Top Five Guru-Owned Mid Cap Stocks

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Jun 18, 2014
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Using the GuruFocus Aggregated Portfolio Screener you can filter results to see what companies maintain the highest amount of guru ownership. By using this screener, we filtered down to see mid-cap companies which are held by the most gurus. The following five mid-capped companies are held by the largest number of gurus during the past quarter.

Western Union (WU)

As of the close of the first quarter there were 26 guru owners of Western Union. During the past quarter there were 11 gurus buying shares of WU and there were 11 gurus making sells of their stake in the company. These gurus maintain a combined weighting of 157.97%.

Top three guru shareholders of Western Union:

1. David Abrams (Trades, Portfolio): 17,362,477 shares, representing 3.15% of the company’s shares outstanding and 22.5% of the fund’s total portfolio.

2. John Rogers (Trades, Portfolio): 13,746,342 shares, representing 2.49% of the company’s shares outstanding and 2.7% of his total portfolio

3. Brian Rogers (Trades, Portfolio): 6,000,000 shares, representing 1.09% of the company’s shares outstanding and 0.35% of his total portfolio.

Western Union is engaged in global money transfer and payment services, providing people with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send money around the world.

Western Union’s historical revenue and net income:

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The analysis on Western Union reports that the company’s dividend yield is near a 10-year high, the company has issued $270.6 million of debt over the past three years, and its P/E and P/S ratios are trading at near historical lows.

The Peter Lynch Chart suggests that the company is currently undervalued:

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Western Union has a market cap of $8.76 billion. Its shares are currently trading at around $16.26 with a P/E ratio of 11.10, a P/S ratio of 1.60 and a P/B ratio of 8.00. The dividend yield of Western Union is 3.10%, and it has an annual average earnings growth of 5.50% over the past five years.

Quest Diagnostics (DGX)

As of the close of the first quarter there were 20 guru owners of Quest Diagnostics. During the past quarter there were 15 gurus buying shares of DGX and there were five gurus making sells of their stake in the company. These gurus maintain a combined weighting of 7.33%.

Top three guru shareholders of Quest Diagnostics:

1. Brian Rogers (Trades, Portfolio): 3,000,000 shares, representing 1.98% of the company’s shares outstanding and 0.63% of the fund’s total portfolio.

2. HOTCHKIS & WILEY: 2,495,500 shares, representing 1.64% of the company’s shares outstanding and 0.54% of his total portfolio

3. Larry Robbins (Trades, Portfolio): 1,951,300 shares, representing 1.28% of the company’s shares outstanding and 0.74% of his total portfolio.

Quest Diagnostics and its subsidiaries are the providers of diagnostic testing, information and services, providing insights that enable patients and physicians to make better healthcare decisions.

Quest Diagnostics has a market cap of $8.42 billion. Its shares were trading at around $58.30 with a P/E ratio of 10.80, a P/S ratio of 1.20 and a P/B ratio of 2.10. The company had an annual average earnings growth of 8.50% over the past ten years.

GuruFocus rated Quest Diagnostics the business predictability rank of 4-star.

Willis Group Holdings (WSH)

As of the close of the first quarter there were 18 guru owners of Willis Group Holdings. During the past quarter there were 11 gurus buying shares of WSH and there were nine gurus making sells of their stake in the company. These gurus maintain a combined weighting of 21.44%.

Top three guru shareholders of Willis Group Holdings:

1. Jeff Ubben (Trades, Portfolio): 18,422,600 shares, representing 10.45% of the company’s shares outstanding and 6.1% of the fund’s total portfolio.

2. David Herro (Trades, Portfolio): 12,722,000 shares, representing 7.22% of the company’s shares outstanding and 1.9% of his total portfolio

3. Jean-Marie Eveillard (Trades, Portfolio): 6,310,079 shares, representing 3.58% of the company’s shares outstanding and 0.74% of his total portfolio.

