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KRAFT FOODS GROUP INC. $54 (Nasdaq symbol KRFT; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 595.6 million; Market cap: $32.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.8; Dividend yield: 3.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.kraftfoodsgroup.com) makes a variety of grocery products, including Kraft macaroni and cheese, Oscar Mayer meats, Philadelphia cream cheese, Maxwell House coffee, Jell-O desserts and Miracle Whip salad dressing.




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WELLS FARGO & CO. $43 (New York symbol WFC; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 5.3 billion; Market cap: $227.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.7; Dividend yield: 2.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.wellsfargo.com) earned $5.3 billion, or $0.99 a share, in the quarter ended September 30, 2013. That’s up 12.7% from $4.7 billion, or $0.88 a share, a year ago.

These gains are largely the result of more borrowers repaying their loans on time. Loan-loss provisions fell 95.3%, to $75 million from $1.6 billion.

Revenue declined 3.5%, to $20.5 billion from $21.2 billion. Higher interest rates have hurt demand for new mortgages and refinancing of existing loans. Mortgage applications dropped 40.4%, to $87 billion from $146 billion a year earlier.
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APACHE CORP. $89 (New York symbol APA; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 389.4 million; Market cap: $34.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.1; Dividend yield: 0.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.apachecorp.com) has stopped looking for oil and gas off the coast of Kenya, because it has been unable to find enough to justify developing these fields.

The company now plans to focus on its onshore projects in North America, which should account for 55% of its production in 2013, up from 31% in 2009. That should cut Apache’s risk.

Apache is still a hold....

AMEREN CORP. $36 (New York symbol AEE; Income Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 242.6 million; Market cap: $8.7 billion; Priceto- sales ratio: 1.3; Dividend yield: 4.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.ameren.com) has received approval from federal regulators to sell five of its nonregulated coal-fired power plants in Illinois to Dynegy Inc. (New York symbol DYN).

Weak power demand and lower rates have hurt these plants’profits. As a result, Ameren will receive no cash for them. However, Dynegy will assume $825 million of their debt.

Regulators in Illinois have also let Ameren put off installing new pollution-control equipment in these plants until 2020. However, Dynegy may cancel the deal if regulators force it to make these upgrades sooner.
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FEDEX CORP. $130 (New York symbol FDX; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 316.6 million; Market cap: $41.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.9; Dividend yield: 0.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.fedex.com) has announced a new share buyback program that lets it repurchase up to 32 million of its common shares. If you include the 7.4 million shares left under its old plan, the company can now buy back up to 39.4 million shares, or 12.4% of the total outstanding.

Share buybacks raise earnings per share and other per-share calculations and give the remaining shareholders a larger stake in the company. There are no time limits for these purchases.

The company’s customers continue to shift to slower but cheaper forms of transportation, such as trucks and ships, instead of its more expensive overnight international air service. However, more of its clients are ordering goods online, which has pushed up volumes at its ground delivery division.
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FORD MOTOR CO. $18 (New York symbol F; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 3.9 billion; Market cap: $70.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 2.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.ford.com) sold 185,146 vehicles in the U.S. in September 2013, up 5.8% from 174,976 in September 2012. That easily beat the consensus estimate of no increase.

The gain was largely due to a 13.6% jump in passenger car sales, including 62.4% higher sales of its Fusion mid-sized sedan. In addition, truck sales rose 8.3%. However, sport utility vehicle sales declined 4.1%.

Ford is a buy....

SNAP-ON INC. $101 (New York symbol SNA; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 58.2 million; Market cap: $5.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.0; Dividend yield: 1.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www. snapon.com) makes tools for auto mechanics and sells them through a fleet of franchised vans that visit garages. It also makes specialized tools for mining companies, electrical power generators and other industrial customers.

In the three months ended September 28, 2013, Snap-On’s revenue rose 6.1%, to $798.3 million from $752.1 million a year earlier. The latest figure includes $15.6 million from Challenger Lifts, which the company bought for $38 million in May 2013. This business makes systems that raise cars off the ground.

If you exclude Challenger’s contribution and the negative impact of foreign currency rates, revenue would have risen 4.7%.
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GENUINE PARTS CO. $78 (New York symbol GPC; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing sector; Shares outstanding: 154.9 million; Market cap: $12.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.9; Dividend yield: 2.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.genpt.com) gets half of its sales and earnings by selling auto parts. The company operates 1,300 of its own outlets under the NAPA banner, and its distribution business serves 4,750 independent stores across North America.

Genuine also distributes industrial parts, office furniture and electrical equipment.

