lot of time and effort to build. Companies that make products with high switching costs or rigid customer preferences enjoy the same advantage—for example, banking and cigarettes.
- Growth – Companies that are leaders in high-potential sectors like e-commerce have a high chance of long-term success. Their dominant market position in a growing segment allows them to grow significantly faster than the economy. Other examples include telecom because of increasing digitization and connectivity.
- Cash Flow Generation – A company’s ability to generate cash is key to its long-term success. There is a reason behind the cash-flow statement being called the most important of the three types of financial statements. Companies with high cash flow enjoy many advantages such as cheaper debt, the ability to invest in innovation/research and development continues, substantial dividend history/payouts, etc.
- Cyclicality – Companies in non-cyclical sectors such as power, food, utilities, and pharmaceuticals have more stable and predictable earnings than companies with discretionary products, thus giving them a higher probability of long-term success.
- Permanence – Over a long enough timeframe, technology can disrupt every industry; however, some businesses will stand the test of time. For example, a significant company may or may not exist for 30 years. However, a piece of land or building on a prime street in the capital of a country will indeed exist and have appreciated over time due to inflation and the growth of the economy. The best way to invest in these is a REIT.
Canadian Stocks to Hold for the Long-Term
In this article, we will discuss some of the best long-term stocks to buy in Canada –
Bell – BCE (TSX: BCE)
Sector – Telecom
Dividend Yield – 5.32%
Market Capitalisation – C$59.5 billion
BCE is one of Canada’s most prominent conglomerates; its core business is telecommunications. The company is the most significant player in the telecom oligopoly, including Telus and Rogers. In addition, the company demonstrates multiple characteristics of an excellent long-term investment, such as growth prospects, barriers to entry, low cyclicality, and brand value.
BCE reported revenue growth of 6.4% and net earnings of C$734 million (up 149% YoY). More importantly, the company reported a 75% increase in mobile connectivity users, which will be the key growth driver for the company in the years to come. The company is very well capitalized, with available liquidity of C$5.3 billion. BCE aims to cover 70% of Canada with 5G connectivity by the end of the year, putting it in pole position to dominate in the 5G stocks era, where connectivity is expected to grow multi-fold due to smart devices and IoT.
Canadian National Railway (TSX: CNR)
Sector – Transport and Travel
Dividend Yield – 1.55%
Market Capitalisation – C$11.2 billion
The Canadian National Railway’s objective is to provide Canada with a robust rail and transport infrastructure. The company operates in a heavily regulated sector with high capital intensity, low competition, less cyclicality, and high growth prospects. The CNR has excellent opportunities to grow in the years to come because of the rise of e-commerce. The shift from brick-and-mortar retail to e-commerce is a shot in the arm for the transport sector as no form of logistics can move cargo at the speed, reliability, and cost of rail.
In Q2, CNR reported revenues of C$3.59 billion and earnings of C$1.38 billion (up 76% YoY). In addition, the company has generated C$1.28 billion in cash flow so far this year. While revenues grew 12%, the company could lower costs by 9%. As a result, the operating margin for the quarter was 61%.
Algonquin Power and Utilities (TSE: AQN)
Sector – Power and Utilities
Dividend Yield – 4.36%
Market Capitalization – C$12.1 billion
Algonquin Power and Utilities are one of the biggest power companies in Canada. This stock is so attractive because it is the industry leader in renewable energy, which is almost definitely the direction of the industry. The company has been growing exceptionally well over the past decade as it has gone up 350% and has also consistently increased its dividend over that period. The power sector has high barriers to entry as it is very capital intensive, government-regulated and green energy has excellent growth prospects. It also exhibits very low cyclicality.
In Q2’21, the company reported revenues of C$527.5 million (up 54% YoY), EBITDA of C$244.9 million (up 39% YoY), and net earnings of C$91.7 million (up 93% YoY).
