Topic: Growth Stocks

The Stock Pickers Digest Hotline – Friday, March 20, 2009

Article Excerpt

ALIMENTATION COUCHE-TARD, $12.15, symbol ATD.B on Toronto, reported strong earnings in the latest quarter due to stronger-than-expected same-store sales (excluding fuel). In Canada, they rose 4.7% and in the United States 0.5%. This helped offset a 6.2% drop in the volume of U.S. gas sold. Couche-Tard’s American customers, in particular, are cutting back on their driving because of the recession. Couche-Tard has more than 3,000 convenience stores in the U.S., and is the largest convenience-store operator in Canada, with over 2,000 outlets. The Canadian stores operate under the Couche-Tard and Mac’s banners, while the U.S. stores mainly use the Circle K banner. Couche-Tard sells fuel at 65% of its 4,000 company-operated stores. In the three months ended February 1, 2009, Couche-Tard’s earnings rose 40.8%, to $71.1 million from $50.5 million a year earlier. (All figures except share price in U.S. dollars.) Earnings per share rose 48%, to $0.37 from $0.25 on 4.4% fewer shares outstanding. Lower gas prices in the U.S. and…