CCL Industries stock

Buy and Hold Forever: Top Canadian Stocks for Lifetime Returns

What if you could invest once and never worry again?

That’s the power of forever stocks—companies so strong and reliable that you can buy them, hold them for decades, and sleep soundly at night.

Let’s be clear, my selections aren’t based on timing; I’m not saying that they are great buys right now, but rather that I’d buy any of them and that, if I couldn’t monitor them quarterly as I do (and you should too), I wouldn’t worry much.

Forever stocks share several of these qualities:

Diversification
- Forever stocks are companies that diversify to reduce risk by not relying solely on one market or product for revenue.
Market leaders
- Forever stock companies often dominate their industry or market segment, enjoying a significant market share and strong competitive advantages.
Economies of scale
- The average cost per unit decreases as a company produces more products or services.
Predictable cash flow
- Being able to anticipate consistent and steady incoming cash over time reasonably is crucial for a company’s financial health and sustainability.
Stable or sticky business model
- A stable business operates consistently and predictably; it found a formula for generating revenue and maintaining profitability.
- A sticky business, on the other hand, aims for customer loyalty and retention, and repeat business.
Essential products or services
- Selling essentials—food, medical supplies, energy, communication services, transportation, etc.— produces relatively stable demand and revenue stream, as well as repeat business due to customer loyalty and resilience.
Multiple growth vectors
- Growth vectors are paths to expand business, increase revenue, and enhance market presence.
Long dividend growth history
- Yearly increases over decades mean the company ticks the boxes for many of the qualities described earlier.

This list is partial; clearly, other contenders could be on it. I have covered this part more in-depth on The Dividend Guy Blog.

Brookfield Corporation (BN.TO) – Financials

Brookfield skyrocketed with more than 50% return in 2024. I think there is more to come!

Brookfield is amongst the most prominent players in alternative asset management. As the stock market looks overvalued, many investors will turn toward alternative assets to generate profits and hedge their bets. Those long-term assets require patient capital and a high level of expertise. Brookfield is in a perfect position to provide this service to investors.

Even better, BN invests its capital in its many projects. Therefore, it can double-dip by charging a fee on managed capital and making capital gains when selling assets.

The ONLY List Using the Dividend Triangle

After this first example, you may wonder how I find such high-quality dividend stocks.

I handpick companies with a strong dividend triangle (revenue, earnings, and dividend growth trends) and make sure I understand their business model. While this may seem too simple, two decades of investing have shown me it is reliable.

While many seasoned investors also use these metrics in their analysis, no one has created a list based on them before. This is exactly why I created The Dividend Rock Stars List.

The Rock Stars List isn’t just about yield—it’s built using a multi-step screening process to ensure the highest-quality dividend stocks. You can read more about it or enter your name and email below to get the instant download in your mailbox.

National Bank (NA.TO) – Financials

The bank seems to have done everything right over the past 15 years.

This significant transformation converted a small provincial bank into a serious player in capital markets and the private wealth industries.

The Bank is expected to complete a key acquisition of Canadian Western Bank in 2025, which will bring more capital onto its balance sheet (supporting capital market lucrative operations), more synergies (high cross-selling opportunities between CWB’s commercial clients and private wealth management), and a good presence in Western Canada.

NA is also doing very well in Cambodia (Aba Bank) and through its door into the U.S. (Credigy).

Note that National Bank (NA.TO) is also a Canadian Dividend Aristocrat.

Dollarama (DOL.TO) – Consumer Discretionary

DOL has built a strong brand, and its business model (aimed at low-value items) is an excellent defensive play against the e-commerce threat over the retail business.

As consumers’ budgets are tight, DOL appears to be a fantastic alternative for many goods. Dollarama has consistently increased same-store sales and opened new stores.

Introducing many products under its “home brand” increases the company’s margin. DOL introduced a new price point of $5 for many items, adding flexibility and pricing power.

DOL.TO 10-year dividend triangle: Revenue, EPS, and Dividend Growth.

Alimentation Couche-Tard (ATD.TO) – Consumer Staples

I’ve looked at grocery stores, but they don’t seem to offer many growth opportunities. Don’t get me wrong, they are great companies, but I think ATD will do better.

Things are changing quickly around the 7-Eleven deal. ATD has tried to get to the negotiation table to acquire 7-Eleven for a few months. The Japanese company is trying all means to stay Japanese. The latest chatter was that the son’s founder would repurchase it and make it private. The market liked the idea, and the ATD share price rose again. This story isn’t over yet, one way or another.

For 2025, I see ATD striking another acquisition.

