Wider client base gives CAE an edge

Article Excerpt

CAE’s shares are down 11% since the start of 2024, while Bombardier has jumped 67%. Even so, we still feel CAE is a better choice for long-term gains due to its exposure to a wider range of clientele and types of aircraft. CAE INC. $26 is still a buy. The company (Toronto symbol CAE; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 318.1 million; Market cap: $8.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.9; Dividend suspended in March 2020; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.cae.com) is a leading maker of flight simulators for commercial and military aircraft. It also operates pilot-training schools in over 40 countries. The company’s defence business has struggled lately, partly due to unfavourable fixed-cost legacy contracts. These legacy deals prevent it from passing along its rising costs for labour and raw materials. The company expects to complete these contracts over the next two years. As a result, CAE wrote down the value of its defence business by $568.0 million. It also recorded $126.0 million in other…