price to sales ratio
BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. $37 (New York symbol BR; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 119.4 million; Market cap: $4.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.8; Dividend yield: 2.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.broadridge.com) serves the investment industry in three main areas: investor communications, securities processing and transaction clearing. The company processes 85% of all proxy votes in the U.S.
In its fiscal 2014 second quarter, which ended December 31, 2013, Broadridge earned $31.2 million, up 43.1% from $21.8 million a year earlier. Earnings per share rose 47.1%, to $0.25 from $0.17, on fewer shares outstanding.
Revenue gained 5.6%, to $520.6 million from $493.2 million. Revenue from contracts that pay Broadridge recurring fees (two-thirds of the total) rose 9% and accounted for almost all of the overall gain. The remaining third comes from one-time events, such as special shareholder meetings and distributing information when a mutual fund changes managers.
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In its fiscal 2014 second quarter, which ended December 31, 2013, Broadridge earned $31.2 million, up 43.1% from $21.8 million a year earlier. Earnings per share rose 47.1%, to $0.25 from $0.17, on fewer shares outstanding.
Revenue gained 5.6%, to $520.6 million from $493.2 million. Revenue from contracts that pay Broadridge recurring fees (two-thirds of the total) rose 9% and accounted for almost all of the overall gain. The remaining third comes from one-time events, such as special shareholder meetings and distributing information when a mutual fund changes managers.
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GENERAL MILLS INC. $51 (New York symbol GIS, Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 614.5 million; Market cap: $31.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.9; Dividend yield: 3.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.generalmills.com) is one of the world’s largest food makers. Its top brands include Big G (cereal), Green Giant (canned and frozen vegetables), Pillsbury (baking dough), Old El Paso (tacos), Progresso (soups and salads) and Yoplait (yogurt).
In its fiscal 2014 third quarter, which ended February 23, 2014, the company’s sales fell 1.2%, to $4.38 billion from $4.43 billion a year earlier. General Mills raised its prices to cover rising costs, but it sold less food, partly because unusually cold winter weather kept U.S. shoppers at home. Unfavourable currency exchange rates, particularly in Venezuela, also weighed on sales.
Earnings rose 3.1%, to $410.6 million from $398.4 million. Per-share earnings gained 6.7%, to $0.64 from $0.60, on fewer shares outstanding. However, if you exclude unusual items, such as gains on hedging contracts General Mills uses to lock in wheat and corn prices, per-share earnings fell 6.1%, to $0.62 from $0.66.
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In its fiscal 2014 third quarter, which ended February 23, 2014, the company’s sales fell 1.2%, to $4.38 billion from $4.43 billion a year earlier. General Mills raised its prices to cover rising costs, but it sold less food, partly because unusually cold winter weather kept U.S. shoppers at home. Unfavourable currency exchange rates, particularly in Venezuela, also weighed on sales.
Earnings rose 3.1%, to $410.6 million from $398.4 million. Per-share earnings gained 6.7%, to $0.64 from $0.60, on fewer shares outstanding. However, if you exclude unusual items, such as gains on hedging contracts General Mills uses to lock in wheat and corn prices, per-share earnings fell 6.1%, to $0.62 from $0.66.
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CINTAS CORP. $59 (Nasdaq symbol CTAS; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 120.1 million; Market cap: $7.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.6; Dividend yield: 1.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.cintas .com) is selling its document-shredding operations to Toronto-based Shred-it International. In exchange, Cintas will receive 42% of the combined company, which will use the Shred-it brand, plus $180 million in cash. To put that in context, Cintas earned $84.6 million, or $0.69 a share, in the quarter ended February 28, 2014.
The partners plan to make this business more profitable by combining plants and pick-up routes. The sale will also let Cintas focus on its larger uniform rental and office cleaning operations.
Cintas is a buy....
The partners plan to make this business more profitable by combining plants and pick-up routes. The sale will also let Cintas focus on its larger uniform rental and office cleaning operations.
Cintas is a buy....
QUAKER CHEMICAL CORP. $75 (New York symbol KWR; Income Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 13.2 million; Market cap: $990.0 million; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.4; Dividend yield: 1.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.quakerchem.com) makes lubricants and chemicals that keep mechanical parts from rusting.
Quaker needs oil to make its products, and rising crude prices have slowed its earnings growth. As well, it gets 60% of its sales from overseas, and the higher U.S. dollar has also weighed on its results.
The company has raised its prices and cut its costs in response. It has also acquired smaller, related firms, which has helped increase its sales and earnings.
