price to sales ratio
LINAMAR CORP. $21 (Toronto symbol LNR; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 64.7 million; Market cap: $1.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 1.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.linamar.com) gets 85% of its revenue by making engines, transmissions and other precisionmachined parts for automakers. The company has plants in North America, Europe and Asia.
The remaining 15% of Linamar’s revenue comes from its self-propelled, scissor-type elevating work platforms, which it makes under the Skyjack name, plus consumer products, such as lawn mowers and cargo trailers.
Thanks to rising new car sales, Linamar’s earnings jumped 55.3%, to $0.59 a share, in the three months ended March 31, 2012. This figure excludes a foreign-exchange gain. A year earlier, Linamar earned $0.38 a share.
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The remaining 15% of Linamar’s revenue comes from its self-propelled, scissor-type elevating work platforms, which it makes under the Skyjack name, plus consumer products, such as lawn mowers and cargo trailers.
Thanks to rising new car sales, Linamar’s earnings jumped 55.3%, to $0.59 a share, in the three months ended March 31, 2012. This figure excludes a foreign-exchange gain. A year earlier, Linamar earned $0.38 a share.
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SHAWCOR LTD. $33 (Toronto symbol SCL.A; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 70.7 million; Market cap: $2.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.0; Dividend yield: 1.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.shawcor.com) makes sealants and coatings that keep oil and gas pipelines from rusting (88% of revenue). It also manufactures electrical wire and protective sheaths (12% of revenue).
So far this year, ShawCor has won over $45 million U.S. of coating orders related to big offshore natural gas projects near Australia. In addition, it has received a $30-million U.S. contract to coat undersea pipelines for a gas platform off the coast of Indonesia.
Meanwhile, ShawCor’s revenue rose 11.7% in the three months ended March 31, 2012, to $312.3 million from $279.5 million a year earlier. The company is benefiting as pipeline operators expand their operations to handle higher oil and gas production in North America and Latin America.
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So far this year, ShawCor has won over $45 million U.S. of coating orders related to big offshore natural gas projects near Australia. In addition, it has received a $30-million U.S. contract to coat undersea pipelines for a gas platform off the coast of Indonesia.
Meanwhile, ShawCor’s revenue rose 11.7% in the three months ended March 31, 2012, to $312.3 million from $279.5 million a year earlier. The company is benefiting as pipeline operators expand their operations to handle higher oil and gas production in North America and Latin America.
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SNC-LAVALIN GROUP INC. $39 (Toronto symbol SNC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 161.1 million; Market cap: $6.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.8; Dividend yield: 2.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.snclavalin.com) is a leading Canadian engineering and construction company. It specializes in large-scale public works projects, such as roads, bridges, transit systems and water-treatment plants.
SNC’s shares fell from around $48 in February 2012 after the company discovered $35 million of unusual payments related to certain construction contracts.
A panel of independent directors and lawyers later found another unusual payment, bringing the total to around $56 million. The company didn’t say which projects are connected to these transactions.
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SNC’s shares fell from around $48 in February 2012 after the company discovered $35 million of unusual payments related to certain construction contracts.
A panel of independent directors and lawyers later found another unusual payment, bringing the total to around $56 million. The company didn’t say which projects are connected to these transactions.
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CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY LTD. $73 (Toronto symbol CP; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 170.9 million; Market cap: $12.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.4; Dividend yield: 1.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.cpr.ca) has attracted a lot of media attention lately. That’s mainly due to efforts by a U.S.-based investment firm that wants to improve its performance and possibly spark a takeover offer.
In our three-part Successful Investor portfolio strategy, we advise investors to invest mainly in well-established companies, spread your money out across the five main economic sectors, and downplay stocks that are in the broker/media limelight, which can bloat investor expectations.
Downturns can be brutal when stocks fail to live up to those inflated expectations. So, investors have asked why we chose a #1 stock that’s in what they see as ‘the limelight’. The difference is in the definition.
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In our three-part Successful Investor portfolio strategy, we advise investors to invest mainly in well-established companies, spread your money out across the five main economic sectors, and downplay stocks that are in the broker/media limelight, which can bloat investor expectations.
Downturns can be brutal when stocks fail to live up to those inflated expectations. So, investors have asked why we chose a #1 stock that’s in what they see as ‘the limelight’. The difference is in the definition.
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CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY CO. $84 (Toronto symbol CNR; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 438.7 million; Market cap: $36.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.1; Dividend yield: 1.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.cn.ca) operates the largest freight-rail network in Canada, with access to major ports such as Vancouver, Montreal and Halifax. It also serves 16 U.S. states, including ports in New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama.
Ottawa nationalized CN in 1922 because of the vital role the company played in Canada’s early growth. CN became a publicly traded company in 1995.
CN hauls consumer and industrial goods (22% of 2011 revenue), grain and fertilizers (19%), petroleum products (17%), forest products (16%), metals and minerals (12%), coal (8%) and automotive products (6%).
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Ottawa nationalized CN in 1922 because of the vital role the company played in Canada’s early growth. CN became a publicly traded company in 1995.
CN hauls consumer and industrial goods (22% of 2011 revenue), grain and fertilizers (19%), petroleum products (17%), forest products (16%), metals and minerals (12%), coal (8%) and automotive products (6%).
