STANLEY BLACK & DECKER INC. $77 - New York symbol SWK

STANLEY BLACK & DECKER INC. $77 (New York symbol SWK; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 161.9 million; Market cap: $12.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; Dividend yield: 2.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.stanleyblackanddecker.com) earned $163.1 million in the first quarter of 2013, down 1.3% from $165.2 million a year earlier.

Due to fewer shares outstanding, earnings per share rose 5.1% to $1.03. These figures exclude costs to integrate its $826.4-million purchase of Infastech, a Hong Kong-based fastener maker that serves automotive, electronic, aerospace and construction clients. Infastech should add $0.20 a share to Stanley’s yearly earnings.

Sales rose 2.5%, to $2.5 billion from $2.4 billion. Infastech’s contribution offset weaker sales of tools and other products and the negative impact of exchange rates.

Stanley Black & Decker is a buy.

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