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CTV News
22 minutes ago
- CTV News
Albertans are the best in the country at saving money: Desjardins report
As economic conditions evolve and regional pressures shift, Canadians are saving more money, but the amount depends on which province you live in, according to a new report. As economic conditions evolve and regional pressures shift, Canadians are saving more money, but the amount depends on which province they live in, according to a new report. Desjardins' latest economic viewpoint found Albertans saved nearly nine per cent of their disposable income between 2020 and 2023, the highest in Canada, and well above the national average of under four per cent. Researchers found Albertans were able to save more as they had, on average, a household disposable income of over $110,000 while affordability in the province was among the best in the country. Savings rates are also high in Saskatchewan and Quebec with levels approaching 10 per cent of disposable income in 2024. The national average disposal household income in 2024 was $100,000. 'You have Alberta close to $120,000 household disposable income and Saskatchewan is a bit above average,' Sonny Scarfone, principal economist for Desjardins told in a Monday interview. 'I would say, for these two provinces, it's a mix of high disposable income and relatively affordable housing compared to B.C. and Ontario, especially. For Quebec, it's mostly on the spending side, just in absolute terms, spending less than other provinces.' Households in Ontario and British Columbia meanwhile are navigating higher debt levels, driven by housing costs, mortgage renewals, and slower income growth, all of which may weigh on future consumption and savings. Homeowners in the relatively more affordable Quebec housing market are less vulnerable to ongoing mortgage renewals than in other provinces. That however is starting to decline, Scarfone said. 'We do see affordability declining and more of a catching up. In absolute terms, prices have been increasing for housing, although on the relative basis that remains affordable compared to B.C. and Ontario,' he said . 'We do forecast that the Quebec savings rate will remain somewhat elevated, of course, depending on the commercial tariffs outcome there.' The average national savings rate, calculated as a percent of disposable income instead of spending, is expected to increase from 3.7 per cent in 2023 to six per cent in 2024 according to data from Statistics Canada and Desjardins Economic Studies. Alberta had a savings rate of 8.8 per cent in 2023, Quebec was at 7.8 per cent and Saskatchewan was not far behind at 7.5 per cent in 2023. Prince Edward Island was at 2.8 per cent, Ontario at 1.7 per cent, British Columbia at 0.6 per cent and Newfoundland and Labrador at 0.2 per cent. New Brunswick was down -1.6 and Nova Scotia was -3.7. Canadians expected to save more Desjardins predicts Canadians across the country will continue to save for the future despite ongoing income pressures. Albertans made over $115,000, British Columbians had $110,000 and Ontarians made $105,000 in 2024. Scarfone noted households saving more leads to higher resiliency especially in uncertain times such as U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. 'One of the reasons we're interested in looking at saving behaviour is that in terms of uncertainty, saving for a rainy day can become self fulfilling in terms of uncertainty leads to households being more prudent in their spending,' said Scarfone. 'That prudence itself contributes to lower consumption, which is reflected by lower GDP. So that behaviour is interesting in the context that we're in today, and also it does help us in our forecast in terms of forward looking at who would be more financially resilientif a slowdown was to come.' In Quebec, the average household disposable income was just under $84,000 in 2024, comparable to New Brunswick and lower than all other provinces, yet they were one of the highest savers in the country. Changes to personal income tax Researchers expect national-level household disposable income growth to accelerate in 2025 in part supported by recent federal personal income tax changes. The government recently announced a plan to reduce the personal income tax rate from 15 per cent to 14 per cent as of July 1. It will also be the rate for most federal non-refundable tax credits. Desjardins noted Quebec and Alberta households are likely to face less pressure from mortgage renewals than households in British Columbia and Ontario. Households to spend less on luxury goods While researchers anticipate an increase in savings, they also expect a broad slowdown in consumer activity in the coming quarters, with the steepest declines in spending on luxury items. Households are likely to scale back on big-ticket purchases due to the combined impact of the ongoing trade war, through higher prices and increased uncertainty, and a soft housing market.
Globe and Mail
22 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Should Investors Buy Amazon Stock Ahead of Q2 Earnings Release?
