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.
ATLANTIC TELE-NETWORK $36.75 (Nasdaq symbol ATNI; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (340- 777-8000; www.atni.com; Shares outstanding: 15.6 million; Market cap: $573.3 million; Yield: 2.7%) reported strong earnings in the latest quarter, even though revenue declined.
In the three months ended September 30, 2012, Atlantic’s revenue fell 2.9%, to $188.8 million from $194.3 million a year earlier....
In the three months ended September 30, 2012, Atlantic’s revenue fell 2.9%, to $188.8 million from $194.3 million a year earlier....
SYMANTEC CORP. $17.53 (Nasdaq symbol SYMC; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (1-408-517-8000; www.symantec.com; Shares outstanding: 693.9 million; Market cap: $12.2 billion; No dividends paid) sells computer-security technology, including anti-virus and email-filtering software, to businesses and consumers.
In the company’s 2013 second quarter, which ended September 28, 2012, its earnings per share rose 15.4%, to $0.45 from $0.39. Revenue rose 1.1%, to $1.70 billion from $1.68 billion.
Symantec is selling more of its products to businesses, partly because it is now offering its salespeople higher incentives for bringing in new contracts than for renewals.
...
In the company’s 2013 second quarter, which ended September 28, 2012, its earnings per share rose 15.4%, to $0.45 from $0.39. Revenue rose 1.1%, to $1.70 billion from $1.68 billion.
Symantec is selling more of its products to businesses, partly because it is now offering its salespeople higher incentives for bringing in new contracts than for renewals.
...
WYNDHAM WORLDWIDE CORP., $50.66, symbol WYN on New York, reported higher revenue and earnings in the latest quarter. In the three months ended September 30, 2012, Wyndham’s revenue rose 4.5%, to $1.27 billion from $1.21 billion a year earlier. The company gets most of its revenue from vacation rather than business travel, and vacation bookings rose in the latest quarter. That helped push up Wyndham’s occupancy rate by 1.9%. Before one-time items, earnings rose 20.2%, to $1.13 a share from $0.94. The company continues to buy back its stock. In the latest quarter, it repurchased 2.6 million shares for $133 million. In all of 2011, it bought back 28.7 million shares for $902 million....
APPLE INC., $604.00, Nasdaq symbol AAPL, has announced that it will soon start selling the iPad mini, a smaller, cheaper version of its hugely popular iPad tablet computer. The iPad mini has a 7.9-inch touchscreen, compared to 9.7 inches for the regular iPad. The company also announced improvements to the full-sized iPad, as well as its iMac desktop and MacBook portable computers. Meanwhile, Apple earned $8.2 billion, or $8.67 a share in three months ended September 29, 2012. That’s up 24.2% from $6.6 billion, or $7.05 a share, a year earlier. Even so, the latest earnings missed the consensus estimate of $8.75 a share. Sales in the quarter rose 27.2%, to $36.0 billion from $28.3 billion. That beat the consensus sales estimate of $35.8 billion. The company sold 26.9 million iPhones, up 57.6% from a year earlier, while iPad sales of 14.0 million were up 26.2%. It also sold 4.9 million Mac computers (up 0.6%) and 5.3 million iPods (down 19.3%)....
We generally advise against investing in new issues, for one simple reason: new investments come to market when it’s a good time for the company or its insiders to sell, but that may not be a good time for you to buy. But after seven years as a public company, Aimia Inc., the former Groupe Aeroplan, has broadened its business foundation and strengthened its long-term prospects. AIMIA INC. $14.95 (Toronto symbol AIM; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (514-205-7315; www.aimia.com; Shares outstanding: 172.2 million; Market cap: $2.6 billion; Dividend yield: 4.3%) got its start as Air Canada’s frequent-flyer program in 1984. In 2005, the airline created the Aeroplan Income Fund and began selling units to the public....
AIMIA INC. $14.95 (Toronto symbol AIM; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (514-205-7315; www.aimia.com; Shares outstanding: 172.2 million; Market cap: $2.6 billion; Dividend yield: 4.3%) got its start as Air Canada’s frequent-flyer program in 1984. In 2005, the airline created the Aeroplan Income Fund and began selling units to the public.
The fund converted to a corporation under the Groupe Aeroplan name in 2008. In May 2012, it changed its name to Aimia.
The fund converted to a corporation under the Groupe Aeroplan name in 2008. In May 2012, it changed its name to Aimia.
Moving beyond Aeroplan
...
ACI WORLDWIDE $42.71 (Nasdaq symbol ACIW; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (402-334-5101; www.tsainc.com; Shares outstanding: 39.8 million; Market cap: $1.7 billion; No dividends paid) makes software that is used to process transactions involving credit cards, debit cards, automated teller machines, point-of-sale terminals and interbank payments. In mid-February 2012, ACI completed its purchase of S1 Corp. for $540 million in cash and stock. This acquisition is a good fit: S1 sells transaction software for banks, credit unions, retailers and other payment processors. It has over 3,000 clients worldwide. In the second quarter of 2012, ACI’s revenue rose 32.1%, to $149.8 million from $113.4 million a year earlier. S1’s $43.1-million contribution was the main reason for the gain....
SYMANTEC CORP. $18.94 (Nasdaq symbol SYMC; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (1-408-517-8000; www.symantec.com; Shares outstanding: 701.9 million; Market cap: $13.3 billion; No dividends paid) sells computer-security technology, including anti-virus and email-filtering software, to businesses and consumers. It also offers data-archiving software that helps its clients meet increasingly strict regulatory and compliance standards.
In the three months ended June 29, 2012, Symantec’s earnings per share excluding one-time items rose 7.5%, to $0.43 from $0.40. That beat the consensus estimate of $0.33.
Revenue rose just 0.9%, to $1.67 billion from $1.65 billion. Stronger sales of security software to businesses offset lower sales to consumers, who account for about 30% of Symantec’s overall revenue. As well, higher sales in the Americas and Asia helped overcome declines in Europe.
...
In the three months ended June 29, 2012, Symantec’s earnings per share excluding one-time items rose 7.5%, to $0.43 from $0.40. That beat the consensus estimate of $0.33.
Revenue rose just 0.9%, to $1.67 billion from $1.65 billion. Stronger sales of security software to businesses offset lower sales to consumers, who account for about 30% of Symantec’s overall revenue. As well, higher sales in the Americas and Asia helped overcome declines in Europe.
...
APPLE INC., $585.16, Nasdaq symbol AAPL, fell 3% this week after the company reported lower-than-expected revenue and earnings. That’s mainly because it will probably launch a new version of its hugely popular iPhone smartphone later this year. As a result, demand for the current model is falling. The iPhone now accounts for nearly 50% of Apple’s revenue. In its 2012 third quarter, which ended June 30, 2012, Apple sold 26.0 million iPhones, up 28.0% from 20.3 million a year earlier. However, that’s down 25.8% from the 35.1 million iPhones it sold in the second quarter....
FAIRFAX FINANCIAL HOLDINGS, $377.99, symbol FFH on Toronto, has increased its stake in Research in Motion, symbol RIM on Toronto. The company now owns 9.9% of RIM, up from 5.12%. RIM is a recommendation of our Successful Investor newsletter. Fairfax is now RIM’s largest shareholder. The company’s chairman and founder, Prem Watsa, is also on RIM’s board of directors. RIM’s revenue fell 42.7% in the latest quarter. That’s largely because customers are waiting for the company to launch updated phones that use its new BlackBerry 10 software. However, RIM has now delayed these devices to early 2013. As a result, they will miss the busy back-to-school and Christmas shopping seasons....