This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. A stock market that for the past century has averaged 7 per cent annual gains can provide the growth element in your retirement nest egg. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August and February. Government guaranteed fixed-income securities are the bedrock of a sound retirement portfolio.

But they pay a meagre yield in this prolonged era of low interest rates.

A stock market that for the past century has averaged 7 per cent annual gains can provide the growth element in your retirement nest egg — and at minimum risk, if you pick quality stocks.

You can buy and pretty much forget about them as they quietly bulk up your retirement funds. These stocks have been chosen as keepers, not only for but forever. But unlike Metro, Loblaw, the only national grocery chain, has an under-developed presence in Western and Atlantic Canada with upside potential. And despite heavy investment in first-rate inventory control systems that have occasionally punished the bottom line, Loblaw shares have managed an average annual stock gain of Loblaw owns Shoppers Drug Mart, another powerhouse in Central Canada with growth potential in Atlantic and Western Canada.

CTC is a market leader in auto supplies and maintenance, hardware, and sporting goods — an unusual and lucrative business model. CTC is only beginning to realize the cross-marketing potential among these three operations.

Canadian dividend stocks portfolio

CTC is also using virtual reality devices in-store to enable customers to test out everything from tires to patio sets. Despite increased competition, CTC profits have climbed more than 32 per cent since And CTC stock has gained an average of The Laval-based Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

The firm has grown rapidly through acquisition, including U. Internal, or organic, growth is also part of the Couche-Tard strategy.

The firm relentlessly experiments with new food and snack items to boost sales per square foot at existing stores. And it reaps synergy benefits from plugging newly acquired stores into its efficient logistics and distribution systems.

Rapid expansion often triggers uncontrollable cost growth Gap Inc. And the stock has gained an average of As one of the few Canadian companies to master a U. Longtime CEO Don Walker is not starry-eyed about the advent of EVs all-electric vehicles and autonomous, or driverless, vehicles. Yet Walker has invested in a variety of firms that specialize in those emerging realms.

But nor will the near-debt-free firm bet the company on being in the vanguard. Sure, EVs are expected to account for one-third of vehicles on the road — but not until Among the things one seeks in a good company are costs rising at a lower rate than revenues. TD stock is priced higher than its peers, with a price-earnings multiple of TD has by far the biggest U. TD has an enviable franchise in the Tri-State region of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, among the most populous and affluent places in the world.

TD stands to reap further gains from its already booming U. Northeast operations as American interest rates rise.

Also because of its U. TD profits are up The Toronto Star and thestar.

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By David Olive Business Columnist. Canadian Tire Canadian Tire Corp. Couche-Tard The Laval-based Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Magna Magna International Inc. Toronto Dominion Bank TD stock is priced higher than its peers, with a price-earnings multiple of Home Latest News Video GTA Blogs.

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