recent acquisitions

C.R. BARD INC. $97 (New York symbol BCR; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 84.8 million; Market cap: $8.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.8; Dividend yield: 0.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.crbard.com) makes medical devices in four main areas: vascular products, such as stents and catheters (29% of 2011 sales); oncology products that detect and treat various types of cancer (27%); urology products, such as drainage and incontinence devices (25%); surgical tools (16%); and other medical products (3%).

Bard continues to expand its market share and diversify its product line with acquisitions. In 2011, it spent a total of $622.6 million buying three medical device makers. The company tends to focus on smaller companies with unique products. That cuts the risk of using acquisitions to expand.

Bard also aims to spur its long-term growth by developing new products. It launched over 50 new products in 2011.

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This week, an Inner Circle member wanted Pat’s opinion on the one of the world’s largest drug stocks. The leading maker of generic drugs,

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. ADRs, $43.71, symbol TEVA on Nasdaq (ADRs outstanding: 942.4 million; Market cap: $41.2 billion; www.tevapharm.com), is the world’s largest generic drug maker. In 2011, Israel-based Teva got 56% of its sales by making and selling more than 500 generic drugs. The company also develops and markets some of its own name-brand drugs, including Copaxone, the second-highest-selling multiple-sclerosis treatment, and Azilect, a Parkinson’s drug. Branded drugs supplied 35% of Teva’s 2011 sales. The remaining 9% of its sales mainly came from over-the-counter drugs....

GOOGLE INC., $604.64, Nasdaq symbol GOOG, announced that U.S. and European competition regulators have approved its purchase of cellphone maker Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. (New York symbol MMI). In August 2011, Google agreed to pay $12.5 billion for Motorola Mobility. That’s equal to 6% of Google’s $196.6-billion market cap. Regulators in China and other countries where Motorola Mobility operates still need to approve the takeover. Still, Google plans to close the deal in the next few weeks....

INTACT FINANCIAL CORP. $60.00 (Toronto symbol IFC; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (416-341-1464; www.intactfc.com; Shares outstanding: 129.6 million; Market cap: $7.8 billion; Dividend yield: 2.7%) is Canada’s largest provider of property and casualty insurance, based on premiums. Its brands include Intact Insurance, Canada BrokerLink, belairdirect and Grey Power. In the three months ended December 31, 2011, Intact’s revenue rose 48.7%, to $1.58 billion from $1.06 billion. That was mainly due to AXA Canada, which Intact bought from Paris-based ASX Group for $2.6 billion last year. AXA Canada is the country’s sixth-largest home, auto and commercial insurer. It also gives Intact a presence in Quebec, B.C. and Atlantic Canada....

NCR CORP., $21.14, New York symbol NCR, jumped 11% this week after it agreed to sell its DVD rental business, which operates through automated kiosks, to Coinstar Inc. (Nasdaq symbol CSTR) for $100 million. NCR has also agreed to provide Coinstar with maintenance services, hardware and software. That will boost NCR’s profits by $25 million over the deal’s five-year term. The sale should close in the third quarter of 2012. Meanwhile, NCR reported better-than-expected earnings for 2011. During the year, the company earned $49 million, or $0.31 a share. That’s down 58.8% from $119 million, or $0.72 a share, in 2010. However, if you exclude writedowns and other unusual items, NCR would have earned $1.92 a share in 2011. That beat the consensus estimate of $1.83....

WESTJET AIRLINES LTD., $13.34, symbol WJA on Toronto, reports that its revenue rose 12.9% in the three months ended December 31, 2011, to $781.5 million from $692.2 million a year earlier. Demand for the company’s flights remains high, and it has entered into new partnerships with other airlines; these were the main reasons for the higher revenue. Earnings fell 4.3%, to $35.6 million from $37.2 million. Higher fuel prices were the main reason for the decline. However, earnings per share were unchanged at $0.26 due to fewer shares outstanding. The company has also raised its quarterly dividend by 20%, to $0.06 from $0.05. The shares now yield 1.8%....

BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS $24.14 New York symbol BR: TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (201-714-3000; www.broadridge.com; Shares outstanding: 124.1 million; Market cap: $3.0 billion; Dividend yield: 2.7%) serves the investment industry in three main areas: investor communications; securities processing; and transaction clearing. Broadridge’s systems help its customers cut costs.

Broadridge’s earnings jumped 45.3% in the three months ended December 31, 2011, to $15.4 million from $10.6 million a year earlier. Before one-time items, earnings per share rose 50.0%, to $0.12 from $0.08, on fewer shares outstanding. Revenue rose 8.5%, to $479.8 million from $442.3 million.

Timely acquisitions starting to pay off

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These two companies mainly serve banks and other financial firms. Bank profits remain weak, as high unemployment has dampened loan demand. Even so, Broadridge and Fair Isaac will likely continue to increase their sales to banks. That’s because both firms sell products and services that help their clients save money and cut fraud. BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. $24 (New York symbol BR; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 124.1 million; Market cap: $3.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.3; Dividend yield: 2.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.broadridge.com) serves the investment industry in three areas: investor communications, securities processing and transaction clearing. In its fiscal 2012 first quarter, Broadridge earned $19 million. That’s up 46.2% from $13 million a year earlier. Earnings per share rose 50.0%, to $0.15 from $0.10, on fewer shares outstanding. Revenue rose 13.1%, to $476.4 million from $421.4 million....

BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SERVICES INC. $24 (New York symbol BR; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 124.1 million; Market cap: $3.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.3; Dividend yield: 2.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.broadridge.com) serves the investment industry in three areas: investor communications, securities processing and transaction clearing.

In its fiscal 2012 first quarter, Broadridge earned $19 million. That’s up 46.2% from $13 million a year earlier. Earnings per share rose 50.0%, to $0.15 from $0.10, on fewer shares outstanding. Revenue rose 13.1%, to $476.4 million from $421.4 million.

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