Lower costs boost Finning’s prospects

Article Excerpt

FINNING INTERNATIONAL INC. $19 (Toronto symbol FTT; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 168.0 million; Market cap: $3.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 3.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.finning.com) sells and services Caterpillar-brand heavy equipment in Canada, South America and the U.K. Its main customers are in the oil, mining, forest-products and construction industries. The company continues to cut costs as low commodity prices hurt equipment demand. Finning recently announced plans to eliminate about 500 jobs by mid-2016. That’s in addition to the 1,900 workers, or 13% of its global workforce, laid off last year. Because of the moves, Finning has already reduced its annual expenses by $150 million, and expects higher savings this year. Meanwhile, the company lost $161 million, or $0.94 a share, in 2015. If you exclude writedowns and other unusual items, Finning earned $1.29 a share. In 2014, it earned $318 million, or $1.85 a share. Overall revenue declined 10.5%, to $6.2…