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Quaker needs oil to make its products, and rising crude prices have slowed its earnings growth. As well, it gets 60% of its sales from overseas, and the higher U.S. dollar has also weighed on its results.
The company has raised its prices and cut its costs in response. It has also acquired smaller, related firms, which has helped increase its sales and earnings.
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BRIGGS & STRATTON CORP. $22 (New York symbol BGG; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 47.0 million; Market cap: $1.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.6; Dividend yield: 2.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.briggsandstratton.com) is the world’s largest maker of lawn mower engines. The company also makes a variety of other home and garden equipment, such as portable power generators, pressure washers and snow blowers.
In Briggs’s 2014 second quarter, which ended December 31, 2013, its sales fell 5.1%, to $416.6 million from $439.1 million a year earlier.
Sales of engines to manufacturers (61% of total sales) fell 3.1%, mainly because the year-earlier sales benefited from strong generator demand after Hurricane Sandy. A lack of major storms also caused sales of consumer products (39%) to decline 13.2%.
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In Briggs’s 2014 second quarter, which ended December 31, 2013, its sales fell 5.1%, to $416.6 million from $439.1 million a year earlier.
Sales of engines to manufacturers (61% of total sales) fell 3.1%, mainly because the year-earlier sales benefited from strong generator demand after Hurricane Sandy. A lack of major storms also caused sales of consumer products (39%) to decline 13.2%.
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MTS SYSTEMS CORP. $68 (Nasdaq symbol MTSC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 15.3 million; Market cap: $1.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.9; Dividend yield: 1.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; 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.
The company recently announced a new restructur-ing plan, including job cuts and technology investments. This initiative should make its testing division, which supplies 80% of its revenue, more productive. MTS gets the remaining 20% of its revenue by making sensors for industrial equipment.
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TENNANT CO. $63 (New York symbol TNC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 18.5 million; Market cap: $1.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.6; Dividend yield: 1.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.tennantco.com) makes industrial floor-cleaning equipment, including scrubbers, sweepers and polishers. It also manufactures cleaning gear for garages, stadiums, parking lots and city streets.
The company continues to benefit from strong demand for products featuring its ec-H20 technology, which uses electricity to make tap water act like a detergent.
In 2013, Tennant’s sales rose 1.8%, to $752.0 million from $739.0 million in 2012. Overseas markets supply a third of the company’s sales. If you disregard the negative impact of currency exchange rates, sales rose 2.8%.
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The company continues to benefit from strong demand for products featuring its ec-H20 technology, which uses electricity to make tap water act like a detergent.
In 2013, Tennant’s sales rose 1.8%, to $752.0 million from $739.0 million in 2012. Overseas markets supply a third of the company’s sales. If you disregard the negative impact of currency exchange rates, sales rose 2.8%.
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MCDONALD’S CORP. $96 (New York symbol MCD; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 989.9 million; Market cap: $95.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.4; Dividend yield: 3.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.mcdonalds.com) operates 35,400 fast food restaurants in 119 countries. The company serves a wide variety of food, but it’s best known for its hamburgers and french fries.
McDonald’s continues to renovate its restaurants, launch new menu items— such as premium coffee— and appeal to cost-conscious consumers through its popular Dollar Menu. These improvements raised its revenue by 23.6%, from $22.7 billion in 2009 to $28.1 billion in 2013.
Same-store sales rose just 0.2% in 2013, because the company attracted 1.9% fewer customers, which offset higher spending per visit.
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McDonald’s continues to renovate its restaurants, launch new menu items— such as premium coffee— and appeal to cost-conscious consumers through its popular Dollar Menu. These improvements raised its revenue by 23.6%, from $22.7 billion in 2009 to $28.1 billion in 2013.
Same-store sales rose just 0.2% in 2013, because the company attracted 1.9% fewer customers, which offset higher spending per visit.
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Stocks in the Resources & Commodities and Manufacturing & Industry sectors expose you to above-average volatility, while Finance and Utilities companies are less volatile than average. Consumer stocks fall in the middle.
Finning sells equipment to customers in both the Resources and Manufacturing sectors, which adds to its risk....
Finning sells equipment to customers in both the Resources and Manufacturing sectors, which adds to its risk....
TRANSCONTINENTAL INC. $15 (Toronto symbol TCL.A; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 78.0 million; Market cap: $1.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.6; Dividend yield: 4.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www. tctranscontinental.com) aims to cut its reliance on cyclical print advertising with a new deal to buy Missouri-based Capri Packaging, which makes plastic packaging for food....