LONDON -- After a busy month or so for company reports, we're heading into a quiet patch over the next few weeks as the end-of-March reporting season draws to a close. There won't be a lot to keep us alert next week, but we will have a small handful of important updates.
Here we take a quick look at two FTSE 100 companies and one from the FTSE 250 that are bringing us news in the coming week.
Wolseley (LSE: WOS )
We're expecting a third-quarter update from Wolseley on Tuesday, and if things are still going as they were at the halfway stage, announced in March, investors will probably be pleased -- though with the share price up nearly 50% over the past 12 months to 3,353 pence, they're probably already quite happy.
Like-for-like revenue at the plumbing, heating, and building products supplier was up 2.2% for the six months to Jan. 31, and with margins improving, the firm managed to convert that to a 7.6% rise in trading profit and a 3.9% rise in headline earnings per share. The interim dividend was lifted by 10% to 22 pence per share. Net debt was up to 拢871 million from 拢470 million at the same stage the previous year, but against revenue of 拢6.3 billion, that's not a massive sum.
Hot Consumer Companies For 2015: Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund Inc (TTP)
Tortoise Pipeline & Energy Fund, Inc. (the Fund) is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund�� investment objective is to provide a high level of total return. It focuses to provide stockholders a vehicle to invest in a portfolio consisting of equity securities of pipeline and other energy infrastructure companies. It focuses on pipeline companies, which are engaged in the business of transporting natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), crude oil and refined petroleum products, and on other energy infrastructure companies. It focus invest at least 80% of its total assets in equity securities of pipeline and other energy infrastructure companies. It may invest up to 30% of its total assets in unregistered or otherwise restricted securities, primarily through direct investments in securities of listed companies. Tortoise Capital Advisors, L.L.C. serves as the Fund�� investment adviser. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Rapier]
As I write this, Tortoise Pipeline and Energy (NYSE: TTP) trades at a discount of 15.1 percent to its underlying assets, while at the other end of the spectrum Cushing MLP Total Return Fund (NYSE: SRV) trades at a 17.4 percent premium. The average MLP closed-end fund listed trades at a 4.9 percent discount, which is perhaps reasonable given the loss of certain tax advantages and the fact that management fees will eat into returns.
Best Building Product Stocks To Own Right Now: Cellular Dynamics International Inc (ICEL)
Cellular Dynamics International, Inc., incorporated on November 16, 2007, develops and manufactures fully functioning human cells in industrial quantities to precise specifications. The Company�� iCell Operating System (iCell O/S) includes true human cells in multiple cell types (iCell products), human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and custom iPSCs and iCell products (MyCell products). Customers use its iCell O/S products, among other purposes, for drug discovery and screening; to test the safety and efficacy of their small molecule and biologic drug candidates; for stem cell banking; and in researching cellular therapeutics. The Company�� iCell product line includes four different cell types: cardiomyocytes, neurons, hepatocytes and endothelial cells. The Company is actively developing an additional seven different cell types. iCell products are a consumable designed to be used once and then reordered.
