Topic: How To Invest

Pat: Can I have your recommendation on a stock I hold: Verifone Systems? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

VeriFone Systems Inc., $52.77, symbol PAY on New York (Shares outstanding: 106.7 million; Market cap: $5.6 billion; www.verifone.com), manufactures and develops technology that makes electronic payments faster and more secure. The company makes many different kinds of point-of-sale equipment, including cash registers, card and cheque readers, and receipt printers. VeriFone also makes software that manages online transactions. Seventy per cent of the top 200 retailers in the U.S., including Wal-Mart, Macy’s, Safeway and Whole Foods, use VeriFone’s products. The company also has a number of clients beyond retailers, including banks and government agencies. VeriFone began operating in 1981. It first sold shares to the public on May 4, 2005, for $10.00 each. The company gets about 75% of its revenue by selling hardware. The remaining 25% comes from software support, installation, maintenance and other related services. VeriFone is using acquisitions to expand internationally; it now gets 72% of its revenue from outside North America. At the same time, the company continues to build its…