After all, it’s in its DNA. If it’s not 7-Eleven, it will be another chain (maybe Casey’s?… it tried to acquire CASY in 2010). ATD must gain more expertise in growing organically through the sale of ready-to-eat and fresh produce. This is how they can mitigate the impact of slowing fuel and tobacco sales over the next 10-20 years.

Alimentation Couche-Tard (ATD.TO) is another Canadian Dividend Aristocrat part of this list.

Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ.TO) – Energy

CNQ is a rare beast in its environment that has increased dividends for 25 consecutive years. Yes, it even increased its payouts while everybody was on hold or cutting distributions in 2020.

This raises the question: Why is CNQ “oil price resistant”?

The company is sitting on a large reserve of cheap oil. According to management, CNQ is profitable, with an oil price per barrel of around $35-$40. This enables the company to manage production and capex with greater flexibility. They can then slow down CAPEX when the oil price is low and produce less. When we are in “full oil bull mode”, CNQ bolsters CAPEX and boosts production generating maximum cash flow. This is precisely what just happened when CNQ dropped its debt and now focuses on rewarding shareholders with share buybacks and dividend increases.

To be clear, I don’t see CNQ as a super-powered growth stock for the future. However, with a yield above 4% and a resilient business model, that’s the type of business that will either be very good in your portfolio or will go back into hibernation mode, paying a secure dividend. In both scenarios, you can be a winner in the long run.

Waste Connections (WCN.TO) – Industrials

If you are looking for a beast in the industrial sector, you should probably look toward the waste management industry.

Waste Connections has refined its expertise in acquiring and integrating smaller players in the same industry. Its business model is recession-proof, as solid waste is a given regardless of the economic cycle.

I also like the fact that WCN offers a recurring service and is fully integrated. Management has been adept at integrating their acquired companies. Therefore, the business is not only growing but also becoming more profitable.

The company has the size to enjoy the resulting economies of scale. Its dividend payment is low, but its dividend growth is strong.

WCN.TO 10-year dividend triangle: Revenue, EPS, and Dividend Growth. — DOL.TO 10-year dividend triangle: Revenue, EPS, and Dividend Growth.

CCL Industries (CCL.B.TO) – Materials

Finding an international leader with a well-diversified business based in Canada is rare.

Through the significant acquisition of business units from Avery (the world’s largest supplier of labels) in 2013, the company has set the tone for several years of growth. Bolstered by its previous successes, CCL also bought Checkpoint, a leading developer of RF and RFID, and Innovia in the past few years and announced more acquisitions in 2021.

The company can still generate organic growth (roughly 4-5%) on top of its growth through acquisitions.

Granite (GRT.UN.TO) – Real Estate

Granite is a very frustrating REIT to hold.

I love the investment thesis, which includes the strong need for industrial properties, GRT’s ability to grow its business while growing FFO per unit and distribution increases intact, and the high occupancy rate. The financial metrics back this investment thesis, such as revenue, funds from operations, FFO per unit, payout ratio, and occupancy rate, all look good.

Why is GRT frustrating to hold?

Because it simply doesn’t get any love from the market. Despite its good numbers, GRT lags the market and fails to generate positive returns. This is among the rare REITs exhibiting AFFO per unit growth while issuing more units to finance growth.

Fortis (FTS.TO) – Utilities

Fortis invested aggressively over the past few years, resulting in solid growth from its core business.

Investors can expect FTS’ revenues to grow as it expands. Bolstered by its Canadian-based businesses, the company has generated sustainable cash flows, leading to four decades of dividend payments.

The company’s five-year capital investment plan is approximately $25 billion between 2024 and 2028, $2.7 billion higher than the previous five-year plan. The increase is driven by organic growth, reflecting regional transmission projects for several business segments. Only 33% of its CAPEX plan will be financed through debt, while 61% will come from cash from operations. Chances are that most of its acquisitions will happen in the U.S.

We also like the company’s goal of increasing its exposure to renewable energy from 2% of its assets in 2019 to 7% in 2035.

FTS.TO 10-year dividend triangle: Revenue, EPS, and Dividend Growth.

Find Other Buy and Hold Forever Stocks: Download the Dividend Rock Stars List

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Best Canadian Stocks to Buy in 2025

Most of the best Canadian stocks pay a dividend. Known for their stability when markets are rough, they also provide income to investors quarterly. Companies in sectors such as utilities, REITs, and banks can protect you against market fluctuations and severe losses.

Yet, not all dividend-paying companies are good investments. Investing in dividend stocks can lead to painful losses and income cuts. The risk of falling for dividend traps or seeing your retirement income plummet due to the wrong stock selection is too frequent.

