Genuine cuts full-year outlook

Article Excerpt

GENUINE PARTS CO. $116 is still a buy for long-term gains. The company (New York symbol GPC; Income Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 139.1 million; Market cap: $16.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.7; Dividend yield: 3.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.genpt.com) has over 10,800 company-owned and independent auto parts stores in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Most of them operate under the famous NAPA banner. This business accounts for about 60% of Genuine’s total sales. The remaining 40% comes from distributing industrial parts such as bearings, seals, pumps and hoses. Genuine’s sales in the three months ended September 30, 2024, rose 2.5%, to $5.97 billion from $5.82 billion a year earlier. If you factor out acquisitions and currency rates, sales fell 0.8% due to weaker demand in Europe and at its industrial parts businesses. Higher operating costs also cut its earnings by 25.1%, to $263.0 million from $351.2 million. Due to fewer shares outstanding, per-share earnings declined at a slower rate of…