Non-cyclical businesses cut their risk

Article Excerpt

Bombardier and CAE continue to diversify. This cuts their exposure to the air-travel industry, which has struggled lately. Both stocks are also attractive in relation to their earnings. BOMBARDIER INC. (Toronto symbols BBD.A $4.53 and BBD.B $4.51; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 1.7 billion; Market cap: $7.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; Dividend yield: 2.2%; SI Rating: Extra Risk) is the world’s third-largest maker of commercial aircraft, behind Boeing and Airbus. Bombardier’s aerospace division supplies roughly half of its revenue, and two-thirds of its profits. The remaining revenue and earnings come from Bombardier’s transportation division, which is the world’s largest maker of passenger railcars and commuter trains. The weak economy has hurt orders for Bombardier’s regional jets. In response, the company is scaling back production of the planes and laying off around 600 workers at its Montreal-area plants. That’s about 1% of its workforce. The layoffs will cost the company $10 million (all amounts except share price and market cap…