Archives for April 28, 2019

Stocks to Watch: Anglo American plc (LSE:AAL), Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE:ADS) Valuation in Focus

Anglo American plc (LSE:AAL) has an ERP5 rank of 4446. The ERP5 Rank is an investment tool that analysts use to discover undervalued companies.  It looks at the stock’s Price to Book ratio, Earnings Yield, ROIC and 5 year average ROIC.  The lower the rank, the more undervalued a company is considered to be.

Investors may be wondering which way stock market momentum will shift in the second half of the year. If the economic landscape shifts and markets start to go south, investors may need to have an action plan in place. Keeping the bigger picture in mind may help investors when markets are struggling. Short-term developments may cause the investor to lose confidence in certain holdings. Keeping the focus on stock analysis and the overall economic picture may help investors see through the trees. Sometimes the calm, cool, and collected approach will help settle the mind during turbulent market conditions. Being able to stay emotionally unattached to a stock or sector may assist the investor with making tricky buying or selling decisions. Being disciplined is an attribute that many successful investors share. Being prepared for many different scenarios can help ease the burden when those tough portfolio decisions have to be made. 

The Q.i. Value of Anglo American plc (LSE:AAL) is 8.00000. The Q.i. Value is another helpful tool in determining if a company is undervalued or not. The Q.i. Value is calculated using the following ratios: EBITDA Yield, Earnings Yield, FCF Yield, and Liquidity. The lower the Q.i. value, the more undervalued the company is thought to be.

Technicals
The EBITDA Yield is a great way to determine a company’s profitability. This number is calculated by dividing a company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization by the company’s enterprise value. Enterprise Value is calculated by taking the market capitalization plus debt, minority interest and preferred shares, minus total cash and cash equivalents. The EBITDA Yield for Anglo American plc (LSE:AAL) is 0.161451.

The Earnings to Price yield of Anglo American plc (LSE:AAL) is 0.107917.  This is calculated by taking the earnings per share and dividing it by the last closing share price.  This is one of the most popular methods investors use to evaluate a company’s financial performance.  Earnings Yield is calculated by taking the operating income or earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) and dividing it by the Enterprise Value of the company.  The Earnings Yield for Anglo American plc (LSE:AAL) is 0.107592.  Earnings Yield helps investors measure the return on investment for a given company.  Similarly, the Earnings Yield Five Year Average is the five year average operating income or EBIT divided by the current enterprise value.  The Earnings Yield Five Year average for Anglo American plc is 0.083285.

The FCF Yield 5yr Average is calculated by taking the five year average free cash flow of a company, and dividing it by the current enterprise value. Enterprise Value is calculated by taking the market capitalization plus debt, minority interest and preferred shares, minus total cash and cash equivalents. The average FCF of a company is determined by looking at the cash generated by operations of the company. The Free Cash Flow Yield 5 Year Average of Anglo American plc (LSE:AAL) is 0.039335.

Ratios

The Current Ratio of Anglo American plc (LSE:AAL) is 1.95. The Current Ratio is used by investors to determine whether a company can pay short term and long term debts. The current ratio looks at all the liquid and non-liquid assets compared to the company’s total current liabilities. A high current ratio indicates that the company might have trouble managing their working capital. A low current ratio (when the current liabilities are higher than the current assets) indicates that the company may have trouble paying their short term obligations.

The Leverage Ratio of Anglo American plc (LSE:AAL) is 0.170106.  Leverage ratio is the total debt of a company divided by total assets of the current and past year divided by two.  Companies take on debt to finance their day to day operations.  The leverage ratio can measure how much of a company’s capital comes from debt.  With this ratio, investors can better estimate how well a company will be able to pay their long and short term financial obligations.

The price to book ratio or market to book ratio for Anglo American plc (LSE:AAL) currently stands at 1.393613.  The ratio is calculated by dividing the stock price per share by the book value per share.  This ratio is used to determine how the market values the equity.  A ratio of under 1 typically indicates that the shares are undervalued.  A ratio over 1 indicates that the market is willing to pay more for the shares.  There are often many underlying factors that come into play with the Price to Book ratio so all additional metrics should be considered as well. 