Metro (ASX: MRU)
Sector – Retail, Pharmacy, and Consumer Staples
Dividend Yield – 1.55%
Market Capitalization – C$15.8 billion
Metro is one of the most recognizable names in Canada as it operates one of the largest retail and pharmaceutical chains in the country. The company has a very identifiable brand, which gives customers quality assurance, which is very important in sensitive products like pharmaceuticals. The company has excellent growth prospects as it makes meaningful efforts to grow its online business. They have a competitive advantage over pure digital players because it is omnichannel with an online and offline presence, thus giving them far more reach and efficiency. The company has compounded wealth at 16% CAGR over the past decade and has consistently grown its annual dividend for the past 25 years.
The company reported a massive 100% YoY growth of C$5.71 billion, EBITDA of C$533 million (up 4.4% YoY), and net earnings of C$252 million.
Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TO)
Sector – Banking
Dividend Yield – 3.34%
Market Capitalization – C$184.5 billion
Royal Bank of Canada is one of the country’s oldest institutions and its oldest bank. RBC has a brand name and reputation second to none; this is a considerable advantage as money is a trusted business. Further, banking is a core sector; without it, an economy cannot function. It is also highly cash-generative. With the wave of digitization that we are in, banks can reach far more customers than ever, and RBC’s strong reputation will play to its advantage. The company has compounded wealth for investors at 11.59% CAGR over the past decade. They pay a quarterly dividend but check out monthly paying dividend stocks.
In Q3’21, the company reported a net income of C$4.3 billion (up 10% QoQ and 19% YoY), EPS of C$2.66 (up 11% QoQ and 19% YoY), and an ROE of 18.6%.
Pembina Pipeline (TSX: PPL)
Sector – Energy Transport (Natural Gas Infrastructure)
Dividend Yield – 6.47%
Market Capitalization – C$20.14 billion
Pembina is one of Canada’s biggest energy companies. While the company does not mine or drill itself, it provides companies with infrastructure and processing facilities. Pembina owns over 18000 km of pipelines and 19 gas processing facilities. The natural gas sector has tremendous room to grow as it is increasingly used to replace thermal coal power plants due to its more environmentally friendly nature. However, the industry is also heavily regulated and very capital intensive; hence it has high barriers to entry. Further, it has very low cyclicality because natural gas is a core necessity in Canada for heating and cooking purposes. Nevertheless, the stock has delivered 124% to investors over the past decade.
In Q2’21, the company reported C$894 million in revenue (up 15% YoY) and net earnings of C$254 million.
Brookfield Asset Management (TSX: BAM.A)
Sector – Financial Services
Dividend Yield – 0.92%
Market Capitalization – C$111.7 billion
Brookfield is one of the world’s most respected asset management firms. Of late, it has been increasingly active in renewable energy. This company makes a great long-term bet because it is less prone to disruption and has very diversified operations. The company manages nearly US$600 billion of assets across power, renewable energy, infrastructure, debt, private equity, etc. Being a manager of big-ticket investments is unlikely to be disrupted because it is a reputation and relations game that the company cannot automate. Further, the company’s renewable energy endeavours have placed it in good stead to thrive in the years to come.
Brookfield had a rough 2020 due to write-downs on various assets on account of the pandemic. However, the company has bounced back strong, having generated a net income of US$2.4 billion and a free cash flow of US$1.6 billion. Further, the company raised US$24 billion of fresh capital over the quarter, US$9 billion for real estate, and the rest for infrastructure/power.
Barrick Gold (TSX: ABX)
Sector – Mining
Dividend Yield – 1.78%
Market Capitalization – C$45.2 billion
Barrick Gold is one of the world’s biggest miners, with 16 mines across 13 countries. The company has a global reputation for being the foremost gold miner globally. Its stellar reputation gives it a significant competitive advantage as authenticity, purity, and quality are essential in a precious metals business like gold. Further, it has a bright future due to its copper business, crucial for sustainable tech and decarbonization. The company is also very cash-flow generative as it benefits from operating leverage. Its inflation-adjusted cost price does not go up with the sale price of its products. In a high inflation world with low-interest rates, gold is set to boom over the long term, and so is copper due to demand for EVs, batteries, and turbines.
