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Signet Jewelers Ltd. is still subject to changes in consumer confidence, but it’s making smart moves to spur growth
Sun Life Financial Inc. and Manulife Financial Corp. each offers a combination of solid earnings growth, ongoing share repurchases, and impressive dividend yields.
Top pick Yum Brands Inc. gives you sales growth, steady EPS growth, and a solid dividend
Nutrien Ltd. offers exposure to potash and nitrogen prices, a stable retail base and strong profitability.
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GANNETT CO., INC. $14 (New York symbol GCI; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector: Shares outstanding: 115.4 million; Market cap: $1.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.6; Dividend yield: 4.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.gannett.com) publishes daily newspapers in 92 U.S. markets, including its flagship paper, USAToday, and 19 dailies in the U.K. The company recently agreed to buy Journal Media Group (New York symbol JMG), which publishes 15 dailies and 18 weeklies in nine states. The purchase price is $280 million, which includes Journal’s cash holdings. Gannett expects to close the deal in the first quarter of 2016. The purchase will add $0.10 to $0.15 a share to Gannett’s earnings in the first year; the company will likely earn $1.66 a share in 2016, and the stock trades at 8.4 times that estimate. Savings from combining printing plants and other operations should increase Gannett’s earnings by $0.20 to $0.25 a share in the second year. The $0.64 dividend seems secure and yields 4.6%....
GANNETT CO., INC. $14 (New York symbol GCI; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector: Shares outstanding: 115.4 million; Market cap: $1.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.6; Dividend yield: 4.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.gannett.com) publishes daily newspapers in 92 U.S. markets, including its flagship paper, USAToday, and 19 dailies in the U.K. The company recently agreed to buy Journal Media Group (New York symbol JMG), which publishes 15 dailies and 18 weeklies in nine states. The purchase price is $280 million, which includes Journal’s cash holdings. Gannett expects to close the deal in the first quarter of 2016. The purchase will add $0.10 to $0.15 a share to Gannett’s earnings in the first year; the company will likely earn $1.66 a share in 2016, and the stock trades at 8.4 times that estimate. Savings from combining printing plants and other operations should increase Gannett’s earnings by $0.20 to $0.25 a share in the second year. The $0.64 dividend seems secure and yields 4.6%....
FEDEX CORP. $128 (New York symbol FDX; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 275.6 million; Market cap: $35.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.7; Dividend yield: 0.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.fedex.com) has received approval from U.S. and European regulators for its $4.6-billion purchase of TNT Express NV, a Netherlands-based courier that operates throughout Europe. The deal makes FedEx the second-largest courier in Europe, with 22% of the market. That’s just behind leader United Parcel Services, which has 25%. Regulators in other countries, including China and Brazil, must approve the deal. However, FedEx expects to complete it by June 30, 2016....
CHEVRON CORP. $83 (New York symbol CVX; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 1.9 billion; Market cap: $157.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; Dividend yield: 5.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.chevron.com) recently signed deals to sell 1.5 million metric tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per year to clients in China. These deals will add to the prospects of its Gorgon LNG project off northwestern Australia, which will start up in the next few months. Chevron owns 47.3% of Gorgon and operates the project. It cost $54 billion to build; Chevron’s share of the costs is $25.5 billion. The recent drop in gas prices will hurt Gorgon’s initial profitability. However, it should become a major supplier of gas to Japan, South Korea, India and China. Moreover, its reserves should last at least 40 years....