The Company manufactures its iCell products from its iPSCs. An iPSC is a cell that has the ability both to replicate indefinitely and to be transformed into any cell type in the human body. The Company�� iCell O/S consists of six products, which include iCell Cardiomyocytes, iCell Neurons, iCell Endothelial Cells, iCell Hepatocytes and MyCell.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Stem cells may not be in the news much�as the sector has moved beyond the use of embryotic�ones, but small cap stem cell stocks Cellular Dynamics International Inc (NASDAQ: ICEL), International Stem Cell Corp (OTCMKTS: ISCO) and BioRestorative Therapies (OTCBB: BRTX) have been fairly active over the past several trading days as ICEL went public, ISCO raised additional funding and BRTX grabbed more attention:
Best Building Product Stocks To Own Right Now: Raven Industries Inc.(RAVN)
Raven Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures various products for industrial, agricultural, energy, construction, and military/aerospace markets primarily in North America. It operates in four segments: Applied Technology, Engineered Films, Aerostar, and Electronic Systems. The Applied Technology segment designs, manufactures, sells, and services precision agriculture products and information management tools enabling growers to enhance farm yields. Its products include field computers, application controls, GPS-guidance and assisted-steering systems, automatic boom controls, and yield monitoring planter controls, as well as an integrated real time kinematic and information platform called Slingshot. This segment sells its products to original equipment manufacturers, as well as through after market distributors. The Engineered Films segment produces rugged reinforced plastic sheeting for industrial, construction, geomembrane, and agricultural appli cations. It sells plastic sheeting to independent third-party distributors through its sales force. The Aerostar segment sells high-altitude research balloons and tethered aerostats for government and commercial research. It produces military parachutes, uniforms, and protective wear for the U.S. government agencies as a subcontractor; and other sewn and sealed products on a contract basis. The Electronic Systems segment provides electronics manufacturing services for commercial customers. It manufactures assemblies, including avionics, communication, environmental controls, and other products. The company was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Raven Industries (NASDAQ: RAVN) is estimated to report its Q4 earnings at $0.32 per share on revenue of $97.14 million.
Vail Resorts (NYSE: MTN) is expected to post its Q2 earnings at $1.87 per share on revenue of $471.16 million.
- [By victorselva]
General Electric has a current ratio of 10% which is lower than all the comps: 3M Company (MMM), Danaher Corp. (DHR), Carlisle Companies Incorporated (CSL), Koninklijke Philips N.V (PHG) and Raven Industries Inc. (RAVN).
- [By Dividends4Life]
Memberships and Peers: MMM is a member of the S&P 500, a Dividend Aristocrat, a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers��Index and a Dividend Champion. The company's peer group includes: General Electric Co. (GE) with a 3.1% yield, Raven Industries Inc. (RAVN) with a 1.6% yield and Carlisle Companies Inc. (CSL) with a 1.2% yield.
Best Building Product Stocks To Own Right Now: Leapfrog Enterprises Inc(LF)
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. designs, develops, and markets technology-based learning platforms and related proprietary content primarily for infants and children worldwide. The company offers interactive reading systems, such as the Tag reading system that focuses on fundamental reading skills and offers a library of software-based books; and Tag Junior reading system used for the introduction of younger children to books and reading. It also provides mobile learning system products, including Leapster platform, a handheld device with a multi-directional control pad and a touch-screen enabled by a built-in stylus; Leapster2 platform, a Web-connected version of Leapster; and Leapster Explorer to download digital content, such as games, e-Books, videos and flash cards. In addition, the company offers Scout collection, a line of learning toys that are Web-enabled and connect to the Learning Path; and My Own Leaptop, a Web-enabled customizable laptop; Fridge Collection, a line of magnetic learning toys that introduce letter names, letter sounds, spelling, and songs; Learn and Groove Collection, which include bilingual musical learning toys; and various products that address basic learning needs and milestones. Further, it provides LeapFrog Learning Path, an online tool enabling parents to track what their children are learning with Web-connected products; and LeapWorld, which allows children to play online games, customize their mobile learning and gaming experiences, access new content, watch trailers for new games, and view demonstrations. It sells its products directly to national and regional mass-market and specialty retailers; other retail stores and distributors; school-related distributors and resellers; and through online store and other Internet-based channels. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Emeryville, California. LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is a subsidiary of Mollusk Holdings, LLC.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rick Munarriz]
LeapFrog (NYSE: LF ) reports two weeks from today. There won't be the same kind of correlation there that Hasbro has with Mattel and JAKKS Pacific. It makes electronic learning toys, and weakness for the makers of traditional games doesn't necessarily mean that parents aren't buying more LeapFrog game cartridges or learning tablets.
- [By Blake Bos]
LeapFrog (NYSE: LF ) has just announced earnings, and the company beat analysts' earnings expectations. In this video, Fool consumer goods analyst Blake Bos tells us why LeapFrog is a much more attractive toy company to him than a Mattel or a Hasbro from a value investor's perspective, and gives us some of the metrics to follow over the next year to see just how much of this company's growth story is playing out.
