Spring has officially begun, and now may be the time to consider some investments that could add a little "spring" to your portfolio.

Topping the list are companies like Lowe's (LOW) and Home Depot (HD). They stand to benefit from the nicer weather as people head outdoors to work on the garden, plant new beds, maintain the lawn, and take care of home improvements.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG), which I first wrote about on May 20, 2009 at a price of $34.88, appears poised to breakout to the upside, above $60, and I obviously still like the business model at this stage.

Scotts will likely record 2011 revenue growth of 5-8%, boosted by increasing demand for consumer lawn and garden products in the U.S. (finally), Canada, and in selected European countries. The company's lawn service unit will see slightly higher revenue in 2011.

Further, margins should increase about 90 basis points in 2011 to about 36.5%, as commodity/raw material costs stabilize, prices firm, and productivity improvements help the bottom line.

The growth story continues with Scotts Miracle-Gro (SMG), pun intended.

Scotts, which I first wrote about on May 20, 2009, at a price of $34.88, appears poised to breakout to the upside, and I obviously still like the shares here.

Look for Scotts to record 2011 revenue growth of 5% to 8%, boosted by increasing demand for consumer lawn and garden products. However, U.S. commercial revenue faces a tougher road, as commercial real estate managers keep a really close eye on landscape/outdoor maintenance costs to conform to tight budgets.

It will be a busy week. Republicans are poised to gain control of the House of Representatives and gain governorships in Tuesday's mid-term elections. Also, the Federal Reserve is expected to announce another round of quantitative easing Wednesday, following the FOMC meeting. Major retailers are scheduled to report October same-store sales Thursday, while the October unemployment rate, announced on Friday, is expected to remain at 9.6%.

Toyota's (TM) fiscal second-quarter results will be one of the highlights on the earnings front this week. After three periods of way underestimating Toyota's earnings, have the analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters got it right this time? The stock sure could use a boost. Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA) is in a similar situation; i.e., high expectations for this week's quarterly results but a stock in need of a boost. Marathon (MRO) and Starbucks (SBUX) are also expected to post strong earnings growth this week, but both stocks are riding high.

I first wrote about Scotts Miracle-Gro (SMG) on May 20, 2009, at a price of $34.88, and the stock's uptrend continues. I still like the shares.

Scotts should record 2010 revenue growth of 8% to 10%, boosted by increasing demand for consumer lawn and garden products. Global professional products revenue should also rise this year. However, U.S. professional products revenue will face a tougher road, as commercial real estate managers cut landscape and outdoor maintenance costs to conform to tight budgets.

Option traders appear to be setting up for a bullish move on iShares Barclays 7 to 10 Year Treasury (IEF). Traders plowed into 4,342 new call option contracts -- 3.33 times the average volume -- on the stock on Wednesday. And we know that traders were eager to get into this trade because 99% of the trades came in on the ask price.

It looks like traders are trying to get into these Treasuries ahead of the Fed, just in case it moves ahead with more quantitative easing. The ETF closed Wednesday at $97.39, down 0.17% during the past month.

Everything seems to be coming up roses for investors in Scotts Miracle-Gro (SMG). And if you are interested in seeing some growth in your portfolio, now might be the time to give this lawn and garden care company a look.

Scotts has had a great week this week, even though the major market indexes have been moving lower. The company not only beat analyst expectations with earnings of $2.59 per share -- ahead of the expected $2.44 -- but also announced it is going to double its dividend and is going to be buying back its stock.

Dividends are king in this unstable market, and Scotts will now be paying investors 25 cents per share, which will be payable Sep 10, 2010 to shareholders of record as on Aug 27, 2010.

And if increasing the dividend wasn't enough, Scotts also announced a $500 million share-buyback program that will occur over the next four years.

The shares of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG), which I first wrote about on May 20, 2009, at a price of $34.88, are spouting, and I still like SMG at this juncture. Here's why.

Look for Scotts to record 2010 revenue growth of 8% to 10%, boosted by increasing demand for consumer lawn and garden products. Professional products revenue, however, will face a tougher road, as commercial real estate managers cut landscape/outdoor maintenance costs to conform to tight budgets.

Meanwhile, margins should firm in the second half of 2010, as commodity/material costs stabilize and pricing firmness, if not pricing power, returns.

