With shares of Safeway (NYSE:SWY) trading around $33, is SWY an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:
T = Trends for a Stock’s MovementSafeway is a food and drug retailer in North America that operates over 1600 stores. The company�� United States retail operations are located principally in California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Mid-Atlantic region. In support of its retail operations, Safeway has a network of distribution, manufacturing, and food processing facilities. Safeway also owns and operates GroceryWorks.com, an online grocery channel doing business under the names Safeway.com and Vons.com. Safeway also has a 49 percent interest in Casa Ley, S.A. de C.V., which operates 195 food and general merchandise stores in Western Mexico.
Safeway shares are up despite the fact that the grocery store chain reported a 59 percent drop in profit for the third quarter. The reason for the Safeway optimism is that the company announced it�� leaving Chicago by the beginning of next year. The 72 Domenick�� supermarkets it owns in the city will give Safeway a $400 to $450 million cash tax benefit. Revenue grew 1.1 percent to $8.6 billion, but earnings fell short of estimates at 10 cents a share.
Top 10 Machinery Stocks For 2015: Retail Opportunity Investments Corp.(ROIC)
Retail Opportunity Investments Corp., a real estate investment trust (REIT), engages in the acquisition, ownership, and management of necessity-based community and neighborhood shopping centers in the eastern and western regions of the United States. As of December 31, 2011, its portfolio consisted of 30 owned retail properties totaling approximately 3.2 million square feet of gross leasable area. The company has elected to be taxed as a REIT, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The company is based in White Plains, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, shopping center REIT Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. (NASDAQ: ROIC ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.
- [By David Trainer]
Pilgrim's Pride Corp (PPC) is another one of my least favorite holdings in FVL. PPC is not a bad company. Its return on invested capital (ROIC) of 9% puts it near the median of all the companies we cover. The issue for PPC is its valuation. To justify its price of ~$17/share, PPC would need to grow after-tax profit (NOPAT) by 12% compounded annually. There is not a lot of value in this stock or this "value" index.
Hot Supermarket Companies To Own For 2014: eLong Inc.(LONG)
eLong, Inc. operates as an online travel service provider in the People?s Republic of China. The company provides its customers with travel information and the ability to book rooms, air tickets, vacation packages, and other travel related services utilizing call center and Web-based distribution technologies. It facilitates the customers to book rooms in approximately 10,000 hotels in 450 cities across China, and fulfills air ticket reservations in approximately 80 cities across China. In addition, the company offers the ability to book rooms at approximately 100,000 hotels outside of China; and provides the customers informative content relevant to hotel and air travel decisions, including tourist and event site destination information, hotel facility information, and photos. eLong markets its services through online marketing, traditional media advertising, co-marketing with established brands of other companies, and direct marketing. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China. eLong, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Expedia Asia Pacific Limited.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Belinda Cao]
The Bloomberg China-US Equity Index (HSCEI) of the most-traded Chinese stocks in the U.S. added 0.3 percent to 103.21 yesterday. Renren, owner of a real-name social network website, jumped to the highest level since August as volumes surged. Web travel agency Elong Inc. (LONG) soared 20 percent. China Southern Airlines Co. (ZNH), Asia�� biggest carrier by passenger numbers, fell the most in a week and China Eastern Airlines Corp. slid to a three-week low.
Hot Supermarket Companies To Own For 2014: Approach Resources Inc.(AREX)
Approach Resources Inc., an independent energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil and gas properties in the United States. The company primarily holds interests in properties located in the Permian Basin in West Texas, as well as in the East Texas Basin. As of December 31, 2011, it had estimated proved reserves of approximately 77.0 million barrels of oil equivalent, and owned working interests in 638 producing oil and gas wells. Approach Resources Inc. was incorporated in 2002 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Not all stocks are created equal, however, and the analysts expect some stocks to handily outperform others, and their top picks “are poised to deliver long-term, capital-efficient growth…while trading at attractive valuations that currently provide 20%+ upside to our price targets.” Their winners?�Oasis Petroleum (OAS),�Approach Resources (AREX),�Bonanza Creek Energy�(BCEI) and Gulfport Energy�(GPOR), all of which are rated Buy with Oasis also added to Goldman’s conviction list. Investors, however, should avoid �WPX Energy�(WPX), which the analysts rate a Sell. They explain why:
- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Shares of Approach Resources (NASDAQ: AREX ) dropped 10% today after the company released earnings.