Adding it All Up

The Piotroski F-Score is a scoring system between 1-9 that determines a firm’s financial strength.  The score helps determine if a company’s stock is valuable or not.  The Piotroski F-Score of Anglo American plc (LSE:AAL) is 6.  A score of nine indicates a high value stock, while a score of one indicates a low value stock.  The score is calculated by the return on assets (ROA), Cash flow return on assets (CFROA), change in return of assets, and quality of earnings.  It is also calculated by a change in gearing or leverage, liquidity, and change in shares in issue.  The score is also determined by change in gross margin and change in asset turnover.

The Gross Margin Score is calculated by looking at the Gross Margin and the overall stability of the company over the course of 8 years. The score is a number between one and one hundred (1 being best and 100 being the worst). The Gross Margin Score of Anglo American plc (LSE:AAL) is 11.00000. The more stable the company, the lower the score. If a company is less stable over the course of time, they will have a higher score.

Making ones way through the equity markets can be highly challenging. Investors might be reviewing strategies to see what has worked and what hasn’t worked in the past. After studying the broader economic factors that impact equity markets, it may be time to focus in on specific stocks to add to the portfolio. Investors may examine different sectors first in order to figure out where the majority of the growth potential lies. Doing all the necessary research on sectors can help pinpoint where the next major trend will be forming. This study may not lead to exact findings, but it may provide a better framework with which to operate moving forward in the stock market. Finding those big winners can take a lot of time and effort. Digging through the numbers may be cumbersome at times, but the rewards for sticking with it and putting in the work may pay off greatly down the line. Staying on top of economic news and the fundamentals of stocks in the portfolio on a consistent basis can help the investor better traverse the often rocky terrain that is the stock market.  

The ERP5 Rank is an investment tool that analysts use to discover undervalued companies.  The ERP5 looks at the Price to Book ratio, Earnings Yield, ROIC and 5 year average ROIC.  The ERP5 of Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE:ADS) is 9321.  The lower the ERP5 rank, the more undervalued a company is thought to be.

The amount of financial information available to individual investors these days is staggering. Accumulating intelligence in the stock market is much easier to do than ever before. All the advances in technology have allowed regular investors to access information with relative ease. Making sense of all the various data can be overwhelming, but plowing through the data may create a solid foundation to start enhancing profits in the market. With so many investing options, traders and investors need to construct a plan that works specifically for them. Becoming educated about the stock market before tackling the beast might assist the individual investor in many ways. Studying how markets and prices move may help the investor decide which way is the best way to go. Understanding the difficulties and possible pitfalls that investors generally fall prey to, can go a long way in helping even before the first trade is ever made. As most investors know, the markets and economic landscapes are constantly changing. This requires the investor to be in tip top mental shape in order to confront tough buy or sell decisions when the time comes.

The Q.i. Value of Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE:ADS) is 31.00000. The Q.i. Value is another helpful tool in determining if a company is undervalued or not. The Q.i. Value is calculated using the following ratios: EBITDA Yield, Earnings Yield, FCF Yield, and Liquidity. The lower the Q.i. value, the more undervalued the company is thought to be.

The EBITDA Yield is a great way to determine a company’s profitability. This number is calculated by dividing a company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization by the company’s enterprise value. Enterprise Value is calculated by taking the market capitalization plus debt, minority interest and preferred shares, minus total cash and cash equivalents. The EBITDA Yield for Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE:ADS) is 0.063464.

The Earnings to Price yield of Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE:ADS) is 0.115473.  This is calculated by taking the earnings per share and dividing it by the last closing share price.  This is one of the most popular methods investors use to evaluate a company’s financial performance.  Earnings Yield is calculated by taking the operating income or earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) and dividing it by the Enterprise Value of the company.  The Earnings Yield for Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE:ADS) is 0.051206.  Earnings Yield helps investors measure the return on investment for a given company.  Similarly, the Earnings Yield Five Year Average is the five year average operating income or EBIT divided by the current enterprise value.  The Earnings Yield Five Year average for Alliance Data Systems Corporation is 0.038700.

The FCF Yield 5yr Average is calculated by taking the five year average free cash flow of a company, and dividing it by the current enterprise value. Enterprise Value is calculated by taking the market capitalization plus debt, minority interest and preferred shares, minus total cash and cash equivalents. The average FCF of a company is determined by looking at the cash generated by operations of the company. The Free Cash Flow Yield 5 Year Average of Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE:ADS) is 0.054958.

