Topic: How To Invest

Hello Pat: What are your views on Open Text Corp.? Thank you for your comments.

Article Excerpt

Open Text, $44.92, symbol OTC on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 56.9 million; Market cap: $2.6 billion; www.opentext.com) makes content-management software for businesses. This software helps Open Text’s customers share, store and collaborate on internal documents. These documents include web pages, digital content (images, audio, and video), email, forms and reports. In its fiscal 2011 first quarter, which ended September 30, 2010, Open Text’s revenue rose 2.8%, to $217.4 million from $211.4 million a year earlier. (All figures except share price and market cap in U.S. dollars.) Excluding one-time items, earnings rose 52%, to $50 million, or $0.86 a share, from $32.8 million, or $0.58 a share. Sales in Europe (which accounts 45% of Open Text’s total sales) slowed during the quarter. That held back the company’s revenue gains. However, Open Text was able to cut costs, and sell more highly profitable customer-support services. That pushed up its earnings. Open Text’s balance sheet is sound, with cash of $384.7 million U.S., or $6.76…