price to sales ratio

CP’s long-term plan to improve efficiency—implemented by former CEO Hunter Harrison—continues to pay off. The stock has gained 16% so far this year, and recently hit a two-year high.

CP also continues to expand its reach, particularly in the U.S. That has helped minimize the impact of its high exposure to volatile commodities such as grains, crude oil and minerals.

Even after their recent surge, CP’s shares are still attractive in relation to the company’s projected earnings....

NEWELL BRANDS INC. $40 (New York symbol NWL; Aggressive Growth and Income Portfolios, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 490.1 million; Market cap: $19.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.3; Dividend yield: 2.3%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.newellbrands.com) makes a variety of household goods....

ARCHER DANIELS MIDLAND CO. $43 (New York symbol ADM; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 587.6 million; Market cap: $25.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; Dividend yield: 3.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www....

HP INC. $22 (New York symbol HPQ; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 1.7 billion; Market cap: $37.4 billion; Priceto- sales ratio: 0.7; Dividend yield: 2.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.hp.com) makes computers and printers.

Thanks to strong demand for its premium laptop computers, HP expects to earn between $1.74 and $1.84 a share for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2017....

NCR CORP. $32 (New York symbol NCR; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 121.5 million; Market cap: $3.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.6; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.ncr.com) makes automated teller machines (ATMs), cash registers, self-serve checkouts and kiosks for theatres and arenas.

In the quarter ended September 30, 2017, the company’s revenue fell 0.8%, to $1.66 billion from $1.68 billion a year earlier....

Adobe and Fair Isaac have surged to record highs in the past year. As a result, their shares are expensive in relation to their projected earnings. We feel investors should delay new buying until those earnings catch up to their prices.

ADOBE SYSTEMS INC....

QUAKER CHEMICAL CORP. $150 (New York symbol KWR; Income Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 13.3 million; Market cap: $2.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.6; Dividend yield: 0.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.quakerchem.com) makes lubricants and chemicals that keep mechanical parts from rusting.

The company’s shareholders recently approved Quaker’s acquisition of Houghton International Inc....

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC. $96 (Nasdaq symbol TXN; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 990.0 million; Market cap: $95.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 6.7; Dividend yield: 2.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.ti.com) is a leading maker of analog chips that convert inputs, such as touch, sound and pressure, into electronic signals that computers can understand.

With the November 2017 payment, the company will raise its quarterly dividend by 24.0%, to $0.62 a share from $0.50....

These four technology giants continue to see falling demand for their traditional products and services. In response, they are shifting their focus to faster-growing fields.

Those moves should help to usher in a new growth phase for each of them....

GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. $22 (New York symbol GE; Income Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 8.7 billion; Market cap: $191.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.6; Dividend yield: 4.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.ge.com) is a leading maker of industrial machinery, including jet engines, power plant equipment and locomotives....