So what: Sales rose 33.8% from a year ago, to $44.2 million, and the company swung to a profit of $495,000, or $0.01 per share. After adjusting for one-time items, the company made a profit of $0.07 per share, in line with estimates.�
Hot Supermarket Companies To Own For 2014: Vitamin Shoppe Inc (VSI)
Vitamin Shoppe, Inc., incorporated on September 27, 2002, is a specialty retailer and direct marketer of vitamins, minerals, herbs, specialty supplements, sports nutrition and other health and wellness products. During the fiscal year ended December 29, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company marketed over 400 different brands, as well as its own brands, which include Vitamin Shoppe, BodyTech and True Athlete. The Company sells its products through two segments: retail and direct. In the Company's retail segment, the Company had a total of 286 new stores during the fiscal 2012. As of January 26, 2013, the Company operated 579 stores in 42 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Ontario, Canada, primarily located in high-traffic regional retail centers. In the Company's direct segment, the Company sells its products directly to consumers through the Internet, primarily at www.vitaminshoppe.com. On February 14, 2013, Vitamin Shoppe Mariner, Inc. acquired Super Supplements, Inc.
Retail
The Company's retail segment includes its retail store format. Its retail stores are is located in diverse geographic and demographic markets, ranging from urban locations in New York City, to suburban locations in Plantation, Florida and Manhattan Beach, California. As of January 26, 2013, the Company leased the property for all of its 579 stores. The Company's primary warehouse and distribution center and corporate headquarters are consolidated into a leased, 230,000 square-foot facility.
Products
The Company offers a selection of vitamins, minerals, herbs, homeopathic remedies, specialty supplements, such as fish oil, probiotics, glucosamine and Co Q10, sports nutrition, weight management, as well as natural bath and beauty, pet supplements and options for a healthy home. The Company's offers includes approximately 17,500 stock keeping units (SKUs) from over 400 brands. The Company offers products to its assortment in its Vitamin Shoppe, BodyTech, True Athlete and O! ptimal Pet brands, which include products, such as Ultimate Man, Ultimate Women, Whey Tech Pro 24 and Natural Whey Protein. The Company also offers an assortment from national brands, such as Optimum Nutrition, USP Labs, Garden of Life, Cytosport, Nature's Way, Solaray and Solgar. This assortment is designed to provide the Company's customers with a selection of available product in order to help them achieve their health and wellness goals.
The vitamin and mineral product category includes multi-vitamins, which many consider to be a foundation of a healthy regimen, lettered vitamins, such as Vitamin A, C, D, E, and B-complex, along with trace minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, chromium and zinc. Certain herbs can be taken to help support specific body systems, including ginkgo to support brain activity and milk thistle to help support liver function, as well as other less common herbs, such as holy basil for stress support and blood sugar control and black cohosh for menopause support. Herbal products include whole herbs, standardized extracts, herb combination formulas and teas.
Categories of specialty supplements include omega fatty acids, probiotics and condition specific formulas. Certain specialty supplements, such as organic greens, psyllium fiber and soy proteins, are taken for added support during various life stages. Folic acid is specifically useful during pregnancy. Super antioxidants, such as coenzyme Q-10, grapeseed extract and pycnogenol, are taken to address specific conditions. High ORAC (oxygen radical absorptive capacity) fruit concentrates like gogi, mangosteen, pomegranate and blueberry are taken to prevent oxygen radical damage. Other specialty supplement formulas are focused to support specific organs, biosystems and body functions. The Company offers approximately 3,000 SKUs in sports nutrition.
The Company's other category include natural beauty and personal care, diet and weight management supplements, natural pet food, and low carb foo! ds. Natur! al beauty and personal care products offer an alternative to traditional products that often contain synthetic and/or other ingredients that the Company's customers find objectionable. The Company offers approximately 3,000 SKUs for its other category. The Company's natural pet products include nutritionally balanced foods and snacks along with condition specific supplements such as glucosamine for joint health. Its variety of diet and weight management products range from low calorie bars, drinks and meal replacements to energy tablets, capsules and liquids.
