Outlook still bright for these tech stocks

Article Excerpt

Nordion and Gennum both face challenges that could hold back their short-term growth. However, both are leaders in their niche markets. That enhances their long-term prospects. NORDION INC. $11 (Toronto symbol NDN; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 67.2 million; Market cap: $739.2 million; Price-to-sales ratio: 4.1; Dividend yield: 3.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.nordion.com) supplies medical isotopes for cancer detection and research. It also makes products that sterilize surgical tools and food. Nordion gets most of its isotopes from the aging Chalk River nuclear reactor near Ottawa. Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., which operates the reactor, had to shut it down in May 2009 to fix a water leak. Atomic Energy restarted the reactor in August 2010. The shutdown cut Nordion’s gross earnings by $4 million a month (all amounts except share price and market cap in U.S. dollars). The shutdown is the main reason why Nordion lost $106.4 million, or $1.16 a share, in its 2010 fiscal year, which ended…