Topic: How To Invest

Stock Pickers Digest Hotline – Friday, January 19, 2018

Article Excerpt

SYMANTEC CORP., $27.46, symbol SYMC on Nasdaq, sells computer-security technology, including antivirus and email-filtering software, to businesses and consumers. In 2016, the company bought Blue Coat for $4.65 billion. That firm’s products protect clients from cyberattacks through their websites and networks. Blue Coat is also a leader in security for companies that use the Internet to access data stored on remote servers. The new operations give Symantec a big marketing and research edge over its competitors. As well, Blue Coat’s CEO Greg Clark has now taken over at Symantec. The company continues to report rising sales and profits. Acquisitions—including the purchase of LifeLock Inc. for $2.3 billion—are helping to drive those gains. LifeLock sells identity-theft protection services to over 4.4 million subscribers. Symantec also continues to shift clients over to its cloud-based platform. That lets them access its services over the Internet. While the move slows near-term revenue, it should increase long-term client retention. OUR RECOMMENDATION: Symantec is a top pick for 2018. Symantec recent coverage …