Big jump for Torstar

Article Excerpt

TORSTAR CORP. $7.77 (Toronto symbol TS.B; Shares outstanding: 78.9 million; Market cap: $613.1 million; SI Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 4.8%) rose a total of 24.3% in two days in the first week of March after it reported greatly improved results. In 2009, Torstar earned $35.6 million, or $0.45 a share. That’s a big improvement over the $158.7 million, or $2.01 a share, that it lost in 2008. However, the 2008 results included a $136.9-million writedown of Torstar’s 20% stake in CTVglobemedia, which owns the CTV television network, several specialty-TV channels and The Globe and Mail. If you exclude all unusual items, per-share earnings would have fallen 4.3%, to $0.66 from $0.69. Still, that beat the consensus earnings estimate of $0.64 a share. The improving economy is increasing advertising revenue at Torstar’s newspapers. As well, the company continues to enjoy the benefits of an aggressive cost-cutting plan, which included layoffs and plant closures. These moves will cut Torstar’s annual costs by $58.2 million by…