Rating Card

premium

Unlock Expert's Rating and Top Picks Portfolio

Curated by Michael O'Reilly since 2020
1550+ opinions with 4.81 rating (one of the best performing expert)

Latest Top Picks

Stock Opinions by Alex Ruus

COMMENT

Last year, markets did very well because of tech, but the rest of the sectors were very mixed. A mixed year. 2024, we'll likely see the opposite, because the economy is weak. So, tech will not perform as strongly. Some names are left behind, so this is a great stockpicker's market. Profits will come under pressure this year.

Unknown
BUY
CVS Health Corp

Now, they're America's biggest drug store operator, an area which did well during Covid, but is struggling with theft and other reasons. They're one of the big three pharmacy benefit managers, historically a good business and remains decent. This is a good company, but has been caught up in drug store weakness and sentiment that says sell. Going forward, though, this is an investment. Pays a 3.6% dividend and trades at a 10x PE.

specialty stores
BUY
oil

He bought a lot of oil in 2020 when it bottomed, and oil did well through 2022. Shares have come down since, but oil and gas prices remain good, and the stocks offer good free cash flows. But sentiment is not there. The Saudis don't want oil below $70/barrel, and they run OPEC. If you believe that the Saudis will cut production to maintain that price, then oil stocks are undervalued. The large-caps have the best balance sheets and are the most stable. Mid-caps are slightly more volatile and the small-caps are very but are really cheap though don't pay dividends. TVE is the best mid-cap with great assets in the Clearwater. The knock is that they made some acquisitions which raised their debt, but this is short term. He expects a rebound this year.

oil / gas
BUY
Gibson Energy

See also comments about TVE. Pays a yield of 7.3%, sustainable, trades cheaply and is a buy.

pipelines
SELL
Walt Disney Co.

A great long-term franchise, but they've loaded the balance sheet with debt and cut the dividend three years ago. Their ESPN is starting to struggle, and Disney+ isn't making them money. They raised the prices on the theme parks too high.

entertainment services
WATCH
Tilray Inc.

So much wealth got destroyed in the cannabis sector, but Tilray will be one of the survivors. He can't offer a solid opinion about TLRY, because he needs to learn more about it, but he's starting to study the cannabis sector. Something will happen in the U.S. that will make banking for these companies allowable--and this will be a major move.

0
WEAK BUY
Softchoice

The re-sell Microsoft products into companies. Really likes this. Is a tech services and not a software company. Well-run, pays a 2.5% dividend and 28x PE. This year may be choppy because he's unsure what corporate spending on tech will be like.

Technology
BUY
Pizza Pizza Royalty

A good small-cap and a solid business. A sleepy stock that's overlooked, but they execute and pay a steady dividend. Pays a nice dividend of over 6%.

food stores
PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Feb 13/23, Down 6%)

Did well in 2021-2, but sideways in 2023 despite fundamentals improving. Pays a safe 7.8% dividend yield as they build free cash flow. Costs of production are only $5/barrel. Likely is the cheapest royalty company in North America. Downside is $12, while he targets as high as $30.

Financial Services
PAST TOP PICK
Enbridge
(A Top Pick Feb 13/23, Down 5%)

The pipeline is delayed again, but a year or two from now Canada will see bottlenecks again in moving oil. ENB is the biggest pipeline operator, trades at a discount to the rails, and pays a 7.6% dividend yield.

oil / gas pipelines
PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Feb 13/23, Up 23%)

Will continue to do well. Is a misunderstood business EFN is the world's largest fleet manager of delivery vehicles (Amazon, P&G); they outsource for these companies. There's little risk in this business. Pays a 2% dividend, trades at 15x PE and 8% free cash flow yield.

0
STRONG BUY

A remarkable success story in global oil & gas. The best-run in this business. That's why the stock has done well. Will continue to grow, though at a slower rate than the past 40 years. Are also a major natural gas producer. They buy companies at barn-sale prices with their healthy balance sheet.

oil / gas
COMMENT
American Tower

A juggernaut in cell towers. Has done very well over time. However, they carry a lot of debt, which is why shares have underperformed in recent years. If interest rates stay high, AMT will have to deal with that.

Telecommunications
WEAK BUY
Citigroup Inc.

They've struggled the most among the big U.S. banks. The CEO is carving out their weaker businesses. If he can execute this well, there is upside. Overall, a solid holding.

banks
BUY
Tourmaline Oil Corp

Well-run and a major oil producer. Very levered to natural gas, which is under a little pressure now. But they enjoy low costs. Nat gas prices may sell off a little more, but TOU looks compelling now.

oil / gas
Showing 1 to 15 of 1,076 entries