Topic: Growth Stocks

FIRSTSERVICE CORP. $59.35 – Toronto symbol FSV

FIRSTSERVICE CORP. $59.35 (Toronto symbol FSV; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (416-960-9500; www.firstservice.com; Shares outstanding: 36.6 million; Market cap: $2.1 billion; Dividend yield: 0.7%) serves the following areas of the real estate market: commercial real estate, residential property management and property improvement. The company has more than 24,000 employees worldwide.

In the quarter ended June 30, 2014, FirstService’s revenue rose 14.7%, to $660.7 million from $576.1 million a year earlier (all figures except share prices in U.S. dollars). Excluding one-time items, earnings per share were $0.74, up 29.8% from $0.57.

Revenue rose at all three of FirstService’s divisions: Colliers International (commercial real estate), up 22%; FirstService Residential (residential property management), up 9%; and FirstService Brands (property services), up 12%. FirstService Brands operates Paul Davis Restoration, California Closets and CertaPro Painters.

FirstService continues to grow by acquisition. Its latest purchase is Australia-based Mackenzie Hall Ltd., which manages 45 shopping centres across that country’s east coast.

The stock needs a continued recovery in global real estate markets to keep rising. Meanwhile, it trades at 21.3 times the $2.79 a share the company will likely earn this year.

FirstService is a hold.

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