How about another financial stock for a noon-time snack? Checking the lists again, Fidelity National Financial shows up and seems to fit the bill!
FNF is having a great day today trading at $33.66 up $1.77 or 5.55% on the day.
According to CNN.Money, FNF, through its subsidiaries, "is engaged in issuing title insurance policies and performing other title related services." Now WHO among you has not refinanced their house lately? The only question is, will interest rates on mortgages resume their decline...or if they start to rise....will there be a panic to refinance for those that haven't?...hmmm.
They are about to report their second quarter results but revenue results for the first quarter of 2003 were reported on April 23, 2003, as per yahoo.com, revenue was $1.4 billion in 2003 vs $1.1 billion in first quarter of 2002. Net earnings were $144 million in 2003 vs $101 million in 2002 or on a per share basis, $1.44 vs $1.03 in 2002.
Morningstar.com shows a pretty sequential growth on 5 year financials with revenues increasing from $1.3 billion in 1998 to $1.4 billion in 1999, $2.7 billion in 2000, $3.9 billion in 2001, and $5.1 billion in 2002. Extrapolating the current quarter out would get us to about $5.6 billion in 2003.
They appear to have a very significant increase in free cash flow but the tables are incomplete on Morningstar.com...as they are with the financials...that is the assets/liabilities.
Except for this data which is not clearly presented, the stock looks like a nice investment...it even pays a $.38/share dividend with an indicated yield of 1.20%. There are 135.0 million shares outstanding with a $4.31 Billion market cap.
The stock trades at a REASONABLE p/e of 6.89....and looks to be an excellent investment minus some of the factors I like to review...which I am sure are available with just a bit more homework!
Regards to all!
Bob