When NASDAQ OMX Group Inc. (NASDAQ:
NDAQ
) announced its quarterly reshuffling of the NASDAQ Q-50 Index,
what grabbed the attention was that social media giant Facebook
(NASDAQ:
FB
) had been added to the list, effective at market open on Monday,
September 24, 2012. Groupon (NASDAQ:
GRPN
) and Western Digital (NASDAQ:
WDC
) are to be included as well.
The index is designed to track the performance of the 50
securities that are next in line to replace the securities
currently included in the NASDAQ 100 Index. It would appear that
Facebook and the others are headed for the NASDAQ 100.
But which companies fell off the list? Are they circling the
drain, or just out of favor? Here is a quick look at three of them:
Patterson Companies (NASDAQ:
PDCO
), Ryanair Holdings (NASDAQ:
RYAAY
) and SINA (NASDAQ:
SINA
).
Patterson Companies
This St. Paul, Minnesota-based wholesale medical supply provider
has a market capitalization of about $3.5 billion. Its operating
margin is higher than the industry average, and the long-term
earnings per share (
EPS
) forecast is almost 11 percent. Earnings and revenue both rose in
the most recent quarter, but less than analysts expected. Only five
of the 13 analysts surveyed by Thomson/First Call recommend buying
shares. They believe the stock has little upside potential, as
their mean price target is only about three percent higher than the
current share price. That share price is more than 14 percent
higher year to date, despite pulling back about five percent from a
recent 52-week high. Over the past six months, the stock has
outperformed the broader markets.
Ryanair Holdings
This Dublin-based airline service provider has a market cap of
more than $9 billion. The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is about 14
and the long-term EPS forecast is nearly 13 percent. The return on
equity is more than 17 percent. Short interest is less than one
percent of the float. Both EPS and revenue are forecast to be flat
year-over-year in the current quarter. But two of the three
analysts who follow the stock and were polled by Thomson Reuters
rate the stock as Buy or Strong Buy. Their mean price target is
more than 16 percent higher than the current share price, as well
as higher than the 52-week high. Ryanair has outperformed Delta Air
Lines (NYSE:
DAL
) and United Continental (NYSE:
UAL
) year to date.
SINA
This Internet content and mobile services provider is
headquartered in Shanghai and sports a market cap of more than $4
billion. Its P/E ratio is lower than the industry average. The
long-term EPS growth forecast is about 28 percent, and the return
on equity is more than 20 percent. Revenue for the current quarter
is predicted to be about 16 percent higher year-over-year. But
short interest is nearly 10 percent of the float. Of 29 analysts
polled, all but seven recommend buying shares. Their mean price
target is about 14 percent higher than the current share price.
Over the past six months, SINA has outperformed the likes of Baidu
(NASDAQ:
BIDU
) and Sohu.com (NASDAQ:
SOHU
).
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