Investors should seek to maximize their margin of safety from every stock they look to purchase. After an explosive market rally, it can be tougher to do this, especially if you’re looking to place a bet on some of the high-flying momentum stocks out there that have made some market participants a tad euphoric!
Undoubtedly, it’s all too easy to follow the herd into the hottest stock of the day. And while generational trends (like those in generative artificial intelligence, or AI) may make the sky-high prices worth paying up for, I’m just unsure how things will end. Like it or not, hard-to-value momentum stocks can fold at the drop of a hat, especially when expectations have been raised to the roof.
When it comes to the hot AI and data centre stocks, I think some degree of AI premium is warranted. However, I’m unsure just how much is factored in at this juncture. Is there a good chance that too much AI hype is baked in? That’s the real risk of loading up on the plays that’s on everybody’s radar these days. Personally, I’d much rather look to the places where most others aren’t looking.
Value and dividend growth over hype and momentum
In this piece, we’ll look at one cheap dividend growth stock, which, while less attention-grabbing, can help you build long-term wealth in your TFSA (Tax-Free Savings Account) over the span of years. Yes, it’s not exciting to bet on old-fashioned dividend growers today when fast-growing AI firms and startups seek to change the world massively.
While passing on hot stocks in the AI scene could cause you to forgo big gains in the coming weeks and months, I think it’s far wiser to stick with stocks that you believe have a larger margin of safety than ones that may lack one or, worse, have zero margin for error. When perfection is baked in, it gets harder to top estimates.
However, if estimates and valuations are depressed, upside surprises are likelier. In any case, here’s an intriguing play I’d look to pursue with an extra $1,000 or more.
CP Rail
CP Rail (TSX: CP) stock faced mildly lowered expectations just weeks before shares took off, breaking through to new highs. Undoubtedly, the Kansas City Southern (KSU) deal wasn’t one that would pay off overnight. Moving ahead, though, the rail’s exposure to the two biggest North American borders (Canada-U.S. and U.S.-Mexico) could really help the firm gain ground above some of its rivals.
Over the next three years, we could see the KSU merger start paying great dividends. Indeed, opportunities from U.S.-Mexico freight movements could help CP Rail grow its dividend at a rate that’s the envy of most other rail plays that aren’t quite operating in such an efficient fashion amid subtle macro pressures. In short, the most benefit from KSU stands to be made from long-term investors. So, if you’re in for three years or more, CP stands out from the pack.
The stock trades at 28.9 times trailing price to earnings (P/E), with a 0.63% dividend yield. This is a small dividend today, but one that could gain ground in the coming years.
