SIERRA WIRELESS $23.59

SIERRA WIRELESS $23.59 (Toronto symbol SW; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (604-231-1100; www.sierrawireless.com; Shares outstanding: 31.9 million; Market cap: $724.9 million; No dividends paid) makes digital components that connect products—including smart electricity meters and vehicles—to the Internet. This is known as machine-to-machine networking, or the Internet of Things.

In the three months ended March 31, 2016, the company made sales of $142.8 million. That’s a 5.1% drop from the $150.4 million a year earlier (all figures except share price and market cap in U.S. dollars).

In the latest quarter, excluding one-time items, Sierra earned $2.6 million, or $0.08 a share, down sharply from $7.2 million, or $0.22, a year earlier. That was enough to beat the consensus estimate of $0.01 a share.

The company plans to launch 40 products by the end of this year. Its schedule is holding back sales as repeat customers wait on the new components before placing orders.

To stay ahead of competitors, Sierra devotes a high 13% of its revenue to research. It holds cash of $86.1 million, or $2.70 a share, and has low debt.

The stock trades at 25.6 times the company’s forecast 2016 earnings of $0.71 U.S. a share. That’s high, but still acceptable in light of Sierra’s strong research and development spending and its prospects in an expanding industry.

Sierra Wireless is a buy.

A professional investment analyst for more than 30 years, Pat has developed a stock-selection technique that has proven reliable in both bull and bear markets. His proprietary ValuVesting System™ focuses on stocks that provide exceptional quality at relatively low prices. Many savvy investors and industry leaders consider it the most powerful stock-picking method ever created.