Company name Acuity Brands, Inc.
Stock ticker AYI
Live stock price [stckqut]AYI[/stckqut]
P/E compared to competitors Good

MANAGEMENT EXECUTION

Employee productivity Good
Sales growth Poor
EPS growth Fair
P/E growth Poor
EBIT growth Fair

ANALYSIS

Confident Investor Rating Fair
Target stock price (TWCA growth scenario) $85.41
Target stock price (averages with growth) $93.29
Target stock price (averages with no growth) $68.48
Target stock price (manual assumptions) $86.08

The following company description is from Google Finance: http://www.google.com/finance?q=ayi

Acuity Brands, Inc. (Acuity Brands), incorporated on September 20, 2007, is the parent company of Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc. (ABL), and other subsidiaries. Acuity Brands is a provider of lighting solutions for commercial, institutional, industrial, infrastructure, and residential applications throughout North America and select international markets. The Company’s lighting solutions include devices, such as luminaires, lighting controls, power supplies, prismatic skylights, light-emitting diode (LED) lamps, and integrated lighting systems for indoor and outdoor applications utilizing a combination of light sources, including daylight, and other devices controlled by software that monitors and manages light levels while optimizing energy consumption (collectively referred to herein as lighting solutions). Effective March 14, 2013, the Company acquired eldoLED Europe BV.

 

Confident Investor comments: At this time, I think that a Confident Investor can cautiously invest in this stock as long as the price is correct. Most of the fundamentals of this company are good but there are some concerns.

If you would like to understand how to evaluate companies like I do on this site, please read my book, The Confident Investor.

 

 

Company name Yum! Brands, Inc.
Stock ticker YUM
Live stock price [stckqut]YUM[/stckqut]
P/E compared to competitors Good

MANAGEMENT EXECUTION

Employee productivity Poor
Sales growth Poor
EPS growth Good
P/E growth Poor
EBIT growth Good

ANALYSIS

Confident Investor Rating Fair
Target stock price (TWCA growth scenario) $59.26
Target stock price (averages with growth) $70.78
Target stock price (averages with no growth) $60.59
Target stock price (manual assumptions) $69.08

The following company description is from Google Finance: http://www.google.com/finance?q=yum

Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM) is a quick service restaurant company based on number of system units, with approximately 37,000 units in more than 120 countries and territories. The Company through its three concepts of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell (the Concepts), develops, operates, franchises and licenses a worldwide system of restaurants, which prepare, package and sell a menu of priced food items. Units are operated by a Concept or by independent franchisees or licensees under the terms of franchise or license agreements. In addition, YUM owns non-controlling interests in Chinese entities who operate in a manner similar to KFC franchisees, as well as a non-controlling interest in Little Sheep Group Limited (Little Sheep). It operates in five segments: YUM Restaurants China, YUM Restaurants International, Taco Bell U.S., KFC U.S. and Pizza Hut U.S. In December 2011, it sold the Long John Silver’s and A&W All-American Food Restaurants brands. On February 1, 2012, it acquired Little Sheep.

 

Confident Investor comments: At this time, I think that a Confident Investor can cautiously invest in this stock as long as the price is correct. Most of the fundamentals of this company are good but there are some concerns. I am leaving Yum! Brands on my Watch List but it’s performance will need to improve to stay on the list the next review.

If you would like to understand how to evaluate companies like I do on this site, please read my book, The Confident Investor.

Company name Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ADR)
Stock ticker TEVA
Live stock price [stckqut]TEVA[/stckqut]
P/E compared to competitors Good

MANAGEMENT EXECUTION

Employee productivity Good
Sales growth Fair
EPS growth Fair
P/E growth Poor
EBIT growth Poor

ANALYSIS

Confident Investor Rating Fair
Target stock price (TWCA growth scenario) $31.24
Target stock price (averages with growth) $42.79
Target stock price (averages with no growth) $45.39
Target stock price (manual assumptions) $37.21

The following company description is from Google Finance: http://www.google.com/finance?q=teva

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (Teva) is a global pharmaceutical and drug company. It develops, produces and markets generic drugs in all treatment categories. The Company has a pharmaceutical business, whose principal products include Copaxone and Azilect. Teva’s active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) business provides vertical integration to Teva’s own pharmaceutical production. The Company’s global operations are conducted from North and Latin America to Europe and Asia. As December 31, 2010, it had direct operations in approximately 60 countries, including 40 finished dosage pharmaceutical manufacturing sites in 19 countries, 28 pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) centers and 21 API manufacturing sites. On October 14, 2011, it acquired Cephalon, Inc.

