DIEBOLD INC. $34 - New York symbol DBD

DIEBOLD INC. $34 (New York symbol DBD; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 64.9 million; Market cap: $2.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.7; Dividend yield: 3.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.diebold.com) recently paid an undisclosed sum for Phoenix Interactive Design, a privately held maker of software for automated teller machines. The purchase will add more features to Diebold’s ATMs and make them work better.

Excluding costs to integrate Phoenix and other unusual items, Diebold’s earnings per share rose 20.8% in the first quarter of 2015, to $0.29 from $0.24 a year earlier. However, sales fell 4.8%, to $655.5 million from $688.3 million. Stronger ATM demand in North America, Europe and Asia offset slower sales of other gear in Brazil. Without currency rates, sales rose 1.1%.

Diebold is a buy.

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