Focus Media: Cutting edge advertising in China

Success in business is very often a function of innovation. There is a Shanghai firm that understands that principle very well indeed. It has established itself as an advertising powerhouse, with the aid of 200,000 flat panel TVs.

Focus Media Holding (NASDAQ: FMCN) operates an advertising network of television displays throughout China. The devices are placed in high-traffic areas, such as office buildings, hotels, airports, retail chain stores and the public areas of residential complexes. The company also operates an advertising network for the Chinese mobile telecommunications market and recently acquired China's largest Internet advertising agency. Clients include Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU), Nokia (NYSE: NOK), Motorola (NYSE: MOT), Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM), Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) and General Motors (NYSE: GM).

The company surprised the Street earlier in the month, when it announced Q1 EPS of 21 cents and revenues of $58.1 million. Analysts had been looking for 19 cents and $55.4 million. Management also guided Q2 EPS to 34-35 cents (34 cent consensus) and Q2 revenues to $103-$107 million ($90.3M consensus). The CEO noted a solid rebound in sales into the second quarter.

The news popped the shares out of a late April/early May "cup" into the late May "handle" of a Cup & Handle formation. The price is now showing signs of completing the pattern with a bullish rise from the right-hand side of the "handle".

Brokers recommend the shares with two "strong buys" and eight "buys". Analysts expect a 42% average annual growth rate, through the next five years. The FMCN Sales Growth rate (75.33%), EPS Growth rate (90.91%), Operating Margin (34.91%), Net Profit Margin (37.84%) and Return on Assets (9.81%) compare favorably with industry, sector and S&P 500 averages.

Institutional investors hold about 44% of the outstanding shares. Over the past 52 weeks, FMCN has traded between $25.42 and $45.45. A stop-loss of $37.25 looks good here.

Larry Schutts is a contributing editor for Theflyonthewall.com and the Vice-President of Stockwinners.com.

Get the latest on cars and trucks
from GM and all brands at AOL Autos.
Symbol Lookup
IndexesChangePrice
DJIA+51.3112,852.54
NASDAQ+18.422,922.30
S&P 500+6.611,349.25

Last updated: February 13, 2012: 11:33 AM

Hot Stocks

General Electric

19.035+0.16(+0.85)

Alcoa

10.36+0.07(+0.68)

Apple Inc

499.21+5.79(+1.17)

Google Inc 'A'

612.17+6.26(+1.03)

Bank of America

8.275+0.205(+2.54)

Wal-Mart Stores

61.97+0.07(+0.11)

Exxon Mobil Corp

84.12+0.32(+0.38)

Ford

12.545+0.105(+0.84)

Citigroup

33.455+0.53(+1.61)

IBM

192.31-0.11(-0.06)

Yahoo

16.07-0.07(-0.43)

Starbucks

49.18+0.36(+0.74)

Microsoft

30.50+0.005(+0.02)

Home Depot

45.75+0.42(+0.93)

Learn More About GM Cars

General Motors Brands:
Find Your Next Car

AOL Autos New Cars and Used Cars

DailyFinance Headlines

Benzinga Headlines

TheFlyOnTheWall.com Headlines

BioHealth Investor Headlines

WalletPop Headlines

DailyFinance BlackBerry App

My Portfolios

Track your stocks here!

Find out why more people track their portfolios on AOL Money & Finance then anywhere else.

BloggingStocks Partners

More from AOL Money & Finance

BioHealth Investor Headlines

Page Loaded in 1329150835452 ms.