dividends paid
THE WESTAIM CORP. $0.60 (Toronto symbol WED, Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 586.8 million; Market cap: $352.1 million; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.0; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative; www.westaim.com) owns Jevco Insurance Co., which sells insurance to high-risk drivers, as well as owners of motorcycles, snowmobiles and recreational vehicles.
Westaim earned $32.9 million, or $0.05 a share, in 2011. That’s down 40.3% from $55.1 million, or $0.11 a share, in 2010. However, the 2010 earnings included a $25.1-million gain stemming from the company’s reorganization and purchase of Jevco in March 2010.
The company’s combined ratio, or claims paid out divided by premiums taken in (the lower, the better), improved to 95.5% from 97.6%. Westaim is a hold for aggressive investors only.
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Westaim earned $32.9 million, or $0.05 a share, in 2011. That’s down 40.3% from $55.1 million, or $0.11 a share, in 2010. However, the 2010 earnings included a $25.1-million gain stemming from the company’s reorganization and purchase of Jevco in March 2010.
The company’s combined ratio, or claims paid out divided by premiums taken in (the lower, the better), improved to 95.5% from 97.6%. Westaim is a hold for aggressive investors only.
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Most banks are writing off fewer mortgages and other loans, but low interest rates continue to dampen their profits. At the same time, rising competition is making it harder to attract new depositors. We feel the best way to expand your Finance sector holdings right now is with high-quality non-bank stocks, such as eBay, T. Rowe Price, Western Union and Moody’s. EBAY INC. $38 (Nasdaq symbol EBAY; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 1.3 billion; Market cap: $49.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.7; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.ebay.com) operates the world’s largest auction website, with over 99 million users. It also processes online financial transactions, mostly through its PayPal subsidiary....
These two leading software makers have each gained about 20% since the start of 2012. However, the slowing European economy could limit their progress. SYMANTEC CORP. $18 (Nasdaq symbol SYMC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 729.4 million; Market cap: $13.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.0; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.symantec.com) sells anti-virus and email filtering software to businesses and consumers. In its fiscal 2012 third quarter, which ended December 30, 2011, Symantec’s earnings rose 15.4%, to $314 million from $272 million a year earlier. Earnings per share gained 20.0%, to $0.42 from $0.35, on fewer shares outstanding. These figures exclude asset writedowns and costs to integrate acquisitions....
TERADATA CORP. $68 (New York symbol TDC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 168.3 million; Market cap: $11.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.8; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.teradata.com) saw its revenue rise 22.0% in 2011, to $2.4 billion from $1.9 billion in 2010. Earnings per share rose 24.7%, to $2.32 from $1.86. The company should continue to profit from strong demand for its analytics services, which help businesses gather and analyze large amounts of data, including customer purchasing patterns. However, at over 27 times earnings, the stock could drop suddenly if Teradata’s earnings fail to live up to expectations. Teradata is a hold.
TERADATA CORP. $68 (New York symbol TDC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 168.3 million; Market cap: $11.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.8; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.teradata.com) saw its revenue rise 22.0% in 2011, to $2.4 billion from $1.9 billion in 2010. Earnings per share rose 24.7%, to $2.32 from $1.86.
The company should continue to profit from strong demand for its analytics services, which help businesses gather and analyze large amounts of data, including customer purchasing patterns. However, at over 27 times earnings, the stock could drop suddenly if Teradata’s earnings fail to live up to expectations.
Teradata is a hold.
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The company should continue to profit from strong demand for its analytics services, which help businesses gather and analyze large amounts of data, including customer purchasing patterns. However, at over 27 times earnings, the stock could drop suddenly if Teradata’s earnings fail to live up to expectations.
Teradata is a hold.
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ADOBE SYSTEMS INC. $34 (Nasdaq symbol ADBE; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 496.2 million; Market cap: $16.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.9; No dividends paid since June 2005; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.adobe.com) makes software that lets computer users create, edit and share documents in the popular PDF format. As well, graphic designers use Adobe’s software to create print publications and web pages. Adobe gets 30% of its sales from Europe.