- [By Seth Jayson]
Basic guidelines
In this series, I examine inventory using a simple rule of thumb: Inventory increases ought to roughly parallel revenue increases. If inventory bloats more quickly than sales grow, this might be a sign that expected sales haven't materialized. Is the current inventory situation at LeapFrog Enterprises (NYSE: LF ) out of line? To figure that out, start by comparing the company's inventory growth to sales growth. How is LeapFrog Enterprises doing by this quick checkup? At first glance, OK, it seems. Trailing-12-month revenue increased 21.5%, and inventory increased 16.2%. Comparing the latest quarter to the prior-year quarter, the story looks decent. Revenue expanded 15.2%, and inventory increased 16.2%. Over the sequential quarterly period, the trend looks worrisome. Revenue dropped 66.1%, and inventory grew 12.0%. - [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]
Getty Images Shares of LeapFrog (LF) opened lower on Thursday after posting uninspiring quarterly results. By market close, it was down almost 9 percent. The leading maker of electronic learning toys for children had warned investors that it would disappoint during the seasonally potent holiday quarter. Back in November, it stunned the market by forecasting sales to drop by 9 percent to 17 percent. It turned out to be a lot worse. From Learning Leader to Laggard Sales plunged 24 percent to $186.7 million, well short of the $215.4 million that analysts were expecting. LeapFrog broke even on an adjusted basis, missing Wall Street projections calling for a small profit. LeapFrog knows that young children have abandoned its signature handheld learning toys for apps on full-function tablets. Its own entry into the tablet game failed to generate material buzz in a market that's now overrun with cheap kid-friendly devices. Retailers also didn't help by discounting its entry-level LeapPad2 tablet in December to drive traffic to their stores, a move that disrupted the value proposition of its more expensive higher margin LeapPad2 Power and LeapPad Ultra. LeapFrog used to be on top of the toy world. It was the toast of the industry in 2011 with the debut of its original LeapPad tablet. The rugged touchscreen device didn't surf the Web nor fire up third-party apps, but it dovetailed nicely with its proven ecosystem of learning programs, including storybooks where the words get more complex as a child's aptitude grows. Parents flocked to the brand, and by mid-November of that year LeapPad was the most requested toy on Walmart's (WMT) layaway program. Demand outstripped supply, and by early December, bids for the learning tablet on eBay were roughly twice the suggested retail price. LeapFrog was ready in 2012. It introduced the enhanced LeapPad2, making sure that there were plenty of both tablets available for shoppers. LeapFrog was thriving, but the success didn't
Best Building Product Stocks To Own Right Now: Sonus Networks Inc.(SONS)
Sonus Networks, Inc. provides voice and multimedia infrastructure solutions. The company offers session border control (SBC), voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), and access and VoIP media gateway solutions that allow the delivery of voice and multimedia sessions over IP networks. Its products include GSX9000 Open Services Switch that enables voice traffic to be transported over packet networks; GSX4000 Open Services Switch; NBS9000 Network Border Switch that permits service providers to transform their time division multiplexing networks to IP; PSX Policy & Routing Server, which translates business policies into actual call control, routing, and service selection decisions; NBS5200 Network Border Switch that provides SBC functionality; and ASX Call Feature Server that provides local area calling and regulatory features for residential and enterprise markets. The company also offers Network Analytics Suite of performance management products, including NetScore network perf ormance analysis tool, NetAssure voice quality monitoring tool, and NetEng network audit and visualization engine that are used for the collection, monitoring, reporting, and notification of performance metrics. In addition, it provides professional consulting and services to support its IP communication solutions; and program management, network deployment design, softswitch and subscriber database design, network verification and audit, custom application and adaptor development, OSS and API integration, migration and upgrade, and managed services. The company serves long-distance and local exchange carriers, Internet service providers, wireless operators, cable operators, financial institutions, retailers, state and local governments, and multinational corporations. It sells its products primarily through a direct sales force in the United States, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. Sonus Networks, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Westford, Mass achusetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lee Jackson]
Sonus Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: SONS) was recently named to the 2013 InformationWeek 500 list of top technology innovators across the country. In July the company authorized a repurchase program to buy back up to $100 million of their stock. Lazard has a Buy rating on the stock and a $4.50 price target. The consensus target is at $4.30, and the stock closed yesterday at $3.41.
