stock pickers
In fact, when we’re conducting stock research we reject many potential new recommendations out of hand. After all, it’s relatively easy to
Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund, symbol CHE.UN on Toronto, is one of North America’s largest suppliers of sulphuric acid, sulphur, liquid sulphur oxide and sodium hydrosulphite. It also supplies sodium chlorate, phosphorous pentasulphide and zinc oxide. In addition to selling chemicals, Chemtrade processes spent acid. We analyze Chemtrade in Stock Pickers Digest, our newsletter for aggressive investing. In the three months ended March 31, 2011, the income trust’s cash flow per share jumped 55.6%, to $0.84 from $0.54. Revenue rose 33.8%, to $169.6 million from $126.8 million. This was mostly due to a recovering economy and higher prices for sulphuric acid....
CriticalControl Solutions Corp., symbol CCZ on Toronto, sells services and software that help business better manage, access and store their information. CriticalControl gets about 60% of its revenue from clients in the oil and gas industry, followed by government (20%), health care (10%) and finance and retail (10%). CriticalControl is one of the stocks we analyze in Stock Pickers Digest, our newsletter that helps you make great stock picks for the part of your portfolio you devote to aggressive investing. In the three months ended March 31, 2011, CriticalControl’s revenue fell 6.2%, to $12.2 million from $13.0 million a year earlier. Revenue at the Service Bureau Operations division rose 10%, while revenue at the Canadian Energy Services division was flat. Revenue at the U.S. Energy Services division fell 28.0%....
Major Drilling, symbol MDI on Toronto, is a large contract-drilling firm that mainly serves the mining industry. Major Drilling is one of the stocks we analyze in Stock Pickers Digest, our newsletter that contains stock investing tips for the part of your portfolio you devote to aggressive investing. In the three months ended April 30, 2011, the company’s revenue jumped 41.0%, to $137.3 million from $97.4 million a year earlier. The gain came despite floods in North Dakota and Queensland, Australia, and severe winter weather in Canada. Earnings per share jumped 225.0%, to $0.13 from $0.04. During the quarter, the company expanded its workforce to 4,000 from 3,400. It also bought 25 new rigs and retired 21 as part of a modernization program. It added 15 of its new rigs to its Resource Drilling (Mozambique) operations, which it acquired on March 24, 2011....
Reitmans (Canada) Ltd., symbol RET.A on Toronto, owns 965 women’s clothing stores across Canada. These include 363 Reitmans, 160 Penningtons, 157 Smart Set, 122 Addition Elle, 73 Thyme Maternity, 67 RW & Co. and 23 Cassis stores. Reitmans continues to actively monitor its regional markets, and open and close stores as necessary. Reitmans is one of the Canadian stocks we analyze in Stock Pickers Digest, our newsletter for aggressive investing. In the three months ended April 30, 2011, the Canadian stock’s earnings fell 98.3%, to $624,000 from $37.3 million a year earlier. Earnings per share fell 95.7%, to $0.01 from $0.23. Sales were down 7.0%, to $219.3 million from $235.7 million. Same-store sales declined 8.7%....
Delphi Energy, symbol DEE on Toronto, explores for oil and gas in Alberta and B.C. Natural gas makes up 74% of its daily output; the remaining 26% is oil. In the three months ended March 31, 2011, the natural gas stock’s production rose 8.0%, to an average of 8,259 barrels of oil equivalent (including natural gas) per day from 7,647 barrels a year earlier. Delphi’s cash flow rose 2.0%, to $15.1 million from $14.8 million. Higher production and oil prices were the main reason for the gain. The company’s operating costs also fell. Delphi sold 3.2 million shares to raise $9.0 million in the quarter. Due to more shares outstanding, cash flow per share fell 13.3%, to $0.13 a share from $0.15....
Adobe Systems Inc., Nasdaq symbol ADBE, makes software that lets computer users create, edit and share documents in the popular PDF format. As well, graphic designers use the tech stock’s software to create print publications and web pages. The company also makes Adobe Flash, which lets web site developers make web pages more interactive by adding animation and video. The company reports that its earnings jumped 54.4% in its 2011 second quarter, which ended June 3, 3011, to $229.4 million from $148.6 million a year earlier. The tech stock’s earnings per share rose 60.7%, to $0.45 from $0.28, on fewer shares outstanding. If you exclude one-time items, such as restructuring charges and investment losses, the tech stock’s earnings per share would have risen 25.0%, to $0.55 from $0.44. On this basis, the latest earnings beat the consensus estimate of $0.51 a share....
Leon’s Furniture Ltd., symbol LNF on Toronto, has built its chain of over 69 furniture stores in Canada on its four main strengths: a huge selection of furniture, appliances and electronics; a lowest-price guarantee; strong after-sales service; and aggressive TV, radio and print advertising. We analyze Leon’s in Stock Pickers Digest, our newsletter that recommends stocks that may be appropriate for your aggressive portfolio. In the three months ended March 31, 2011, Leon’s sales fell 6.0 %, to $191.6 million from $203.8 million a year earlier. Weaker consumer spending and a drop in new-housing starts held back sales. The aggressive portfolio stock’s earnings fell 14.0%, to $9.8 million, or $0.14 a share, from $11.4 million, or $0.16 a share. The slower sales were the main reason for the earnings decline. The company also spent more on advertising....
U.S. restaurants are always looking for ways to give themselves an edge in their intensely competitive industry. Some, like Yum! Brands (a stock we analyze in our Wall Street Stock Forecaster newsletter), are focusing on expanding in fast-growing overseas markets, like India and China. (Yum, whose restaurant chains include KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, was the first fast-food company to enter China, in 1987). Other U.S. restaurants have been looking to attract more diners by launching innovative new menu items, renovating restaurants, and improving their service....
PLEASE NOTE: Our next Hotline will go out on Thursday, June 30, 2011. WESTJET AIRLINES, $14.69, symbol WJA on Toronto, is now in the process of upgrading its “interline” agreement with Delta Air Lines to a full “code sharing” arrangement. Delta is the second-busiest U.S. airline carrier by traffic, behind United Airlines. WestJet signed an interline agreement with Delta in February 2011. Under these agreements, two airlines co-operate on flights and baggage handling. WestJet has similar deals with Air France-KLM, China Airways of Taiwan, and Hong Kong-based Dragonair. As well, the company recently signed interline agreements with Australia’s Qantas Airlines and Japan Airlines Corp....