Topic: Growth Stocks

The Stock Pickers Digest Hotline – Friday, December 11, 2009

Article Excerpt

REITMANS, $17.18, symbol RET.A on Toronto, reports that its earnings fell 17.7% in its third quarter, which ended August 1, 2009. The retailer earned $18.9 million, or $0.28 a share, compared to $23.0 million, or $0.33 a share, a year earlier. Sales fell slightly, to $270.7 million from $271.2 million. Same-store sales were down 2.2%. Reitmans owns 981 women’s clothing stores across Canada. These include 370 Reitmans, 167 Smart Set, 163 Penningtons, 123 Addition Elle, 76 Thyme Maternity, 65 RW & Co. and 17 Cassis stores. The weak economy and rising unemployment in Ontario and Alberta hurt Reitmans’ sales and profits in the latest quarter. However, the retailer’s strong brand recognition puts it in a good position to profit as consumer spending rebounds. Moreover, it has a large cash reserve of $235.5 million, or $3.46 a share, and just $11.8 million of long-term debt. Reitmans pays an $0.18 quarterly dividend, which gives it a 4.2% yield. Reitmans is a buy. CAMECO CORP.,…