The market creates bubbles and hurts your portfolio. You worked hard to invest money, and you shouldn’t lose it to the wolves of Bay Street. There is a way you can invest safely in Canadian dividend stocks. We have selected some high-quality stocks to make your life easier.

Best Canadian Dividend Stocks for 2025

When I built my retirement portfolio, I focused on companies showing a combination of safe income and steady growth. My choices include Canadian Dividend Aristocrats (companies showing several years of consecutive dividend increases). I added a few more metrics and used the DSR stock screener to refine my research.

Here are some of the best Canadian Dividend Stocks for 2025:

#10 Telus (T.TO)

#9 Granite REIT (GRT.UN.TO)

#8 Hydro One (H.TO)

#7 Dollarama (DOL.TO)

#6 Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ.TO)

#5 CCL Industries (CCL.B.TO)

#4 Brookfield Corp (BN.TO)

#3 Brookfield Renewables (BEPC.TO)

#2 National Bank (NA.TO)

#1 Alimentation Couche-Tard (ATD.TO)

More Stock Ideas and Sectors’ Insights

Get the Best from the Markets

It is possible to build a portfolio from Canadian dividend stocks only. However, the S&P 500 has outperformed the Canadian market for decades. You might consider adding a few US companies to take advantage of these outstanding returns. I have created a top stocks booklet to help you out.

Each year, I compile a list of stocks expected to do better than the market for Dividend Stocks Rock members. I review the 11 sectors for them and include top picks for each. I’ve decided to share three with you: Communication Services, Consumer Staples, and Industrials. The booklet is a great place to find dividend growth stocks that offer Canadian and US diversification.

Download 6 of my top 27 for 2025 right here:

#10 Telus (T.TO)

About a year ago, Telus was upgraded to a PRO rating of 5. I thought the company would bounce back faster, but it wasn’t the case. My long-term view of Telus hasn’t changed, though.

While the company reported modest revenue growth throughout the year, its cash flow metrics (cash flow from operations, free cash flow and capital expenditure) have improved significantly. The company is covering their dividend from free cash flow and interest charges are under control.

It took longer than expected, but I believe Telus will get out of this rut and make investors happy. It’s only a matter of time.

#9 Granite REIT (GRT.UN.TO)

Granite is a very frustrating REIT to hold. I love the investment thesis which includes the strong need for industrial properties, GRT’s ability to grow its business while growing FFO per unit and distribution increases intact and the high occupancy rate. The financial metrics back this investment thesis as revenue, Funds from operations, FFO per units, payout ratio and occupancy rate are all looking good. Why is GRT frustrating to hold? Because it simply doesn’t get any love from the market. Despite its good numbers, GRT lags the market and fails to generate positive returns.

With a low FFO payout ratio (68% for the first 9 months of 2024), shareholders can enjoy a 4.5% yield that should grow and match (or beat) the inflation rate. This is among the rare REITs exhibiting AFFO per unit growth while issuing more units to finance growth.

#8 Hydro One (H.TO)

From time to time, I hear that Hydro-Quebec should go public and unlock tons of value. However, I understand the government’s provincial point of view of keeping this amazing asset for themselves. Do you know why? Because Hydro-Quebec pays a generous dividend to the government each year!

Well, Hydro One is in a similar situation but you have the possibility of getting a piece of the cake as the Ontario Government decided to sell a part of its stake in this beauty. With 99% of its operations being regulated and 98% of its electric lines being in Ontario, an investment in Hydro One is a pure play on Ontario’s power development. This is the pure definition of a sleep-well-at-night investment. The company expects to invest $1.3B to $1.6B in CAPEX yearly until 2027 which will support their EPS growth guidance of 4-7% and dividend growth of about 5%. The province enjoys a strong and diversified economy and Hydro One will continue to grow by walking in the province’s path.

#7 Dollarama (DOL.TO)

I’m kicking myself for not having Dollarama in my portfolio. Maybe in another life!

DOL has built a strong brand, and its business model (aimed at low-value items) is an excellent defensive play against the e-commerce threat over the retail business. As consumers’ budgets are tight, DOL appears to be an amazing alternative for many goods. Dollarama has been able to increase same store sales along with opening new stores consistently. The introduction of many products under its “home brand” increases the company’s margin. DOL introduced a new price point of $5 for many items, which lends additional flexibility and pricing power.

#6 Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ.TO)

CNQ is a rare beast in its environment that has increased dividends for 25 consecutive years. Yes, it even increased its payouts while everybody was on hold or cutting distributions in 2020. It brings the question: why is CNQ “oil price resistant”?

