Overseas Markets Lift Autodesk’s Earnings

Article Excerpt

AUTODESK, INC. $40 (Nasdaq symbol ADSK; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 223.4 million; Market cap: $8.9 billion; WSSF Rating: Average) earned $0.50 a share in its first fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2008, up 13.6% from $0.44 a year earlier. These figures exclude one-time items. Revenue rose 17.7%, to $598.8 million from $508.6 million, thanks to favorable exchange rates and strong sales in emerging markets. Sales of the company’s advanced 3D design software (24% of total revenues) also contributed to the higher results. The stock now trades at 20.9 times this year’s forecast earnings of $1.91 a share. That’s reasonable in light of Autodesk’s growth prospects, and its high research spending (24% of revenue of $9.50 a share). Autodesk is a buy. buy…