Topic: Growth Stocks

Autodesk Inc. $44 – Nasdaq symbol ADSK

AUTODESK INC. $44 (Nasdaq symbol ADSK; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 231.2 million; Market cap: $10.2 billion; WSSF Rating: Average) makes software that engineers and architects use to design machinery and buildings.

The company has completed its review of its stock option plan, which cut its pre-tax earnings by an aggregate of $34.8 million from January 1988 to August 2006. It is now up-to-date with its financial reporting.

In its first fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2007, Autodesk earned $0.34 a share (total $83.3 million), up 70.0% from $0.20 a share ($48.5 million) a year earlier. If you disregard unusual items, it would have earned $0.44 a share in the latest quarter. Revenue rose 16.7%, to $508.6 million from $436.0 million.

Demand remains strong for Autodesk’s products, particularly its new 3-D modelling software. But at 27.2 times the $1.62 a share it will probably earn in fiscal 2008, the stock is expensive in relation to immediate prospects.

Autodesk is a hold.

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