Focus on packaging cuts this printer’s risk

Article Excerpt

TRANSCONTINENTAL INC. $27 (Toronto symbol TCL.A; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares o/s: 77.0 million; Market cap: $2.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.0; Dividend yield: 3.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.tctranscontinental.com) is a leading printer of advertising flyers, magazines, books and newspapers. In the past few years, the company has cut its reliance on cyclical advertising revenue with acquisitions of firms that produce plastic packaging for food makers. Between 2014 and 2017 (Transcontinental’s fiscal years end October 31), it purchased five packaging firms for a total of $357.6 million. Purchase triples size of packaging business In April 2018, Transcontinental announced the biggest takeover in its 42-year history—the purchase of Chicago-based Coveris Americas. That firm makes plastic packaging for consumer and industrial products at 21 plants in the U.S., Canada, and several other countries. Transcontinental will pay $1.32 billion U.S. (or $1.72 billion Canadian) when it completes the purchase in mid-2018. Following the acquisition, packaging will supply 48% of its total revenue, up from 15% in the latest quarter. Meantime,…