- [By Evan Niu, CFA]
What: Shares of Sonus Networks (NASDAQ: SONS ) have popped today by upwards of 17% after the company reported first-quarter earnings.
So what: First quarter sales totaled $63.3 million, which turned into a non-GAAP net loss of $0.02 per share. Investors were expecting just $61.1 million up top and an adjusted loss of $0.03 per share, meaning the figures were a beat relative to consensus estimates. Session border controller, or SBC, revenue was up 77% to $30 million.
Best Building Product Stocks To Own Right Now: Endologix Inc(ELGX)
Endologix, Inc. develops, manufactures, markets, and sells medical devices for the treatment of aortic disorders. It offers the ELG System, a stent graft and delivery system for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms through minimally-invasive endovascular repair. The company also provides aortic extensions and limb extensions, which attach to the main body of ELG Device, enabling physicians to customize it to fit the patient?s anatomy. In addition, it offers accessories, such as guidewires, snares, and catheter introducer sheaths that facilitate the optimal delivery of its ELG Device. Endologix, Inc. sells its products through direct sales force and independent distributors in the United States, Europe, Asia, South America, and Mexico. The company was formerly known as Radiance Medical Systems, Inc. and changed its name to Endologix, Inc. in May 2002. Endologix, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Irvine, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of Endologix (NASDAQ: ELGX) were down 24.85 percent to $13.43 on lowered guidance, analyst downgrades. Oppenheimer downgraded the stock from Outperform to Market Perform and cut the price target from $20.00 to $16.00. - [By DailyFinance Staff]
Concerns about the political uncertainty in Ukraine caused some volatility in the markets Friday afternoon, with the major indexes making several U-turns ahead of the weekend. The Dow Jones industrial average (^DJI), which had been up by as much as 125 points, briefly dropped into loss territory before rebounding to end 49 points higher. The Standard & Poor's 500 index (^GPSC) edged up 5 points, adding to Thursday's record high, but the Nasdaq composite (^IXIC) lost 10 points. AP/Darko VojinovicPro-Russian militias have seized local government buildings in Crimea, Ukraine; the unrest there is making investors around the world nervous. February was a great month for investors. All three major averages jumped by about 4 percent. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) led the blue chips, gaining 1½ percent. Other health providers – Aetna (AET), Wellpoint (WLP), Cigna (CI) and Humana (HUM) -- all gained between 1½ and 2 percent. And retail stocks remained active. Target (TGT) added another 3 percent. Best Buy rose 4 percent, and Fred's (FRED), a regional department store chain, jumped 10 percent. But Pier 1 (PIR) fell 5½ percent after lowering its earnings outlook for a second time. That led to a series of brokerage downgrades. Decker Outdoor (DECK) tumbled 12 percent. The maker of footwear brands such as Ugg and Teva issued a weak outlook. And apparel maker Lululemon (LULU) fell 5-percent on negative comments from Credit Suisse. It seems as though there are always some big movers in the drug and biotech sectors – and that was certainly the case today. GW Pharmaceuticals (GWPH) rose 2 percent after the FDA granted orphan status to its drug to treat a rare form of childhood epilepsy. But most of the action was on the downside. Endologix (ELGX) slid 24 percent after forecasting lower revenue growth. Questcor (QCOR) fell 10 percent. It's lost big for three straight days amid allegations of questionable business practices. Jazz Pharma
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of Endologix (NASDAQ: ELGX) were down 23.48 percent to $13.68 on lowered guidance, analyst downgrades. Oppenheimer downgraded the stock from Outperform to Market Perform and cut the price target from $20.00 to $16.00. - [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Endologix (Nasdaq: ELGX ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
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