Clean Harbors, Inc. is cleaning up investors' portfolios. The company is increasing its incinerator capacity which should spur strong revenue growth. The company will be reporting fourth-quarter earnings on February 27. Over the past 60 days, earnings estimates for the quarter have increased two cents to 67 cents per share. It earned 56 cents last year for the fourth quarter.
Full Analysis
Clean Harbors, Inc. (CLHB) , through its subsidiaries, provides environmental services in North America. It operates through two segments, Technical Services and Site Services. The Technical Services segment collects, transports, treats, and disposes hazardous and non-hazardous wastes for commercial and industrial customers, health care providers, educational and research organizations, and other environmental services companies and governmental entities.
It offers resource recovery and fuels blending, incineration, landfills, wastewater treatment, and explosives management services; and cleanpack services, including handling, packaging, transportation, and disposal of laboratory quantities of outdated hazardous chemicals, household hazardous wastes, and waste pesticides and herbicides. The Site Services segment provides environmental site services to maintain industrial facilities and process equipment, as well as clean up of hazardous materials to chemical, petroleum, transportation, utility, and governmental agencies.
In early-January, the shares got a boost after Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst upgraded the stock because Clean Harbors' growing incinerator capacity will increase its revenue. Analyst Al Kaschalk raised his rating on Clean Harbors shares to "Strong Buy" from "Buy," and increased his price target to $64 per share from $62. The "Strong Buy" rating means Kaschalk expects the stock to rise 20% or more in the next six to 12 months, and his price target implies 26.9% growth.
CLHB also got a boost when it released third-quarter numbers that beat expectations in early-November. The company reported third-quarter earnings of $12.9 million, or 63 cents a share, on revenue of $245.5 million. Analysts anticipated earnings of 57 cents a share and revenue of $238.5 million. For the year, Clean Harbors sees revenue growth of 12% to 13%, up from its prior guidance.
The company will be reporting fourth-quarter earnings on February 27. Over the past 60 days, earnings estimates for the quarter have increased two cents to 67 cents per share. It earned 56 cents last year for the fourth quarter. The stock is attractively valued at 22.5x next year's estimates, slightly above its long-term growth rate of 20%. The ROE is a stellar 25%.
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Friday, February 22, 2008
CLHB - Clean Harbors - stock is attractively valued at 22.5x next year's estimates
NUS - Nu Skin Enterprises - ROE of 20% doubles industry’s average of 10%
Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NUS) is a Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) company that recently hiked its quarterly dividend up to 11 cents per share. In early February, Nu Skin reported fourth-quarter results, which included revenue of $306.1 million. The result topped last year’s revenue by 6%. The company’s earnings per share growth expectation over the next 3 – 5 year stands at 12%, Nu Skin’s return on equity (ROE) of 20% doubles industry’s average of 10%.
Full Analysis
Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. is a global direct selling company operating in more than 45 markets throughout Asia, the Americas and Europe. The company markets premium-quality personal care products under the Nu Skin® brand, science-based nutritional supplements under the Pharmanex® brand, and technology-based products and services under the Big Planet® brand.
The Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) company recently declared an increase in the quarterly cash dividend of 11 cents per share which will be paid on March 19, 2008 to shareholders of record on Feb. 29, 2008.
"Because of our strong cash flow, we are increasing our dividend for the sixth consecutive year," said Truman Hunt, president and chief executive officer. "Continually increasing our quarterly dividend is an effective use of our cash and improves the value of our stock for our shareholders."
In early February, Nu Skin reported fourth-quarter results. Earnings per share were ahead of the consensus estimate by 13%, while fourth-quarter revenue of $306.1 million increased 6% on a year-over-year basis.
"Concluding 2007 with good momentum sets the stage for Nu Skin Enterprises to generate record results in 2008," said Truman Hunt, president and chief executive officer. "During the fourth quarter, we continued to see promising growth trends in South Korea, the United States, Europe, Hong Kong and South East Asia. In China, we recently received approval to operate a direct selling model in all of the districts of Beijing and Shanghai, helping establish a good foundation for future growth in this market. In Japan, revenue met our expectations as the sales force responded positively to our sales promotions and marketing initiatives, which included the restaging of our Galvanic Spa System product.”
The company’s earnings per share growth expectation over the next 3 – 5 year stands at 12%, Nu Skin’s return on equity (ROE) of 20% doubles industry’s average of 10%.
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PCLN - Priceline.com - fourth time in four quarters that the company has surprised and beaten estimates by an average 29.92%
Priceline.com Incorporated (PCLN) is on quite a roll. After logging an incredible performance in 2007, with its stock price gaining more than 100% in value, the company has once again posted awesome quarterly results, driving its stock price higher yet again. The fourth quarter results included a jump in earnings to $32.9 million from just $13.2 million last year. The company also raised its first quarter guidance.