The company is sitting on a large reserve of cheap oil. According to management, CNQ is profitable with an oil price per barrel of around $35-$40. This enables the company to manage production and capex with greater flexibility. They can then slowdown CAPEX when the oil price is low and produce less. When we are in “full oil bull mode”, CNQ bolsters CAPEX and boosts production generating maximum cash flow. This is exactly what just happened where CNQ dropped its debt and now focuses on rewarding shareholders with share buybacks and dividend increases.

To be clear, I don’t see CNQ as a super powered growth stock for the future. However, with a yield above 4% and a resilient business model, that’s the type of business that will either be very good in your portfolio, or it will go back into hibernation mode paying a secure dividend. In both scenarios, you can be a winner over the long run.

#5 CCL Industries (CCL.B.TO)

Finding an international leader with a well-diversified business based in Canada is rare. Through the major acquisition of business units from Avery (world’s largest supplier of labels) in 2013, the company has set the tone for several years of growth. Bolstered by its previous successes, CCL also bought Checkpoint, a leading developer of RF and RFID, and Innovia in the past few years and announced more acquisitions in 2021. The company is still able to generate organic growth (roughly 4-5%) on top of its growth through acquisitions.

#4 Brookfield Corporation (BN.TO)

I’m keeping BN among my top picks for a third year in a row. The 2024 selection paid off as Brookfield skyrocketed with more than 50% return. I think there is much more to come! Brookfield is amongst the largest players in alternative asset management. As the stock market looks overvalued, many investors will turn toward alternative assets as a way to generate profits and hedge their bets. Those long-term assets require patient capital and a high level of expertise. Brookfield is in a perfect position to provide this service to investors. Even better, BN invests its own capital in many projects. Therefore, it can double-dip by charging a fee on managed capital and making capital gains when selling assets.

#3 Brookfield Renewables (BEPC.TO)

BEP enjoys large-scale capital resources and has the expertise to manage its projects across the world. Management aims for a 5-9% annual distribution increase, backed by double-digit guidance that includes a mix of organic and M&A growth. Investors gravitate toward clean energy, and BEP is well-positioned to attract them.

Following an impressive stock price surge through 2020, the stock has been trending down for the past two years, although there is nothing to worry about. The rise of interest rates on bonds combined with the incredible ride BEP has had is responsible for this correction. In late 2023, management reaffirmed its strong position and ability to generate strong returns over the long haul. The latest results in early 2024 confirmed that BEP is still focused on growth opportunities. In Q2 of 2024, management highlighted the important contract signed with Microsoft to supply 10.5GW to support MSFT’s AI and cloud business energy needs. This could open the doors to more deals with corporations in the future.

#2 National Bank (NA.TO)

There is no secret here as I’m a National Bank fan. It seems that the bank has done everything right over the past 15 years. This big transformation converted a small provincial bank into a serious player in capital markets and the private wealth industries. The Bank is expected to complete a key acquisition of Canadian Western Bank in 2025 which will bring more capital onto its balance sheet (supporting capital market lucrative operations), more synergies (high cross-selling opportunities between CWB’s commercial clients and private wealth management) and a good presence in Western Canada. NA is also doing very well in Cambodia (Aba Bank) and through its door into the U.S. (Credigy).

#1 Alimentation Couche-Tard (ATD.TO)

I might never have another choice for Canadian than Couche-Tard. I’ve looked at grocery stores, but Metro (MRU.TO) and Loblaws (L.TO) don’t offer many growth opportunities. Don’t get me wrong, they are great companies, but I think ATD will do better.

Things are changing quickly around the 7-Eleven deal. ATD has tried to get to the negotiation table to acquire 7-Eleven for a few months now. The Japanese company is trying all means to stay Japanese. The latest chatter was that the son’s founder would buy it back and make it private. The market liked the idea, and the ATD share price rose again. This story isn’t over yet one way or another.

For 2025, I see ATD striking another acquisition. After all, it’s in its DNA. If it’s not 7-Eleven, it will be another chain (maybe Casey’s?… it tried to acquire CASY in 2010). ATD must gain more expertise in growing organically through the sale of read-to-eat and fresh produce. This is how they can mitigate the impact of slowing fuel and tobacco sales over the next 10-20 years.

More Stock Ideas and 3 Sectors’ Insights

In the Top Dividend Stocks for 2025 booklet, you get six dividend stock ideas and learn about their sectors. Get a clear vision for the Communication Services, Consumer Staples, and Industrials so that you do not hesitate when looking at your portfolio.

Download our booklet now!

Buy List Stock – July 2023: CCL Industries (CCL.B.TO)

If you’re looking for a strong Canadian stock in the materials sector to add to your buy list, take a look at CCL Industries. The world’s largest producer of pressure-sensitive and specialty extruded film materials, CCL offers products and solutions to address decorative, packaging and labelling, security, loss prevention, and inventory management needs.

