Auto parts leaders— 1 buy, 1 hold

Genuine Parts and Snap-On (see box) face two challenges: cyclical demand for their automotive products, and a high U.S. dollar, which is hurting the contribution of their foreign businesses.

They are using the current slowdown to make small acquisitions that will open new product lines… Read More

Auto-related stocks: 1 buy and 1 hold

These two automotive-equipment suppliers have shot up in the past year, partly because strong car sales should spur demand for their products for years to come.

Both stocks seem expensive in relation to their earnings right now, but we still see Genuine Parts as a.. Read More

GENUINE PARTS CO. $91 – New York symbol GPC

GENUINE PARTS CO. $91 (New York symbol GPC; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 150.8 million; Market cap: $13.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.9; Dividend yield: 2.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.genpt.com) gets about half of its sales and earnings by… Read More

Strong businesses offset cyclical risk

GENUINE PARTS CO. $88 (New York symbol GPC; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 152.3 million; Market cap: $13.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.9; Dividend yield: 2.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.genpt.com) gets 53% of its sales and 55% of its earnings… Read More

GENUINE PARTS CO. $88 – New York symbol GPC

GENUINE PARTS CO. $88 (New York symbol GPC; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 152.3 million; Market cap: $13.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.9; Dividend yield: 2.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.genpt.com) gets 53% of its sales and 55% of its earnings… Read More