Verigy Gains Despite Slow Markets

Article Excerpt

VERIGY LTD. $26 (Nasdaq symbol VRGY; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 59.7 million; Market cap: $1.6 billion; WSSF Rating: Speculative) earned $0.52 a share (total $32 million) before unusual items in its third fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2007. That’s down 23.5% from the $0.68 a share ($38 million) in earned a year earlier. Revenue fell 4.7%, to $204 million from $214 million. Revenues and profits slowed due to overall weakness in the computer chip industry from a year earlier. But thanks to its balanced portfolio of test systems used in the production of computer chips, revenues in the latest three months were up 11% from $183 million in the prior quarter ended April 30. Earnings per share rose 38.9% from $0.36. Verigy is a buy for aggressive investors only. only…