Price Index

We can now take a quick look at some historical stock price index data. Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE:ADS) presently has a 10 month price index of 0.68980. The price index is calculated by dividing the current share price by the share price ten months ago. A ratio over one indicates an increase in share price over the period. A ratio lower than one shows that the price has decreased over that time period. Looking at some alternate time periods, the 12 month price index is 0.77817, the 24 month is 0.61891, and the 36 month is 0.79977. Narrowing in a bit closer, the 5 month price index is 0.81219, the 3 month is 0.88057, and the 1 month is currently 0.91652.

Returns

Looking at some ROIC (Return on Invested Capital) numbers, Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE:ADS)’s ROIC is 0.059922. The ROIC 5 year average is 0.129378 and the ROIC Quality ratio is 5.146236. ROIC is a profitability ratio that measures the return that an investment generates for those providing capital. ROIC helps show how efficient a firm is at turning capital into profits.

Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE:ADS) has a Price to Book ratio of 3.667026. This ratio is calculated by dividing the current share price by the book value per share. Investors may use Price to Book to display how the market portrays the value of a stock. Checking in on some other ratios, the company has a Price to Cash Flow ratio of 3.023899, and a current Price to Earnings ratio of 8.660030. The P/E ratio is one of the most common ratios used for figuring out whether a company is overvalued or undervalued.

Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE:ADS) presently has a current ratio of 0.00. The current ratio, also known as the working capital ratio, is a liquidity ratio that displays the proportion of current assets of a business relative to the current liabilities. The ratio is simply calculated by dividing current liabilities by current assets. The ratio may be used to provide an idea of the ability of a certain company to pay back its liabilities with assets. Typically, the higher the current ratio the better, as the company may be more capable of paying back its obligations.

The Price to book ratio is the current share price of a company divided by the book value per share.  The Price to Book ratio for Alliance Data Systems Corporation NYSE:ADS is 3.667026.  A lower price to book ratio indicates that the stock might be undervalued.  Similarly, Price to cash flow ratio is another helpful ratio in determining a company’s value.  The Price to Cash Flow for Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE:ADS) is 3.023899.  This ratio is calculated by dividing the market value of a company by cash from operating activities.  Additionally, the price to earnings ratio is another popular way for analysts and investors to determine a company’s profitability.  The price to earnings ratio for Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE:ADS) is 8.660030. This ratio is found by taking the current share price and dividing by earnings per share.

Investors often have to face the issue of risk when dealing with the stock market. Creating portfolios that have the largest probability of attaining personal goals might be the course of action for many investors. Realizing that risk is a large part of the investment process can help the investor think realistically. Although completely eliminating risk is not reasonable, taking steps to reduce risk with proper portfolio management is well within reach for any investor. When first starting out, investors may be tempted to follow strategies from friends or colleagues that have dabbled in the markets with some success. Although using someone else’s strategy could work, chances are that eventually each investor will need to tweak the process in order to maximize their chances for success. Often times these lessons may end up being learned the hard way. With proper planning and execution, the hope is that the investor will arm themselves with enough knowledge to avoid mistakes early on.

Stocks to Watch: The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL), Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) Valuation in Focus

The ERP5 Rank is an investment tool that analysts use to discover undervalued companies.  The ERP5 looks at the Price to Book ratio, Earnings Yield, ROIC and 5 year average ROIC.  The ERP5 of The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is 8801.  The lower the ERP5 rank, the more undervalued a company is thought to be.

Traders often prefer to focus on stocks that are higher in volatility. Higher volatility brings more opportunity for quick profits, but it can also bring quick losses. Traders will typically try to understand recent stock activity in order to make the most out of the price action. Seeing how a certain stock has traded previously may allow traders to project which way shares will move in the near future. It is highly important for active traders to know the risk involved with trying to capitalize on shorter-term price movements. Adept traders are generally able to focus on the bigger picture and not let one or two bad trades get them down. Developing confidence to trade in the stock market may take substantial time and effort. Defining long term and short term goals to help keep the focus intact may help traders secure profits.

