Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. (STAR)
DJT - Nasdaq
“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there,” Donald Trump claimed in his debate with Vice-President Kamala Harris. As moderator David Muir pointed out, there is no evidence that immigrants are dining on grilled Goldendoodle in Springfield, Ohio. But one thing that’s clearly going to the dogs is Mr. Trump’s money-losing social media company, Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. The parent of Truth Social has shed about 80 per cent of its market value since March, even as the shares rallied Friday after Mr. Trump promised that he won’t sell his shares in the company. As everyone knows, Mr. Trump always keeps his word.
Manulife Financial Corp. (STAR)
MFC - TSX
For years, investing in Manulife Financial Corp. was a bit like waiting for someone to die so you could collect the life insurance. Shareholders waited and watched the stock patiently, but never made any money. Now, after going sideways for more than a decade, Manulife is finally paying off for investors. According to a note this week from BMO analyst Tom MacKinnon, Manulife is carrying about $10-billion of excess capital and is expected to generate a free cash flow yield of about 8 per cent in 2025, allowing it to return more cash to shareholders via share buybacks and dividends. With the stock trading near a 16-year high, investors are dying to own a piece of this business.
Dollarama Inc. (STAR)
DOL - TSX
Business quiz! Shares of Dollarama Inc. rose after the retailer: a) said it will raise the maximum price in its stores to $10, which the company said “will definitely, for sure be the last time we raise prices, at least this year”; b) received a hostile takeover bid from Elon Musk, who vowed to fire 90 per cent of the employees and replace them with customer-service robots “who know exactly where every item is in the store, how much it costs and the exact date by which it is expected to break”; c) posted same-store sales growth of 4.7 per cent in the second quarter, driven by strong demand for food and household products. Answer: c.
Rentokil Initial PLC ADR (DOG)
RTO - NYSE
Are termites chewing through the walls of your home? Do you wake up with your face covered in cockroaches? It’s time to call the pest control experts at Rentokil Initial PLC. Unfortunately, Rentokil can’t seem to stop its stock from chewing through investors’ portfolios. The owner of Rentokil, Terminix and other brands cut the growth outlook for its business in North America, where it now expects revenue to rise by just 1 per cent in the second half. With higher service and materials costs also hurting Rentokil’s bottom line and the shares taking their biggest dive since the 2008 financial crisis, owning this stock is about as much fun as finding mouse droppings in your cutlery drawer.
RH (STAR)
RH - NYSE
With inflation and high interest rates squeezing consumers’ pocketbooks, some people have to make difficult decisions. For instance, instead of buying the Bella Modular Leather Sofa at RH for $24,585, they might have to settle for the Maxwell Modular Leather Sofa for $17,785. Shareholders of luxury furniture retailer RH, formerly Restoration Hardware, aren’t complaining. With wealthy consumers still able to afford high-end items, the chain posted year-over-year revenue growth of 3.6 per cent in the second quarter as earnings topped Wall Street’s expectations. With the stock soaring on the results, investors are splurging on a $6,795 Thaddeus Marble Coffee Table to complete the look.