The Company competes with Vitamin World, GNC, Whole Foods, Costco, Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, Walgreens, Amazon.com, Puritan's Pride, Vitacost.com, Bodybuilding.com, Doctors Trust, Swanson and iHerb.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Pacampara]
Sales growth this last quarter was up only about 6%, but net income per share was up 21%. They pay a $0.60 dividend which gives them a dividend yield of 1.4%. Their cash flow yield is 4.6%, so they could easily raise their dividend. They are by far the leader in a very fragmented industry. I believe both [Vitamin Shoppe (NYSE: VSI ) ] and GNC will do well and I think they may make a fair pairing in a portfolio. Stability versus growth.
They do have $1.1 billion in debt. But they generate about $200 million in cash flow a year and they have $174 million in cash, so that shouldn't be a problem. Their cash flow is very high, so in my opinion, is reason enough to believe they will beat the S&P 500 over the next ten years. - [By Jeremy Bowman]
What: Shares of the Vitamin Shoppe (NYSE: VSI ) were looking under the weather today, falling as much as 10% after a disappointing earnings report.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Barclays upgraded share s of Vitamin Shoppe (VSI) today, expressing a confidence in management that was, well, heartwarming.
Barclays’ analysts Meredith Adler and Sean Kras call Vitamin Shoppe’s management team “thoughtful, deliberate and disciplined” and praise their ability to diversify the business. As a result, they upgraded Vitamin Shoppe to Overweight from Equal Weight two days after Vitamin Shoppe released its earnings.
But Adler and Kras also spent a good number of words explaining what Vitamin Shoppe isn’t–specifically, it’s not GNC Holdings (GNC):
[Vitamin Shoppe] said it saw no fundamental change in consumer demand, nor did it feel much pressure from the bad media reports about things like multi-vitamins and fish oil, unlike GNC. [Vitamin Shoppe] has a much broader offering than GNC, however, so weakness in any one category rarely has a major impact on�[Vitamin Shoppe's] overall sales the way it does at GNC. Conversely, it benefits less when there are few very successful products. For example, diet is a far smaller part of the sales mix at�[Vitamin Shoppe] than at GNC. Last year diet had some strong products, but this year there are fewer. GNC�� comps were stronger than�[Vitamin Shoppe's] last year, but we like the stability of�[Vitamin Shoppe's] business, especially in the current environment.
Shares of Vitamin Shoppe have gained 1.8% to $43.42 at 3:24 p.m., while GNC has risen 0.8% to $37.43.
- [By John Udovich]
Vitamin Shoppe Inc (NYSE: VSI), Books-A-Million, Inc (NASDAQ: BAMM) and Perfumania Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: PERF) have the dubious distinction of being�the worst performing small cap�specialty retail stocks for this year (according to Finviz.com) with losses of 4.85% and�3% and a gain of 0.61%, respectively, since the start of the year (See my previous article: This Year�� Best Performing Small Cap Specialty Retail Stocks? UNTD, TA & HZO). I should mention that the definition of specialty retail stocks might vary from one stock screener to another, but what�� clear is that these three small cap retail stocks have been heading in the wrong direction for investors for much of this year. �With that in mind, what sort of performance should investors expect from these small cap specialty retail stocks on Black Friday and for the all important holiday season? Here is what you need to be aware of:
Hot Supermarket Companies To Own For 2014: Universal Biosensors Inc (UBI)
Universal Biosensors, Inc. (Universal Biosensors) is an early-stage specialist medical diagnostics company focused on the research, development and manufacture of in vitro diagnostic test devices for consumer and professional point-of-care use. The Company uses its electrochemical cell technology platform to develop tests for a number of different markets. The Company�� principal activities are research and development, commercial manufacture of approved medical or testing devices and the provision of services including contract research work. The Company operates primarily in Australia. The Company uses its electrochemical cell technology platform to develop tests for a number of different markets. The Company has rights to a portfolio comprising patent applications owned by its wholly owned subsidiary, Universal Biosensors Pty Ltd, and a number of patents and patent applications licensed to the Company by LifeScan, Inc., an affiliate of Johnson & Johnson Company. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Namitha Jagadeesh]
Banco Popolare SC (BP) declined 3.5 percent to 1.29 euros and Unione di Banche Italiane SCPA (UBI) slid 2.3 percent to 4.93 euros after Societe Generale SA reduced its 12-month price forecast on the shares.
