CAE boosts value for investors

Article Excerpt

CAE INC. $26 (Toronto symbol CAE; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 267.9 million; Market cap: $7.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.4; Dividend yield: 1.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.cae.com) is the world’s largest maker of flight simulators for commercial airlines and military clients. It also trains pilots. In its fiscal 2019 first quarter, ended June 30, 2018, CAE earned $71.6 million. That’s a gain of 17.0% from $61.2 million a year earlier. Due to fewer shares outstanding, per-share earnings rose at a slightly faster pace of 18.2%, to $0.26 from $0.22. Overall revenue rose 10.0%, to $722.0 million from $656.2 million. Sales of flight simulators and pilot-training services to airlines (60% of total revenue) rose 16.0%. CAE delivered 12 simulators in the quarter, up from 8 a year earlier. Sales to military clients (37%) improved 2.9%. However, sales of medical-simulation products (3%) declined 4.6%, mainly because the year-earlier quarter benefitted from a major order. CAE’s order backlog at the end of the quarter…