Finding the right mix of investments can be a daunting task. When it comes to retirement investing, many of us have time on our sides provided we start early enough. Some of the best investment opportunities we can make are the ones that we buy and forget about, giving them time to grow.
Here are a few stocks you should consider giving time to grow.
High Liner Foods Inc. (TSX: HLF) is a great investment option to consider. High Liner is the seafood packaging company whose products we see on a weekly basis in our supermarket freezer. What many of us don’t realize, however, is that High Liner also supplies frozen fish to bulk club stores as well as to supermarkets under different names.
This helps High Liner maintain the commanding position it has in the seafood market, creating a moat around the competition. That moat affords the company the flexibility to try new product combinations and to respond more quickly to changing consumer tastes.
Top it off with a dividend that has a 3.98% yield, and you have the complete package for any portfolio.
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (TSX: MFI) is another intriguing opportunity for investors looking at the long term. Maple Leaf produces prepared meats, lunch kit snacks and pork and poultry products sold under several different brands.
Maple Leaf has also branched into other areas, such as the acquisition of Lightlife Foods Inc. earlier this year for $140 million. Lightlife is a manufacturer of plant-based proteins, which should allow Maple Leaf to expand into the meatless protein market.
In terms of performance, Maple Leaf has appreciated by nearly 200% in the past five-year period, and the stock is up over 16% year to date. Net earnings in the most recent quarter amounted to $37.3 million — an impressive 19% improvement over the same quarter last year.
In addition to that superb growth, which analysts forecast should continue over the next few years, Maple Leaf offers investors a dividend with a 1.34% yield. While hardly the sole reason to consider the stock, Maple Leaf’s dividend should provide a bonus for long-term investors looking to grow their portfolios.
Premium Brands Holdings Corp. (TSX: PBH) is another processed meat manufacturer which holds plenty of potential. Premium Brands has steadily expanded its reach into other areas recently through a number of telling acquisitions. Premium Brands announced last month the acquisition of Ontario-based Skilcor Food Products Inc., which followed the acquisition of Leadbetter Foods Inc.
Skilcor, which had sales of near $27 million, specializes in manufacturing cooked ribs and other protein meats. Leadbetter, which had sales of $55 million, has a focus on specialty bacon, burgers, and steaks.
If that weren’t reason enough to consider Premium Brands, the stock has surged over 50% year to date and offers investors a solid 1.61% dividend yield. The company recently hiked the dividend by 10.5% to the current level earlier this year.
