Conn’s, Inc.

English: The new Conn's logo

English: The new Conn’s logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

CONN : NASDAQ : US$47.37
BUY 
Target: US$63.00

Conn’s is a specialty retailer selling home appliances, consumer electronics, furniture and mattresses, home office, and lawn and garden  quipment. The company operates approximately 70 retail stores located primarily in Texas, as well as Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico and online. Conn’s provides its own proprietary inhouse credit program, including sales of related credit insurance products.

All amounts in US$ unles

Consumer & Retail — Specialty Retail
TOP-LINE GROWTH AND  EXPANDING RETAIL GROSS MARGINS REMAIN SIGNIFICANT ATALYSTS

Investment recommendation


We expect Conn’s to generate average annual revenue growth of 21% over the next five years supported by the company’s proprietary in-house financing program. We believe Conn’s square footage growth potential is the highest in the retail group, and increasing penetration of the higher-margin furniture and mattress business should continue to expand retail gross margin.
We are raising our FY14 retail gross margin forecast of by 120bps to 37.7% driven by our expectation for a faster mix shift to the furniture assortment. As a result, our FY14 EPS estimate moves $0.13 higher to $2.63, $0.14 above consensus and the highest estimate among sell-side analysts. We are raising our FY15 projection by $0.18 to $3.61, which is $0.43 ahead of consensus and the high estimate.

Investment highlights
 Store surveys indicate Conn’s is on track to grow square footage in line with our +31% FY14 estimate. Furniture penetration appears as high as 75% at new locations.
 We are raising our price target from $53 to $63 using an equal blend of the peer group multiple, our sum-of-the-parts valuation, and our DCF valuation model.

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Ecolab

ECL : NYSE : US$88.08
BUY 
Target: US$100.00

COMPANY DESCRIPTION:
Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, Ecolab is a leading international provider of advanced technologies and services helping to optimize the use of resources such as water, energy, food and the environment

PRICE TARGET TO $100
Investment recommendation

We find Ecolab very well positioned to benefit from the convergence ofpopulation growth, resource volatility and rapid industrialization across
the world. The company’s recurring services model drives high visibility (even in an uncertain macro environment), while the energy platform
looks positioned for strong earnings growth post Champion. Maintain BUY.
Investment highlights
 We recently attended the National Restaurant Association (NRA) show in Chicago, including an impressive booth tour with CEO Doug Baker and presentation from Global F&B President Jill Wyant.
 In short, from food and beverage “factories” all the way to the food court and fine dining, Ecolab offers a comprehensive portfolio of solutions to ensure food safety/regulatory compliance and optimize operational efficiency, among other benefits (environmental sustainability, etc.). Full details below.
 The commitment to innovation is clear (including recent product introductions and healthy pipeline), while the outlook for Nalco cross-selling stays encouraging (3D TRASAR for clean-in-place, etc.).
Valuation
Our 12 month target of $100 (from $93) equates to an EV/EBITDA multiple of ~11.8x from (~11.2x) our 2014 estimate.
Risks
Global macroeconomic conditions, seasonal sales patterns, commodity
costs, competition, regulatory dynamics and M&A integration

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21Vianet Group

VNET : NASDAQ : US$9.46
BUY 
Target: US$15.00

COMPANY DESCRIPTION:
The largest carrier-neutral Internet data center service provider in China, 21Vianet hosts customers’ servers and networking equipment and provide interconnectivity services. The company also provides managed network services through its data transmission network

Investment recommendation


We maintain our BUY rating and $15.00 price target following 21Vianet’s Q1/13 report that demonstrates its ability to sustain its growth
momentum and overcome some of the temporary disruptions from capacity upgrades. We believe that the incremental investments in new
data centers, network capacity and cloud computing, while temporarily dampening margins, will result in higher growth and profitability in 2H13
and beyond. Priced at 5.7x 2014E adj. EBITDA, the shares of VNET offers compelling risk/reward for investors, in our view.
Investment highlights
 Solid revenue, slightly soft margin on investments – Q1/13 revenue came in stronger than expected (RMB 435.7M vs. 433.3M CGe) with
slightly lighter-than-expected EBITDA (RMB 80.1M vs. 82M). We note that higher-than-expected operating costs were attributed to higher
bandwidth costs with greater network capacity and continued investments ahead of revenue contribution from cloud computing.
 Signs of hope from Q2/13 outlook – Although Q2/13 guidance is not as strong as we had hoped, it nonetheless confirms our view that the
disruption from recent capacity upgrade is now behind and that the company’s growth momentum is picking up again. Following two quarters of decelerating growth, we believe the change in trajectory  marks an important inflection point for investors.
 shift to higher MRR cabinets in large cities and revenue contribution from Microsoft cloud will likely improve both revenue and margins

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Bombardier

English: Bombardier CSeries mockup Italiano: M...