In the three months ended September 30, 2013, revenue rose 9.2%, to a record $3.7 billion from $3.4 billion a year earlier. The gain is mainly because Genuine bought the 70% of an Australian auto parts distributor that it didn’t already own last April. The company paid $820 million for this additional stake. However, revenue fell 2.5% at the industrial parts division, 3.1% at office products and 5.3% at electrical materials.
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ALCOA INC. $9.27 (New York symbol AA; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 1.1 billion; Market cap: $10.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; Dividend yield: 1.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.alcoa.com) owns 25.1% of a joint venture that operates a new aluminum smelter in Saudi Arabia; a state-owned mining company owns the remaining 74.9%.

This facility recently suffered problems while ramping up its production, which forced it to shut down one of its two production lines. Repairs will take about six months, but the other production line should let the plant make its initial deliveries on time.

Alcoa is a buy....

MOLSON COORS BREWING CO. $54 (New York symbol TAP; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 183.5 million; Market cap: $9.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.3; Dividend yield: 2.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.molsoncoors.com) continues to benefit from last year’s $3.5-billion purchase of StarBev, which owns nine breweries in central and eastern Europe.

Thanks to StarBev, Molson Coors’ sales rose 17.9% in the quarter ended June 29, 2013, to $1.2 billion from $999.4 million a year ago. StarBev is also helping offset slower North American sales.

If you exclude costs to integrate StarBev and other unusual items, the company earned $278.6 million in the quarter, up 11.4% from $250.1 million a year earlier. Due to more shares outstanding, earnings per share rose 9.4%, to $1.51 from $1.38.
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DIAGEO PLC ADRs $131 (New York symbol DEO; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; ADRs outstanding: 627.6 million; Market cap: $82.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.5; Dividend yield: 2.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.diageo.com) is the world’s largest premium alcoholic beverage company. Its major brands include Guinness stout, Smirnoff vodka, Johnnie Walker whisky and Captain Morgan rum.

Diageo’s sales rose 6.2% in its 2013 fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2013, to 11.4 billion British pounds from 10.8 billion pounds in 2012 (1 pound = $1.68 Canadian). Gains in Latin America (up 15%), Africa (up 10%), North America (up 5%) and Asia (up 3%) offset a 4% drop in European sales.

Thanks to the higher sales and a successful costcutting plan, earnings rose 28.0%, to 2.5 billion pounds from 1.9 billion. Earnings per ADR gained 21.9% to 3.97 pounds from 3.11 pounds (each American Depositary Receipt represents four common shares).
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WAL-MART STORES INC. $76 (New York symbol WMT; Conservative Growth Portfolio: Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 3.3 billion; Market cap: $250.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 2.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.walmart. com) is ending its joint venture in India with Bharti Enterprises.

Under the terms of the breakup, Wal-Mart will own 100% of 20 Best Price Modern Wholesale stores, which sell a wide variety of food and other goods to restaurants and other businesses. Bharti will gain full control of 212 Wal-Mart-style stores.

India has opened up its retail market to foreign companies in the past few years. However, many restrictions remain, such as requiring foreign supermarkets to buy 30% of their products from small Indian firms. That hurts these stores’profits.
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TERADATA CORP. $43 (New York symbol TDC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 163.1 million; Market cap: $7.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.8; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.teradata.com) makes computers and software that capture and store large amounts of a business’s data, including its sales and inventory. It then analyzes this information and identifies buying habits and trends, which helps its clients make better decisions.

In the three months ended June 30, 2013, the company’s earnings fell 4.5%, to $126 million from $132 million a year earlier.

Teradata spent $91 million on share buybacks in the latest quarter. Due to fewer shares outstanding, earnings per share fell at a slower pace of 1.3%, to $0.76 from $0.77.
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CANON INC. ADRs $32 (New York symbol CAJ; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; ADRs outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $38.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.1; Dividend yield: 4.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.canon.com) gets 50% of its revenue by making office equipment, mainly printers and copiers. It also makes consumer products, such as cameras and inkjet printers (40% of revenue) and industrial components, including chips and other parts for TV sets, medical gear and mobile devices (10%).

The Bank of Japan’s move to lower the value of the yen has made the company’s products more affordable outside of Japan. However, the slow global economy is prompting companies to hold off on buying new office equipment.

At the same time, more consumers are using their smartphones to take pictures, which is hurting sales of entry-level digital cameras. In response, Canon plans to focus on more expensive models.
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HEWLETT-PACKARD CO. $24 (New York symbol HPQ; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 1.9 billion; Market cap: $45.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; Dividend yield: 2.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.hp.com) is a leading maker of personal computers and printers. It also makes server computers and networking products for businesses.

Demand for computers and printers, which account for half of Hewlett’s sales, continues to suffer as consumers shift to mobile devices. As a result, the company’s sales will likely fall to $111 billion in its 2013 fiscal year, which ends October 31, 2013, from $120.4 billion in 2012. However, Hewlett believes its sales will stabilize in 2014 and rise in 2015.