FCF Yield 5yr Avg 

The FCF Yield 5yr Average is calculated by taking the five year average free cash flow of a company, and dividing it by the current enterprise value. Enterprise Value is calculated by taking the market capitalization plus debt, minority interest and preferred shares, minus total cash and cash equivalents. The average FCF of a company is determined by looking at the cash generated by operations of the company. The Free Cash Flow Yield 5 Year Average of The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is 0.072266.

Technicals & Ratios

The EBITDA Yield is a great way to determine a company’s profitability. This number is calculated by dividing a company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization by the company’s enterprise value. Enterprise Value is calculated by taking the market capitalization plus debt, minority interest and preferred shares, minus total cash and cash equivalents. The EBITDA Yield for The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is 0.089770.

The Earnings to Price yield of The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is 0.064867.  This is calculated by taking the earnings per share and dividing it by the last closing share price.  This is one of the most popular methods investors use to evaluate a company’s financial performance.  Earnings Yield is calculated by taking the operating income or earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) and dividing it by the Enterprise Value of the company.  The Earnings Yield for The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is 0.077250.  

Earnings Yield helps investors measure the return on investment for a given company.  Similarly, the Earnings Yield Five Year Average is the five year average operating income or EBIT divided by the current enterprise value.  The Earnings Yield Five Year average for The Allstate Corporation is 0.089892.

Q.i. Value

The Q.i. Value of The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is 19.00000. The Q.i. Value is another helpful tool in determining if a company is undervalued or not. The Q.i. Value is calculated using the following ratios: EBITDA Yield, Earnings Yield, FCF Yield, and Liquidity. The lower the Q.i. value, the more undervalued the company is thought to be.

Quant Scores

The M-Score, conceived by accounting professor Messod Beneish, is a model for detecting whether a company has manipulated their earnings numbers or not. The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) has an M-Score of -2.429527. The M-Score is based on 8 different variables: Days’ sales in receivables index, Gross Margin Index, Asset Quality Index, Sales Growth Index, Depreciation Index, Sales, General and Administrative expenses Index, Leverage Index and Total Accruals to Total Assets. A score higher than -1.78 is an indicator that the company might be manipulating their numbers.

The Value Composite One (VC1) is a method that investors use to determine a company’s value. The VC1 of The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is 23. A company with a value of 0 is thought to be an undervalued company, while a company with a value of 100 is considered an overvalued company. The VC1 is calculated using the price to book value, price to sales, EBITDA to EV, price to cash flow, and price to earnings. Similarly, the Value Composite Two (VC2) is calculated with the same ratios, but adds the Shareholder Yield. The Value Composite Two of The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is 15.

Investors may be interested in viewing the Gross Margin score on shares of The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL). The name currently has a score of 6.00000. This score is derived from the Gross Margin (Marx) stability and growth over the previous eight years. The Gross Margin score lands on a scale from 1 to 100 where a score of 1 would be considered positive, and a score of 100 would be seen as negative.

At the time of writing, The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) has a Piotroski F-Score of 6. The F-Score may help discover companies with strengthening balance sheets. The score may also be used to spot the weak performers. Joseph Piotroski developed the F-Score which employs nine different variables based on the company financial statement. A single point is assigned to each test that a stock passes. Typically, a stock scoring an 8 or 9 would be seen as strong. On the other end, a stock with a score from 0-2 would be viewed as weak.

Investors may be watching the ebb and flow of the current market environment and be wondering what the next few months have in store. They may be deciding whether now is a good time to sell off some first half winners or hold on for further gains. This can be one of the toughest decisions that an investor has to make. Just because a stock has been steadily heading higher for an extended period of time doesn’t necessarily mean that it will continue to do so. Building the confidence to make the tough portfolio decisions may take some time and a few good trades under the belt. New investors may be prone to get discouraged after a few sour trades in a row. Anyone who wants to succeed in the stock market knows that there is no substitute for research and hard work. Being able to bounce back and learn from mistakes may help the investor stay in the game and get back on the road to healthy profits.

Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) has an ERP5 rank of 6865. The ERP5 Rank is an investment tool that analysts use to discover undervalued companies.  The ERP5 looks at the Price to Book ratio, Earnings Yield, ROIC and 5 year average ROIC.  The lower the ERP5 rank, the more undervalued a company is thought to be.

