Seven Brazilian Stocks on a Roll

Brazilian stocks saw their best January in six years, due largely to strength in retail, utilities, oil and mining. Here's a quick look at some of the Brazilian stocks on a roll now. They are traded on U.S. exchanges and all pay some dividend. Companhia de Bebidas Das Americas ABV ADS are trading about 46% higher than a year ago to near its 52-week high. Also known as AMBEV, this Sao Paolo-based company is a beer and soft drink producer founded in 1888. The $116.7 billion market cap company also has a dividend yield of 1.3%. Its return on equity is 33.4% and its operating margin is higher than those of competitors such as Coca-Cola KO and Fomento Economico Mexicano FMX. Companhia Siderurgica Nacional SID is more than 32% higher year to date, crossing above the 200-day moving average recently, but still more than 34% below the 52-week high. This integrated steel producer is based in Sao Paolo, has a market cap of $15.8 billion and its dividend yield is 5.9%. The return on equity is 50.5% and the long-term EPS growth forecast is 13.9%. The stock has outperformed competitor United States Steel X over the past six months. Cosan CZZ is up more than 24% since the beginning of the year despite pulling back about 4% from a recent 52-week high. Based in Sao Paulo, this company is the largest sugar producer in Brazil and also produces ethanol. Its dividend yield is 2.1% and the market cap is $3.7 billion. EPS have grown more than 140% over the past five years. Over the past six months, the stock has outperformed competitors Bunge BG and Imperial Sugar IPSU. See also: Five Latin America Stocks for 2012. Gerdau GGB jumped almost 11% in the past week and is more than 36% higher year to date. This steel producer is seeking to sell 40% of mining unit for $2.5 billion, according to a recent Bloomberg report. This Porto Alegre-based company has a market cap of $18.3 billion and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The long-term EPS growth forecast is 20.4%. Over the past six months, the stock has outperformed competitors Nucor NUE and Companhia Siderurgica Nacional. Itau Unibanco Holding ITUB shares are trading about 17% higher than six months ago, including up about 11% in the past month. This was one of the banks recently hit by attacks from Anonymous hackers. The Sao Paulo-based lender has a market cap of $95.5 billion, a long-term EPS growth forecast of 12.9% and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Over the past six months, the stock has outperformed the likes of Banco Bradesco BBD and Banco Santander BSBR. TAM TAM shares are trading more than 14% higher year to date but still more than 8% below the 52-week high. The airline is in the process of merging with Lan Airlines LFL, which is based in Chile. TAM has a dividend yield of 3.3% and the operating margin is better than the industry average. Revenues in 2011 are expected to be up 13.3% year over year. Over the past six months, the stock has outperformed competitors Lan Airlines and GOL Linhas GOL. Ultrapar Holdings UGP is up more than 21% year to date, but has pulled back about 2.5% from a recent 52-week high. The petrochemicals company saw flat EPS in Q3 and reports next on February 23. Based in Sao Paulo, the company has a market cap of $2.8 billion, a dividend yield of 2.7% and a long-term EPS growth forecast of 20.0%. The recent surge helped the stock outperform peers such as Magellon Midstream Partners MMP over the past six months. See also: Brazil's Stealthy ETF Studs.