Updating C.R. BARD INC., SYSCO CORP. and QUAKER CHEMICAL CORP.

Article Excerpt

C.R. BARD INC. $78 (New York symbol BCR; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 95.1 million; Market cap: $7.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.9; Dividend yield: 0.9%; WSSF Rating: Above Average) is seeing rising demand for its medical devices, particularly in emerging markets. The higher demand helped push up Bard’s earnings by 7.9% in the three months ended June 30, 2010, to $134.0 million from $124.2 million a year earlier. Earnings per share rose 13.0%, to $1.39 from $1.23, on fewer shares outstanding. These figures exclude unusual items, including a writedown of funds that Bard is owed by Greek public hospitals. Sales rose 7.9%, to $673.9 million from $624.6 million. The company has completed its $200-million purchase of California-based SenoRx Inc., which makes devices that help diagnose and treat breast cancer. The cost of integrating SenoRx will probably lower Bard’s 2010 earnings by $0.03 to $0.06 a share. However, SenoRx will add around $56 million to Bard’s annual revenue, and the…