As the markets continue to charge to new heights, investors may be trying to calculate where the markets will be moving in the next few months. Many market enthusiasts will be monitoring the current round of company earnings reports. A better than expected earnings period may help give the stock market another boost to even greater levels. At this point in time, investors may be a bit more cautious with stock selection. With so many names near all-time highs, investors may need to crunch the numbers to evaluate which stocks are still a good buy even at current price levels. Investors may also want to zoom out to the sector level and see if they can determine which sectors may be poised to outperform the overall market coming in to the second part of the year. Investors may also be looking at the overall economic conditions and striving to gain a sense of whether everything will align to keeping the bull run going. 

Q.i. Value

The Q.i. Value of Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) is 12.00000. The Q.i. Value is another helpful tool in determining if a company is undervalued or not. The Q.i. Value is calculated using the following ratios: EBITDA Yield, Earnings Yield, FCF Yield, and Liquidity. The lower the Q.i. value, the more undervalued the company is thought to be.

The EBITDA Yield is a great way to determine a company’s profitability. This number is calculated by dividing a company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization by the company’s enterprise value. Enterprise Value is calculated by taking the market capitalization plus debt, minority interest and preferred shares, minus total cash and cash equivalents. The EBITDA Yield for Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) is 0.156176.

The Earnings to Price yield of Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) is 0.062037.  This is calculated by taking the earnings per share and dividing it by the last closing share price.  This is one of the most popular methods investors use to evaluate a company’s financial performance.  Earnings Yield is calculated by taking the operating income or earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) and dividing it by the Enterprise Value of the company.  The Earnings Yield for Glencore plc LSE:GLEN is 0.074083.  Earnings Yield helps investors measure the return on investment for a given company.  Similarly, the Earnings Yield Five Year Average is the five year average operating income or EBIT divided by the current enterprise value.  The Earnings Yield Five Year average for Glencore plc is 0.043084.

FCF Yield 5yr Avg

The FCF Yield 5yr Average is calculated by taking the five year average free cash flow of a company, and dividing it by the current enterprise value. Enterprise Value is calculated by taking the market capitalization plus debt, minority interest and preferred shares, minus total cash and cash equivalents. The average FCF of a company is determined by looking at the cash generated by operations of the company. The Free Cash Flow Yield 5 Year Average of Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) is 0.020945.

Price to book, Price to cash flow, Price to earnings

The Price to book ratio is the current share price of a company divided by the book value per share. The Price to Book ratio for Glencore plc LSE:GLEN is 1.201070. A lower price to book ratio indicates that the stock might be undervalued. Similarly, Price to cash flow ratio is another helpful ratio in determining a company’s value. The Price to Cash Flow for Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) is 4.752534. This ratio is calculated by dividing the market value of a company by cash from operating activities. Additionally, the price to earnings ratio is another popular way for analysts and investors to determine a company’s profitability. The price to earnings ratio for Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) is 16.119292. This ratio is found by taking the current share price and dividing by earnings per share.

Value Comp 1 / Value Comp 2

The Value Composite One (VC1) is a method that investors use to determine a company’s value. The VC1 of Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) is 8. A company with a value of 0 is thought to be an undervalued company, while a company with a value of 100 is considered an overvalued company. The VC1 is calculated using the price to book value, price to sales, EBITDA to EV, price to cash flow, and price to earnings. Similarly, the Value Composite Two (VC2) is calculated with the same ratios, but adds the Shareholder Yield. The Value Composite Two of Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) is 4.

Volatility 12 m, 6m, 3m

Stock volatility is a percentage that indicates whether a stock is a desirable purchase. Investors look at the Volatility 12m to determine if a company has a low volatility percentage or not over the course of a year. The Volatility 12m of Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) is 29.096800. This is calculated by taking weekly log normal returns and standard deviation of the share price over one year annualized. The lower the number, a company is thought to have low volatility. The Volatility 3m is a similar percentage determined by the daily log normal returns and standard deviation of the share price over 3 months. The Volatility 3m of Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) is 25.544900. The Volatility 6m is the same, except measured over the course of six months. The Volatility 6m is 31.758800.

