COVID-19 lifts private jet demand

Article Excerpt

BOMBARDIER INC. is still a hold. The company (Toronto symbols BBD.A $1.16 and BBD.B $0.93; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 2.4 billion; Market cap: $2.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; Dividend suspended in February 2015; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative; www.bombardier.com) recently delivered two of its long-range Global 7500 aircraft to VistaJet, which sells use of its planes on an hourly basis. VistaJet also plans to buy up to 12 more planes as well as 10 Challenger 350 jets over the next two years as COVID-19 keeps demand for private, secure travel high. The company’s shares have doubled since the start of 2021. However, Bombardier expects it will take five years for business jet demand to rebound to pre-pandemic levels. Its total debt of $6.5 billion U.S. (3.5 times its market cap) also adds risk. Bombardier is a hold. hold…