LONDON -- After offering my�pick of our telecom companies�last week, today I'm turning my attention to the FTSE 100 Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology sector. This time there are three companies that make the top flight --�GlaxoSmithKline� (LSE: GSK ) (NYSE: GSK ) ,�AstraZeneca� (LSE: AZN ) (NYSE: AZN ) and�Shire� (LSE: SHP ) .
I'll start with a few fundamentals:
| Market cap | 76.9 billion pounds | 41.5�billion pounds | 10.9�billion pounds |
| Share price | 1,576 pence | 3,308�pence | 1,992�pence |
| Share price growth | 13% | 19% | -1.3% |
| Historic EPS growth | -1% | -12% | -14% |
| Forward EPS growth | 2% | -18% | 68% |
| Historic P/E | 11.8 | 7.0 | 21.6 |
| Forward P/E | 13.5 | 9.6 | 13.3 |
| Historic Dividend | 5.5% | 6.3% | 0.6% |
| Historic Cover | 1.5x | 2.3x | 7.7x |
| Forward Dividend | 5.1% | 5.5% | 0.6% |
| Forward Cover | 1.5x | 1.9x | 11.8x |
Share price growth is over the past 12 months, historic figures are for December 2012, forward figures are based on December 2013 forecasts.
Best Telecom Companies To Watch In Right Now: United States Cellular Corporation(USM)
United States Cellular Corporation operates as a wireless telecommunications service provider in the United States. The company offers wireless voice and data services to retail consumer and business customers. It provides wireless services in postpaid service plans with voice, messaging, and data services; and prepaid service plans with minutes, messaging, and data services for a monthly fee. The company also offers various additional features, including caller ID blocking, call forwarding, voicemail, call waiting, and three-way calling; and data usage features consisting of Web browsing, email services, instant messaging, text messaging, and picture and video messaging. As of December 31, 2010, it provided wireless voice and data services to 6.1 million customers in 26 states. In addition, the company operates retail stores that sell a range of wireless devices, including handsets, modems, and tablets, as well as accessories, such as carrying cases, hands-free devices, b atteries, battery chargers, memory cards, and other items to consumers and small businesses. Further, it sells wireless devices to agents and other third-party distributors for resale; operates service facilities that provide servicing and repair for wireless devices; and enables customers to activate service and purchase wireless devices online. The company?s business customers include small-to-mid-size businesses in various industries, including construction, retail, professional services, and real estate. It offers its products and services through retail sales and service centers, direct sales, and independent agents. The company was founded in 1983 and is based in Chicago, Illinois. United States Cellular Corporation is a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc.
Best Telecom Companies To Watch In Right Now: Partner Communications Company Ltd.(PTNR)
Partner Communications Company Ltd. provides various telecommunications services in Israel. It offers cellular telephony services on GSM/GPRS and UMTS/HSDPA networks. The company also provides basic services, including domestic mobile calls, international dialing, roaming, voice mail, short message services, intelligent network services, content based on its cellular portal, data and fax transmission, and other services. In addition, it offers Internet services provider services that provides access to the Internet, as well as home WiFi networks; value added services, such as anti-virus and anti-spam filtering; and transmission services; and Web video on demand services, music tracks, and games. Further, the company provides voice over broadband and primary rate interface fixed-line telephone services; and data capacity services. Additionally, it offers content services comprising voice mail, text, and multimedia messaging, as well as downloadable wireless data application s, including ring tones, music, games, and other informational content; and sells handsets, phones, routers, and related equipment. The company markets its products through its sales centers, business sales representatives, traditional networks of specialized dealers, and non-traditional networks of retail chains and stores under the Orange brand name. Partner Communications Company Ltd. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Rosh Ha-ayin, Israel.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chris Stuart]
Partner Communications(PTNR) is Israel's second-largest wireless operator, but is facing fierce competition in the industry. Recent regulatory changes in the cellular market are also a major headwind for the company. The government has implemented a massive 76% cut in interconnection fees (the charges by mobile-phone operators when connecting users between networks) and lower exit penalties. The company has warned that free cash flow will likely be significantly hurt over coming quarters.
So what's there to like here? Israeli analysts at Bank Leumi believe the selloff has been overdone, saying "the market has overshot to the downside by pricing in an unreasonably pessimistic outcome to the changes in the industry."
The stock currently pays a 7.3% dividend, but that could change, given the downward pressure on cash flow. Consider this a high-risk, high-reward investment. TheStreet Ratings has a $19 price target on Partner Communications.
- [By Kevin1977]
Partner Communications Company is a mobile phone operator in Israel and its GSM network covers over 98% of Israel's population. It has also diversified its services to offer roaming, voice mail, voice messaging, color picture messaging, ringtone and game downloads, information services, and general packet radio services (GPRS) to customers as well as smartphones that run on its 3G network. Its stock is currently trading at 8.86 times earnings and sports a trendy 11.47% dividend yield. The company has a market cap of $2.96 billion & its shares are traded as American depositary receipt (ADR) on the Nasdaq stock exchange.
Top 10 Tech Companies For 2014: CalAmp Corp (CAMP)
CalAmp Corp. (CalAmp) develops and markets wireless technology solutions that deliver data, voice and video for critical networked communications and other applications. The Company has two business segments: Wireless DataCom, which serves commercial, industrial and government customers, and Satellite, which focuses on the North American Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) market. In May 2012, CalAmp Corp announced that it has entered into a five-year supply agreement to provide fleet tracking products to Navman Wireless. As part of the transaction, CalAmp has acquired certain products and technologies from Navman Wireless and established a research and development center in Auckland, New Zealand. The assets acquired by CalAmp include technology for Mobile Display Terminals (MDT) and an MDT product line marketed to telematics original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) globally. In March 2013, it completed the acquisition of the operations of Wireless Matrix Corporation.
