The Deen's ListTM
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Vol.6 #338 Tuesday, November 11, 2008 3:17PM EST

Please read carefully our disclaimers at the end of this newsletter.

Market Stance: BEARISH (since November 6, 2008)

Contents

Performance
Bought Greatbatch Inc. (GB)
Open Positions
Subscription Information
Privacy Policy
Disclaimers
Contact Us

Performance

Deen Capital S&P 500
Year-to-date as of November 10, 2008 -21.8% * -36.2%
12 months (Nov 10, 2007 to Nov 10, 2008) -21.5% * -35.4%
24 months (Nov 10, 2006 to Nov 10, 2008) +6.8% * -30.8%

* An average of managed accounts, net after all commissions and fees.

Click here for more performance data.

Click here for information on managed accounts.

Bought Greatbatch Inc. (GB)

Initial percent of portfolio (approx.)5.0%
Net buy price in managed accounts*$25.54
Most recent close (Nov 10)$25.39
Net change (based on net buy price)+0.15
Today's volume as of 3:21pm ET 305,849 ($7.8 million)
Average daily volume348,800 ($8.9 million)
This year's earnings-per-share$1.29 (est)
Next year's earnings-per-share$1.72 (est)
P/E using next year's earnings14.8 (est)
Earnings growth rate, next 5 years20% per year (est)
Corporate HeadquartersClarence, NY
Web sitewww.greatbatch.com

* Buy prices shown are net after commissions and fees.

Today, Tuesday, November 11, 2008, I bought GB, first for client accounts, then for my personal accounts.

Greatbatch, Inc. develops and manufactures power sources, feedthroughs, and wet tantalum capacitors used in implantable medical devices. They also provide pacemaker batteries, implantable cardiovascular defibrillator batteries, and batteries for commercial applications.

Here's why I bought this stock:

+ My emphasis is still on cash. Even after this buy, we are still 70% in cash. However, medical stocks are acting well.

+ Earnings surprise: One week ago, Tuesday November 4, after the close, the company announced results for the quarter ended Sep 26. Adjusted earnings came in at 44c per diluted share (vs 29c last year and analysts' consensus 32c). Revenue was up 72% to $136.2 million (analysts' consensus $128.4 million).

+ A "true surprise"*: Prior to the news, the stock was trading in the lower half of its 3-month range. Then, on Nov 5, after the news came out, the stock jumped 15% on huge volume, more than seven times average.

* "True surprise" is my term to describe a company news item that ignites heavy buying and that was not preceded by a short-term run-up in the stock price (i.e. not preceded by rumor).

+ Not Quite a Breakout: The stock has remained north of $25 ever since the close on Nov 5. A close above $26.27 would be a breakout from a 7-month range to a new 12-month high. The stock has repeatedly approached and retreated from that level since the news. I suspect it will breakout soon.

+ Excellent recent sales growth. Here are the quarterly year-to-year sales growth rates from the last four quarters, in chronological order: +34%, +59%, +81%, and, most recently, for the quarter ended Sep 30, +72% to $136.2 million.

+ Turnaround in recent earnings-per-share growth. Here are the quarterly EPS figures for the last eight quarters:

Dec 07 vs Dec 06: 31c vs 23c
Mar 08 vs Mar 07: 16c vs 33c
Jun 08 vs Jun 07: 30c vs 42c
Sep 08 vs Sep 07: 44c vs 29c

+ Strong and rising earnings-per-share estimates: According to recent data from First Call, the consensus earnings estimate for 2008 is $1.29, revised upward from $1.19 90 days ago (and up from 2007 actual earnings of $1.33); and the consensus estimate for 2009 is $1.72, revised upward from $1.64 90 days ago.

+ Valuation: At 15 times next year's estimated earnings and a projected 5-year annualized earnings growth rate of 20%, the stock is attractively priced.

+ History of earnings surprises: This company has reported earnings-per-share at least 6c above estimates in each of the past two quarters, including the recently reported quarter cited above, which "beat the Street" by 12c.

+ The company's industry group ("Medical Products") is ranked #11 for relative strength out of 197 industry groups tracked by Investor's Business Daily. This ranking changes daily, and it has been generally rising over recent weeks and months.

+ The stock's 200-day moving average is rising, indicating a long-term uptrend.

-KD, Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Open Positions

Model Portfolio

Company Name Stock
Symbol
Buy
Date
NetBuy
Price*
Current
Price**
Weeks
Held
% of
Portfolio
Gain
(Loss)
Greatbatch Inc. GB 11/11/08 $25.54 $25.30 0.0 4.9% -0.9%
Fuel Systems Solutions Inc. FSYS 11/07/08 $37.26 $35.01 0.6 7.4% -6.0%
Thoratec Corp. THOR 10/31/08 $24.67 $24.49 1.6 8.1% -0.7%
LHC Group Inc. LHCG 10/30/08 $30.61 $32.67 1.7 8.7% +6.7%
Cash 70.6%  
Total 100%  

* Buy prices shown are net after commissions and fees.

** Current prices are at least 20 minutes old.

Subscription Information

Welcome to The Deen's ListTM, an e-mail stock newsletter from Deen Capital Management, Inc.

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Disclaimers

All stocks discussed in The Deen's ListTM involve a high degree of risk. It should not be assumed that any stock discussed in The Deen's ListTM or purchased by Deen Capital Management, Inc. will be profitable.

Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.

The information contained herein has been compiled from sources deemed to be reliable; however, we are not responsible for its accuracy or completeness.

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