Consumer Business Recap: Canadian Companies Go Small, Yum Raises Dividend Again

These were Thursday’s top stories:

Canadian consumers seem to prefer living in smaller spaces (easier to heat?), and retailers in the country need to adjust accordingly, such as major players Canadian Tire and Sears Canada (NASDAQ:SHLD), which has stocked smaller furniture and appliance products in order to keep in line with the trends. American retail entrants like Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) and Williams-Sonoma Inc. (NYSE:WSM) might be closely monitoring the situation.

Don’t Miss: Will Starbucks be the End of Green Mountain Coffee?

Yum Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM) is currently one of the very few firms in the S&P 500 that has hiked its dividend at a double-digit rate during the past 8 years. Accordingly, its shares now trade with a 1.98 percent yield but observers now wonder how it will make out in China with opinions varied.

Are these stocks a buy or sell? Let us help you decide. Check out our Wall St. Cheat Sheet Stock Picker Newsletter now >>