Willis Group Holdings provides insurance brokerage, reinsurance and risk management consulting services to its worldwide clients. It has significant market positions in the United States, in the United Kingdom and, directly and through its associates, in many other countries.

Willis Group Holdings’ historical revenue and net income:

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The analysis on Willis Group reports that the company’s dividend yield is near a 5-year low, its price is near a 10-year high and its Piotroski F-Score is high.

The Peter Lynch Chart suggests that the company is currently overvalued:

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Willis Group Holdings has a market cap of $7.75 billion. Its shares are currently trading at around $43.36 with a P/E ratio of 20.00, a P/S ratio of 2.10 and a P/B ratio of 3.20. The company holds a dividend yield of 2.60%.

Laboratory Corp of America Holdings (LH)

As of the close of the first quarter there were 18 guru owners of Laboratory Corp of America. During the past quarter there were ten gurus buying shares of LH and there were seven gurus making sells of their stake in the company. These gurus maintain a combined weighting of 13.58%.

Top three guru shareholders of Laboratory Corp of America:

1. Chris Davis (Trades, Portfolio): 9,638,047 shares, representing 10.7% of the company’s shares outstanding and 2.6% of the fund’s total portfolio.

2. Richard Pzena (Trades, Portfolio): 2,256,910 shares, representing 2.5% of the company’s shares outstanding and 1.3% of his total portfolio

3. Larry Robbins (Trades, Portfolio): 1,073,169 shares, representing 1.19% of the company’s shares outstanding and 0.69% of his total portfolio.

Through its national network of laboratories, Laboratory Corp of America offers a broad range of clinical laboratory tests that are used by the medical profession in routine testing, patient diagnosis, and in the monitoring and treatment of disease. In addition, the company has developed testing operations, such as oncology testing, HIV genotyping and phenotyping, diagnostic genetics and clinical trials.

Laboratory Corp of America’s historical revenue and net income:

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The analysis on Laboratory Corp of America Holdings reports that the company has shown predictable revenue and earnings growth, its price is near a 10-year high, and over the past three years the company has issued $767.4 million of debt.

The Peter Lynch Chart suggests that the company is currently overvalued:

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Laboratory Corp of America Holdings has a market cap of $8.46 billion. Its shares are currently trading at around $99.79 with a P/E ratio of 17.00, a P/S ratio of 1.60, and a P/B ratio of 3.50. The company had an annual average earnings growth of 11.30% over the past ten years.

GuruFocus rated Laboratory the business predictability rank of 4-star.

Staples (SPLS)

As of the close of the first quarter there were 18 guru owners of Staples. During the past quarter there were 12 gurus buying shares of SPLS and there were eight gurus making sells of their stake in the company. These gurus maintain a combined weighting of 4.41%.

Top three guru shareholders of Staples:

1. Richard Pzena (Trades, Portfolio): 31,883,452 shares, representing 4.83% of the company’s shares outstanding and 2.1% of the fund’s total portfolio.

2. Brian Rogers (Trades, Portfolio): 13,250,000 shares, representing 2.01% of the company’s shares outstanding and 0.54% of his total portfolio

3. Donald Yacktman (Trades, Portfolio): 2,275,000 shares, representing 0.34% of the company’s shares outstanding and 0.11% of his total portfolio.

Staples operates as an office products company. The company's three reportable segments are North American Delivery, North American Retail and International Operations.

Staples’ historical revenue and net income:

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The analysis on Staples reports that the company’s revenue per share has been in decline over the past year, the company’s Piotroski F-Score is high, and its dividend yield is near a 10-year high. The analysis also notes that the company’s price, P/S ratio, and P/B ratio are all trading at near 10-year lows.

The Peter Lynch Chart suggests that the company is currently undervalued:

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Staples has a market cap of $7.22 billion. Its shares are currently trading at around $11.16 with a P/E ratio of 13.30, a P/S ratio of 0.30 and a P/B ratio of 1.20. The dividend yield of Staples stock is currently at 4.30%.

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