Finning: 23 years of rising dividends

Article Excerpt

Finning mainly serves businesses in the cyclical mining and construction industries, so its earnings tend to move up and down with the overall economy. Even so, the company’s strong focus on productivity has let it increase your dividend each year for the past 23 years. FINNING INTERNATIONAL INC. $41 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol FTT; Cyclical-Growth Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 142.4 million; Market cap: $5.8 billion; Dividend yield: 2.7%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.finning.com) sells and services Caterpillar-brand heavy equipment in Western Canada but also Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, the U.K. and Ireland. Its main customers are in the oil and gas, mining, forestry-products and construction industries. Canada is Finning’s biggest market, contributing 54% of net revenue. Its other markets in order of revenue are South America (33%) and the U.K. & Ireland (13%). The servicing of equipment provides 56% of revenue, while the sale of new equipment provides 33%; the balance comes from the sale of used equipment, rentals and…