New name & outlook

Article Excerpt

GEN DIGITAL INC., $22.99, is a buy. The company (Nasdaq symbol GEN; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (www.nortonlifelock.com; Shares o/s: 661.0 million; Market cap: $15.3 billion; Divd. yield 2.2%) has changed its name from NortonLifeLock. Gen will now act as the parent company for several security-related brands including Norton, LifeLock, and Avast, in addition to Avira, AVG, and CCleaner, which were obtained in previous acquisitions. On September 12, 2022, then NortonLifeLock completed its acquisition of European cybersecurity firm Avast plc for $8.1 billion. Avast, which is based in Prague but traded on the London Stock Exchange, primarily makes both free and premium security software for consumers such as desktop security, server and mobile-device protection. Growth by acquisition adds risk, especially with a purchase as big as Avast. However, demand for cybersecurity is now booming; and Avast is very complementary to the company’s existing offerings and customer base. Gen Digital is a buy. buy…