Updating Stanley Black & Decker Inc., ConAgra Foods Inc. and Frontier Communications Corp.

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STANLEY BLACK & DECKER INC. $94 (New York symbol SWK; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 156.7 million; Market cap: $14.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.3; Dividend yield: 2.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.stanleyblack anddecker.com) earned $249.1 million in the third quarter of 2014, up 12.7% from $221.1 million a year earlier. Earnings per share rose 11.5% to $1.55 from $1.39, on more shares outstanding. Sales gained 5.2%, to $2.9 billion from $2.8 billion, as Stanley released new tools for consumers and industrial users. It also raised its prices. That offset lower sales of building-security systems, particularly in Europe, and the negative impact of currency exchange rates. Stanley Black & Decker is a buy. CONAGRA FOODS INC. $37 (New York symbol CAG; Income Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 424.5 million; Market cap: $15.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.9; Dividend yield: 2.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.conagrafoods .com) owns 50% of a plant in the Netherlands that makes frozen…