English: Bombardier CSeries mockup Italiano: Modello dimostrativo del Bombardier CSeries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

BBD.B : TSX : $4.64

Shares of Bombardier were higher after press reports indicated that EasyJet is on the verge of a large new order that may include BBD’s CSeries commercial jets. As reported by LesEchos, the British company, which reported a significant improvement in half-yearly results, is preparing a new giant order of more than 100 aircraft in the coming weeks, which would incorporate Airbus A320 or Boeing 737, as well as Bombardier CSeries. “Our future order will focus on Airbus or Boeing, but also on Bombardier,” said Carolyn McCall, Executive Director, at the presentation of the half-year results.

Recently, BBD reported its Q1/13 report where the company reiterated its 2013 and 2014 guidance.

Key points include: BBD expects 190 business jet deliveries, up from 179 in 2012, and 55 regional airliners, an increase from 50 units in 2012.
BBD’s Q1/13 business jet orders of only 27 units were on the low side.

Canaccord s Analyst David Tyerman think this is temporary. Management reiterated that it is cautiously optimistic about order prospects
given the company’s pipeline, especially in larger aircraft types. Regional airliner orders were very weak in Q1/13, with no regional jets ordered and only four turboprop orders secured. However, as with business jets, these orders are lumpy.

BBD continues to believe it has a good shot at larger U.S. airline orders as those airlines up-gauge smaller regional jets. In addition, the company is positioned to capture further orders from Garuda from option conversion and Russia, China and Africa hold some promise.

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Jack in The Box

Jack in the Box

Jack in the Box (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’m All Right Jack ?

JACK : NASDAQ : US$36.82

Jack in the Box‘s second-quarter profit fell 39% as the restaurant operator posted weaker sales, and the year-earlier was boosted by a large gain on the sale of restaurants. For the quarter ended April 14, Jack in the Box reported a profit of $13.3 million, or 29 cents a share, down from $21.6 million, or 48 cents a share, a year earlier.

The latest period included a loss of three cents a share that was mainly attributable to refranchising, while the year-earlier period saw a 21 cents ashare gain from refranchising. Excluding such items and restructuring charges, operating earnings were 33 cents, up from 30 cents. Revenue declined 3% to $355.6 million. Analysts surveyed had projected a per-share profit of 31 cents and revenue of $359 million. Same-store sales rose 0.9% at Jack in the Box company restaurants and slipped 2% at Qdoba company restaurants.

The company in February anticipated same-store sales will be flat at Jack in the Box and flat to down 2% at Qdoba. Restaurant operating margin widened to 15.8% from 15.5%, as company restaurant costs decreased 5%.

For the year, Jack in  the Box lifted its operating earnings guidance for the year, now expecting $1.55-1.65 a share, compared to its earlier forecast of $1.48-1.63 a share.

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Airline Stocks Headed Higher

George Leong, B.Comm. for Profit Confidential

The improved global economy has helped to drive up the spending habits of consumers, and an area that has really benefited from the income creation is the travel sector.

Airlines around the world have reaped the benefits from the improved travel sector.

The airline sector is estimated to earn $10.4 billion in profits this year, up from the previous estimate of $8.4 billion, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). (Source: “Small Boost to Airline Profitability – Industry Profit Margin Improves to 1.6%,” International Air Transit Association web site, March 20, 2013.)

According to the IATA report, the top market in the airline sector is predicted to be the Asian-Pacific airlines, with estimates calling for $4.2 billion in net profits this year, up from $3.9 billion in 2012 and accounting for a 40.4% share of the total global airline sector.

The North American airline sector is also looking good, with profits estimated at $3.6 billion this year, well ahead of the $2.3 billion recorded in 2012.

Coming in third is expected to be the Middle Eastern airline sector, with $1.4 billion in profits, more than 50% higher than the $900 million in 2012.

The airline sector has been improving since the end of the recession. Lower fuel costs and increased bookings and travelling have helped to drive up the sector.

Take a look at the Dow Jones US Airlines Index  Notice the beautiful uptrend since November 2012 in correlation with the S&P 500 In the low-cost discount side, a carrier that I frequently fly with and like is JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ/JBLU). I have followed the stock for over a decade and continue to feel the company has what it takes to be a major player in the discount airline sector.

First formed in 1998, JetBlue Airways is a discount air carrier serving markets in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Mexico; along with 10 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America region. JetBlue offers services to 77 cities via 800 daily flights.

In April, the airline’s key revenue passenger miles reading came in at 11.5 million for an 83.8% load factor, up 6.8% year-over-year. (Source: JetBlue Airways Corporation, last accessed May 16, 2013.)

Following a decline in revenues from 2008 to 2009, JetBlue came back with growth in 2010 to 2012 and Thomson Financial estimates call for the growth to continue in 2013 and 2014.