AmazonAMZN is scheduled to report second-quarter 2025 results on July 31. For the second quarter, Amazon expects net sales between $159 billion and $164 billion, or to grow in the range of 7-11% compared with second-quarter 2024. This guidance anticipates an unfavorable impact of approximately 10 basis points from foreign exchange rates. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for net sales is pegged at $162.28 billion, indicating growth of 9.67% from the prior-year quarter's reported figure. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter earnings is pegged at $1.33 per share, which indicates growth of 8.13% from the year-ago quarter. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The company has been benefiting from its dominant position in the e-commerce and cloud markets. It is also riding on strengthening generative AI capabilities. AMZN's Earnings Surprise History Amazon has an impressive earnings surprise history. In the last reported quarter, the company delivered an earnings surprise of 17.78%. The company's earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 20.68%. Earnings Whispers for AMZN Our proven model predicts an earnings beat for Amazon this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they are reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. AMZN has an Earnings ESP of +7.37% and sports a Zacks Rank #1 at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Factors Shaping AMZN's Q2 Results As Amazon prepared to report its second-quarter 2025 earnings, multiple catalysts positioned the company for strong performance across its diversified business segments. The e-commerce giant entered the quarter with robust momentum from its first-quarter results, which delivered $155.7 billion in net sales and demonstrated the company's ability to navigate macroeconomic headwinds while maintaining growth trajectories. AWS and AI Initiatives Amazon Web Services continued to assert its dominance in the cloud computing space, with the company's AI initiatives gaining significant traction during the second quarter. Our model estimate for AWS revenues indicates 16.9% year-over-year growth to $30.72 billion in the to-be-reported quarter. The launch of Amazon Nova models is expected to have gained momentum throughout the quarter under review, with the newly introduced Nova Sonic speech-to-speech foundation model and Nova Act SDK enabling developers to build more sophisticated voice-based AI applications and action-oriented agents. These technological advances positioned AWS to capture increased demand from enterprises, accelerating their AI adoption, supporting expectations for continued strong revenue growth in the cloud segment. The rollout of Trainium 2 chips accelerated in the second quarter, offering customers 30-40% better price performance compared with GPU-based instances, which is expected to have strengthened AWS' competitive positioning in the rapidly expanding AI infrastructure market against its strong contenders like MicrosoftMSFT, Alphabet GOOGL and OracleORCL. Advertising, E-commerce and Physical Retail Growth in Q2 Amazon's advertising business demonstrated robust growth with first-quarter revenues of $13.9 billion, up 19% year over year, indicating strong advertiser demand and effective monetization of the company's vast customer base. The advertising platform's reach extended to more than 275 million users in the United States alone, providing significant scale for brand partners. This momentum is expected to have continued into the second quarter as Amazon expanded its full-funnel advertising capabilities across Prime Video, Twitch, and other entertainment properties. The e-commerce segment is expected to have benefited from improved fulfillment network efficiency following the redesigned inbound architecture implemented in the first quarter. This optimization enabled faster delivery speeds and better inventory placement, which traditionally drives higher customer satisfaction and increased purchase frequency. The company's focus on everyday essentials proved particularly valuable, with this category growing more than twice as fast as the overall business and representing one-third of units sold in the United States. Our model estimate for revenues from online stores is pegged at $60.2 billion, indicating an 8.8% year-over-year increase. Amazon's physical retail operations are expected to show healthy growth, with model estimates projecting physical store sales of $5.38 billion, indicating a 3.4% year-over-year increase. The integration of technologies like Amazon Dash Cart into brick-and-mortar locations strengthens the company's omnichannel presence. Third-party seller services remain a significant growth driver with model estimates pegged at $39.1 billion, indicating an 8.3% year-over-year increase. This reflects Amazon's continued success in monetizing its marketplace platform and fulfillment services. Prime Day and Enhanced Customer Experience The company's redesigned inbound network architecture, which improved inventory placement and delivery speeds, enhanced the customer experience during this high-volume period. Amazon achieved record delivery speeds for Prime members in the first quarter, setting a strong foundation for the quarter under review. The introduction of Alexa+, Amazon's next-generation personal assistant, began gaining traction with more than 100,000 users during its initial rollout. This enhanced AI-powered assistant, which can both answer questions and take actions, represented a