Things aren't always pretty out there.
Even when something applause-worthy happens -- like when global markets rallied after the eurozone crisis caught a break last week -- it's eventually dismissed as a temporary fix.
I recently went over some of the companies posting lower quarterly profits and hosing down their near-term outlooks.
Thankfully, they're the exceptions and not the rule. Let's go over some publicly traded companies that are expected to stand tall this week by posting year-over-year improvement on the bottom line.
|
Company
|
Latest Quarter EPS (estimated)
|
Year-Ago Quarter EPS
|
My
Watchlist
|
| American Tower (NYSE: AMT ) |
$0.25 |
$0.23 |
Add |
| OpenTable (Nasdaq: OPEN ) |
$0.30 |
$0.23 |
Add |
| Sirius XM Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI ) |
$0.01 |
$0.00 |
Add |
| Clearwire (Nasdaq: CLWR ) |
($0.40) |
($0.58) |
Add |
| Qualcomm (Nasdaq: QCOM ) |
$0.78 |
$0.68 |
Add |
| Whole Foods Market (Nasdaq: WFM ) |
$0.41 |
$0.33 |
Add |
| Cedar Fair (NYSE: FUN ) |
$2.75 |
$1.36 |
Add |
Source: Thomson Reuters.
Clearing the table
Let's start at the top with American Tower.
The country's largest player in radio towers leases out its antenna space to wireless carriers as well as radio and television broadcasters. Most of its recent growth has come from the booming popularity in smartphones, though sector consolidation among wireless carriers may sting when it comes to redundancies.
OpenTable works both ends of the dining out experience. It arms restaurateurs with an electronic reservations book that seamlessly blends Web-based ressies with call-in requests. OpenTable then uses its namesake website and popular app to seat hungry foodies with reliable reservations. There have been cynics, valuation concerns, and minor competitive threats, but at the end of the day OpenTable continues to grow at too heady a clip to ignore.
Sirius XM is looking good as it gets ready to report tomorrow morning. Subscriber and revenue growth are areas of concern, but the rest of its income statement continues to improve. A credit rating upgrade last week was just a cherry on top.
Clearwire is the WiMAX champ that recently inked a "nonbinding cooperation" agreement with its only major wireless carrier backer. Clearwire's long-term viability is a question mark, but at least it's looking at a narrower deficit this time around.
Qualcomm is the patent-rich company behind the CDMA digital wireless smartphone standard. Investors have to go back more than two years to find the last time that Qualcomm didn't deliver year-over-year growth on the bottom line.
Whole Foods is the country's largest organic grocer. Same-store sales have been consistently positive since the recession officially came to an end. The upscale supermarket chain may be susceptible if slow economic recovery is derailed, but things aren't that bad -- yet.
Finally, we have Cedar Fair ready to give its investors a quarterly ride on its financials. The months of July, August, and September are the seasonally strongest period for the regional amusement park operator. Most of its parks are now closing for the season after Halloween festivities, so this past quarter's growing profitability -- more than doubling, according to analysts -- will be it until next year.
Cross those fingers, but know the fundamentals
Investors in these seven stocks have a right to be excited. They are all improving their financial situations. They are worthy of the gains that the market rally has bestowed upon them over the past year.
I wouldn't be uncomfortable owning any of these companies. They're doing the right thing, regardless of Mr. Market's mood swings.
The expectations may be high, but these seven stocks wouldn't have it any other way.
Are you a buyer or a seller of stocks these days? Share your strategy in the comment box below.
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