Topic: How To Invest

Dear Pat, I’d appreciate your thoughts on Greenbrier Cos. and Trinity Industries. Thanks, as always, for your thoughts.

Article Excerpt

Greenbrier Cos., $68.02, symbol GBX on New York (Shares outstanding: 27.5 million; Market cap: $1.9 billion; www.gbrx.com), supplies transportation equipment and services to the railroad industry. It also makes ocean-going marine barges. The company’s plants are in the U.S., Mexico and Poland. Greenbrier has three divisions: Manufacturing (69% of revenue); Wheels, Repairs and Parts (27%); and Leasing & Services (4%). Two customers, TTX Company and Union Pacific Railroad, account for 27% of its total revenue. In its fiscal 2014 third quarter, which ended May 31, 2014, Greenbrier’s revenue rose 18.1%, to $593.3 million from $502.2 million a year earlier. That’s mainly because the company delivered 4,300 railcars in the latest quarter, up 72.0% from 2,500. The repair and parts business also raised its prices, increasing its revenue by 7.2%. Leasing revenue jumped 50.8%, thanks to higher sales of railcars made by a third party. Excluding one-time charges and writedowns, Greenbrier made $1.03 a share in the latest quarter, up 102.0% from $0.51. Greenbrier received…