dividends paid
SIERRA WIRELESS $34.10 (Toronto symbol SW; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (604- 231-1100; www.sierrawireless.com; Shares outstanding: 32.1 million; Market cap: $1.1 billion; No dividends paid) has entered into a new partnership with France’s PSA Peugeot Citroën. The carmaker has been a Sierra client since 2001 and has connected more than 1.6 million of its vehicles with the company’s emergency notification system modules. Now the automaker will use Sierra’s Air- Vantage device-to-cloud technology to add other connected services. The companies didn’t provide specifics, but these new functions could include apps that sync with smartphones and display information about a car’s performance and mileage....
We’re happy to see that two of our stocks were chosen for addition to the S&P/TSX Composite Index on June 19, 2015. COMPUTER MODELLING GROUP $12.85 (see at left) is up over 500% for us since we first recommended it in our April 2003 issue at $2.10. We think it still has gains ahead. Computer Modelling is a buy....
DOMINO’S PIZZA $110.92 (New York symbol DPZ; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (734-930-3008; www.dominos.com; Shares outstanding: 55.2 million; Market cap: $6.1 billion; Dividend yield: 1.1%) is the world’s largest chain of pizza stores that offer takeout and delivery. It operates 11,700 outlets in the U.S. and 75 other countries. Franchisees run most of these stores. In the three months ended March 22, 2015, the company’s earnings per share jumped 19.1%, to $0.81 from $0.68 a year earlier. Sales gained 10.6%, to $502.0 million from $453.9 million. Same-store sales rose 7.8% internationally— but more important, they rose 14.5% in the U.S., home to most of the company’s stores....
CENOVUS ENERGY INC. $21 (Toronto symbol CVE; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 828.4 million; Market cap: $17.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.9; Dividend yield: 5.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.cenovus.com) has temporarily shut down its Foster Creek oil sands project in northern Alberta, as forest fires in the area are hindering traffic on the main access road to the site. Cenovus own 50% of Foster Creek, while U.S.-based ConocoPhillips (New York symbol COP) owns the other 50%. In the first quarter of 2015, Cenovus’s share of this project’s output was 68,000 barrels a day, or 31% of its total daily oil production of 218,000 barrels. The fires have also forced other oil projects in Alberta to close. In all, these operations account for 9% of the province’s total production. However, the shutdowns have increased the spot price of Western Canadian crude, which should help Cenovus offset the lost revenue....
EBAY INC. $62 (Nasdaq symbol EBAY; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $74.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.2; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.ebay.com) has settled a long-standing dispute with classified advertising website Craigslist.
In 2004, eBay acquired a 28.4% stake in the privately held company for $32 million. However, Craigslist accused eBay of using its confidential information to launch a rival classified ad service in the U.S. in 2007. Under the settlement, eBay has sold its shares back to Craigslist for an undisclosed amount.
The deal should help speed up eBay’s plan spin off its PayPal online payments division as a separate company later this year. The remaining firm will focus on auction websites.
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In 2004, eBay acquired a 28.4% stake in the privately held company for $32 million. However, Craigslist accused eBay of using its confidential information to launch a rival classified ad service in the U.S. in 2007. Under the settlement, eBay has sold its shares back to Craigslist for an undisclosed amount.
The deal should help speed up eBay’s plan spin off its PayPal online payments division as a separate company later this year. The remaining firm will focus on auction websites.
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CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL $606.84 (New York symbol CMG; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (303-595-4000; www.chipotle.com; Shares outstanding: 31.0 million; Market cap: $18.7 billion; No dividends paid) is a Denver- based Mexican restaurant chain. It charges slightly higher prices than fast food companies, but it offers better quality food, including naturally raised meat, and superior decor and service.
In the three months ended March 31, 2015, Chipotle’s sales jumped 20.4%, to $1.09 billion from $904.2 million a year earlier. Its restaurants attracted more customers during the quarter, which pushed up same-restaurant sales by 10.4%.
Chipotle opened 49 new outlets and now has a total of 1,831. It plans to add 140 to 155 more in 2015. Earnings gained 47.6%, to $122.6 million, or $3.95 a share, from $83.1 million, or $2.67. That’s partly because it raised the prices of some menu items last year, offsetting higher costs for beef and tortillas. The company is a well-established chain with a growing following, especially among health conscious, environmentally aware consumers.
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In the three months ended March 31, 2015, Chipotle’s sales jumped 20.4%, to $1.09 billion from $904.2 million a year earlier. Its restaurants attracted more customers during the quarter, which pushed up same-restaurant sales by 10.4%.
