Topic: Value Stocks

Here are three key updates on your holdings

GEN DIGITAL INC. $18 is a buy. The company (Nasdaq symbol GEN; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 639.4 million; Market cap: $11.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.2; Dividend yield: 2.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.gendigital.com) changed its name from NortonLifeLock Inc. (old symbol NLOK) in September 2022 following its acquisition of European cybersecurity firm Avast plc for $8.1 billion. Gen is now the parent company for several security-related brands including Norton, LifeLock, and Avast. That’s in addition to Avira, AVG, and CCleaner, which it obtained in previous acquisitions.

In its fiscal 2024 first quarter, ended June 30, 2023, revenue rose 33.8%, to $946 million from $707 million a year earlier. That’s mainly due to the Avast purchase. Earnings before one-time items also gained, rising 15.1%, to $305 million from $265 million. Due to more shares outstanding, per-share earnings rose just 4.4%, to $0.47 from $0.45.

Gen Digital continues to spend a high 10% of its revenue on research. Those costs depress its current earnings but will help it compete in its rapidly changing industry. As well, the stock is attractively priced at 9.1 times forecast fiscal 2024 earnings of $1.97 a share. The $0.50 dividend yields 2.8%.

Gen Digital Inc. is a buy.

STATE STREET CORP. $67 is a buy. The company (New York symbol STT; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 318.6 million; Market cap: $21.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.9; Dividend yield: 4.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.statestreet.com) sells accounting and administrative services to operators of mutual funds and pension plans. It also offers exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mainly under the SPDR ETF brand.

The company is now acquiring for an undisclosed sum full control of its joint venture with the Atos Group in India. The move should improve State Street’s efficiency.

At the same time, with the October 2023 payment, the company will raise your quarterly dividend to $0.69 a share, up 9.5% from $0.63. The new annual rate of $2.76 yields 4.1%. It also plans to add investor value by buying back up to $4.5 billion of its shares in 2023.

State Street is a buy.

ALCOA CORP. $26 is a buy for long-term gains. The producer of bauxite ore and bulk aluminum products (New York symbol AA; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 178.4 million; Market cap: $4.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; Dividend yield: 1.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.alcoa.com) has dropped 30% in the past year. Fears about a slowing global economy and new supplies of aluminum from China have cut aluminum prices. However, Alcoa’s operating costs should fall since it has completed key maintenance projects.

The company will probably lose $1.15 a share for all of 2023 but earnings will probably rebound to $1.38 a share in 2024. The stock trades at a high, but still reasonable, 18.8 times that 2024 forecast. The $0.40 dividend yields 1.5%.

Alcoa is a buy.

Comments

Tell Us What YOU Think

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Please be respectful with your comments and help us keep this an area that everyone can enjoy. If you believe a comment is abusive or otherwise violates our Terms of Use, please click here to report it to the administrator.