Better cash flow cushions COVID hit

Article Excerpt

FINNING INTERNATIONAL INC. $20 remains a buy. The company (Toronto symbol FTT; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 162.1 million; Market cap: $3.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 4.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.finning.com) sells and services Caterpillar-brand heavy equipment in Western Canada, South America and the U.K. Its main customers are in the oil and gas, mining, forestry-products and construction industries. The company’s revenue in the three months ended June 30, 2020, fell 33.1%, to $1.34 billion from $2.00 billion a year earlier. Sales were lower due to COVID-19 and reduced demand from oil and gas producers. Earnings dropped 79.5% in the quarter to, $18 million, or $0.12 a share, from $88 million, or $0.54. However, thanks to better management of its inventories, the company’s free cash flow (regular cash flow less capital spending) improved to $312 million compared to an outflow of $162 million a year earlier. Finning is a buy. buy…