10 Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014

Canadian mineral exploration and development company Northern Dynasty Minerals (NYSEMKT: NAK  ) has approved an $80 million budget for 2013 to advance its Pebble project in Alaska.

Pebble is the largest undeveloped copper-gold-molybdenum deposit in the world, according to the company, with the potential to produce as much as 55 billion pounds of copper, 67 million ounces of gold, and 3.3 billion pounds of molybdenum over its near-80-year life. Since July 2007, and prior to today's announcement of funding, some $680 million has already been spent on developing the project. Northern Dynasty expects to initiate permitting under the National Environmental Policy Act before the end of the year.

Northern Dynasty CEO�Ronald Thiessen was quoted as saying, "Following a very substantial pre-permitting planning program and years of comprehensive study, the Pebble Partnership is now nearing the final stages of completing its project description for the Pebble project."

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014: Yamana Gold Inc.(AUY)

Yamana Gold Inc. engages in gold and other precious metals mining, and related activities, including exploration, extraction, processing, and reclamation. It also explores for copper, molybdenum, zinc, and silver metals. The company's portfolio includes 7 operating gold mines namely Chapada; El Pen Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Vatalyst]

  A gold producer focused in Canada with land positions in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Colombia, Yamana plans to target gold consolidation opportunities with a primary focus in the Americas. AUY gained 29% during the last year with a 343.5% quarterly earnings growth rate. It has a market capitalization of $9.2 billion and a trailing P/E ratio of 20.4x. AUY is expected to earn $0.75 earn per share in 2012.

• [By Barker]

  I believe I have touted Yamana Gold's clear prowess as a deep-value favorite from every possible angle. With arguably the lowest downside risk of any stock in the sector, I join fellow value hounds in waiting patiently for the market to recognize the full value of these shares.

• [By Luke Burgess]

  Yamana Gold is a significant gold mining, exploration and development company with projects in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Colombia.

  Revenue exceeded $2.2 billion in 2011, as the company reached record production of 1.10 million gold equivalent ounces – a 5.3% increased over the previous year.

  This year Yamana expects output to be in the range of 1.2 to 1.3 million gold-equivalent ounces – a 13% increase over 2011.

  Going forward, the company says production is expected to increase to 1.5 to 1.7 million gold equivalent ounces by 2013, and 1.75 million ounces gold-equivalent ounces by 2014.

  Yamana’s co-product cash costs increased 5% last year to $463 per gold equivalent ounce. The company has not yet announced a guidance of operational costs across all its projects for 2012.

  Yamana increased its dividend by 10% on February 22, 2012, making the company’s dividend yield one of highest in the industry. The firm recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.055 per share, payable April 13, 2012 to shareholders on record at the close of business on March 30, 2012.

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014: Gildan Activewear Inc.(GIL)

Gildan Activewear Inc. engages in the manufacture and sale of apparel products primarily in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It sells T-shirts, fleece, and sport shirts to wholesale distributors under the Gildan brand name. The company also provides its activewear products for work and school uniforms and athletic team wear, and other purposes to convey individual, group, and team identity. In addition, it offers undecorated products to branded apparel companies and retailers; and underwear products. Further, the company markets its sock products under the various brands, including Gold Toe, PowerSox, SilverToe, Auro, All Pro, GT, and the Gildan brand. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthews]

  Gildan Activewear is a definite leader in apparel manufacturing. The company has great growth and solid profitability in a market where it is tough to create economic moats. It offers a compelling 1.5% dividend, and we believe that the company has upside to our price target of $36. The company should be able to make a nice move higher from here as it outperforms the industry in growth with sales and earnings outpacing the industry exceptionally. Further, it is considerably undervalued with a PE at 10 vs. an industry average around 20. Value and growth in one...can't beat it.

