3 Earnings Reports That Caught My Attention Last Week: Carnival Corporation (CCL), Dole Food Company, Inc. (DOLE), Great Panther Silver Ltd (USA) (GPL)

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Great Panther Silver Ltd (USA) (NYSEAMEX:GPL)

Silver prices may have dipped from the previous year, but mining companies that are becoming more efficient, finding higher grade ore, and boosting production are bound to succeed. That’s why, even with a $0.02 miss on the books for Great Panther Silver Ltd (USA) (NYSEAMEX:GPL), you should really give this small-cap silver and gold miner another look.

For the full year, Great Panther Silver Ltd (USA) (NYSEAMEX:GPL) reported a 6% increase in revenue despite a double-digit decline in silver prices thanks to significantly higher ore grades at Guanajuato (2.02 g/t versus 1.52 g/t in 2011). Overall silver production rose 4% and gold production leapt 36%, allowing for Great Panther Silver Ltd (USA) (NYSEAMEX:GPL)’s record results.

Looking ahead, Great Panther Silver Ltd (USA) (NYSEAMEX:GPL) anticipates that production levels will grow only modestly in 2013, perhaps by as much as 4%. Where it plans to grow its bottom line is through cash cost reductions. The company’s forecast calls for a 10% to 18% reduction in cash costs per ounce as higher gold yields and improved operating efficiency should yield EPS improvements.

As I’ve been saying for months, silver prices shouldn’t have much further to fall with China’s demand likely to buoy prices. As long as technology sector demand for silver remains stable, silver prices should head higher over the long run which will spell good news for Great Panther Silver Ltd (USA) (NYSEAMEX:GPL) shareholders when coupled with its falling mining costs.

Dole Food Company, Inc. (NYSE:DOLE)

Dole Food Company, Inc. (NYSE:DOLE) certainly didn’t give investors any reasons to go bananas last week when it reported a significantly wider-than-expected fourth-quarter loss. To its credit, Dole Food Company, Inc. (NYSE:DOLE) sold its packaged fruit and fresh produce division in Asia to Itochu Corp (ADR) (PINK:ITOCY) during the quarter which removed revenue and profitability that the Street may not have accounted for. There are other reasons, as well, why Dole might be an attractive investment here.

For starters, ridding itself of its Asia produce segment gives the company renewed focus on its remaining operations without spreading itself too thin. Secondly, keep in mind the numerous points made by Barron’s last month of why the Itochu Corp (ADR) (PINK:ITOCY) deal could make Dole Food Company, Inc. (NYSE:DOLE) worth double where it is now. The $1.69 billion buyout price will practically eliminate all of Dole’s long-term debts which may ultimately allow it to focus on shareholder-driven share repurchases and a possible dividend. Barron’s other key point relates to Dole Food Company, Inc. (NYSE:DOLE)’s roughly $500 million in land assets which it feels investors haven’t truly accounted for.

Personally, I can’t fathom the banana market growing any more challenging than it already is for Dole. Combined with its cash payment from Itochu, I feel Dole Food Company, Inc. (NYSE:DOLE) has all the tools needed to surprise Wall Street in a positive way in the second half of 2013.

The article 3 Earnings Reports That Caught My Attention Last Week originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Sean Williams.

Fool contributor Sean Williams has no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen name TMFUltraLong, track every pick he makes under the screen name TrackUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle @TMFUltraLong.The Motley Fool owns shares of, and recommends, Walt Disney.

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