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STANLEY BLACK & DECKER INC. $62 (New York symbol SWK; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 170.9 million; Market cap: $10.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.0; Dividend yield: 2.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.stanleyblackanddecker.com) is one of the world’s largest makers of hand and power tools for consumers. Its top-selling brands include Stanley, Black & Decker, FatMax and Powerlock. This business supplied 51% of Stanley’s 2011 sales and 46% of its earnings.
The company’s building-security division makes locks, automatic doors and gates. It also monitors properties for its clients, typically through closed-circuit audio and TV systems. This division accounts for 25% of Stanley’s sales and 27% of its earnings.
The remaining 24% of sales and 27% of earnings comes from selling specialized tools to industrial users, such as auto mechanics and construction firms.
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The company’s building-security division makes locks, automatic doors and gates. It also monitors properties for its clients, typically through closed-circuit audio and TV systems. This division accounts for 25% of Stanley’s sales and 27% of its earnings.
The remaining 24% of sales and 27% of earnings comes from selling specialized tools to industrial users, such as auto mechanics and construction firms.
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CONAGRA FOODS INC. $25 (New York symbol CAG; Income Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 415.4 million; Market cap: $10.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.8; Dividend yield: 3.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.conagrafoods.com) makes a wide variety of packaged foods, including Chef Boyardee canned pasta, Hunt’s tomato sauce, Peter Pan peanut butter and Orville Redenbacher popcorn.
In ConAgra’s 2012 fiscal year, which ended May 27, 2012, sales rose 7.8%, to $13.3 billion from $12.3 billion in fiscal 2011. That’s partly due to several recent acquisitions. The company also raised its prices to offset higher ingredient costs. Earnings per share rose 5.1%, to $1.84 from $1.75. These figures exclude several unusual items, such as losses on commodity-hedging contracts and costs related to changes in the way the company accounts for contributions to employee pension plans.
ConAgra expects its earnings to rise to $1.97 a share in fiscal 2013. The stock trades at 12.7 times that estimate. The annual dividend rate of $0.96 yields 3.8%.
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In ConAgra’s 2012 fiscal year, which ended May 27, 2012, sales rose 7.8%, to $13.3 billion from $12.3 billion in fiscal 2011. That’s partly due to several recent acquisitions. The company also raised its prices to offset higher ingredient costs. Earnings per share rose 5.1%, to $1.84 from $1.75. These figures exclude several unusual items, such as losses on commodity-hedging contracts and costs related to changes in the way the company accounts for contributions to employee pension plans.
ConAgra expects its earnings to rise to $1.97 a share in fiscal 2013. The stock trades at 12.7 times that estimate. The annual dividend rate of $0.96 yields 3.8%.
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MTS SYSTEMS CORP. $38 (Nasdaq symbol MTSC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 16.1 million; Market cap: $611.8 million; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; Dividend yield: 2.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.mts.com) makes equipment and software that tests materials, machines and structures. This helps manufacturers lower their costs and improve the quality of their products.
In the three months ended March 31, 2012, MTS’s revenue rose 14.1%, to $129.0 million from $113.1 million a year earlier. Even so, earnings fell 5.5%, to $11.2 million from $11.8 million. Earnings per share fell 8.0%, to $0.69 from $0.75, on more shares outstanding.
MTS raised its research spending by 70.5%, to $6.1 million (or 4.7% of revenue) from $3.6 million (or 3.1% of revenue). That was the main reason for the earnings drop. However, this spending helps MTS keep up with rapidly changing technologies. It also helps it develop innovative new products that will spur its sales for years to come.
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In the three months ended March 31, 2012, MTS’s revenue rose 14.1%, to $129.0 million from $113.1 million a year earlier. Even so, earnings fell 5.5%, to $11.2 million from $11.8 million. Earnings per share fell 8.0%, to $0.69 from $0.75, on more shares outstanding.
MTS raised its research spending by 70.5%, to $6.1 million (or 4.7% of revenue) from $3.6 million (or 3.1% of revenue). That was the main reason for the earnings drop. However, this spending helps MTS keep up with rapidly changing technologies. It also helps it develop innovative new products that will spur its sales for years to come.
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PETSMART INC. $66 (Nasdaq symbol PETM; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 108.4 million; Market cap: $7.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; Dividend yield: 1.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.petsmart.com) continues to see strong sales growth at its 1,241 pet supply stores in the U.S....
VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC. $44 (New York symbol VZ, Conservative Growth Portfolio, Utilities sector; Shares outstanding: 2.8 billion; Market cap: $123.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.1; Dividend yield: 4.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.verizon.com) continues to upgrade its high-speed wireless networks to Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, which is up to five times faster than today’s systems. These upgrades will help Verizon profit from rising use of smartphones and new wireless services, such as video calling.
The company recently added 46 cities to its LTE network and expanded coverage in 22 of the cities it already covers. This makes it the largest provider of LTE service in the U.S., serving 304 cities representing two-thirds of the population.
Verizon is a buy.
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The company recently added 46 cities to its LTE network and expanded coverage in 22 of the cities it already covers. This makes it the largest provider of LTE service in the U.S., serving 304 cities representing two-thirds of the population.
Verizon is a buy.
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