Big purchase spurs Toromont gains

Article Excerpt

TOROMONT INDUSTRIES LTD. $60 (Toronto symbol TIH; Aggressive Growth Portfolio; Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 81.5 million; Market cap: $5.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.4; Dividend yield: 1.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.toromont.com) distributes a broad range of industrial equipment (such as bulldozers, backhoe loaders and drills), including Caterpillar machinery, in eastern Canada and the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. It also makes refrigeration systems through its CIMCO business. Selling new and used equipment accounted for 43% of Toromont’s 2018 revenue, followed by product support (40%), rental equipment (11%) and refrigeration equipment (6%). Markets outside of Canada supply just 3% of its revenue. Hewitt acquisition is a good fit In October 2017, Toromont completed its acquisition of privately held Hewitt Group. That firm is the exclusive distributor of Caterpillar equipment in Quebec and Atlantic Canada. The new operations nicely complement Toromont’s existing Caterpillar branches in Ontario, Manitoba and Nunavut. As well, Hewitt helps the company profit from new mining and infrastructure projects in Quebec. The $1.02…