5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2014

After seeing its stock rise more than 400% alongside many fundamental improvements in the airline, Air Canada (TSX: AC.B  ) was hit hard in late January by an unexpected event. No, it wasn't a collapse in Canadian air travel demand, lackluster earnings, or a revelation of some book-cooking scheme. The culprit was Canada's currency itself.

The drop
As the Canadian dollar declined from parity with the U.S. dollar, seen over a year ago, the Canadian dollar closed 2013 around 5% lower. This was not a major issue: Air Canada built a modest decline in the Canadian dollar into its own forecasts.

But 2014 has brought another drop and a much faster one. Concerns about a weak dollar policy from the Bank of Canada knocked the currency to a four-year low as it fell below $0.90 USD. After reaching nearly $10 on Jan. 23, Air Canada shares were slammed by the currency concerns falling below $7 before rebounding into the mid-$7 range. Shares of Canadian rival WestJet (TSX: WJA  ) were also hit by the drop in the Canadian dollar falling more than 10% off their peak.

Top Mid Cap Companies To Invest In 2015: Canadian National Railway Company(CNI)

Canadian National Railway Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the rail and related transportation business in North America. It provides transportation for various goods, including petroleum and chemicals, grain and fertilizers, coal, metals and minerals, forest products, and intermodal and automotive products. The company operates a network of approximately 20,600 route miles of track that spans Canada and mid-America, from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to the Gulf of Mexico. It serves the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert (British Columbia), Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile (Alabama), as well as metropolitan areas of Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Duluth (Minnesota)/Superior (Wisconsin), Green Bay (Wisconsin), Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, and Jackson (Mississippi), with connections to various points in North America. The company was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chad Fraser]

  It’s a similar story at Canadian National Railway (NYSE: CNI), the largest operator north of the border, where intermodal revenue totaled C$1.99 billion in 2012, up 11% from 2011 and accounting for 22% of the total.

• [By Sean Williams]

  Canadian National Railway (NYSE: CNI  )
  Once more the theme is an earnings-driven event. Canadian National, known as CN, is a railroad company to the north that delivered net income of $541 million in the first quarter compared to the $755 million it reported in profits in the year-ago period. Despite tougher weather conditions being one of the primary factors for the volume shortfall, investors still came down on Canadian National.

• [By Jim Jubak]

  No one is even remotely close to the 59.8% operating ratio of CN Rail (CNI), the most accomplished railroad in Canada and the United States. From oil and grains, to cars and trucks, it seems like this company ships just about everything. Perhaps that is precisely why Jim Jubak agrees with Gordon Pape's 2014 Top Stock Pick and predicts that ongoing productivity in 2014 might propel CN Rail stock up another 20%.

• [By Neil Macneale]

  Both Canadian National Railway (CNI) and VF Corporation (VFC) show very similar numbers in many of the critical categories in our screening process.

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2014: Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund(CFP)

Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund is a closed-ended equity fund of fund launched and managed by Cornerstone Advisors, Inc. The fund invests funds investing in the public equity markets of the United States. It invests in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund was formed on April 26, 2007 and is domiciled in the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  But you can see in several places the consequences of the stampede toward high yield. Here are just a few:

  Closed-end funds Cornerstone Progressive (NYSEMKT: CFP  ) and Pimco High Income (NYSE: PHK  ) both make fixed payments back to fund shareholders on a monthly basis, and their distribution yields are truly extraordinary, at about 17% and 12%, respectively. Those dividends have enticed shareholders to pay $1.30 to $1.40 or more for each $1 of assets in the funds. Yet during most months, a substantial portion of those distribution payments has simply been a return of investor capital rather than true income from the funds' investments. A recent study discussed in The Wall Street Journal found that returns on a portfolio with a combined value and dividend-income strategy outperformed a strategy focused more exclusively on maximizing dividends by an average of 1.7 percentage points per year, a huge edge in long-run returns. In the dividend ETF arena, most funds tend to focus on maximizing yield. Although the popular Vanguard Dividend Appreciation (NYSEMKT: VIG  ) ETF bucks the trend by screening first for consistent dividend growth and only then looking at yield as a factor, many rival ETFs start with high-yielding stocks as their baseline and only then consider other desirable traits. Others focus solely on high-dividend niches of the market, such as iShares FTSE NAREIT Mortgage-Plus (NYSEMKT: REM  ) and its concentration on high-yield mortgage REITs.

  When dividend stocks get too popular, their prices get out of line with both their dividend income and the fundamentals of the businesses that underlie those stocks. In simpler terms, when dividend stocks become bad values, it's time to consider looking elsewhere for a margin of safety.