 

Confident Investor comments: At this time, I think that a Confident Investor can cautiously invest in this stock as long as the price is correct. Most of the fundamentals of this company are good but there are some concerns. Due to these concerns, I am removing Teva Pharmaceuticals from my Watch List.

If you would like to understand how to evaluate companies like I do on this site, please read my book, The Confident Investor.
 

Company name Merck & Co., Inc.
Stock ticker MRK
Live stock price [stckqut]MRK[/stckqut]
P/E compared to competitors Fair

MANAGEMENT EXECUTION

Employee productivity Fair
Sales growth Poor
EPS growth Good
P/E growth Good
EBIT growth Good

ANALYSIS

Confident Investor Rating Fair
Target stock price (TWCA growth scenario) $75.01
Target stock price (averages with growth) $82.91
Target stock price (averages with no growth) $68.25
Target stock price (manual assumptions) $51.27

The following company description is from Google Finance: http://www.google.com/finance?q=mrk

Merck & Co., Inc. (Merck) is a global health care company that delivers health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products, which it markets directly and through its joint ventures. The Company consists of four operating segments, which are the Pharmaceutical, Animal Health, Consumer Care and Alliances segments, and one reportable segment, which is the Pharmaceutical segment. The Pharmaceutical segment includes human health pharmaceutical and vaccine products marketed either directly by the Company or through joint ventures. Human health pharmaceutical products consist of therapeutic and preventive agents, generally sold by prescription, for the treatment of human disorders. Effective February 25, 2013, Dashtag, a unit of Merck & Co Inc’s Schering Plough Corp subsidiary acquired 17.95% interest in Fulford (India) Ltd.

 

Confident Investor comments: At this time, I think that a Confident Investor can cautiously invest in this stock as long as the price is correct. Most of the fundamentals of this company are good but there are some concerns. I am leaving the company on my Watch List in the hopes that the metrics will improve a little bit.

If you would like to understand how to evaluate companies like I do on this site, please read my book, The Confident Investor.

Company name Helmerich & Payne, Inc.
Stock ticker HP
Live stock price [stckqut]HP[/stckqut]
P/E compared to competitors Good

MANAGEMENT EXECUTION

Employee productivity Poor
Sales growth Good
EPS growth Good
P/E growth Poor
EBIT growth Good

ANALYSIS

Confident Investor Rating Fair
Target stock price (TWCA growth scenario) $96.9
Target stock price (averages with growth) $128.92
Target stock price (averages with no growth) $116.54
Target stock price (manual assumptions) $88.29

The following company description is from Google Finance: https://www.google.com/finance?q=hp+Helmerich+%26+Payne%2C+Inc&ei=JtytUeDNL6mwiALOWw

Helmerich & Payne, Inc. is engaged in contract drilling of oil and gases wells for others and this business. The Company’s contract drilling business is composed of three reportable business segments: U.S. Land, Offshore and International Land. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company’s U.S. Land operations drilled in Oklahoma, California, Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Utah, Arkansas, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota and West Virginia. Offshore operations were conducted in the Gulf of Mexico, and offshore of California, Trinidad and Equatorial Guinea. During fiscal 2012, the Company’s International Land segment operated in six international locations: Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Tunisia, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates. The Company is also engaged in the ownership, development and operation of commercial real estate and the research and development of rotary steerable technology.

 

Confident Investor comments: At this time, I think that a Confident Investor can cautiously invest in this stock as long as the price is correct. Most of the fundamentals of this company are good but there are some concerns.

If you would like to understand how to evaluate companies like I do on this site, please read my book, The Confident Investor.