Sale of Headset Division Improves Outlook

Article Excerpt

GENNUM CORP. $10 (Toronto symbol GND; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 35.8 million; Market cap: $358.0 million; SI Rating: Above average) has agreed to sell its struggling consumer headset product business to Swedish-based CellPoint Connect. Gennum will receive cash and CellPoint stock worth $2.3 million, plus a chance to earn an extra $1 million based on future sales. To put that in context, Gennum earned $0.9 million or $0.03 a share before writedowns in the three months ended April 30, 2007. The sale will let Gennum focus on its more profitable video and data communications operations. The company specializes in high-end equipment, so these businesses face less competition than the consumer headset division. Gennum spends a high 30% of its revenue of $4.09 a share on research, which has helped cut the time needed to develop and test new products. It’s still debt free with $1.14 a share in cash. Gennum is a buy for aggressive investors. investors…