Meanwhile, it continues to make progress on a major restructuring plan that includes merging its computer and printing divisions, simplifying its product lines and cutting 8% of its workforce. Hewlett expects to complete these moves in 2014.
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GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. $26 (New York symbol GE; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 10.2 billion; Market cap: $265.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.9; Dividend yield: 2.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.ge.com) continues to shrink its GE Capital subsidiary, which provides loans and other financial services to buyers of its industrial products, such as power-transmission gear, jet engines and locomotives.

GE Capital supplies around 30% of GE’s overall revenue and earnings. As part of a plan to focus on its main industrial businesses, the company aims to cut GE Capital’s assets to half of what they were prior to the 2008 financial crisis. It plans to complete these reductions by 2014.

Due to GE Capital’s smaller size, the company’s overall revenue in the three months ended September 30, 2013 fell 1.5%, to $35.7 billion from $36.3 billion a year earlier. Earnings fell 5.1%, to $3.3 billion from $3.5 billion a year earlier. Earnings per share fell 3.0%, to $0.32 from $0.33, on fewer shares outstanding. If you exclude unusual items, earnings per share rose 11.1%, to $0.40 from $0.36.
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UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORP. $106 (New York symbol UTX; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 917.5 million; Market cap: $97.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.6; Dividend yield: 2.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.utc.com) has four main divisions: Building & Industrial Systems (formed in September 2013) makes heating and air-conditioning equipment under the Carrier brand, as well as burglar alarms, fire-safety products and Otis elevators (50% of 2012 revenue, 61% of earnings); Pratt & Whitney manufactures aircraft engines (24%, 19%); Aerospace Systems makes aircraft controls (14%, 11%); and Sikorsky makes helicopters (12%, 9%).

The recession cut United Technologies’revenue by 11.1%, from $56.8 billion in 2008 to $50.5 billion in 2009. Revenue quickly turned around and rose to $57.7 billion in 2012. The U.S. government is the company’s biggest customer and accounts for roughly 18% of its yearly revenue.

Earnings fell 17.0%, from $4.9 billion in 2008 to $4.1 billion in 2009. The company is an aggressive buyer of its own shares. As a result, its earnings per share fell at a slower pace of 15.6%, from $4.74 to $4.00. Thanks to the higher revenue, earnings improved to $5.2 billion, or $5.35 a share, in 2012.
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In choosing a Stock of the Year, we aim for a “heads you win, tails you break even” situation. These stocks can put on above-average rises, but they’re unlikely to be disasters if they disappoint....

A year ago, Pat McKeough was asked to contribute his “best financial tip” to the Blog for Financial Literacy. It proved to be one of our most popular daily posts of 2012. Thanksgiving Monday seems like a good time to re-visit this essential piece of investment advice from Pat. “My Best Financial Tip” is to take a sound fundamental approach to investing in stocks. That’s especially true at a time like today when interest rates are near historic lows and bonds and other fixed income investments offer sparse returns....

Pat McKeough responds to many requests from members of his Inner Circle for specific advice on stocks as well as questions on investment strategy and the economy. Every week, his comments and recommendations on the most intriguing questions of the past week go out to all Inner Circle members. And each week, we offer you one of the highlights from these Q&A sessions. While we reserve our buy-hold-sell advice for Inner Circle members, these excerpts provide a great deal of information and analysis on stocks we’ve covered for members of Pat’s Inner Circle....

ADOBE SYSTEMS (Nasdaq symbol ADBE; www.adobe.com) makes software that lets computer users create, edit and share documents in the popular PDF format. As well, graphic designers use its software to create print publications and web pages....

Every Wednesday, we publish our “Investor Toolkit” series on TSI Network....

We think conservative investors could hold up to 10% of their portfolios in foreign stocks. One way to do that is to buy carefully chosen exchange traded funds (ETFs) that have an overseas focus....

MTS SYSTEMS CORP. (Nasdaq symbol MTSC; www.mts.com) makes equipment and software that manufacturers use to test the behaviour of materials, machines and structures. This helps its clients reduce errors and costs....

TEMPUR SEALY $39.81 (New York symbol TPX; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (800-878-8889; www.tempursealy.com; Shares outstanding: 60.4 million; Market cap: $2.4 billion; No dividends paid) completed its $1.3- billion purchase of rival Sealy in March 2013. This was a major acquisition for Tempur Sealy (formerly Tempur-Pedic), but it has let the company diversify into the market for traditional spring-coil beds.

The purchase should help Tempur Sealy offset rising competition in its current business; the company makes and distributes mattresses and neck pillows made of its Tempur material, which conforms to the body to provide support and alleviate pressure points.

Competitors Simmons Bedding and Serta have both successfully launched memory-foam mattresses that directly compete with Tempur Sealy’s products.
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