GNC Holdings Inc. (fka GNCIQ)

[Opex]

This caught my attention for 2015
any thoughts out there

GNC (GNC_) trades at only 13.6 times earnings vs. 28 for its sector and 18 for the S&P 500. In the first half of this year, it opened 179 new stores in the U.S. and overseas including 17 store-within-a store locations at Rite Aid (RAD_) . In addition, it acquired nine stores in Ireland in April. Earnings and sales are expected to be flat this year compared with 2013. But 2015 earnings are expected to rise 12% with 5% sales growth, according to analysts polled by Thomson Reuters Knowledge. It also pays a 1.7% dividend.


The nutritional supplements retailer announced in mid-August that it plans to buy back $500 million of its shares over the next two years. GNC Chairman Michael Hines, bought 30,000 shares on Aug. 18, increasing his stake to 37,118 shares. Just two weeks before that CEO Michael Archbold bought 175,000 shares. Insiders sell for many reasons but buy when they believe shares are undervalued and that the company's outlook is improving.