Full Analysis
Priceline.com Incorporated operates as an online travel company in the United States and Europe. It offers its services under the ?Name Your Own Price' brand, which allows its customers to make offers for travel services at discounted prices.
Priceline reported blistering fourth quarter results on Feb 14 that sent its share price soaring. Revenue grew 28.8% from last year to $334.9 million. Gross profit jumped 61% to $160.2 million. And last but certainly not least, net income came close to tripling, growing to $32.9 million from $13.2 million. This produced earnings of 68 cents per share, well ahead of analyst estimates.
This marks the fourth time in four quarters that the company has surprised and beaten estimates, having done so by an average of 15 cents, or 29.92%.
Priceline has reported impressive growth statistics from its international engagements, and solid growth from its domestic activities as well. Priceline President and CEO Jeffry Boyd noted that gross bookings, a key metric in evaluating company performance, grew in its international engagements by 113% year-over-year, while its domestic growth rate grew sequentially to 24.2%, driven by retail airline bookings.
Not only did Priceline report a great quarter, but they also provided investors with some very upbeat, optimistic guidance moving forward. The company said it expects first quarter 2008 results to include year-over-year increases in international gross travel bookings of approximately 85% to 90% and year-over-year increase in revenue of approximately 30%.
Naturally, with another great quarter in the bag, analyst estimates have been rising for the company. Within just the last seven days, four covering analysts have increased their next-year projections by a very significant 77 cents, driving the consensus estimate higher to its current projection of $6.07.
Priceline shares gapped open higher after the great quarterly results, trading as high as $129, which is a 52-week and all-time high. There appears to be a very nice level of support that has developed around $120, if shares pull back a little bit, look for the bounce in this area. Beyond that it is once again off to the races for PCLN, which has been consistently demonstrating to the investment community that it knows how to grow its business and drive shareholder value.
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ANDE - The Andersons - Three out of four raised consensus estimates for the year in the last week
The Andersons are finding that the Corn Belt and ethanol are keys to big profits. The company reported a record fourth quarter and full year 2007 earnings, surprising on estimates by 15.32 percent in the quarter.
Full Analysis
The Andersons, Inc. (ANDE), headquartered in Maumee, Ohio, is a diversified company with interests in the grain, ethanol and plant nutrient sectors of U.S. agriculture, as well as in railcar leasing and repair. The company operates in seven states plus rail car leasing in Canada and Mexico and has grain elevators in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.
ANDE, a Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy), has seen its two largest groups, the Grain & Ethanol Group and the Plant Nutrient Group, take off as ethanol and farming heat up. The Ethanol Division operates two ethanol plants for respective LLCs in Indiana and Michigan that are collectively capable of producing 165 million gallons of ethanol.
On Feb 11, the company announced that construction finished on a third plant in Greenville, Ohio, which started production. The 110 million gallon facility is owned by The Andersons Marathon Ethanol LLC, which is a joint undertaking with Marathon Oil Corp.
The Plant Nutrient Group operates fertilizer distribution terminals, and farm centers in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. Those facilities handle about 1.8 million tons of dry and liquid agricultural fertilizer products annually.
The company reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2007 earnings on Feb 6 and surprised on the analysts' consensus estimates by 15.32 percent, reporting $1.28 per share compared to consensus estimates of $1.11 per share. Fourth quarter net income was $23.5 million compared to $13.8 million in 2006.
For the full year, net income was $68.8 million, or $3.75 per share, compared to $36.3 million, or $2.19 per share, for the year-ago period.
ANDE's big winners for the year were the Grain & Ethanol Group and the Plant Nutrient Group. The Grain & Ethanol Group's 2007 operating income of $65.9 million was more than double its previous income record of $28.0 million achieved in 2006.
The Plant Nutrient Group also reported a record operating income of $27.1 million compared to the group's prior record of $10.4 million, reported in 2005. The Group saw its volumes increase by 40 percent for the year.
"Our investments in the ethanol business and Lansing Trade Group, and continual expansion of the rail business are clearly paying dividends. It was also rewarding to watch the Plant Nutrient Group rebound from the tough market realities of 2006 and end 2007 with record earnings --- what a difference a year can make," said President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Anderson.
Covering analysts moved to raise consensus estimates in the last 30 days with one out of four analysts raising for the first quarter by an average of one cent to 50 cents from 49 cents. Three out of four raised consensus estimates for the year in the last week by 17 cents to $3.55 per share from $3.38 per share. One analyst also lowered estimates.
The Andersons has a P/E of 12.47 and a price to book of 2.30. The company also has a stellar five year average return on equity (ROE) of 15.44 percent.
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