Topic: Growth Stocks

Stock Pickers Digest Hotline – Friday, March 16, 2012

Article Excerpt

ALIMENTATION COUCHE-TARD, $31.94, symbol ATD.B on Toronto, reported sharply higher sales and earnings in the latest quarter. The company is the largest convenience store operator in Canada, with over 2,000 outlets. It also has nearly 3,700 U.S. stores. The Canadian stores operate under the Couche-Tard and Mac’s banners, while the U.S. stores mainly use the Circle K brand. In the three months ended January 29, 2012, Couche-Tard’s earnings rose 24.7% to $86.8 million from $69.6 million a year earlier (all figures except share price in U.S. dollars). Earnings per share rose 28.9%, to $0.49 from $0.38, on fewer shares outstanding. Sales rose 20.3% to $6.6 billion from $5.5 billion. The gains came from higher fuel prices, the stronger Canadian dollar and higher merchandise sales. (The company gets about 30% of its sales by selling merchandise.) Couche-Tard continues to introduce new products with higher profit margins, including new drinks and improved fresh and takeout food. The company raised its quarterly dividend by 20%, to $0.075 a..