Compuware Corporation (CPWR): Share price defines bullish 'flag'


Compuware Corporation (NASDAQ: CPWR) provides software designed to enhance the performance of business computer systems. Products include program suites that test system performance, manage enterprise files and focus application development. Compuware also offers consulting, systems integration, custom programming, maintenance and support services. Ninety percent of the Fortune 100 companies are clients. CA Inc (NYSE: CA) and IBM (NYSE: IBM) are competitors.

The company pleased investors last week, when it guided Q4 EPS to 23 cents and revenues to $337 million. Analysts had been looking for 19 cents and $319.84 million.

CPWR shares popped on the news and have since been consolidating the gain in a bullish "flag" pattern. Equities frequently exit flags moving in the same direction they were traveling on entry. In this case, that would be to the upside.

Brokers recommend the issue with one "buy" and two "holds". Analysts see a 12% growth rate, through the next year. The stock's P/E ratio (16.68), Price to Sales ratio (1.77), Price to Book ratio (2.21), Price to Cash Flow ratio (10.81) and Price to Free Cash Flow ratio (11.15) compare favorably with industry, sector and S&P 500 averages. Institutional investors hold about 79% of the outstanding shares. The stock is one of those used to calculate the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 52 weeks, it has traded between $6.10 and $12.56. A stop-loss of $6.80 looks good here. Note that the firm is expected to release Q4 results in mid-May.

Larry Schutts is a contributing editor for Theflyonthewall.com and the Vice-President of Stockwinners.com. He does not hold positions in any of the stocks mentioned above.

Symbol Lookup
IndexesChangePrice
DJIA+6.5112,890.46
NASDAQ+11.372,927.23
S&P 500+1.991,351.95

Last updated: February 10, 2012: 06:45 AM

Hot Stocks

General Electric

19.13-0.11(-0.57)

Alcoa

10.64-0.03(-0.28)

Apple Inc

493.17+16.49(+3.46)

Google Inc 'A'

611.46+1.61(+0.26)

Bank of America

8.18+0.05(+0.62)

Wal-Mart Stores

61.96+0.34(+0.55)

Exxon Mobil Corp

84.88-0.44(-0.52)

Ford

12.69-0.15(-1.17)

Citigroup

33.66-0.57(-1.67)

IBM

193.13+0.18(+0.09)

Yahoo

16.00+0.22(+1.39)

Starbucks

49.20+0.48(+0.99)

Microsoft

30.77+0.11(+0.36)

Home Depot

45.27+0.10(+0.22)

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 1328874324980 ms.