Pat McKeough

A professional investment analyst for more than 30 years, Pat has developed a stock-selection technique that has proven reliable in both bull and bear markets. His proprietary ValuVesting System™ focuses on stocks that provide exceptional quality at relatively low prices. Many savvy investors and industry leaders consider it the most powerful stock-picking method ever created.

As early as 1980, Pat was recognized as #1 in the world of published investment advice by the Washington, DC–based Newsletter Publishers Association, and he was the first multi-year winner of The Globe and Mail’s stock picking contest.

Both CBS MarketWatch and The Hulbert Financial Digest recognized Pat as one of North America’s top stock analysts. The Wall Street Journal called him “one of only four investment newsletter advisors who have managed to serve their readers well over the long haul.”

A best-selling Canadian author, he wrote Riding the Bull, his 1993 book that predicted the stock-market boom of the last half of that decade. Through his many television appearances, he is well-known to investors for his insightful analysis and his candid, unpretentious style.

Bottom line: Pat’s conservative, reduced-risk strategy is a proven approach to safe investing.

Posts by the author
FAIR ISAAC CORP. $57.71 (New York symbol FICO; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (415- 472-2211; www.fairisaac.com; Shares outstanding: 35.2 million; Market cap: $2.0 billion; Dividend yield: 0.1%) reports that its earnings per share before one-time items rose 16.7% in the three months ended September 30, 2013, to $0.98 from $0.84 a year ago.
< br /> Revenue gained 2.3%, to $190.3 million from $186.1 million. That’s largely due to acquisitions, which contributed $23 million to the company’s revenue in the latest quarter. Due to the uncertain economy, Fair Isaac has had trouble closing deals with several North American banks. It aims to complete these sales in the next few months.
< br /> The company continues to spend around 9% of its revenue on research. That lets it keep producing innovative products that help it stay ahead of the competition.
...
< strong>DELPHI ENERGY $1.43 (Toronto symbol DEE; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (403-265-6171; www.delphienergy.ca; Shares outstanding: 153.1 million; Market cap: $217.4 million; No dividends paid) develops, produces and explores for oil and natural gas. About 74% of its production is gas. The remaining 26% is oil.
< br /> The company’s output rose 6.5% in the three months ended September 30, 2013, to 8,797 barrels of oil equivalent per day (including gas) from 8,257 barrels a year earlier.
< br /> Cash flow per share gained 16.7%, to $0.07 from $0.06. The higher production was the main reason for the increase. The company also realized higher prices for its oil and gas in the latest quarter.
...
BIRCHCLIFF ENERGY $7.27 (Toronto symbol BIR; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (403-261-6401; www.birchcliffenergy.com; Units outstanding: 142.8 million; Market cap: $1.1 billion; No dividends paid) develops, produces and explores for oil and natural gas, mainly in the Peace River Arch area near the Alberta/B.C. border. About 81% of its output is gas. The remaining 19% is oil.
< br /> In the three months ended September 30, 2013, Birchcliff’s production rose 15.1%, to 24,662 barrels of oil equivalent per day (including gas) from 21,426 barrels a year earlier. Cash flow per share gained 50.0%, to $0.30 from $0.20, on the increased production and higher oil and gas prices.
< br /> Last year, Birchcliff completed Phase III of its gas plant expansion in Pouce Coupe, Alberta. This project doubled the facility’s capacity and is helping the company bring the additional gas it is producing to market.
...
ACI WORLDWIDE $62.74 (Nasdaq symbol ACIW; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (402- 334-5101; www.tsainc.com; Shares outstanding: 39.5 million; Market cap: $2.4 billion; No dividends paid) makes software that processes transactions involving credit cards, debit cards, ATMs, point-of-sale terminals and interbank payments. Its products also help cut fraud.
< br /> In the quarter ended September 30, 2013, acquisitions increased ACI’s revenue by 38.0%, to $213.9 million from $155.1 million a year earlier. Earnings per share rose 79.3%, to $0.52 from $0.29. Cost cuts and the higher revenue were behind the rise.