  Allocation: $2000

  Entry: $19.85

  Target: $21.85, $24.00, and $36

Top Life Sciences Stocks For 2014: North American Energy Partners Inc. (NOA)

North American Energy Partners Inc. provides heavy construction and mining, piling, and pipeline installation services to customers in the Canadian oil sands, industrial construction, commercial and public construction, and pipeline construction markets. The company operates in three segments: Heavy Construction and Mining, Piling, and Pipeline. The Heavy Construction and Mining segment focuses on providing surface mining support services for oil sands and other natural resources. Its activities include land clearing, stripping, muskeg removal, and overburden removal to expose the mining area; the supply of labor and equipment to supplement customers� mining fleets supporting ore mining; and provision of general support services, such as road building, repair and maintenance for mine and treatment plant operations, and hauling of sand and gravel. This segment also engages in the construction related to the expansion of existing projects-site development and infrastructure ; and the provision of environmental and tailings management services. In addition, it provides industrial site construction for mega-projects; and underground utility installation services for plant, refinery, and commercial building construction. The Piling segment installs driven, drilled, and screw piles, as well as caissons and earth retention, and stabilization systems. It also designs, manufactures, and sells screw piles and pipeline anchoring systems worldwide, as well as provides tank maintenance services to the petro-chemical industry in Canada and the United States. The Pipeline segment provides small and large diameter pipeline construction and installation services, as well as equipment rental to energy and industrial clients. The company�s fleet includes approximately 900 pieces of diversified heavy construction equipment supported by approximately 750 pieces of ancillary equipment. North American Energy Partners Inc. was founded in 1953 and is headquartered i n Calgary, Canada.

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce(CM)

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce provides various financial products, services, and advice to individual, small business, commercial, corporate, and institutional clients in Canada and internationally. The company offers retail markets services comprising personal banking, business banking, and wealth management services, as well as investment management services to retail and institutional clients. It also provides wholesale banking services, including credit, capital markets, investment banking, merchant banking, and research products and services to government, institutional, corporate, and retail clients. The company provides its services through its branch network, automated bank machines, mobile banking, and online banking site. As of June 3, 2011, it operated approximately 1,100 branches and 4,000 automated bank machines in Canada. The company was founded in 1867 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ETF Authority]

  Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM): Up 0.89% to $69.33. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce provides banking and financial services to consumers, individuals, and corporate clients in Canada and around the world.

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014: Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.(CMG)

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. develops and operates fast-casual, fresh Mexican food restaurants in the United States, Canada, and England. Its restaurants primarily offer burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 1,230 restaurants, which includes 1 ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is based in Denver, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Fernandez]

  Chipotle Mexican Grill(NYSE: CMG) owns and operates 775 “fast-casual” Mexican restaurants and offers a focused menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls (a burrito without the tortilla) and salads made from fresh, high-quality raw ingredients, prepared using classic cooking methods and served in a distinctive atmosphere.

  Chipotle adheres to what they call Food With Integrity (FWI), whereby Chipotle seeks better food not only from using fresh ingredients, but ingredients that are sustainably grown and naturally raised with respect for animals, the land, and the farmers who produce the food.

  Chipotle’s ultimate goal is to be able to serve only organically raised and grown food in all their restaurants.

  I have been watching Chipotle for quite some time, since its IPO actually, and recently wrote extensively about the company and the headwinds that they are facing with the economy and rising commodity prices.

  You can read all about that here.

  Chipotle recently announced earnings and they were actually not too bad.

  Chipotle registered positive same-store sales BUT that was as a result of higher menu prices, which they are going to be instituting again during the next couple of quarters.

  The also announced a pretty significant stock repurchase program whereby they were going to buy back their “B” shares because they felt they were significantly undervalued and they would get more bang for the buck.

  I listened to the conference call and management was very up front and honest about where they were headed in terms of margin deterioration due to higher input costs, and raising prices.

  They also talked about the severe economic headwinds, and they lowered their guidance for the next year based on those views.

