From Barron's 3-19-07 Its backlog alone provides a lot of thrust for Textron shares. With customers plunking down $250,000 deposits for business jets that won't arrive until 2010, the aircraft maker doesn't have to do much more than deliver those orders to lift its profits over the next five years. Since the king of go-go era conglomerates began narrowing its focus to jets and helicopters under chief executive Lewis Campbell, demand for flying machines has gone Textron's way. Business folk around the world want the company's thrifty midsize jets to avoid the hassles of commercial flights. If Textron has truly risen above the previous problems of its military-helicopter programs, there's no reason why its shares shouldn't fly.

From Barron's 3-19-07 Saks seems to have turned a corner in its effort to replace the new Saks Fifth Avenue with the old Saks that its well-heeled customers knew and loved. The change -- in merchandising, operations and management -- is starting to pay big dividends for the fabled luxury retailer, whose same-store sales rose an eye-popping 24.7% last month, atop a gain of 11.4% in January and 11.1% in December. Earnings, too, are on an upward trajectory, after years of subpar profits weighed down by special charges. Wall Street analysts expect the company to net 46 cents a share in its fiscal year ending February 2008, and 73 cents in fiscal '09.

From Barron's 3-19-07 CEO Todd Stitzer announced Thursday that he would separate the company's confectionery and Americas Beverages units, at an unspecified date. That raises speculation that one or both could eventually be takeover targets. Details of the plan will be disclosed on June 19. On paper, a breakup has long looked tempting. Apply Coca-Cola's or Pepsico's multiple to Americas Beverages, and Hershey's or Wrigley's to the confectionery operation, and you get a richer valuation for Cadbury, whose stock trades in London under ticker symbol CBRY and whose American depositary shares change hands on the Big Board under ticker CSG. Cadbury would look more focused without its European beverages unit, and can claim a measure of success in the U.S. drinks market where it gained share in 2006, while improving its control of distribution.

From Barron's 3-19-07 Clear Channel Communications, facing strong investor opposition to a proposed $26 billion leveraged buyout, last week tried to improve the odds for the controversial deal. The company said it is postponing a scheduled March 21 shareholder vote on the transaction to April 19, to "better align the voting and economic interests of all Clear Channel shareholders." In reality, the postponement will increase the power of arbitragers and other short-term investors who are more apt to vote yes, in order to capture the 7% spread between the current share price of $35.25 and the deal price of $37.60. The postponement allows anyone who bought the stock in the past two months to vote. Shareholders of record on March 23 can vote; the old record date was Jan. 22.

From Barron's 3-19-07 Ryder (ticker: R) could gain traction later this year, when the economy and freight business are expected to stabilize. The company's contractual business, which provides long-term lease and maintenance contracts, is likely to accelerate as Ryder recognizes revenue from deals signed last year. And the fast-growing supply-chain business, which sells logistics, distribution and transportation services, could expand at a high single-digits rate, driving earnings growth in the longer term. "This will be a show-me year in terms of execution," says David Goerz of Highmark Capital Management, which owns 98,000 Ryder shares. He acknowledges that the company could face problems if U.S. gross domestic product grows at a subpar 2%. But with most economists forecasting 2.5% to 3% GDP growth, Goerz says Ryder should have little trouble besting its conservative guidance for 2007: at least a 7% gain in earnings, to $262 million- $268 million, or $4.30 to $4.40 a share, on revenue of up to $6.7 billion. As for its shares, Ryder has "20% upside or better this year," asserts Goerz, implying the stock could rise to around 60.