Chipotle opened 49 new outlets and now has a total of 1,831. It plans to add 140 to 155 more in 2015. Earnings gained 47.6%, to $122.6 million, or $3.95 a share, from $83.1 million, or $2.67. That’s partly because it raised the prices of some menu items last year, offsetting higher costs for beef and tortillas. The company is a well-established chain with a growing following, especially among health conscious, environmentally aware consumers.
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We made MITEL NETWORKS $11.29 (Toronto symbol MNW; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (613-592-2122; www.mitel.ca; Shares outstanding: 120.0 million; Market cap: $1.4 billion; No dividends paid) a buy in our June 2014 issue at $12.03 after it took over Aastra Technologies, a Stock Picker Digest recommendation, at a big premium....
SIERRA WIRELESS $34.10 (Toronto symbol SW; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (604- 231-1100; www.sierrawireless.com; Shares outstanding: 32.1 million; Market cap: $1.1 billion; No dividends paid) has entered into a new partnership with France’s PSA Peugeot Citroën.
The carmaker has been a Sierra client since 2001 and has connected more than 1.6 million of its vehicles with the company’s emergency notification system modules.
Now the automaker will use Sierra’s Air- Vantage device-to-cloud technology to add other connected services. The companies didn’t provide specifics, but these new functions could include apps that sync with smartphones and display information about a car’s performance and mileage.
...
The carmaker has been a Sierra client since 2001 and has connected more than 1.6 million of its vehicles with the company’s emergency notification system modules.
Now the automaker will use Sierra’s Air- Vantage device-to-cloud technology to add other connected services. The companies didn’t provide specifics, but these new functions could include apps that sync with smartphones and display information about a car’s performance and mileage.
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ACI WORLDWIDE $25.19 (Nasdaq symbol ACIW; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative)(402-390-7600; www.tsainc.com; Shares outstanding: 116.7 million; Market cap: $3.0 billion; No dividends paid) makes software for processing transactions involving credit cards, debit cards, automated teller machines, point-of-sale terminals and interbank payments. The company’s products also help cut fraud. Clients include leading global retailers, plus two-thirds of the world’s 100 largest banks.
ACI has made a series of acquisitions in recent years. In November 2013, it paid $109 million for Official Payments Holdings, which processes 20 million payments totalling over $9 billion a year. It also added Retail Decisions (ReD) for $205 million in August 2014. ReD is an e-commerce and fraud-prevention firm whose software serves the payments industry.
In the three months ended March 31, 2015, the company’s revenue rose 5.1% to $232.8 million from $221.5 million a year earlier. ACI typically has higher sales and profits in the last half of each year, which is the busiest period in its customers’ purchasing cycle.
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ACI has made a series of acquisitions in recent years. In November 2013, it paid $109 million for Official Payments Holdings, which processes 20 million payments totalling over $9 billion a year. It also added Retail Decisions (ReD) for $205 million in August 2014. ReD is an e-commerce and fraud-prevention firm whose software serves the payments industry.
In the three months ended March 31, 2015, the company’s revenue rose 5.1% to $232.8 million from $221.5 million a year earlier. ACI typically has higher sales and profits in the last half of each year, which is the busiest period in its customers’ purchasing cycle.
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MITEL NETWORKS $11.29 (Toronto symbol MNW; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk)(613-592-2122; www.mitel.ca; Shares outstanding: 120.0 million; Market cap: $1.4 billion; No dividends paid) develops and markets products centred on business telephone systems, including technology that integrates land lines and mobile phones. The company also offers call centre and videoconferencing products.
In the three months ended March 31, 2015, Mitel’s revenue rose 2.7%, to $248.1 million from $241.5 million a year ago (all figures except share price and market cap in U.S. dollars). Without the effect of the higher U.S. dollar, its revenue was $268.9 million in the latest quarter.
Earnings per share fell 27.3%, to $0.16 from $0.22, as the stronger dollar hurt the contribution from the company’s international sales. However, the latest earnings still beat the consensus estimate of $0.15. Earlier this year, Mitel acquired Mavenir Systems for $560 million U.S.
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In the three months ended March 31, 2015, Mitel’s revenue rose 2.7%, to $248.1 million from $241.5 million a year ago (all figures except share price and market cap in U.S. dollars). Without the effect of the higher U.S. dollar, its revenue was $268.9 million in the latest quarter.
Earnings per share fell 27.3%, to $0.16 from $0.22, as the stronger dollar hurt the contribution from the company’s international sales. However, the latest earnings still beat the consensus estimate of $0.15. Earlier this year, Mitel acquired Mavenir Systems for $560 million U.S.
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