In Q2’21, the company reported net earnings of $411 million (up 15% YoY). Barrick reported an all-in cash cost of $1087/pound for gold vs. an average sale price of $1802/pound. For copper, the all-in cash cost of $6033/ton vs an average sale price of $10063/ton for copper. This shows the company’s huge margins, cash flow, and profit potential. The business is also improbable to be disrupted due to high barriers to entry from capital intensity, the permanence of gold and copper as high-demand products, and the company’s reputation.
Shopify (TSX: SHOP)
Sector – E-commerce
Dividend Yield – None
Market Capitalization – C$242.9 billion
Shopify shocked everyone when it gradually ascended to become Canada’s largest company by market capitalization. Shopify is one of the rare breeds of tech companies that scale to profitability in a relatively short time. The company operates an e-commerce-as-a-service platform that allows SMEs and corporations alike to build online retail outlets of their own. They provide turn-key company formation, payments management, store design, inventory management, logistics, and digital marketing solutions, all in one product. The company is the undoubted leader in its field and is touted by some as a future competitor to Amazon. The pandemic came like the wind under the company’s wings as it forced businesses worldwide to digital.
Shopify has a multi-tiered operating structure. First, it gets a flat subscription fee from all users, thus giving it a predictable and stable revenue, along with a cut of the Gross Merchandise Value (gross value of all products sold on the platform) and the financial transaction value.
In Q2’21, the company reported revenues of $1.57 billion (up 57% YoY). Subscription fees for the quarter were $334 million (up 70% YoY), and volume-driven expenses were $785.2 million (up 52% YoY). After adjusting for a one-time abnormal gain, the company reported a net profit of $284.6 million (up 119% YoY).
Canadian Apartment Properties REIT (TSX: CAR.UN)
Sector – Real Estate
Dividend Yield- 2.33%
Market Capitalization – C$10.71 billion
Real estate is a must-have investment for every serious investor. REITs are designed to give owners fractional, cheap, hassle-free, yet pure real estate ownership. The real-estate segment is disruption-free mainly because of its nature, the high productivity and potential for land value creation, the permanence of land, and the ever-increasing demand for high-quality real estate. This REIT owns almost 60000 residential units in Canada and over 5500 in the Netherlands. In addition, real estate does particularly well in inflationary periods, such as the one we are in. Learn more about the best REITs in Canada.
In Q3’21, the company reported almost $229 million in operating revenue (up 4% YoY), 97.2% occupancy rate, and net rental income of nearly $152 million (up 5.9% YoY).
Final Thoughts
These are some of the best long-term stocks to buy right now. If you are looking for what stocks to invest in Canada, these may be a great place to start. In today’s world, bank savings rates lag inflation, which means the traditional formula of saving in the bank till retirement will erode wealth, thus making personal finance extremely important. While ETFs and Income Funds are great for passive and hands-off wealth creation, investing in the right stocks can be extremely rewarding for those willing to make an effort. We hope you like this article and consider investing in some of these companies.
Also, check out monthly income investments you can try.
Long Term TSX Stocks to Buy Now
The Motley Fool Canada Market-Beating Team has released a new free report revealing the 10 best Canadian stocks to hold forever. We think these are the best long-term stocks Canada has which are undervalued at the moment, which makes Canadian investors happy. The first post The five best Canadian stocks to buy now for 2021 and the long-term appeared on Motley Fool Canada.
Below is a brief excerpt of the Top 10 dividend stocks and opportunities identified by Canadian dividend stock screening firms. However, before we turn to the best Canadian dividend stocks, a few questions need to be asked to put them into perspective.Â
After dividend stocks are assessed based on yield and growth, investors can build a portfolio of dividend-paying dynamos. Check the Chowder rules (three-, five- and ten-year ratios, dividend growth, EPS growth and payout ratios) to pick solid investments for your portfolio. Note that dividends are not guaranteed – one way to screen companies that are in danger of cutting or cancelling their dividends is to look at the dividend ratio of companies.
