Retirement Update
- Article Tools
- Email this Article
- Print this Article
- Rss Feed
- Related Articles
- Check for High Fees on Your 401(k)
- Grandparents' Choice: IRA or 529
- Del.icio.us
- Digg
- StumbleUpon
I was, however, able to find one stock to buy last week. I took a new position in Integral Systems ISYS, a builder of satellite ground systems, equipment and software. The company has a long list of both government and commercial customers and has provided systems for more than 200 missions so far. Integral Systems has had an excellent growth record over the last five years, increasing sales at an average annual rate of more than 20% and showing superior growth in net income of 37%. The company has better than industry average return on assets and return on capital while maintaining a strong financial position with no long-term debt. I consider the company to be part of the scientific and technical instrument industry although most data providers classify it as a business software and services company. Using either industry comparison, the company's stock sells at a significant valuation discount to the industry. For example, the company's current P/E is 15.6 compared to industry averages in the low 20s. Price/sales, price/book and price/cash flow are similarly well below industry averages. Enterprise value/EBITDA is at a 20% discount to the median company in the scientific and technical instrument industry. I'm optimistic that ISYS can continue to do better than the major stock market averages. The table that follows shows all the current holdings in my IRA:
| Symbol | Name | Purchase Date | Cost | Price | Gain |
| Regular Holdings | |||||
| CALM | Cal-Maine Foods | 4/16/2007 | $13.30 | $33.14 | 149.17% |
| CTV | CommScope | 8/15/2007 | $50.79 | $39.81 | -21.62% |
| EXAC | Exactech | 11/5/2007 | $21.00 | $26.60 | 26.67% |
| FTO | Frontier Oil | 9/7/2007 | $40.60 | $32.10 | -20.94% |
| GIB | CGI Group | 3/9/2007 | $8.52 | $10.70 | 25.59% |
| HP | Helmerich & Payne | 12/27/2007 | $39.88 | $44.15 | 10.71% |
| ICFI | ICF International | 9/14/2007 | $25.28 | $26.27 | 3.92% |
| ISYS | Integral Systems | 3/5/2008 | $25.90 | $27.13 | 4.75% |
| KCI | Kinetic Concepts | 2/6/2007 | $49.75 | $48.12 | -3.28% |
| OTEX | Open Text | 9/14/2007 | $25.68 | $29.90 | 16.43% |
| RSTI | Rofin Sinar Technologies | 9/21/2007 | $35.06 | $40.27 | 14.86% |
| SCL | Stepan Co. | 2/27/2008 | $34.94 | $34.45 | -1.40% |
| SCX | L. S. Starrett | 12/10/2007 | $18.88 | $16.42 | -13.03% |
| SGY | Stone Energy | 11/1/2007 | $43.74 | $51.86 | 18.56% |
| SPY | S & P Dep. Receipts | 1/14/2008+ | $135.46 | $129.71 | -4.24% |
| SY | Sybase | 11/13/2007 | $25.79 | $25.17 | -2.40% |
| USPH | US Physical Therapy | 1/17/2008 | $13.98 | $13.84 | -1.00% |
| WDC | Western Digital | 8/31/2007 | $23.33 | $30.28 | 29.79% |
| One Month Screen | |||||
| No Current Holdings | |||||
| Performance Results As Of 3/7/2008 | IRA | S&P 500 | |||
| Full Year 2007 | 33.0% | 5.5% | |||
| First Quarter To Date | -4.0% | -11.9% | |||
| Total Return For IRA S&P 500 Does Not Include Income For Latest Quarter |
|||||
Here's how to compare the fees in your retirement-plan choices with other options.
Considering retirement savings versus contributing to grandchildrens' college accounts.
Yahoo! is among the most searched stocks on TheStreet.com. Here's what Cramer had to say about the stock recently.
Catch up on his thinking on the hottest topics of the past week.
Investors will have to deal with a Fed meeting and another flood of earnings and economic data.
Ensco International and Echelon have the potential to move higher in coming days.
See who made what calls.
The addition of video is helping telecom companies compete against cable and satellite companies.
The June West Texas Intermediate contract reflects selling pressure ahead of Tuesday's expiration. But stocks in the sector are generally trading higher.
See who made what calls.
Keep on top of the market and the critical information you need to make more profitable investing decisions.
Sponsored by:
RSS
