Let's turn October into Rocktober.
I previously singled out seven bellwethers that analysts believe will post lower quarterly profits this week, but the outlook isn't entirely bleak. In fact, several companies are actually growing in this recessionary climate.
Since I was a Wall Street basher over the weekend, let me play the optimist this time around. Here are seven companies that analysts think will post healthier bottom lines this week:
|
Company
|
Latest Quarter EPS (Estimated)
|
Year-Ago Quarter EPS
|
|
Chattem (Nasdaq: CHTT)
|
$1.21
|
$1.12
|
|
Family Dollar (NYSE: FDO)
|
$0.41
|
$0.38
|
|
Helen of Troy (Nasdaq: HELE)
|
$0.39
|
$0.34
|
|
Monsanto (NYSE: MON)
|
$0.01
|
($0.03)
|
|
Ruby Tuesday (NYSE: RT)
|
$0.09
|
$0.01
|
|
Tortoise Capital
|
($0.01)
|
($0.04)
|
Source: Yahoo! Finance.
Clearing the table
Let's start at the top. Chattem makes many of the over-the-counter drugstore staples that are household names. Don't believe me? Never heard of Chattem? Crack open that medicine cabinet and tell me if you see Icy Hot, Gold Bond, or Aspercreme. If not, ask your parents or grandparents. Chattem makes products you'd expect people to keep buying, even in tough times.
Family Dollar operates more than 6,600 stores around the country. With consumers being careful about their discretionary income, Family Dollar's thrift havens are obvious winners during economic lulls.
Helen of Troy makes curling irons, hair dryers, and hot-air brushes under a wide range of licensed brands. It also dabbles in skin care, beauty, and household products. This is another sector with all-weather appeal. When an electric shaver conks out, going stubbly without a replacement simply isn't an option.
Agricultural giant Monsanto keeps farmlands growing. This steady business should continue to improve, as emerging nations develop their economies to become brisk consumers of harvested goods.
Ruby Tuesday is the one surprise here. Casual dining has seen better days as more consumers enjoy meals at home. Chains have to put out discounted meal offers to woo the hungry. The key here is that operators have learned to make the most of what they have. Rival Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI) posted a 15% improvement on the bottom line last week, even though its Red Lobster, Olive Garden, and LongHorn concepts combined for a 5.3% decline in comps for its latest quarter.
Tortoise Capital invests in obscure private companies that operate in the midstream and downstream segments of the energy infrastructure sector. Although slightly higher oil prices don't seem to be boosting the bottom lines of oil bigwigs like ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), analysts expect Tortoise to post a much narrower loss than it did a year earlier.
Cross those fingers, but know the fundamentals
There aren't too many companies reporting this week, so it's encouraging to see so many companies that are growing their bottom lines in this iffy environment.
This doesn't mean that investors can rest easy. The bad news is that these companies are expected to post improving results. The optimism is already baked into their share prices. That makes it easier for them to slip. But why begin worrying about the companies that we aren't supposed to be worrying about?
If analysts are doing a good job modeling their profit targets, we'll be just fine.
Some other reads to get you through the week:
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