significant advancement in smart home technology and positioned Amazon to capture additional market share in the growing voice assistant market. International Expansion and Innovation Amazon's international operations showed resilience with 8% growth excluding foreign exchange impacts in the first quarter, and the second quarter included the launch of in Ireland, expanding the company's European footprint. The introduction of luxury shopping through Saks on Amazon and partnerships with brands like Michael Kors and The Ordinary diversified the product offering and attracted new customer segments. Project Kuiper reached a significant milestone with successful satellite launches, positioning Amazon to begin customer service later in 2025. This initiative represented a substantial long-term growth opportunity in the broadband connectivity market, particularly for underserved rural areas. The company's continued investment in logistics infrastructure, including the $4 billion commitment to expand rural delivery networks, was expected to enhance competitive advantages and customer reach in the second quarter and beyond. AMZN Price Performance & Stock Valuation Shares of Amazon have gained 5.5% in the year-to-date period compared with the broader Zacks Retail-Wholesale sector and the S&P 500 index's increase of 6.9% and 8.2%, respectively. AMZN's Year-to-Date Performance Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Now, let's look at the value Amazon offers investors at current levels. AMZN is trading at a premium with a forward 12-month P/S of 3.34X compared with the Zacks Internet - Commerce industry's 2.17X, reflecting a stretched valuation. AMZN's P/S F12M Ratio Depicts Stretched Valuation Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Investment Thesis Amazon's diversified ecosystem positions it as a compelling buy despite premium valuation, with AWS expected to deliver strong 16.9% growth to $30.72 billion in second-quarter 2025, driven by accelerating AI adoption through Nova models and cost-effective Trainium 2 chips. The company's advertising segment maintains robust 19% growth momentum while e-commerce benefits from optimized fulfillment networks, achieving record delivery speeds. International expansion through and luxury partnerships diversifies revenue streams. While facing intense competition from Microsoft, Alphabet, and Oracle, Amazon's integrated platform spanning cloud, retail, and emerging technologies like Project Kuiper creates sustainable competitive advantages justifying current valuations for long-term investors. Conclusion Amazon's diversified business model, spanning high-growth AWS cloud services, robust advertising momentum, and optimized e-commerce operations, creates multiple revenue catalysts ahead of second-quarter 2025 earnings. The company's strategic investments in AI infrastructure, international expansion, and next-generation technologies like Project Kuiper establish sustainable competitive moats. Despite premium valuations, Amazon's integrated ecosystem and growth trajectory make it an attractive buy for investors. 5 Stocks Set to Double Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the months ahead. They include Stock #1: A Disruptive Force with Notable Growth and Resilience Stock #2: Bullish Signs Signaling to Buy the Dip Stock #3: One of the Most Compelling Investments in the Market Stock #4: Leader In a Red-Hot Industry Poised for Growth Stock #5: Modern Omni-Channel Platform Coiled to Spring Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +171%, +209% and +232%. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
CTV News
22 minutes ago
- CTV News
e-scooters on Barrie's horizon?
Barrie residents are asked to voice their opinion on e-scooters in the community. Mon., July 28, 2025. PHOTO: CITY OF BARRIE E-scooters could be just around the next bend if residents agree. Barrie staff is considering permitting electric kick-style scooters (e-scooters) in participation with an initiative from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO). 'As Barrie continues to grow, we're exploring the role e-scooters could play as part of a broader range of transportation options to support mobility for all residents,' said Brett Gratrix, senior project manager of transportation and development services. 'Although they're not currently permitted in Barrie, we're seeing increasing interest and use, which is why we're consulting the public before determining next steps,' Gratrix said. E-scooters are currently not allowed to operate in Barrie on city property or within the public right-of-way, such as city streets, sidewalks or trails. The provincial pilot program allows participating municipalities to choose where and how e-scooters may be used. No decisions about permitting the scooters have been made yet and city staff are offering the public an opportunity to learn about e-scooters, ask questions, and complete a survey about whether to permit them in Barrie. Feedback from the public will be sent to city council which will offer recommendations on whether to opt in or out of the provincial pilot program. pilot program. About the Ontario Ministry of Transportation's (MTO) pilot program Ontario's e-scooter pilot program allows municipalities to choose where and how e-scooters may be used. The pilot is running from January 1, 2020 to November 27, 2029. The pilot program sets out requirements for: Helmets Minimum age for riders Weight and speed restrictions Municipalities that choose to allow e-scooters are responsible for:
