AlarmForce offers lower risk than Stantec

Article Excerpt

ALARMFORCE INDUSTRIES $9.25 (Toronto symbol AF: TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (1-800- 267-2001; www.alarmforce.com; Shares outstanding: 12.2 million; Market cap: $113.2 million; No dividends paid) sells two-way voice alarm systems and monitoring services in Canada and the U.S. AlarmForce’s system differs from others because it lets emergency operators verify an alarm by establishing immediate, two-way voice contact with homeowners. It then dispatches security personnel to the client’s home. If intruders are present, the two-way contact can frighten them away. The company has used radio and TV advertising to gain a high profile. It gives its system away in order to add new subscribers. In return, they pay $25 a month for monitoring service, and sign on with a three-year contract. AlarmForce makes and owns each system. In the three months ended October 31, 2010, revenue rose 7.9%, to $9.6 million from $8.9 million a year earlier. Earnings rose 72.9%, to $1.2 million from $680,361. Earnings per share rose 100%, to $0.10 from…