Topic: How To Invest

Pat. What do you think of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers? Is it a good buy?

Article Excerpt

A: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Inc., $45.22, symbol RBA on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 106.4 million; Market cap: $4.8 billion; www.rbauction.com) is the world’s largest industrial auctioneer. The Vancouver-based company has over 110 locations, including 45 auction sites in 19 countries. Ritchie Bros. holds roughly 325 unreserved auctions each year. (Unreserved means that there are no minimum or reserve prices. Each item goes to the highest bidder, regardless of price.) It sells used and unused industrial equipment and other assets for the construction, transportation, material-handling, mining, forestry, petroleum, marine, real estate, and agricultural industries. The company’s auctions include both onsite and online bidding. About 80% of its customers are the users of the equipment they buy. However, equipment makers, dealers, brokers and finance companies also participate in the company’s auctions. Ritchie Bros. typically keeps around 10% of the selling price for auctioned items. Revenue rose 30.2%, from $396.1 million in …