The shares of Scotts Miracle-Gro (SMG), first discussed here on May 20, 2009 at a price of $34.88, have retreated in the past two months, but I still like business model and the shares. Here's why:

Look for adequate-to-good organic sales growth (pun intended) with SMG, as the U.S. housing sector continues to stabilize. Rising demand for lawn/garden products in the U.S. (about 80% of revenue) should be followed by a slower recovery in international sales (about 20% of revenue). Also encouraging: the Europe market appears to be on the mend.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Co.'s (SMG) shares have recently exhibited a seasonal pull-back, but view the dip as a buying opportunity, hence I'm reiterating my buy rating for the company, first recommended on May 20, 2009 at a price of $34.88.

In August, the company announced solid Q4 results of a 7% increase in revenue to $583.4 million.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. (NYSE: SMG) is literally and figuratively growing when others aren't. In August, the company announced superior Q3 results of a 9% increase in revenue to $1.28 billion, driven by strong consumer-based sales in almost every lawn and garden category.

More good news: double-digit consumer sales occurred in 45 states. Wall Street has certainly noticed: it's pushed SMG's stock up more than 25% since the spring.

TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer says FedEx posted a hugely disappointing quarter, and the implications for the economy are ominous.

FedEx (NYSE: FDX) (Cramer's Take) sure doesn't put its money where its mouth is. For the second quarter in a row the company said, "We are at the bottom." But then it slashed guidance deep enough for me to think, "We are nowhere near the bottom" -- it slashed guidance by about half! That means this quarter just reported proved nothing and things are deteriorating, not getting better.

This wouldn't be such a big deal if the previous "we are at the bottom" call hadn't been used by many people to call a bottom. Remember, FDX is in a unique position: huge worldwide transporter of all sorts of goods with a trusted economist, Fred Smith, at the helm.

The housing sector has ruined many business models, but that does not mean there aren't survivors that will thrive, and Scotts Miracle-Gro (NYSE: SMG) is one. Here's why:

Although analysts generally see only slightly higher revenue in FY 2009 for SMG, a rebound is expected in F2010, so financial institutions have been incrementally adding to their SMG positions. This year, European sales will offset weakness in North America. Further, ample market share gains are possible on both continents.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• The Wall Street Journal's "Smartmoney Stock Screen" looks at eight companies whose valuations make them ripe to buy, and they also may be in the sites of corporate buyers. The big eight include Asbury Automotive Group Inc (NYSE: ABG), Crane Company (NYSE: CR), Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE: SMG).
• The Wall Street Journal's Walter Mossberg said in the "Personal Technology" column that he cannot recommend Apple Inc's (NASDAQ: AAPL) MobileMe, as it has "too many flaws to keep its promises".
• The Wall Street Journal also speculated that the collapse this week of SemGroup LP, which is the parent of SemGroup Energy Partners LP (NASDAQ: SGLP), may have played a role in the 14% drop in crude oil over the past 10 days.
• In a move that could take advantage of the gap in the financing markets, The Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE: GS) raised $10B to invest in loans backing leveraged buyouts. The fund will reportedly buy senior loans, the Financial Times reported.

OTHER PAPERS:

• Former American International Group Inc (NYSE: AIG) chief Hank Greenberg is reportedly in settlement talks with New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo over charges that Greenberg improperly inflated corporate books to show improved profits, the New York Post said.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• American International Group Inc. (NYE: AIG) reported a loss of $7.8 billion but raised its dividend.
• Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NYSE: BRL) missed earnings estimates and lowered its guidance.
• D.R. Horton Inc. (NYSE: DHI) posted a larger-than-expected Q2 loss on further write-downs.
• Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) posted its third straight quarterly loss on the continuing housing slump.
• Hansen Natural Corp. (NASDAQ: HANS) lower-than-estimated Q1 profit led shares to a 52-week low.
• Lazard Ltd. (NYSE: LAZ) net income dropped 71% on a fall-off of M&A activity and a write-down.
• MGM Mirage Inc. NYSE: MGM) Q1 profits were dragged down by decreased consumer spending.
• Pilgrims Pride Corp. (NYSE: PPC) widened its Q2 loss due to the rising cost of feed.
• Playboy Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: PLA) swung to a Q1 loss as revenue declined in all units.
• Qwest Communications (NYSE: Q) net income and revenue fell in the first quarter.
• Scotts Miracle Gro Co. (NYSE: SMG) blamed a slow start to spring for its Q2 profit decline.
• Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Inc. (NASDAQ: TEVA) posted a Q1 loss due to a charge.
• THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) posted a loss for its fourth quarter and revenues flat for the year.
• Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) posted lower-than-expected Q4 results due to the U.S. economic slump.
• Warner Music Group Corp. (NYSE: WMG) Q2 loss widened and it suspended its quarterly dividend.