MF Rank

The MF Rank (aka the Magic Formula) is a formula that pinpoints a valuable company trading at a good price. The formula is calculated by looking at companies that have a high earnings yield as well as a high return on invested capital. The MF Rank of Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) is 6432. A company with a low rank is considered a good company to invest in. The Magic Formula was introduced in a book written by Joel Greenblatt, entitled, “The Little Book that Beats the Market”.

Piotroski F-Score

The Piotroski F-Score is a scoring system between 1-9 that determines a firm’s financial strength. The score helps determine if a company’s stock is valuable or not. The Piotroski F-Score of Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) is 5. A score of nine indicates a high value stock, while a score of one indicates a low value stock. The score is calculated by the return on assets (ROA), Cash flow return on assets (CFROA), change in return of assets, and quality of earnings. It is also calculated by a change in gearing or leverage, liquidity, and change in shares in issue. The score is also determined by change in gross margin and change in asset turnover.

Return on Assets

There are many different tools to determine whether a company is profitable or not. One of the most popular ratios is the “Return on Assets” (aka ROA). This score indicates how profitable a company is relative to its total assets. The Return on Assets for Glencore plc (LSE:GLEN) is 0.025134. This number is calculated by dividing net income after tax by the company’s total assets. A company that manages their assets well will have a higher return, while a company that manages their assets poorly will have a lower return.

There are many factors that can affect the health of a certain company. Because of this, it can be extremely difficult to find one single strategy that will prove successful in the stock market. Investors are able to study all the different data, but figuring out the relevant information can be a struggle. There is plenty of company information that can easily be measured such as revenue and profits. There are also elements that aren’t as easily computed such as reputation and competitive advantage. Finding a way to gather all the information and craft a strategy that incorporates all aspects of a company may be a challenge for investors. Because there is a highly inherent human element to picking stocks, price action may not follow expectations. Human emotion can reverse course rapidly over a short period of time. Investors need to always be prepared for market uncertainty while attempting to keep emotions in check. 

B.C. offers businesses and homeowners more money to save energy, cut emissions

The Landing condo development under construction in Langley, B.C.

Homeowners can earn up to $14,000, businesses up to $220,000 in energy efficiency rebates

British Columbia’s government has announced it’s boosting incentives to help homeowners and businesses save energy and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The Better Buildings program offers thousands of dollars in rebates and incentives to entice the switch to high-efficiency heating equipment and improve building envelopes, which include walls, windows, roofs and foundations.

Premier John Horgan says helping people keep their homes cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter makes sense, and the efficiency they’re investing in will help B.C. reduce climate pollution.

Incentives include a $3,000 rebate for those who switch to high-efficiency electric heat pumps, up to $2,000 in rebates for upgrades on doors and windows and up to $20,000 for energy studies to help identify improvements in commercial buildings.

The plan allows for $14,100 for a home and $220,000 for a commercial business to make the energy-saving changes.

The CleanBC program announced last year was part of the agreement Horgan’s NDP signed with the B.C. Green party in order to form a minority government in 2017.

Energy Minister Michelle Mungall says in a news release that energy-efficient buildings are a key part of a cleaner future.

“This program will help us get to our CleanBC goal of reducing climate pollution, making B.C. cleaner and creating good jobs that support families and sustain our communities.”

The incentives aim to help replace fossil fuel heating systems with electric air-source heat pumps, improve insulation, encourage upgrades to high-efficiency natural gas furnaces and install more windows and doors that minimize heat loss.

Bombardier to scrap controversial executive compensation plan

Bombardier President and CEO Alain Bellemare stands next to a Global 5000 aircraft on Feb. 7, 2017 in Montreal. Bombardier says it is rethinking its executive compensation plan.

Market regulator said plan to allow sale of shares met the rules, but could lead to negative perceptions

Bombardier Inc. said Friday it will follow the urging of Quebec’s financial market regulator and scrap a controversial executive compensation plan.

The announcement followed a review by the Autorité des marches financiers that found the plane-and-train maker’s roll-out of its Automatic Stock Disposition Plan in August did not breach securities law, but likely incurred a negative perception.

“In the opinion of the AMF, the rapidly evolving situation at Bombardier Inc. shortly after the ASDP was implemented combined with the brief period between its implementation and the start of transactions and the significant volatility in the company’s forecasts and earnings led to a negative perception of the plan,” the regulator said in a release.