For more of a global airline sector play, United Continental Holdings, Inc. (NYSE/UAL) is worth a look. The company formed from the merger of Continental Airlines and United Airlines in 2010.

United Continental offers around 5,446 flights daily to 370 airports on six continents.

Revenues are predicted to rise three percent to $38.3 billion this year, followed by $39.7 billion in 2014, up 3.9% year-over-year.

 

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Macau Is Hot For These Entertainment Stocks

Official Logo of Galaxy Macau

Official Logo of Galaxy Macau (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By George Leong, B.Comm. for Profit Confidential

Gambling is akin to trading, but with much more risk of failure. Everyone knows Las Vegas as the gambling capital of the United States, but Macau is hot and growing. Macau is designated a special administrative region of China, which means the area has the backing of the Chinese government for the purpose of casino development.

Attracted by abundant wealth and the appetite for risk and money in China and Asia, there has been a rapid move by the major casinos to establish and expand their presence on the island of Macau, China, which is the world’s largest gambling market, known in the gambling world as the “Monte Carlo of the Orient.”

I have visited this former Portuguese colony, which is located some 38 miles from Hong Kong, and there is an obvious push to build more high-end casinos, especially those integrated with hotel, retail, and casino operations. The market is primarily the China and Asia tourist market.

Much of the newer major development is along the Cotai strip in Macau, which will add to the original gambling establishments in the city.

The Cotai strip area is bustling with people armed with money to spend, and if the expansion plans are on target, it will inevitably make Vegas seem sedate in comparison.

In March, gross revenues in the Macau casino sector came in around $3.9 billion, up 25.4% year-over-year. (Source: Garlitos, K., “SLM Holdings Continue to Hold Top Revenue Spot in Macau,” CalvinAyre.com, April 3, 2013, last accessed May 9, 2013.)

The prospects for Macau, China are enormous; I’m betting on that, and so are some of the world’s largest casino operators.

Two of the major players expanding their presence in Macau are Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE/LVS) and China-based Galaxy Entertainment Group Limited (OTC/GXYEY).

In the first quarter, Las Vegas Sands attributed its strong growth in part to its expansion in Macau, where the company’s four Cotai strip properties attracted a record 14 million visitors. The company is a major player on the Cotai strip, which is attracting even more major players. The company’s subsidiary Sands China Ltd. reported a 39.3% year-over-year jump in net revenues to $2.0 billion in the first quarter, while earnings surged 63.3% year-over-year.

Speculating On Gambling    

But the company that I feel has excellent prospects is Galaxy Entertainment because of the fact that it’s an Asian-based company. The company is on an aggressive expansion path. Currently, it has two core properties—Galaxy Macau and StarWorld Hotel and Casino.

Galaxy Entertainment’s expansion plans are aggressive. The current development includes doubling the size of Galaxy Macau by the middle of 2015, and there are plans to launch Phase 3 and 4 at Galaxy Macau, to be completed between 2016 and 2018.

Two smaller casino players in the Macau China casino scene are Wynn Resorts, Limited (NASDAQ/WYNN) and MGM Resorts International (NYSE/MGM).

 

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NIKE How Five Hundred Bucks and a Handshake Created a Colossal Stock Market Winner

Footballshoes of the mark Nike.

Footballshoes of the mark Nike. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Mitchell Clark, B.Comm. for Profit Confidential

One company that always reports early is NIKE, Inc. (NYSE/NKE).

The company has doubled on the stock market since 2010, and it has more than tripled since 2006.

This kind of stock market performance really is amazing. In just three years, a $12.5-billion company has become a $25.0-billion company.From Oregon, Bill Bowerman and Phil Night created Blue Ribbon Sports with $500.00 each and a handshake. In January of 1964, Bowerman and Night ordered 300 pairs of Tiger brand shoes from Onitsuka Inc. of Kobe, Japan for distribution in the U.S. market. Night began selling the shoes out of his Plymouth “Reliant,” and Bowerman began tearing them apart.

Bowerman took an idea from his wife’s waffle iron and created a new running shoe.

Jeff Johnson (a friend and the company’s first employee) came up with the NIKE name in 1971. Shoes were successfully tested and Carolyn Davidson, a graphic design student at PortlandStateUniversity, created the “swoosh” logo. The company’s first shoes were sold at the U.S. Track & Field Trials held in Eugene, Oregon. The rest, as they say, is history.

As a stock market investment, NIKE has mostly been excellent. The position was flat between 1997 and 2004. The company signed Eldrick “Tiger” Woods in 1996. In its latest quarter (ended February 28), the company’s comparable sales grew nine percent to $6.2 billion, up solidly from $5.7 billion. Comparable earnings grew from $560 million to $866 million, for a gain of 55%, while earnings from continuing operations were $662 million, up 16% from $569 million.

