There must have been a few RadioShack (NYSE:RSH) executives who were a bit nervous when the Los Angeles Lakers were talking about trading company pitchman Shaquille O'Neal recently. While the coupling of Kobe and Shaq won three NBA championships, the combination of The Shack and Shaq has strongly benefited a company in need of an identity. The Lakers made good on their promise by trading Shaq to the Miami Heat, but his move to sunny Miami has not diminished his star; indeed, it has only made it shine brighter.
Like its pitchman, RadioShack has developed some positive momentum of its own, judging by its second-quarter results. Its earnings of $0.42 a share were $0.03 ahead of analysts' expectations and $0.08 better than last year's number. With only 3% growth in net sales, the company is obviously doing a tremendous job of controlling its costs.
RadioShack expects the good times and tight cost controls to continue. Third-quarter earnings are expected to be $0.38 to $0.40 per share (from the previous estimate of $0.37), and the company has upped its full-year (2004) estimate from $2.02 a share to a range of $2.07 to $2.09.
What is staggering about RadioShack's expected earnings growth of 17% to 18% this year is that it is in stark contrast to the sleepy 1.2% average increases it has been producing over the past five years. The company's CEO, Leonard Roberts, has awoken this electronics retailer the way Shaq has reinvigorated Miami Heat season ticket sales.
I used to view RadioShack as a store to get any television, video, or stereo supplies such as cables or switches (I'm sure I'm not alone in this view). The company has moved into the 21st century by securing relationships with Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ) for computers; Alltel, Sprint PCS (NYSE:PCS), SBC's (NYSE:SBC) Cingular, and Verizon (NYSE:VZ) for wireless phones; DISH Network (NASDAQ:DISH) for satellite television; and Sirius (NASDAQ:SIRI) for satellite radio.
The investment community responded very favorably to RadioShack's news today, sending shares up 8% to around $29. With the company's earnings growth rate solidly in double digits over the next few years, combined with a modest dividend yield of 0.85%, RadioShack shares are attractive here for investors looking for a total return.
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Fool contributor Phil Wohl spent over 12 years on Wall Street and now concentrates his writing on more fictional characters. He has no stake in any firm mentioned above.
