New contracts will help offset writedowns

Article Excerpt

LINAMAR CORP. $12 (Toronto symbol LNR; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 64.7 million; Market cap: $776.4 million; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.3; SI Rating: Extra Risk) lost $48.4 million, or $0.75 a share, in the three months ended June 30, 2009. The loss included a $46.3-million writedown of machinery and equipment that Linamar used to make parts for General Motors and Chrysler. Accounting rules forced Linamar to write down the book value of these assets after GM and Chrysler declared bankruptcy in the second quarter. The company also paid $5.4-million in severance payments because weak car sales prompted it to cut its workforce by 12% earlier this year. Without these items, Linamar would have lost $10.1 million, or $0.16 a share. A year earlier, it earned $32.0 million, or $0.48 a share. Sales fell 39.6%, to $378 million from $625.4 million. Despite the loss, Linamar won $250 million in new contracts during the quarter. That’s because the recession has forced…