In its fiscal 2012 first quarter, which ended March 2, 2012, Adobe’s earnings fell 21.1%, to $185.2 million, or $0.37 a share. A year earlier, it earned $234.6 million, or $0.46. Without unusual items, earnings per share fell 1.7%, to $0.57 from $0.58. Sales rose 1.7%, to $1.05 billion from $1.03 billion.
Customers are waiting for the new version of Adobe’s Creative Suite of publishing programs, which it will release later this year. That was the main reason behind the lower sales and earnings.
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In its fiscal 2012 first quarter, which ended March 2, 2012, Adobe’s earnings fell 21.1%, to $185.2 million, or $0.37 a share. A year earlier, it earned $234.6 million, or $0.46. Without unusual items, earnings per share fell 1.7%, to $0.57 from $0.58. Sales rose 1.7%, to $1.05 billion from $1.03 billion.
Customers are waiting for the new version of Adobe’s Creative Suite of publishing programs, which it will release later this year. That was the main reason behind the lower sales and earnings.
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SYMANTEC CORP. $18 (Nasdaq symbol SYMC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 729.4 million; Market cap: $13.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.0; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.symantec.com) sells anti-virus and email filtering software to businesses and consumers.
In its fiscal 2012 third quarter, which ended December 30, 2011, Symantec’s earnings rose 15.4%, to $314 million from $272 million a year earlier. Earnings per share gained 20.0%, to $0.42 from $0.35, on fewer shares outstanding. These figures exclude asset writedowns and costs to integrate acquisitions.
Sales rose 6.9%, to $1.7 billion from $1.6 billion. Symantec gets 52% of its sales from overseas. If you disregard the positive impact of exchange rates, sales would have risen 6% in the quarter.
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In its fiscal 2012 third quarter, which ended December 30, 2011, Symantec’s earnings rose 15.4%, to $314 million from $272 million a year earlier. Earnings per share gained 20.0%, to $0.42 from $0.35, on fewer shares outstanding. These figures exclude asset writedowns and costs to integrate acquisitions.
Sales rose 6.9%, to $1.7 billion from $1.6 billion. Symantec gets 52% of its sales from overseas. If you disregard the positive impact of exchange rates, sales would have risen 6% in the quarter.
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EBAY INC. $38 (Nasdaq symbol EBAY; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 1.3 billion; Market cap: $49.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.7; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.ebay.com) operates the world’s largest auction website, with over 99 million users. It also processes online financial transactions, mostly through its PayPal subsidiary.
In 2011, eBay’s revenue rose 27.3%, to $11.7 billion from $9.2 billion in 2010. Strong international growth pushed up PayPal’s revenue by 28.4%. eBay’s auction websites saw a 16.1% revenue gain.
PayPal continues to grow rapidly; the division now accounts for 38% of eBay’s total revenue.
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In 2011, eBay’s revenue rose 27.3%, to $11.7 billion from $9.2 billion in 2010. Strong international growth pushed up PayPal’s revenue by 28.4%. eBay’s auction websites saw a 16.1% revenue gain.
PayPal continues to grow rapidly; the division now accounts for 38% of eBay’s total revenue.
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TEMPUR-PEDIC $82.30 (New York symbol TPX; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (800-878-8889; www.tempurpedic.com; Shares outstanding: 63.8 million; Market cap: $5.3 billion; No dividends paid) makes and distributes Swedish mattresses and neck pillows made from its Tempur material, which conforms to the body to provide support and help alleviate pressure points. Tempur-Pedic now sells its products in over 80 countries. In the three months ended December 31, 2011, Tempur-Pedic’s sales rose 25.3%, to $366.8 million from $292.7 million. North American sales rose 26%, and international sales gained 25%....
GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO. $12.32 (New York symbol GT; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (330-796-2122; www.goodyear.com; Shares outstanding: 244.6 million; Market cap: $3.0 billion; No dividends paid) reports that its sales rose 12.0% in three months ended December 31, 2011, to a record $5.7 billion from $5.1 billion a year earlier. The company earned $18 million, or $0.07 a share, compared with a loss of $177.0 million, or $0.73. Earnings benefited from the record sales and the company’s cost cuts, as well as a shift toward higher-priced tires. Rising costs for raw materials, especially rubber, could limit Goodyear’s earnings growth in the near term. However, its long-term outlook is positive....