Sticking with Blue-chip dividend stocks can help investors weather market storms, as steady dividends come even when the market is rocky. Sticking with blue-chip dividend stocks helps investors determine whether the market storm and stable dividend payments will continue to come as markets rock. With a dividend ETF, you can instantly diversify your investment dollars into companies with a strong dividend profile. In addition, stocks that increase their dividend payouts tend to perform well over the long term, owing to their propensity for value and profitability.
Companies with strong growth prospects: Amazon, Facebook, Netflix. We all have our favourite stories in stocks, and it can be fun to invest your money in them and ride with them.
Growth stocks tend not to pay dividends, but at least when they mature, like Apple, there is the potential for capital gains. After months of underperformance, growth stocks look more attractive than ever from a valuation point of view.Â
The top 11 growth stocks to buy for the rest of 2021 appear poised to push upward at least until the end of 2021, if not longer. These stocks have the highest valuation on the news, as the POWR rating system classifies stocks based on many fundamental indicators. Canadian Natural Resources has an overall rating of B Buy from PwC.
In general, Canadian stocks and the Toronto Stock Exchange had a poor record on returns. However, some of Canada’s top stocks show that you believe there is value at home.
Increased volatility and overextended valuations have made investors cautious despite sharp recoveries and rallies. Moreover, investors are just beginning to reopen stocks in the post-COVID world. Nevertheless, if you are a long-term investor, many Canadian stocks with solid fundamentals and several growth catalysts could make you rich.
Investors are doing this by investing in many growth stocks that have delivered incredible returns in recent years despite the sell-off. If you are an investor who has seen your growth stocks sell off and wants to help reopen stocks that will all benefit when the economy restarts in the second half of 2020, consider some of the stocks listed below. Research companies that plan for the next decade and look for companies with long-term growth potential.
In addition to a company’s growth potential, I am also looking for sectors that have strong tailwinds. So here are two top TSX stocks that are perfect for long-term investors to help start your portfolio. Both companies have impressive success stories in the market, and there is no sign of an imminent end.
TD Bank is one of the safest companies to invest in value and growing, guaranteed returns. The stock emerged strongly from the economic collapse and has proved to be a top contender among Canadian stocks for decades to buy and hold. Of course, you won’t make a quick profit with TD Bank, but you will get long-term returns with a dividend yield of four percent.
After years of personal dividend investing, I have concluded that dividend stocks are rocking. You assess them by their dividend triangle, which is the best long-term way to value solid Canadian companies. While statistics are best about trying to jump into the market, it’s worth trusting your reasons for selecting a stock so that you don’t get hung up on your shares and are afraid of the greed of others. So instead, buy more shares of your favourite dividend stock at any price. I never sell my dividend shares unless I have faith in their long-term growth.
Market orders can be used to buy stocks that do not experience large price swings, such as large, stable blue-chip stocks, rather than smaller, more volatile companies. As a result, market orders are best for buy-and-hold investors, as minor price differences are essential to ensure that the trade is executed correctly.
Other options include using a full-service stockbroker to buy shares in a company. You can also hold shares through exchange-traded funds (ETFs) – either purchased through a brokerage platform or a Robo-adviser. After opening a fund in your account, you can buy shares directly from the broker’s website in minutes.
If you are a novice looking to buy shares in Canada, we recommend using Questrade or Wealthsimple to trade. This guide discusses how to invest in shares, the best share-dealing platforms, the pros and cons of buying shares, taxing your portfolio and more. Stocks, also known as stocks and shares, are among the essential asset classes available to investors.
Under the Walt Disney Company umbrella, you will find ESPN, Fox, Marvel, Lucasfilm (Star Wars), National Geographic, and many holiday-oriented locations and services worldwide. Suffice it to say that anyone who wants to see a Disney film or TV show today and in the future can visit one of the company’s many theme parks. As a result, I think that Disney is a solid buy-and-hold product for beginners because of its vast reach and ability to engage customers of all ages worldwide.
