Cost cuts boost Western Union’s earnings

WESTERN UNION CO. $18 (New York symbol WU; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 656.2 million; Market cap: $11.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.4; Dividend yield: 1.3%; WSSF Rating: Above Average) earned $0.38 a share in the three months ended September 30, 2010. That’s up… Read More

WESTERN UNION CO. $17 – New York symbol WU

WESTERN UNION CO. $17 (New York symbol WU; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 682.8 million; Market cap: $11.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.3; Dividend yield: 1.4%; WSSF Rating: Above Average) provides money-transfer and foreign-exchange services in over 200 countries.

The company recently completed a restructuring… Read More

Diversify your Finance-sector holdings

Non-bank financial companies, such as mutual-fund and insurance firms, are good ways to diversify your Finance-sector holdings. The six we analyze below are leaders in their niche markets. That cuts their risk. As well, their well-known brands will help them grow as the global economy… Read More

Purchase diversifies operations

WESTERN UNION CO. $17 (New York symbol WU; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 701.3 million; Market cap: $11.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.3; WSSF Rating: Above Average) will buy Custom House, Ltd., a Canadian company that provides business-to-business payment services to over 40,000 small-… Read More

Updating Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc., 3M, Western Union and Del Monte Foods Inc.

BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS INC. $19 (New York symbol BR; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 140.4 million; Market cap: $2.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; WSSF Rating: Extra Risk) sells investor communications, securities-processing and transaction-clearing services to the investment industry. The company has launched a.. Read More