For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – June 15, 2012 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Digital Realty Trust Inc. (
DLR
- Snapshot Report
)
, MPG Office Trust Inc. (
MPG
- Snapshot Report
)
, Sonoco Products Co. (
SON
- Analyst Report
)
, Bemis Company, Inc. (
BMS
- Analyst Report
)
andRock-Tenn Co. (
RKT
- Snapshot Report
)
.
Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513
Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:
Digital Realty Leases in Dallas
Digital Realty Trust Inc. (
DLR
- Snapshot Report
)
, a niche real estate investment trust (REIT), recently signed a new agreement with DataBank Holdings, Ltd. to lease its datacenter facility in Dallas for an undisclosed amount.
The first phase of the four-phased construction process is scheduled to come online in the fourth quarter of 2012. The stand-alone datacenter in Digital Realty's Datacenter Park Dallas facility would have dedicated power delivery via dual 10MW utility feeds.
Digital Realty operates datacenters and digital storage facilities, which are primarily used by telecommunication companies to maintain their Internet presence or augment their data networks. Datacenters usually incur high costs for building and maintenance, and as such supply is relatively inelastic.
Digital Realty provides flexible and cost effective datacenter facilities to a wide range of customers, including domestic and international companies across multiple industry verticals. Its portfolio includes 103 properties throughout Europe, North America, Singapore, and Australia, spanning approximately 19.7 million square feet of space (including 2.3 million square feet of redevelopment space).
With demand for digital storage facilities increasing in recent years, Digital Realty has benefited greatly by negotiating favorable lease terms and maintaining strong occupancy rates. The long-term lease agreements have also insulated the company from short-term volatility and unfavorable market swings experienced during the recession. This has enabled Digital Realty to continue paying out solid dividends to its shareholders.
We have a Neutral recommendation for Digital Realty, which currently has a Zacks #3 Rank, translating into a short-term Hold rating. However, we have an Outperform recommendation and a Zacks #1 Rank (short-term Strong Buy rating) for MPG Office Trust Inc. (
MPG
- Snapshot Report
)
, one of the competitors of Digital Realty.
Neutral on Sunoco
We maintain our Neutral recommendation on Sonoco Products Co. (
SON
- Analyst Report
)
, a global manufacturer of consumer and industrial packaging products.
Sonoco’s first-quarter 2012 adjusted earnings per share decreased 9.6% to 52 cents. Net sales increased 8.5% to $1.21 billion. Both were ahead of Zacks Consensus Estimates.
Sonoco aims to grow sales to between $5.5 billion and $6 billion over the next three to four years, improve margins to 10% to 10.5% and increase return on net assets employed to 12.5%. Growth drivers continue to be organic sales growth, geographic expansion and strategic acquisitions.
Sonoco’s recent acquisition of Tegrant, a leading provider of highly engineered protective, temperature-assured and retail security packaging solutions, is the largest in the company’s history. The $550 million deal will position Sonoco as the leader in multimaterial protective packaging in North America. The combined entity is estimated to generate sales of approximately $5 billion in 2012 and Sonoco estimates synergies of $12 million. Future acquisitions are targeted to add up to $500 million more in annual sales.
Sonoco’s target is to be the global leader in customer-preferred, low-cost packaging solutions within targeted customer market segments. Due to the cost-competitive nature of its businesses, Sonoco regularly evaluates its cost structure. During 2011, Sonoco announced closures of a flexible packaging facility in Canada, a thermoformed plastic packaging facility in Canada, a tube and core facility in France, and a fulfillment service center and a point-of-purchase display manufacturing facility in the United States. In addition, the company divested two small businesses, a plastics operation in Brazil and a tubes and cores operation in the United States, and realigned its fixed cost structure.
Sonoco has hiked its quarterly dividend from 29 cents to 30 cents a share or $1.20 per share annually, representing a yield of around 3.7%. The company's objective is to deliver average annual double-digit returns to shareholders over time. Sonoco thus focuses on three major areas – driving profitable sales growth, improving margins and leveraging its strong cash flow and financial position.
However, on the flipside, volatile raw material prices and uncertainty among its customers, given the slow recovery in the domestic market and ongoing European weakness, remain headwinds for the company in fiscal 2012.
Furthermore, given the magnitude of the Sonoco and Tegrant merger, integration risks continue to be a challenge. In addition, Sonoco’s failure to realize synergies from the acquisition could negatively impact the company’s earnings.
We thus have a long-term Neutral recommendation on Sonoco. However, in the near term, the stock retains a Zacks #2 Rank (short-term Buy rating).
Sonoco has 349 operations in 34 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. The company now reports its financial results in four reportable segments: Consumer Packaging, Paper and Industrial Converted Products, Packaging Services and Protective Packaging. It competes with the likes of Bemis Company, Inc. (
BMS
- Analyst Report
)
andRock-Tenn Co. (
RKT
- Snapshot Report
)
.
Want more from Zacks Equity Research? Subscribe to the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5515.
About Zacks Equity Research
Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.
Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.
Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5517
About Zacks
Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leon Zacks. As a PhD from MIT Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.
Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/zacksresearch
Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts
Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.