Wireless DataCom
The Wireless DataCom segment provides wireless technology, products and services for industrial Machine-to-Machine (M2M) and Mobile Resource Management (MRM) market segments for a range of applications, including optimizing and automating electricity distribution and ancillary utility functions; facilitating communication and coordination among emergency first-responders; increasing productivity and optimizing activities of mobile workforces; improving management control over valuable remote and mobile assets, and enabling emerging applications in a wirelessly connected world.
The Company's Wireless DataCom segment is comprised of a Wireless Networks business and an MRM business. CalAmp's Wireless Networks business provides products, systems and services to industrial, utility, energy and transportation enterprises and state and local governmental entities for deployment where the ability to communicate with mobile personnel or to command and control remote assets is crucial. Utilities! , oil and gas, mining, railroad and security companies rely on CalAmp products for wireless data communications to and from outlying locations, permitting real-time monitoring, activation and control of remote equipment. Applications include remotely measuring freshwater and wastewater flows, pipeline flow monitoring for oil and gas transport, automated utility meter reading, remote Internet access and perimeter monitoring. CalAmp is among the leaders in the application of wireless communications technology to Smart Grid power distribution automation for electric utilities.
MRM wireless solutions include global positioning system (GPS) location, cellular data modems and programmable events-based notification firmware as key components, allowing customers to know where and how their assets are performing, no matter where those mobile assets are located. Commercial organizations, vehicle finance providers, city and county governments, and a range of other enterprises rely on CalAmp products and systems to optimize delivery of services and protect valuable assets. Applications include fleet management, asset tracking, student and school bus tracking and route optimization, stolen vehicle recovery, remote asset security, remote vehicle start, and machine-to-machine communications. In addition to functioning as an OEM supplier of location and communications hardware for MRM applications, CalAmp is a total solutions provider of turn-key systems incorporating location and communications hardware, cellular airtime and Web-based remote asset management tools and interfaces.
The Company competes with Motorola Solutions, GE-MDS, Freewave, Sierra Wireless, GenX, Spireon, Novatel Wireless-Enfora and Xirgo.
Satellite
The Satellite segment develops, manufactures and sells DBS outdoor customer premise equipment and whole home video networking devices for digital and high definition satellite television (TV) reception. CalAmp's satellite products are sold primarily to ! EchoStar,! an affiliate of Dish Network.
The Company's DBS reception products are installed at subscriber premises to receive television programming signals transmitted from orbiting satellites. These DBS reception products consist principally of outdoor electronics that receive, process, amplify and switch satellite television signals for distribution over coaxial cable to multiple set-top boxes inside the home that can acquire, recognize and process the signal to create a picture.
The Company competes with Sharp, Wistron NeWeb Corporation, Microelectronics Technology, Pro Brand and Global Invacom.
Best Telecom Companies To Watch In Right Now: Verizon Communications Inc.(VZ)
Verizon Communications Inc. provides communication services. The company operates through two segments, Domestic Wireless and Wireline. The Domestic Wireless segment offers wireless voice and data services; and sells equipment in the United States. The Wireline segment provides voice, Internet access, broadband video and data, Internet protocol network, network access, long distance, and other services in the United States and internationally. The company serves consumer, business, and government customers, as well as carriers. As of December 31, 2010, its network covered a population of approximately 292 million and provided service to a customer base of approximately 94.1 million. The company was formerly known as Bell Atlantic Corporation and changed its name to Verizon Communications Inc. in June 2000. Verizon Communications Inc. was founded in 1983 and is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jim Cramer,TheStreet]
This is the year for Verizon Communications (VZ). The iPhone is coming in the first quarter, which will lead to a growth spurt.
The FIOS buildout is largely paid for, and now the company can reap the benefits. The company's half-owned portion of Verizon Wireless will be paying hefty dividends in 2011, and I think we will get a nice dividend boost.
We're talking about $40 being reasonable, if conservative, giving this stock one of the best risk-reward profiles we've got in the Dow, or the S&P 500, for that matter.
CEO Ivan Seidenberg has done a remarkable job turning this staid company into a growth vehicle with a nice dividend. It will be a core holding for many mutual funds.
- [By Brian Gorban]
Telecommunications giants Verizon (NYSE: VZ) and AT&T (NYSE: T) are ubiquitous and very well-respected companies that benefit from some compelling competitive advantages. Having well over $110 billion in annual revenue allows both of these firms to benefit from economies of scale, much like Coca-Cola, while each have well over 100 million wireless subscribers giving them a huge advantage of their distant number three competitor, Sprint, which has approximately 55 million. Perhaps most importantly, management has been very kind in rewarding shareholders through billions in share buybacks and current dividend yields at approximately 5%, well ahead of the average 2% Fortune 500 company. Moreover, with the Nokia Lumia 920 smartphone being received comparatively well by the general public and helping improve margins for both companies as these have less costly subsidies than the more expensive Apple iPhone, expect earnings to improve further in the upcoming quarter. Both of these companies are sitting approximately 10% from their highs, while their fundamentals have only improved, so I think these are two solid dividend companies for the long-term income investor to consider adding to their portfolio.
I’d like to also say I appreciate you reading my thoughts and reiterate that these are just the views of the blogger and should not serve as a substitute for any professional financial advice or counsel in general. Respectful comments and questions are always welcome below on the comment board.
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