5 Companies Reach Yearly Highs

These companies have hit their 52-week peaks

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Dec 27, 2016
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According to GuruFocus, these stocks have reached their 52-week highs.

SunTrust Banks reached the 52-week high of $56.13

SunTrust Banks Inc. (STI, Financial) is a bank holding and a financial holding company with commercial banking organizations whose businesses provide financial services to consumer, business and corporate clients.

Through its principal subsidiary, SunTrust Bank, the company offers financial services for consumers and businesses including deposit, credit, mortgage banking and trust and investment services. Additional subsidiaries provide asset management, securities brokerage and capital market services. The company operates within Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

The price of SunTrust Banks shares has reached $56.13, which is 0.3% off the 52-week high of $56.30. Suntrust Banks has a market cap of $27.55 billion; its shares were traded around $56.13 with a price-earnings (P/E) ratio of 15.59 and price-sales (P/S) ratio of 3.37. The trailing 12-month dividend yield is 1.77%. Suntrust Banks' forward dividend yield is 1.85%. Suntrust Banks had an annual average earnings growth of 28% over the past five years.

The company recently reported that net income available to common shareholders was $457 million, or 91 cents per average common diluted share, compared to 94 cents for the prior quarter and $1.00 for the third quarter of 2015. The prior quarter and prior-year quarter were favorably impacted by discrete benefits of 5 cents and 11 cents. Excluding these benefits, earnings per share grew 2% sequentially and year over year. Total revenue increased modestly compared to the prior quarter and 8% compared to the third quarter of 2015.

Vantiv reached the 52-week high of $59.28

Vantiv Inc. (VNTV, Financial) is a payment processor differentiated by an integrated technology platform. Its distribution includes multiple sales channels, such as its direct and indirect sales forces and referral partner relationships, which provide it with a growing and diverse client base of merchants and financial institutions.

The company offers a suite of payment processing services that enables its clients to meet their payment processing needs through a single provider including omnichannel environments that span point-of-sale, e-commerce and mobile devices. It enables merchants of all sizes to accept and process credit, debit and prepaid payments and provide them supporting value-added services, such as security solutions and fraud management, information solutions and interchange management. It also provides mission critical payment services to financial institutions.

The price of Vantiv shares has reached $59.28, which is 1.6% off the 52-week high of $60.25. Vantiv has a market cap of $11.63 billion; its shares were traded around $59.28 with a P/E ratio of 43.93 and P/S ratio of 3.39.

The company recently announced financial results for the third quarter which ended on Sept. 30. Total revenue increased 12% to $914 million in the third quarter as compared to $816 million in the prior-year period. Net revenue increased 14% to $491 million as compared to $430 million in the prior-year period, reflecting strong transaction growth. On a GAAP basis, net income per diluted share attributable to Vantiv increased 52% to 41 cents as compared to 27 cents in the previous year. Pro forma adjusted net income per share increased 20% to 71 cents as compared to 59 cents in the prior-year period.

Group President, Integrated Payments & Emerging Channels, Matt Taylor sold 11,622 shares of Vantiv stock for $58.90 per share on Dec. 19. The  stock price has increased by 0.65% since.

CNA Financial reached the 52-week high of $42.07

CNA Financial Corp. (CNA, Financial) through its subsidiaries is engaged in providing property and casualty and life and group insurance products and services. The company's insurance products include commercial property and casualty coverages including surety. Its services include risk management, information services, warranty and claims administration. The company's core business, commercial property and casualty insurance operations is reported in three business segments: Specialty, Commercial and International.

The price of CNA Financial shares has reached $42.07, which is 0.4% off the 52-week high of $42.24. CNA Financial has a market cap of $11.38 billion; its shares were traded around $42.07 with a P/S ratio of 1.20. CNA Financial's trailing 12-month dividend yield is 2.38%. The forward dividend yield is 2.38%.

The company recently announced third-quarter net income of $343 million, or $1.26 per share, and net operating income of $311 million, or $1.15 per share. Property & Casualty Operations' combined ratio for the third quarter was 90.4%. In addition, net operating income was $329 million for the third quarter compared with $263 million in the prior-year quarter.

Western Union reached the 52-week high of $21.85

The Western Union Co. (WU, Financial) is engaged in global money movement and payment services, providing people with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send money around the world. Its services are available through a network of over 410,000 agent locations in more than 200 countries and territories.

The company's segments are Consumer-to-Consumer, Consumer-to-Business and Business Solutions. The Consumer-to-Consumer operating segment facilitates money transfers between two consumers through a network of third-party agents. The Consumer-to-Business operating segment facilitates bill payments from consumers to businesses and other organizations. The Business Solutions operating segment facilitates payment and foreign exchange solutions, cross-border, cross-currency transactions for small and medium-sized enterprises and other organizations and individuals.

The price of Western Union shares has reached $21.85, which is 1.9% off the 52-week high of $22.26. Western Union has a market cap of $10.59 billion; its shares were traded around $21.85 with a P/E ratio of 13.24 and P/S ratio of 1.99. Western Union's trailing 12-month dividend yield is 2.93%. The forward dividend yield is 2.93%. Western Union had an annual average earnings growth of 4.30% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated Western Union the business predictability rank of 4.5-star.

The company reported revenue of $1.4 billion for the third quarter, reflecting a decline of 2% compared to last year, or an increase of 2% on a constant currency basis. An earnings per share of 44 cents includes a -2 cents impact from an additional accrual related to the previously disclosed FTC legal matter, and compares to 45 cents in the same quarter last year.

Unum Group reached the 52-week high of $44.47

Unum Group (UNM, Financial) and its subsidiaries provide disability insurance products in the U.S. and the United Kingdom. The company also provides a complementary portfolio of other insurance products including employer- and employee-paid group benefits, life insurance and other related services. Its business segments are Unum US, Unum UK and Colonial Life; the other segments are the Closed Block and Corporate segments.

The price of Unum Group shares has reached $44.47, which is 1.2% off the 52-week high of $45.01. Unum Group has a market cap of $10.32 billion; its shares were traded around $44.47 with a P/E ratio of 11.63 and P/S ratio of 0.97. Unum Group's trailing 12-month dividend yield is 1.73%. The forward dividend yield is 1.80%. Unum Group had an annual average earnings growth of 5.50% over the past 10 years.

The company has a reported net income of $236.0 million ($1.01 per diluted common share) for the third quarter compared to net income of $203.8 million (83 cents per diluted common share) for the third quarter of 2015. After-tax operating income, which excludes after-tax realized investment gains and losses on the company’s investment portfolio and the amortization of prior period actuarial losses on the company’s pension plans, was $231.3 million (99 cents per diluted common share) in the third quarter compared to $223.0 million (91 cents per diluted common share) in the third quarter of 2015. The combined impact of the amounts excluded for the third quarters of 2016 and 2015 equaled net after-tax income of $4.7 million (2 cents per diluted common share) and net after-tax losses of $19.2 million (8 cents per diluted common share).

Disclosure: I do not own these stocks.

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