Sales growth was strongest in North America (18%), followed by Central and Eastern Europe (16%), then Western Europe (8%). Western Europe’s growth is uncharacteristic compared to other earnings reports from many global brands. On February 1, 2013, NIKE sold its Cole Haan brand to Apax Partners for $570 million. The deal resulted in a gain on sale of $231 million. But on November 30, 2012, NIKE sold Umbro to Iconix Brand Group for $225 million. This resulted in a loss of $107 million, net of tax.

I consider NIKE to be fully valued on the stock market currently. With a price-to-earnings ratio of approximately 25, the company’s earnings growth combined with its dividend suggests it’s a little pricey.

NIKE is a shining example of how a business can still be very successful during tough times. Arguably, the position held up extremely well on the stock market through the financial crisis and the recession.

Wall Street estimates for the company have been going up for the next quarter, all of 2013, and all of 2014.

Realistically, I wouldn’t say the stock is a buy right now, simply because the stock market is at an all-time record high. It’s very difficult to consider new positions with the stock market sitting so high. I would say, however, that this company would be worthy of consideration for long-term investors if the stock were to experience a meaningful retrenchment. While a track record of success certainly cannot predict the future, NIKE’s demonstrated record of innovation and wealth creation still makes it a winner.

 

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Imperial Metals Corp

English: 100 million dollar note after operati...

English: 100 million dollar note after operation Sunrise. Issued 2nd May 2008. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

III : TSX : C$10.91
BUY 
Target: C$16.50

COMPANY DESCRIPTION:
Imperial Metals is a Canadian-based company with interests in two mature producing copper mines in British Columbia (Mount Polley [100%]; Huckleberry [50%]). More importantly, the future and value driver of the company resides in its 100% interest in the very large but undeveloped Red Chris copper-gold project in northwest BC, which is permitted and scheduled to enter production via an open-pit in late-2014.
All amounts in C$ unless otherwise noted
Q1/13 FINANCIALS IN LINE; STILL WAITING FOR RED CHRIS FINANCING
Event
Imperial Metals reported Q1/13 EPS of C$0.14, in line with both our forecast and consensus. We calculate adjusted (to include Huckleberry)
EBITDA of C$23 million vs. our forecast of C$25 million. The end-Q1 cash balance was just C$97,000 (excluding III’s C$12 million share of
the Huckleberry JV’s cash balance).
Impact
Our 2013-15E adjusted EBITDA forecasts (accounting for Huckleberry as an equity investment) are C$100 million, C$116 million, and C$330
million.
Action and valuation
We are maintaining our BUY recommendation, but decreasing our 12- month target price from C$17.00 to C$16.50, based on the average of: i)
10x our 2014E EV/EBITDA, which would imply a share price of C$10.55; and ii) our NPV10 estimate of C$22.13. Our NPV10 estimate of C$22.13 includes C$12.15 for Red Chris in-situ value.
Next potential catalyst and investment risks
Red Chris financing remains a key valuation risk, and in our view a potential catalyst for share price appreciation. Our current valuation assumptions are C$100 million of equity priced at C$10 per share, and new debt financing of $400 million at an interest rate of 10%. On this basis, we are forecasting an end-2014 cash balance of C$41 million

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Dick’s Sporting Goods

English: Tournament Logo

English: Tournament Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

DKS : NYSE : US$52.98
BUY 
Target: US$59.00

COMPANY DESCRIPTION:D

Dick’s Sporting Goods operates as a sporting goods retailer in the United States. It provides apparel, athletic shoes and accessories for sports. It also engages in ecommerce and catalog operations. Dick’s Sporting Goods was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Pennsylvania.

Investment recommendation


When DKS reports Q1 results on Tuesday, May 21, we are anticipating an in-line quarter (48c on 0% comp), which in our opinion would be a
welcomed result given the challenges it faced during Q1. To no surprise, unfavorable weather likely muted any potential upside, particularly in
golf and team sports/baseball. That said, we believe there were pockets of strength (e.g., guns/ammo, footwear, and apparel) that mitigated the
weaker categories. Looking to the balance of the year, we believe the opportunity to drive outsized comps improves as weather normalizes
and compares ease, while the fundamental long-term growth thesis stays intact. We reiterate our BUY.
Investment highlights
 We are looking for GG comps to be down mid-teens with DKS store comps flat. Golf and baseball/team sports faced tough comparisons from last year’s perfect Q1 weather and the bat replacement cycle. That said, we believe guns/ammo experienced a significant increase that we estimate added 1% to comp. Also, the UA/NKE/adidas shopin- shops should continue to drive strong sales gains.
 According to our industry checks, the competitive environment has remained rational as promotional activity has stayed in check. As such, we do not see risk to merchandise margins and commensurately we expect inventory levels to be clean.
Valuation
Our $59 PT is an average of 18x 2014E EPS estimate/9x EBITDA

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