Finning is a less-risky cyclical buy

Article Excerpt

Finning supplies key equipment to resource companies, so its revenues tend to fluctuate with commodity prices. However, new oil and copper projects continue to spur demand for its equipment and maintenance services. The company’s improving productivity is also giving it more room to reward investors. FINNING INTERNATIONAL INC. $40 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol FTT; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing sector; Shares outstanding: 142.2 million; Market cap: $5.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 2.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.finning.com) sells and services Caterpillar-brand heavy equipment in Western Canada but also Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, the U.K. and Ireland. Its main customers are in the oil and gas, mining, forestry-products and construction industries. Canada is Finning’s biggest market, with 54% of net revenue. Other markets in order of revenue contribution are South America (33%) and the U.K. & Ireland (13%). The servicing of equipment provides 56% of revenue, while the sale of new equipment provides 33%; the balance comes from the sale of used equipment, rentals…