< br /> The company’s outlook is positive, but the stock trades at a high 22.4 times ACI’s forecast 2014 earnings of $2.80 a share. Moreover, any problems with integrating its recent acquisitions could significantly cut into 2014 earnings.
...
< strong>RUBY TUESDAY, INC. $6.58 (New York symbol RT; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (865-379-5700; www.rubytuesday.com; Shares outstanding: 61.4 million; Market cap: $405.1 million; No dividends paid) owns 703 casual dining restaurants in the U.S. Franchisees operate 33 outlets in the U.S. and 42 overseas.
< br /> In the three months ended September 3, 2013, Ruby Tuesday’s sales fell 11.7%, to $289.7 million from $327.9 million a year earlier. Continued weak consumer spending was the main reason for the decline. As well, the company closed less profitable restaurants in the quarter, and competition remains intense in the casual-dining business.
< br /> Ruby Tuesday lost $21.9 million, or $0.36 a share, compared to a year-earlier profit of $3.1 million, or $0.22 a share. That widely missed the consensus estimate of a $0.05-a-share loss, although the latest quarter included a $7.5-million pre-tax charge for closing underperforming locations.
...
CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL $531.66 (New York symbol CMG; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (303-595-4000; www.chipotle.com; Shares outstanding: 30.9 million; Market cap: $16.7 billion; No dividends paid) is a Denver- based Mexican restaurant chain. It charges slightly higher prices than fast food companies, but it offers better quality food, including naturally raised meat, and superior decor and service.
< br /> In the three months ended September 30, 2013, Chipotle’s sales gained 18.0%, to $826.9 million from $700.5 million a year earlier. The company’s restaurants attracted more customers during the quarter, which pushed up same-restaurant sales by 4.3%. Chipotle also opened 37 new outlets, and now has a total of 1,539. In 2014, it aims to open 180 to 195 more.
< br /> Earnings rose 15.3%, to $83.4 million from $72.3 million. Per-share earnings increased 18.4%, to $2.70 from $2.28, on fewer shares outstanding.
...
HECLA MINING $2.98 (New York symbol HL; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (208-769- 4100; www.hecla-mining.com; Shares outstanding: 342.6 million; Market cap: $1.0 billion) explores for, mines and processes silver and gold in the U.S. and Mexico.
< br /> Most of the company’s silver output comes from its Greens Creek mine in Alaska and its Lucky Friday project in Idaho. Its gold production mainly comes from its newly acquired Casa Berardi mine in Quebec.
< br /> All of Hecla’s mines have potential for higher production, including Casa Berardi, where the company is deepening the mine shaft to boost output and extend the project’s life. However, Hecla is cutting back on capital spending while it waits for higher gold and silver prices.
...
< strong>IMPERIAL METALS $14.25 (Toronto symbol III; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (604-669-8959; www.imperialmetals.com; Shares outstanding: 74.5 million; Market cap: $1.1 billion) is a Vancouver-based firm that produces and explores for base and precious metals.
< br /> Imperial’s producing assets include two B.C. mines: 100%-owned Mount Polley (copper and gold) and 50% of Huckleberry (copper and molybdenum). Japan’s Mitsubishi Materials holds 31.1% of Huckleberry, and Furukawa Co., Dowa Holdings and Marubeni Corp. own 6.3% each.
< br /> Imperial restarted Mount Polley in 2005. It continues to explore around the known deposit to increase the mine’s reserves and lengthen its life. Right now, Imperial expects Mount Polley to produce until mid- 2023.
...
YAMANA GOLD $9.46 (Toronto symbol YRI; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (416-815-0220; www.- yamana.com; Shares outstanding: 752.9 million; Market cap: $7.3 billion; Dividend yield: 2.9%) owns eight operating gold mines in Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. It also holds a 12.5% stake in the Alumbrera copper/gold mine in Argentina, and has a number of other properties in advanced stages of development.
< br /> In the three months ended September 30, 2013, Yamana’s revenue fell 25.4%, to $456.7 million from $611.8 million a year earlier (all figures except share price and market cap in U.S. dollars).
< br /> Gold production declined 1.1%, to 306,935 ounces from 310,490. Prices for gold, and for copper and silver, also fell. Both copper and silver are significant byproducts of Yamana’s gold mining. The company’s cash flow per share fell 36.9% in the latest quarter, to $0.24 from $0.38.
...