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2014: Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc(VRX)

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, and markets pharmaceutical products in the areas of neurology, dermatology, and branded generics. It offers Wellbutrin XL to treat depressive disorders; Xenazine to treat chorea associated with Huntington?s disease; CeraVe to rebuild and repair skin barrier; and Kinerase, a cosmetic product. The company also provides Zovirax ointment to treat initial genital herpes; Xerese to treat recurrent herpes labialis; Elidel to treat atopic dermatitis; and Acanya and Atralin gels to treat acne vulgaris. In addition, it offers Cesamet to treat nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy; Tiazac XC to treat hypertension and angina; Wellbutrin to treat depressive illness; Sublinox to treat insomnia; and Lodalis to treat hypercholesterolemia. Further, the company provides Cold-FX to strengthen immune system; Duromine/Metermine for weight loss; Difflam to treat sore throa ts; and Duro-Tuss and Rikodeine to treat dry and chesty cough, as well as various branded generics for treatments, including antibiotics, treatments for cardiovascular and neurological diseases, antifungal medications, and diabetic therapies. Additionally, it offers Bisocard to treat hypertension and angina pectoris; Flucinar, a corticosteroid ointment; and Sachol mouth ulcer gel; Bedoyecta to treat neurotic pain; M.V.I., a hospital dietary supplement for trauma and burns; Tandene to treat fever and headache; Melleril to treat anxiety and depression; and products for therapeutic classes, such as vitamin deficiency, antibacterials, and dermatology. It markets its products in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Latin America, southeast Asia, and South Africa. The company was formerly known as Biovail Corporation and changed its name to Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. in September 2010. The company was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in M ississauga, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brendan Mathews]

  We asked which current CEOs fit the�Outsiders�mold. Thorndike reeled off a short list of names, but he started with Michael Pearson of�Valeant Pharmaceuticals� (NYSE: VRX  ) . He went on to mention Nicholas Howley of�TransDigm Group� (NYSE: TDG  ) , and Rich Kinder of�Kinder Morgan� (NYSE: KMI  ) .�

• [By Keith Speights]

  "Bidness" is good
  Last week, Obagi Medical Products (NASDAQ: OMPI  ) made our list of humongous performers after Valeant Pharmaceuticals� (NYSE: VRX  ) announced a $344 million bid for the company. This week saw a bidding frenzy, with Obagi shares jumping another 29%.

5 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2014: KBR Inc. (KBR)

KBR, Inc. operates as an engineering, construction, and services company supporting the energy, hydrocarbon, government services, minerals, civil infrastructure, power, and industrial sectors worldwide. Its Downstream business unit provides front end engineering design; detailed engineering; engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC); EPC management; and program management services to petrochemical, refining, coal gasification, and syngas markets. The company?s Government and Infrastructure business unit provides program and project management, contingency logistics, operations and maintenance, construction management, engineering, and other services to military and civilian branches of governments and private clients. Its Services business unit delivers engineering, construction, construction management, fabrication, maintenance, and turnaround services. It also offers maintenance, construction, and drilling support services for offshore oil and gas producing facili ties using semisubmersible vessels. This segment serves oil, gas, petrochemicals, and hydrocarbon processing industries, as well as power, alternate energy, pulp and paper, industrial and manufacturing, and pharmaceutical industries. The company?s Technology business unit offers various process technologies, including value-added technologies in the coal monetization, petrochemical, refining, and syngas markets. Its Upstream business unit constructs liquefied natural gas, gas-to-liquids, onshore oil and gas production facilities, offshore oil and gas production facilities, and onshore and offshore pipelines. The company?s Ventures business unit invests in and manages projects, where the company provides engineering, construction, construction management or operations, and maintenance services. KBR, Inc. was founded in 1901 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  KBR (NYSE: KBR) shares fell 1.16% to touch a new 52-week low of $23.95 after UBS downgraded the stock from Buy to Neutral.

  AEP Industries (NASDAQ: AEPI) shares touched a new 52-week low of $34.20. AEP shares have dropped 56.11% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 15.91% in the same period.

• [By Rich Smith]

  This umbrella contract authorizes four separate contractors -- privately held CH2M Hill Constructors and Environmental Chemical Corp, and publicly traded KBR (NYSE: KBR  ) and URS (NYSE: URS  ) -- to bid for individual task orders under it. In total, across the contract's one-year "base period" and the up to four subsequent one-year optional extensions, this contract is estimated to have a maximum dollar value of $800 million. It is not to exceed 60 months in duration and so should expire in June 2018.