Chinese Expansion Has Big Potential

Article Excerpt

MTS SYSTEMS CORP. $42 (Nasdaq symbol MTSC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 17.7 million; Market cap: $743.4 million; WSSF Rating: Average) has expanded its facilities in China. This will help MTS sell more custom-built testing and diagnostic systems to Chinese automotive, aircraft and industrial manufacturers. MTS’s expertise will help these Chinese customers improve efficiency, and speed up the development of new products. In the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007, MTS’s earnings rose 8.0% to $42.0 million from $38.9 million in the prior year. Per-share earnings grew 13.4%, to $2.29 from $2.02, on fewer shares outstanding. Revenue rose 6.0%, to $420.5 million from $396.8 million. MTS spent 4.7% of its revenue on research in fiscal 2007. The company has increased its quarterly dividend 36.4%, from $0.11 a share to $0.15. It now yields 1.4%. MTS Systems is a buy. buy…