Updating Stanley Black & Decker Inc., Ameren Corp., General Electric Co. and Buckeye Partners L.P.

Article Excerpt

STANLEY BLACK & DECKER INC. $136 (www.stanleyblackanddecker.com) is one of the world’s largest makers of tools for consumers. It also manufactures specialized tools for auto mechanics and construction firms. The company earned $1.29 a share in the first quarter of 2017, up 0.8% from $1.28 a year earlier. Sales rose 5.0%, to $2.8 billion from $2.7 billion. Stanley continues to use acquisitions to expand, including its recent purchase of the hand-tool business of Newell Brands (see page 51). That will help the company meet its goal of expanding its annual sales to $22 billion by 2022. Stanley has a strong history of integrating new businesses and improving their profitability, and that cuts the risk of expanding by acquisition. Buy. AMEREN CORP. $56 (www.ameren.com) provides power and natural gas to 3.3 million clients in Illinois and Missouri. In the three months ended March 31, 2017, the company’s earnings per share fell 2.3%, to $0.42 from $0.43 a year earlier. That’s mainly because…