AUTODESK INC. $28 – Nasdaq symbol ADSK

AUTODESK INC. $28 (Nasdaq symbol ADSK; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 229.7 million; Market cap: $6.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.8; No dividends paid; WSSF Rating: Average) makes computer-assisted design software that lets engineers and architects analyze their products’ performance early in… Read More

Cut your tech risk with these four

An improving global economy should push up software sales in 2010. As well, software makers typically earn higher profit margins than other technology companies, so even a modest sales increase would sharply lift these companies’ earnings.

Even so, the software industry remains highly volatile. To cut… Read More

Picking our #1

At left we announce our Stock Pickers Digest #1 stock for 2010. In choosing a #1, I look for a stock that seems to offer above-average if not great returns, but with below-average risk.

Our #1’s have generally done well, and many were top performers. Autodesk,… Read More

Watch out for tech stock volatility

Many U.S. corporations cut their information-technology spending while they waited for the economy to start growing again. At the same time, U.S. consumers were buying less computer equipment as job losses pushed up the unemployment rate and eroded confidence.

Spending has started to recover. As well,… Read More

Research positions these two for a rebound

FAIR ISAAC CORPORATION $22.22 (New York symbol FICO; SI Rating: Average) (415-472-2211; www.fairisaac.com; Shares outstanding: 48.9 million; Market cap: $1.1 billion) sells products and services that help businesses around the world make better decisions on customer creditworthiness.

Its main business is its FICO software, which lets… Read More