  Chipotle is still high on my list, and an amazing company, but I feel, especially with the shares rising almost 20% from their lows in just a few days, that we’ll have better entry points in the next few ! months.

  Also remember to always purchase the “B” shares as they are exactly the same as the “A” shares but are anywhere from 5-15% cheaper and have 10 times the voting power.

  Why I Like the Company: Best-in-breed player with significantly higher margins and a lower cost structure than other similar fast-casual restaurant chains; their commitment to organic and natural ingredients sets them apart in a crowded restaurant landscape; stock price is starting to become reasonable again after over a year of hype and overindulgence; company is still expanding at a breakneck speed, even in the face of deteriorating business fundamentals positioning themselves for a quick turnaround; same-store sales are still positive; company still churns out significant cash, and pays for its expansion via its own cash generation with almost no debt.

• [By Fitz Gerald]

  Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) has the potential to be the McDonald’s (MCD) o f the next half-century … in part because this high-quality burrito shop was spun off from McDonald’s in 2006 … so management has been taught well. Revenues are growing steadily and profit margins are consistently in the high single digits, which is great in the restaurant industry. (It’s my son’s favorite restaurant, but I’m not the analyst who submitted it.)

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014: CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF)

CF Industries Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiary, CF Industries, Inc., manufactures and distributes nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer products, serving agricultural and industrial customers worldwide. It operates in two segments, Nitrogen and Phosphate. The Nitrogen segment principally offers ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate solution, urea liquor, diesel exhaust fluid, and aqua ammonia. The Phosphate segment primarily offers diammonium phosphate and monoammonium phosphate. The company also owns 50% interests in the GrowHow UK Limited, a nitrogen products producer in the United Kingdom; Point Lisas Nitrogen Limited, an ammonia producer; and KEYTRADE AG, a global fertilizer trading company. CF Industries Holdings� customers include cooperatives and independent fertilizer distributors primarily in the midwestern United States. The company was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James K. Glassman]

   A standout in an unlikely business is CF Industries, a fertilizer producer based in Deerfield, Ill. In 2011, its free cash flow roughly doubled, to a hefty $1.8 billion, from the previous year, as it had from the preceding year as well. Lately, CF's capital expenditures have been well below its depreciation, but the company's revenues keep rising. CF's strong cash performance has, quite naturally spurred its board to boost the dividend -- from an annual rate of 40 cents per share in 2010 to a rate of $1.60 today.
  Read more at http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/investing/T052-S001-9-cash-rich-stocks-to-buy-now/index.html#LLDifCZJ5h4D3JBY.99 

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014: Assisted Living Concepts Inc. New (ALC)

Assisted Living Concepts, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates senior living residences in the United States. It offers general services, such as meals, activities, laundry, and housekeeping; support services, including assistance with medication, monitoring health status, co-ordination of transportation, and co-ordination with physician offices; and personal care services, such as dressing, grooming, and bathing. The company also arranges access to additional services from third-party providers, including physical, occupational, and respiratory therapy; home health; hospice; and pharmacy services. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 211 senior living residences comprising 9,325 units in 20 states. Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.(RCL)

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. operates in the cruise vacation industry worldwide. It owns five cruise brands, which comprise Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Club Cruises, and CDF Croisi�es de France. The Royal Caribbean International brand provides various itineraries and cruise lengths with options for onboard dining, entertainment, and other onboard activities primarily for the contemporary segment. It offers surf simulators, water parks, ice skating rinks, rock climbing walls, and shore excursions at each port of call, as well as boulevards with shopping, dining, and entertainment venues. The Celebrity Cruises brand operates onboard upscale ships that offer luxurious accommodations, fine dining, personalized services, spa facilities, venue featuring live grass, and glass blowing studio for the premium segment, as well as resells computers and other media devices. The Pullmantur brand provides an array of onboard activities and serv ices to guests, including exercise facilities, swimming pools, beauty salons, gaming facilities, shopping, dining, complimentary beverages, and entertainment venues serving the contemporary segment of the Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin American cruise markets. The Azamara Club Cruises brand offers various onboard services, amenities, gaming facilities, fine dining, spa and wellness, butler service for suites, and interactive entertainment venues for the up-market segment of the North American, United Kingdom, German, and Australian markets. The CDF Croisieres de France brand offers seasonal itineraries to the Mediterranean; and various onboard services, amenities, entertainment venues, exercise and spa facilities, fine dining, and gaming facilities for the contemporary segment of the French cruise market. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated 39 ships with a total capacity of approximately 92,650 berths. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. was founded in 1968 and is headqua rtered in Miami, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Hawkinvest]

  Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) is one of Carnival's competitors in the cruise industry. Royal does not have the same issues as Carnival in terms of the Costa Concordia incident, but it could be impacted by discounting in cruise fares, as well as higher fuel costs. Royal Caribbean shares were recently downgraded to a strong sell by Zacks Investment Research, and a recent analyst report states:

  We are a bit doubtful about the cruising sector in the near term after Carnival's ship Costa Concordia ran aground in mid-January on Italy's west coast. The disaster hit the industry in the wake of the wave season between January and March. The recent tragedy resulted in subdued bookings. Royal Caribbean's overall booking volumes in North America came down. In Europe, where the incident took place, the cut in bookings has been steeper. Business in APMEA was also down slightly. The company expects a 20% decline in new bookings during the peak of wave season.

  This stock was trading below $26 in early January, but it has rallied with the markets. With oil prices trending higher, and the stock at the high end of the recent trading range, the shares look vulnerable to a pullback.

  Here are some key points for RCL:

  Current share price: $29.89

  The 52 week range is $18.70 to $45.45

  Earnings estimates for 2011: $2.32 per share

  Earnings estimates for 2012: $2.94 per share

  Annual dividend: 40 cents per share which yields about 1.3%

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014: Information Services Group Inc.(III)

Information Services Group, Inc. operates as a fact-based sourcing advisory company principally in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. It provides strategic consulting, benchmarking and analytics, managed services, and research services with a focus on information technology, business process transformation, and enterprise resource planning. The company serves financial services, telecom, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, transportation and travel, and energy and utilities industries; and state and local governments and airport and transit authorities. Information Services Group, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is based in Stamford, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Leeds]

  According to The Washington Post over $1.8 trillion dollars is sitting idle in America's corporations.  The original reasons companies were hoarding cash, such as economic uncertainty and European debt contagion fears, are beginning to take a back seat to growth plans.  These companies (such as Microsoft with $40 billion cash, Caterpillar with $3 billion, Exxon at $11 billion, etc...) will look to use their cash to capture market share and expand.  I'm expecting this increased spending to result in a mild improvement in the unemployment rate, pushing it down from 9% to 7.5% in 2012. 

  A consulting firm like Information Services Group (III) will be one of the primary beneficiaries of increased corporate activity.  They have top clients from a broad range of industries, such as financial services, manufacturing, health care, energy, and more.  With the majority of their clientele increasing spending, a portion of those funds will find their way to III.  The Peter Leeds price outlook:  $2.40.

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2014: ENI S.p.A. (E)

Eni SpA, an integrated energy company, engages in the exploration, production, transportation, transformation, and marketing of oil and natural gas. The company also involves in the production and sale of electricity; refining and marketing of petroleum products; and production and sale of petrochemical products and hydrocarbons. In addition, it engages in the offshore and onshore hydrocarbon field construction. Further, the company offers offshore and onshore drilling, and offshore design and engineering services for oil and gas companies. It has a strategic partnership with Gazprom for the joint development of projects in the upstream oil and gas markets. Eni SpA operates in Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania, and the Americas. The company was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Rome, Italy with an additional office in San Donato Milanese, Italy.