symantec
NASDAQ symbol SYMC, makes software that helps protect computers from viruses and electronic attacks. Its best-known product is the top-selling Norton Anti-Virus program.
These two software makers continue to invest heavily in research, which helps them dominate their niche markets. However, we prefer Symantec to Adobe(see next article) right now. That’s because its security expertise should be in high demand after recent high-profile data thefts. SYMANTEC CORP. $24 (Nasdaq symbol SYMC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 690.3 million; Market cap: $16.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.5; Dividend yield: 2.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.symantec.com) sells antivirus software and other computer security services. Home Depot (New York symbol HD) recently hired Symantec and another firm to help investigate a major data breach. Online intruders secretly installed software on Home Depot’s systems that let them steal about 56 million credit card numbers and related data, but not personal identification numbers for debit cards....
STANTEC INC. $72.86 (Toronto symbol STN; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (780-917-7288; www.stantec.com; Shares outstanding: 46.8 million; Market cap: $3.4 billion; Dividend yield: 1.0%) plans to split its shares on a 2-for-1 basis, effective November 14, 2014. When a company’s share price goes up, it has an incentive to split the stock to make it seem cheaper to investors, who may then buy more. This can make the stock more liquid than if the firm refrained from splits and let its share price go to uncommonly high levels. Shares of Stantec are up 1,982% since we first recommended the company (then called Stanley Technology Group) at $3.50 in one of our first issues of Stock Pickers Digest in 1998....
SYMANTEC CORP. $24 (Nasdaq symbol SYMC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 690.3 million; Market cap: $16.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.5; Dividend yield: 2.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.symantec.com) sells antivirus software and other computer security services.
Home Depot (New York symbol HD) recently hired Symantec and another firm to help investigate a major data breach. Online intruders secretly installed software on Home Depot’s systems that let them steal about 56 million credit card numbers and related data, but not personal identification numbers for debit cards.
Symantec has been trying to expand in the fast-growing cyber-security software/services market, and this contract will give it a lot of industry credibility.
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Home Depot (New York symbol HD) recently hired Symantec and another firm to help investigate a major data breach. Online intruders secretly installed software on Home Depot’s systems that let them steal about 56 million credit card numbers and related data, but not personal identification numbers for debit cards.
Symantec has been trying to expand in the fast-growing cyber-security software/services market, and this contract will give it a lot of industry credibility.
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SASOL LTD. (ADR), $56.09, symbol SSL on New York, has developed a technology to convert coal and natural gas into motor fuels. The company is the world’s largest producer of fuel from coal at its Secunda, South Africa, facility. It also makes synthetic fuels from natural gas at plants in Qatar and Nigeria. As well, Sasol produces chemicals, oil and gas in Africa. It’s also South Africa’s third-largest coal producer. In its 2014 fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2014, Sasol’s revenue rose 19.3%, to 202.7 billion South African rand (1 rand = $0.1039 U.S.) from 169.9 billion rand in fiscal 2013. Earnings per ADR rose 14.3%, to a record 60.16 rand from 52.62 rand. Oil prices were relatively flat, and chemical prices were higher. The U.S. dollar also rose against the rand, increasing the value of Sasol’s sales outside South Africa....
SYMANTEC CORP. $24.50 (Nasdaq symbol SYMC; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (408-517-8000; www.symantec.com; Shares outstanding: 690.5 million; Market cap: $16.9 billion; Dividend yield: 2.5%) is one of two companies that Home Depot (New York symbol HD) has hired to help investigate its recently discovered data breach.
Stolen Home Depot credit card numbers have turned up for sale on a website called Rescator.cc, which has been linked to a Ukrainian dealer in stolen credit cards.
It’s not yet clear how many customers were affected, but the total could exceed 60 million in Canada and the U.S. Customers at Home Depot’s Mexico stores were not affected, nor were online shoppers at HomeDepot.com. Personal identification numbers (PINs) for debit cards were not taken.
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Stolen Home Depot credit card numbers have turned up for sale on a website called Rescator.cc, which has been linked to a Ukrainian dealer in stolen credit cards.
It’s not yet clear how many customers were affected, but the total could exceed 60 million in Canada and the U.S. Customers at Home Depot’s Mexico stores were not affected, nor were online shoppers at HomeDepot.com. Personal identification numbers (PINs) for debit cards were not taken.
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Symantec rises with successful restructuring plan
SYMANTEC CORP. $24.28 (Nasdaq symbol SYMC; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (408-517-8000; www.symantec.com; Shares outstanding: 692.7 million; Market cap: $16.7 billion; Dividend yield: 2.5%) sells computer-security technology, including anti-virus and email-filtering software, to businesses and consumers....
GANNETT CO., INC., $33.61, New York symbol GCI, rose 2% this week after announcing that it would spin off its publishing operations as a separate firm. The new company will keep the Gannett name and publish its flagship newspaper, USAToday, as well as 81 U.S. daily newspapers and 17 papers in the U.K. It also has over 200 magazines and other publications. In the latest quarter, these operations supplied 59% of Gannett’s revenue and 20% of its earnings. The still-unnamed remaining company (41% of revenue and 80% of earnings) will focus on Gannett’s 46 TV stations as well as its numerous Internet sites....
IMPERIAL METALS CORP., $10.36, symbol III on Toronto, fell 38% this week after a dam broke at a tailings pond at the company’s Mount Polley gold/copper mine in B.C. The breach spilled an estimated 10 million cubic metres of wastewater and 4.5 million cubic meters of fine sand into nearby waterways. The extent of the damage to local lakes and rivers is unknown at this point, but the company will now submit an environmental impact assessment and cleanup plans to the B.C. Ministry of Environment. Estimates of the total liability for the cleanup are in the range of $225 million, or $3 per Imperial share....
SYMANTEC CORP. $24.28 (Nasdaq symbol SYMC; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (408-517-8000; www.symantec.com; Shares outstanding: 692.7 million; Market cap: $16.7 billion; Dividend yield: 2.5%) sells computer-security technology, including anti-virus and email-filtering software, to businesses and consumers. It also offers data-archiving software.
In its fiscal 2015 first quarter, which ended July 4, 2014, Symantec’s earnings rose 0.6%, to $313 million from $311 million a year earlier. Per-share earnings gained 2.3%, to $0.45 from $0.44, on fewer shares outstanding. Revenue rose 1.5%, to $1.74 billion from $1.71 billion.
The gains were mostly due to savings from a new restructuring plan that includes job cuts and simplifying product lines. In addition, Symantec separated its sales force into two groups: one focuses on winning new clients, and the other serves existing customers.
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In its fiscal 2015 first quarter, which ended July 4, 2014, Symantec’s earnings rose 0.6%, to $313 million from $311 million a year earlier. Per-share earnings gained 2.3%, to $0.45 from $0.44, on fewer shares outstanding. Revenue rose 1.5%, to $1.74 billion from $1.71 billion.
The gains were mostly due to savings from a new restructuring plan that includes job cuts and simplifying product lines. In addition, Symantec separated its sales force into two groups: one focuses on winning new clients, and the other serves existing customers.
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