A global presence, CCL employs over 25,000 people in 200 production facilities in 43 countries. Its revenues come from North America (41%), Europe (32%), and Emerging Markets (27%).

CCL Business Model

Operating through four segments, CCL Industries sells its solutions to global corporations, government institutions, small businesses, and consumers.

The CCL segment converts pressure sensitive and specialty extruded film materials for a range of decorative, instructional, functional and security applications.
The Avery segment supplies labels, specialty converted media and software solutions.
The Checkpoint segment develops radio frequency (RF) and radio frequency identification (RFID) based technology systems for loss prevention and inventory management applications, and labeling and tagging solutions, for the retail and apparel industries.
The Innovia segment produces specialty and layered surface engineered films for label, packaging, and security applications.

Investment Thesis

An international leader with a well-diversified business that is based in Canada is a rare find. With its 2013 major acquisition of business units from Avery, the world’s largest label producer, the company set the tone for several years of growth. Bolstered by its earlier success, CCL also bought Checkpoint and Innovia, and it keeps making more acquisitions.

CCL is still able to generate organic growth (roughly 4-5%) on top of its growth through acquisitions. You can rest assured that management’s interests are aligned with yours since the Lang family still owns 95% of CCL’s A shares with voting rights. We appreciate CCL’s capital allocation that includes a mix of dividend, share buybacks, acquisitions, and CAPEX. With its attractive PE ratio, CCL can generate more growth through acquisitions.

CCL’s Last Quarter and Recent Activities

CCL reported a strong first quarter in 2023; revenue up 9% and EPS up 12%, with organic growth of 1.4%, acquisition-related growth of 3% and a 4.2% positive impact from foreign currency translation. Sometimes, doing business across the world works out! By segment, CCL sales were up 7.5%, Avery was up 44%, Checkpoint was up 3.6%, and Innovia was down 14%. In constant currency, the company saw high single-digit growth for revenue and earnings. It is looking good for the rest of the year!

In less than 30 days, in June and July 2023, CCL made three small acquisitions:

It bought Pouch Partners for $44M in an all-cash deal. Pouch Partners supplies highly specialized, gravure printed & laminated, flexible film materials for pouch forming, including recyclable solutions, with sales of $104M in 2022.
It announced the acquisition of Oomph Made for $7.1M. CCL said Oomph had sales of C$6.7M in 2022. This adds to Avery’s growing portfolio of access control, badging and credentials technologies, products, and brands focused on the retail, hospitality, live events, and conferencing markets.
It bought privately held Creaprint S.L., a specialist producer of In Mould Labelling (IML) with sales of $17M in 2022, for a debt and cash-free purchase consideration of $38.1M. This acquisition brings IML technology and expertise to global CCL Label operations.

Want other stock ideas for your watch list? Download our Dividend Rock Stars list!

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Potential Risks for CCL.B.TO

We often see rising stars such as CCL yielding a high return over a short period. In 2014, the stock traded at approximately $15, steadily rising to $62 in 2017, peaking at $72 in 2021, and now around the $66 mark. CCL is a leader in many sectors, but double-digit growth will be hard to achieve going forward.

The possibility of a recession is affecting investor interest for this stock. CCL used leverage for its acquisitions many times in the past few years. Further acquisitions to support growth might be riskier as many expect a global economic slowdown. CCL also faces inflation headwinds as the cost of raw materials continues to rise.

CCL.B.TO Dividend Growth Perspective

CCL shows a nearly perfect dividend triangle over the past 5 years, with strong revenue and dividend growth. However, earnings are beginning to slow down.

CCL’s business model is built on repeat orders generating consistent cash flows. With their low payout ratios, investors can expect dividend growth for many years. After a smaller increase in 2020, CCL roared back with yearly dividend increases of 17%, 14%, and 10.4% from 2021 to 2023. It will be interesting to see how CCL will grow its payouts going forward with EPS not growing as fast. With a payout ratio of 25% and a cash payout ratio of 35%, there is nothing to worry about.

Final Thoughts on CCL.B.TO

I look at CCL.B.TO as an educated guess; it’s almost perfect but I expect price fluctuations and I know the risks. As it operates in the cyclical materials sector, CCL faces potential headwinds from a looming recession and increased raw material prices. That being said, the dividend is safe, and the company can sustain dividend growth for several years.

If you are looking for a company focused on growth by acquisition, and you can live with fluctuations in this uncertain economic environment, CCL might be for you. Or you can keep CCL on your watch list while you wait to see how the economy evolves over the next months and quarters.