Topic: Growth Stocks

Stock Pickers Digest Hotline – Friday, July 13, 2012

Article Excerpt

ALIMENTATION COUCHE-TARD, $48.20, symbol ATD.B on Toronto, reported sharply higher sales and earnings in the latest quarter. The company is the largest convenience store operator in Canada, with over 2,000 outlets. It also has nearly 3,700 U.S. stores. The Canadian stores operate under the Couche-Tard and Mac’s banners, while the U.S. stores mainly use the Circle K brand. In the three months ended April 29, 2012, Couche-Tard’s earnings jumped 82.6%, to $117.8 million from $64.2 million a year earlier (all figures except share price in U.S. dollars). Earnings per share rose 88.6%, to $0.66 from $0.35, on fewer shares outstanding. Sales rose 28.0% to $6.1 billion from $4.7 billion. The gains came from higher fuel prices, acquisitions and higher merchandise sales. The company gets about 30% of its sales by selling merchandise. After the quarter ended, Couche-Tard completed its $2.7-billion purchase of Norway’s Statoil Fuel & Retail ASA. Couche-Tard continues to introduce more profitable products at its North American stores, including new drinks and improved…