Since mid-July, the company’s shares have fallen by more than half to $2.33 in trading Friday, due in part to unease about its hefty debt and ability to generate free cash flow.

Executives would have been allowed to sell shares

Bombardier said in November, when the investigation was launched, that the plan allows some of its senior executives to sell their vested shares as an added incentive in performance-based compensation, so long as the trades are made by independent securities brokers and in line with trading parameters.

Under Canadian securities laws and Bombardier’s trading policies, senior executives face limits on their ability to sell shares in the company. The plan allows trades to be made in accordance with pre-arranged instructions given when the employee doesn’t have any material undisclosed information, the company said in August.

On Friday the regulator, which in November called on the company to suspend all related trades, “strongly recommended that Bombardier Inc. reconsider the merits of maintaining” the plan.

Bombardier said it will ask its board of directors to end the compensation plan at their next meeting.

This is not the first time Bombardier has faced criticism over executive compensation. Two years ago, after successive rounds of layoffs, it faced protests when it OK’d $32 million in bonuses for executives.

Plant-based eating goes mainstream as Beyond Meat targets Canadian grocery shelves

Beyond Meat’s signature burger will soon be available on Canadian grocery store shelves

Vegetable-based burger that first came to Canada at fast food chains now hits grocery store shelves

A California company that was overwhelmed by demand for its meatless fast food burger is hoping to capitalize on the rising trend of vegetarianism and sell directly to Canadian grocery stores starting now.

Founded a decade ago in California, Beyond Meat first captured the attention of Canadians when the company signed a deal with burger chain A&W last year for a plant-based burger — one they claim looks and tastes like traditional patties, but is made entirely from vegetable-based proteins.

A&W was flooded by so much demand for the product that most locations sold out almost instantly, and has had trouble maintaining supply ever since. But Beyond Meat is pushing ahead with more expansion, confident those supply issues have been handled. 

After focusing on getting its products into some 27,000 restaurants around the world, Beyond Meat has now turned its attention to selling directly to consumers. It has struck deals with major food chains like Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro and Longo’s that will see the company’s plant-based burger patties sold in thousands of Canadian grocery stores.

“On the heels of our successful launch with A&W … retail is the natural next step for our brand,” CEO Ethan Brown said in a release announcing the move.

Billions worth of burgers

Robert Carter, a Toronto-based consumer analyst with NPD group, said Beyond Meat tapped into what was a slowly growing movement toward plant-based eating, and became a leader almost overnight.

“I had seen the underpinnings, but even I didn’t expect it to be as popular as it is,” Carter said in an interview.Carter said burgers comprise a $20-billion piece of Canada’s fast food industry, a figure that doesn’t include the ones that Canadians buy at the grocery store to take home and cook themselves. “We’re talking about a tens of billions of dollars market opportunity in North America,” he said. “To take a share of that from meat is massive.”

While fast growing, Beyond Meat is far from the only company in the space.

Market research firm Mintel estimates that the market for meat alternatives has almost doubled between 2013 and today, and restaurant chains have been trying to tap into that trend.

Burger King partnered with Impossible Foods to create the Impossible Whopper, a meatless alternative to the chain’s iconic offering. So far, it is only available in select markets, but it too has seen strong sales and is expected to become a permanent offering.

And earlier this month, Canada’s Maple Leaf Foods announced plans to spend $310 million to build a huge plant-based protein food processing facility in Shelbyville, Ind., which will produce the company’s Lightlife products, a line of plant-based food items. “We own the leading brands in the North American refrigerated plant-based protein market,” CEO Michael McCain said of the venture.

All of these companies are hoping to cash in on the growing trend towards plant-based eating, which has hit something of a tipping point because of consumers millennial-aged and younger. While they may be ahead for now, Beyond Meat “needs to capture as much as they can,” Carter said, “because the big players are going to get in on this game very quickly.”

He said it’s a market opportunity because younger consumers are much more aware of the food they eat, and want to consider the environmental and social impacts — on top of the taste and price.

