Topic: Growth Stocks

Aggressive portfolio: Aastra Technologies’ earnings rise on lower costs

Aastra Technologies, symbol AAH on Toronto, develops and markets products and systems for accessing communication networks, including the Internet. Its technology is centred around business telephone systems, and includes products that integrate land lines and mobile phones.

Aastra is one of the companies we analyze in Stock Pickers Digest, our newsletter that recommends stocks that may be appropriate for your aggressive portfolio.

In the three months ended June 30, 2011, Aastra’s sales rose 2.2%, to $174.1 million from $170.3 million a year earlier. That’s mainly because the euro and Swiss franc rose against the Canadian dollar (the company gets three-quarters of its sales from Europe.)

Earnings rose 18.3%, to $6.1 million, or $0.43 a share. A year earlier, it earned $5.1 million, or $0.37 a share. The improved earnings are largely the result of lower research and development costs.

The company holds cash of $77.5 million, or $5.50 a share, and has no long-term debt.

Aastra is a dividend paying stock. The shares yield 4.1%.

We updated our advice on Aastra and four other aggressive portfolio stocks in our July 22, 2011, Stock Pickers Digest hotline, which you can immediately view when you take a 1-month free trial to Stock Pickers Digest. Click here to get started right away.

(Note: If you are a current Stock Pickers Digest subscriber, please click here to view Pat’s recommendation. Be sure to log in first.)

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