Media Contact
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800-767-3771 ext. 9339
support@zacks.com
http://www.zacks.com
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For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – June 15, 2012 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include Digital Realty Trust Inc. ( DLR - Snapshot Report ) , MPG Office Trust Inc. ( MPG - Snapshot Report ) , Sonoco Products Co. ( SON - Analyst Report ) , Bemis Company, Inc. ( BMS - Analyst Report ) andRock-Tenn Co. ( RKT - Snapshot Report ) .
Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513
Here are highlights from Thursday’s Analyst Blog:
Digital Realty Leases in Dallas
Digital Realty Trust Inc. ( DLR - Snapshot Report ) , a niche real estate investment trust (REIT), recently signed a new agreement with DataBank Holdings, Ltd. to lease its datacenter facility in Dallas for an undisclosed amount.
The first phase of the four-phased construction process is scheduled to come online in the fourth quarter of 2012. The stand-alone datacenter in Digital Realty's Datacenter Park Dallas facility would have dedicated power delivery via dual 10MW utility feeds.
Digital Realty operates datacenters and digital storage facilities, which are primarily used by telecommunication companies to maintain their Internet presence or augment their data networks. Datacenters usually incur high costs for building and maintenance, and as such supply is relatively inelastic.
Digital Realty provides flexible and cost effective datacenter facilities to a wide range of customers, including domestic and international companies across multiple industry verticals. Its portfolio includes 103 properties throughout Europe, North America, Singapore, and Australia, spanning approximately 19.7 million square feet of space (including 2.3 million square feet of redevelopment space).
With demand for digital storage facilities increasing in recent years, Digital Realty has benefited greatly by negotiating favorable lease terms and maintaining strong occupancy rates. The long-term lease agreements have also insulated the company from short-term volatility and unfavorable market swings experienced during the recession. This has enabled Digital Realty to continue paying out solid dividends to its shareholders.
We have a Neutral recommendation for Digital Realty, which currently has a Zacks #3 Rank, translating into a short-term Hold rating. However, we have an Outperform recommendation and a Zacks #1 Rank (short-term Strong Buy rating) for MPG Office Trust Inc. ( MPG - Snapshot Report ) , one of the competitors of Digital Realty.
Neutral on Sunoco
We maintain our Neutral recommendation on Sonoco Products Co. ( SON - Analyst Report ) , a global manufacturer of consumer and industrial packaging products.
Sonoco’s first-quarter 2012 adjusted earnings per share decreased 9.6% to 52 cents. Net sales increased 8.5% to $1.21 billion. Both were ahead of Zacks Consensus Estimates.
Sonoco aims to grow sales to between $5.5 billion and $6 billion over the next three to four years, improve margins to 10% to 10.5% and increase return on net assets employed to 12.5%. Growth drivers continue to be organic sales growth, geographic expansion and strategic acquisitions.
Sonoco’s recent acquisition of Tegrant, a leading provider of highly engineered protective, temperature-assured and retail security packaging solutions, is the largest in the company’s history. The $550 million deal will position Sonoco as the leader in multimaterial protective packaging in North America. The combined entity is estimated to generate sales of approximately $5 billion in 2012 and Sonoco estimates synergies of $12 million. Future acquisitions are targeted to add up to $500 million more in annual sales.
Sonoco’s target is to be the global leader in customer-preferred, low-cost packaging solutions within targeted customer market segments. Due to the cost-competitive nature of its businesses, Sonoco regularly evaluates its cost structure. During 2011, Sonoco announced closures of a flexible packaging facility in Canada, a thermoformed plastic packaging facility in Canada, a tube and core facility in France, and a fulfillment service center and a point-of-purchase display manufacturing facility in the United States. In addition, the company divested two small businesses, a plastics operation in Brazil and a tubes and cores operation in the United States, and realigned its fixed cost structure.
Sonoco has hiked its quarterly dividend from 29 cents to 30 cents a share or $1.20 per share annually, representing a yield of around 3.7%. The company's objective is to deliver average annual double-digit returns to shareholders over time. Sonoco thus focuses on three major areas – driving profitable sales growth, improving margins and leveraging its strong cash flow and financial position.
However, on the flipside, volatile raw material prices and uncertainty among its customers, given the slow recovery in the domestic market and ongoing European weakness, remain headwinds for the company in fiscal 2012.
Furthermore, given the magnitude of the Sonoco and Tegrant merger, integration risks continue to be a challenge. In addition, Sonoco’s failure to realize synergies from the acquisition could negatively impact the company’s earnings.
We thus have a long-term Neutral recommendation on Sonoco. However, in the near term, the stock retains a Zacks #2 Rank (short-term Buy rating).
Sonoco has 349 operations in 34 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. The company now reports its financial results in four reportable segments: Consumer Packaging, Paper and Industrial Converted Products, Packaging Services and Protective Packaging. It competes with the likes of Bemis Company, Inc. ( BMS - Analyst Report ) andRock-Tenn Co. ( RKT - Snapshot Report ) .
Want more from Zacks Equity Research? Subscribe to the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5515.
About Zacks Equity Research
Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.
Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.
Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5517
About Zacks
Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leon Zacks. As a PhD from MIT Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=5518.
Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/zacksresearch
Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts
Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.
Media Contact
Zacks Investment Research
800-767-3771 ext. 9339
support@zacks.com
http://www.zacks.com
Read the full reports :
Snapshot Report on DLR
Snapshot Report on MPG
Analyst Report on SON
Analyst Report on BMS
Snapshot Report on RKT