“These guys have got a product that is so on trend right now,” he said, referring to the company’s eponymous burger. He said partnering with a fast food chain was a savvy opening move because it gets the product into the hands of potential testers who likely wouldn’t ordinarily consider buying it uncooked on a shelf.

Even calling it “plant-based,” as opposed to the outdated term “vegetarian,” has helped Beyond Meat win over consumers who’d never consider themselves to be the latter. “The messaging has been very well done,” Carter said.

Calls for Canadian food innovation

Vegetarians aren’t the company’s target market. 

“Whether you’re a hardcore carnivore or a strict vegan, you should be able to have our burgers, enjoy what you’re eating and feel great afterward,” said Brown, Beyond Meat’s CEO.

Nova Scotia-based chain Sobeys is first out of the gate on the grocery side in Canada, with the burger available in every region where the company operates as of Friday. Other chains will follow next month, Beyond Meat said.

Sylvain Charlebois, a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University, said the move away from meat is very much a trend — and Beyond Meat has jumped to the head of the pack — for now.

“Rarely in Canada have we seen a supplier orchestrate such a well-coordinated, timely invasion of a market through careful management and marketing,” he said. “Now grocers are drinking the proverbial plant-based Kool-Aid, all at once.”

His only beef is that he’d like to see a Canadian-made product growing so rapidly on Canadian shelves.

“It’s an American product, fostered and propelled by American entrepreneurial spirits,” he said. “Our way of thinking regarding food innovation suppresses any chance for a company to come up with a project like this. There are glimmers of hope, however, as startups are erupting all over the place and will bring a proper dosage of innovation, in due course.”

Serious scratch: Inuit-inspired glass-etching business vying for $30K prize

Brown’s designs are often inspired by her Inuit heritage and life in Labrador.

Inuky Glass Art is the only Labrador-owned business in the competition

Raeann Brown wasn’t sure what to expect when she bought a cheap glass-etching kit online eight years ago, but she definitely didn’t think it would turn into a passion, a business and a shot at a $30,000 national prize.

“I don’t even know how I came across the concept of glass etching … I ordered the little $34 kit and it sat there for a few months before I actually tried it,” she told CBC Radio’s Labrador Morning.

Despite having never worked with glass as an artistic medium, Brown immediately fell in love with the results.

“It was a little inukshuk. And it was all free-hand, so I wasn’t really sure what I was going to see when I washed all the acid off,” she said.

“But it was a ‘wow!’ moment. I knew I was going to do this forever.”

Raeann continues to draw and paint, in addition to creating glass-etching designs.

That “wow” moment quickly turned into an obsession. Brown began etching dozens of images onto wine glasses, coffee mugs, mirrors and Christmas ornaments, and selling them at local markets in Wabush.

Winning ‘would mean everything for my business’

Eight years and thousands of designs later, her glass-etching business — Inuky Glass Art — is in the running for the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest, a national competition with a potentially life-changing $30,000 grand prize at stake for the winner.

“The first prize is kind of unimaginable to me, but it would mean everything for my business,” she said.

“My goal eventually and my dream is to have my own shop, to have a place where people can come in when they feel like it, instead of having to message me to make appointments because they’re coming to my house right now.”

Artist Raeann Brown began etching glass in 2011 and soon turned her newfound passion into a full-time job.

While Brown is excited by the idea of expanding her business and opening a proper storefront, at first she wasn’t particularly confident about applying for the FedEx competition.

In fact, she kept it a secret until she received FedEx told her she was accepted for the first round of online voting.

“I didn’t even tell my husband about it because I didn’t think anything would really come out of it,” she said.

Uphill battle

Coming from a remote region with a relatively low population, Brown knows she has an uphill battle for votes. But she hopes that being the only business from Labrador and one of only a handful of Indigenous-owned businesses will give her a local edge.

“It made me feel a little bit tiny being the only Inuit and Labrador business, but at the same time, it’s pretty neat,” she said.

Inuky Glass Art was a featured vendor at the 2019 Labrador Games in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

“I feel like if I could really get that support behind me from Labrador, and get the people in general here to go on there and vote for me, I think I might have a chance.”

Inuky Glass Art is one of more than 400 Canadian small businesses currently vying for the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest grand prize.

Online voting is open until May 13, after which the field of businesses will be narrowed down to 75 finalists.