Hot Supermarket Companies To Own For 2014: Pacific Biosciences of California Inc.(PACB)
Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc., a development stage company, develops, manufactures, and markets an integrated platform for genetic analysis. The company engages in developing a technology platform that enables single molecule, real-time (SMRT) for the detection of biological processes. It primarily focuses on the deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing market. The company?s product includes the PacBio RS, a sequencing platform, which consists of an instrument platform that uses its proprietary consumables, such as SMRT Cells and reagent kits. The company?s customers include genome centers, genomics service providers, and agricultural companies, as well as clinical, government, and academic institutions. Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Menlo Park, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alex Planes]
However, Fool biotech expert Brian Orelli points out one big caveat: Once sequencing companies make these tests accessible, margins may collapse beyond the ability of volume sales to make up the difference. At least Illumina (and Life Tech) are in the driver's seat on margins, as it's unlikely that lesser-funded sequencing competitors Affymetrix (NASDAQ: AFFX ) and Pacific Biosciences (NASDAQ: PACB ) can muster the resources to push out sequencing at cost-effective scale before their peers.
Hot Supermarket Companies To Own For 2014: Proto Labs Inc (PRLB)
Proto Labs, Inc. (Proto Labs), incorporated in 1999, is an online and technology-enabled quick-turn manufacturer of custom parts for prototyping and short-run production. Proto Labs provides Real Parts, Really Fast to product developers worldwide. The Company utilizes computer numerical control (CNC), machining and injection molding to manufacture custom parts for its customers. The Company focuses its services to the millions of product developers who use three-dimensional computer-aided design (3D CAD), software to design products across a diverse range of end-markets. The Company has established its operations in the United States, Europe and Japan, three of the geographic markets where these product developers are located. Its manufacturing services include CNC machining and plastic injection molding. In August 2013, Proto Labs, Inc. purchased the Plymouth Industrial Building at 2600 Niagara Lane, Plymouth, MN.
Proto Labs has developed software and advanced manufacturing processes that automate much of the skilled labor conventionally required in quoting, production engineering and manufacturing custom parts. The Company�� Firstcut and Protomold services offer many product developers the ability to outsource their low-volume, quick-turn custom parts manufacturing. Its Firstcut service uses commercially-available CNC machines to cut blocks of material into one or more custom parts based on the 3D CAD model uploaded by the product developer. The Firstcut service is well suited to produce small quantities, typically in the range of one to ten parts. Its Protomold service uses its 3D CAD-to-CNC machining technology for the automated design and manufacture of aluminum injection molds, which are then used to produce custom injection-molded plastic parts on commercially-available equipment. Its Protomold service is used for both prototype and short-run production.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Harry Boxer]
HARRY: It is. More than 10 years, I visited 3-D systems and saw a demo, and it was like whoa. They weren’t even public then. Of late, SSYS (Stratasys), Proto Labs (PRLB), EX1; those are the four big ones in the industry. There is a little buy-out tech company called Orvganovo (ONVO) that is now bio-printing organs for testing.
- [By Paul Ausick]
We have tracked the key short interest changes as of September 13 in the following 3D printer and services companies: 3D Systems Inc. (NYSE: DDD), Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ: SSYS), The ExOne Co. (NASDAQ: XONE) and Proto Labs Inc. (NYSE: PRLB).
- [By Paul Ausick]
Short interest in Proto Labs Inc. (NYSE: PRLB) increased by 6.6% to 3.03 million shares, or 14.6% of the company’s float. Shares were down about 8.5% in the two-week period and closed Thursday at $71.93, up about 84% year to date. The stock’s 52-week range is $35.86 to $89.97.
No comments:
Post a Comment