Description: Quick Pick is a bargain hunter’s delight with two locations in metro Ottawa. Quick Pick stocks items returned to online retailers like Amazon, creating value by providing a convenient way to deal with this inventory. New stock arrives every Friday, with all items starting at $25.99. Prices decline daily throughout the week, and, by… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Financial Reporting and Analysis
Blackberry’s Rich Patents
Description: Blackberry has announced the sales of the bulk of its remaining patents related to its communications technology. Catapault IP Innovations has purchased this intellectual property for $600 million in a combination of cash and promissory notes. As Blackberry has moved itself from a mobile device company to a cybersecurity business, fans of the legendary… Read more »
Netflix Rising
Description: If you’re a Netfllix subscriber, get prepared to dig a bit deeper into your pocketbook. The monthly rate for the two-stream plans in Canada are heading to $16.49 from the current price of $14.99. Netflix asserts that the increase will help the company provide a “better experience” in a market that seems to be… Read more »
An $8.5 Billion Drop
Description: Peleton, the exercise equipment manufacturer that benefited greatly from a pandemic-fueled rise in home exercise, has suffered a loss of $8.5 billion in market valuation after decreasing its sales forecasts for 2022. Net income will also be impacted by a price-cut on Peleton’s flagship bike as well as rising shipping costs. A loss of… Read more »
Out of the Pandemic Dip
Description: Canada created almost 160,000 jobs in September. That means that the country is out of the deep job loss hole prompted by the pandemic. Statistics Canada states that this job surge has pushed the unemployment rate down to 6.9 %, the lowest since the Covid-19 shutdown began. One intriguing question are how many Canadians… Read more »
Caisse Drops Oil
Description: Pension manager Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec – often simply referred to as the Caisse – plans to drop its investments in the oil business within the next year. Currently, this industry makes up about 1% of the Caisse’s approximately $400 billion in assets. The Caisse, like many other pension funds, has… Read more »
Food Court Passport Patrol
Description: With Covid-19 cases rising in several provinces in the latest phase of the pandemic, governments, such as Ontario, have responded with requiring vaccine passports for customers dining in restaurants. Policing the passport is especially tough in food courts, where food is purchased from a variety of vendors but consumed in a common area not… Read more »
Big Party at Queen’s
Description: Last Wednesday police broke up a major street party on University Avenue near Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Though the crowd was estimated at 3,000 — well in excess of tbe 100 person limit under the Covid restrictions – less than 20 participants were arrested or charged. Queen’s University stated “consequences for this behaviour… Read more »
Craft Beer Sales Up
Description: Two of Canada’s largest craft beer makers reported that sales were up in 2020, despite the fact that Corona virus had shut down sales channels in bars and restaurants. Big Rock Brewery of Calgary had its highest sales in seven years. Waterloo Brewing Ltd. saw strong growth of 20% during the year, a figure… Read more »
Loblaws: Dividends Up; Hero Pay Over
Description: Grocery chains have been among the winners during the pandemic. With more people working at home, and restaurants either operating under restrictions or not operating at all, grocers are growing their sales. Loblaws has decided to bump up its dividends to shareholders given that profits were up in the most recent quarter. Left on… Read more »