Finning Looks for Savings as Sales Shrink

Article Excerpt

FINNING INTERNATIONAL INC. $14 (Toronto symbol FTT; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 171.4 million; Market cap: $2.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; SI Rating: Above average) plans to cut about 5% of its workforce, as falling prices for oil and other commodities have hurt demand for its heavy construction vehicles and equipment. However, slowing sales of new equipment could spur demand for Finning’s spare parts and maintenance services, as customers delay replacing older equipment. Severance costs will cut Finning’s earnings by $10 million for the fourth quarter of 2008, and an additional $15 million in the first quarter of 2009. The plan should save the company $40 million a year, starting in 2009. Finning earned $64.8 million or $0.37 a share in the third quarter of 2008. Finning is a buy. buy…