Toromont’s backlog cuts your risk

Article Excerpt

TOROMONT INDUSTRIES LTD. $65 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol TIH; Aggressive Growth Portfolio; Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 82.0 million; Market cap: $5.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.4; Dividend yield: 1.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk; www.toromont.com) distributes a range of industrial equipment, including Caterpillar machinery, in eastern Canada. Investors also tap Toromont’s refrigeration systems business, CIMCO. Due to higher demand for heavy equipment before the COVID-19 outbreak, Toromont’s revenue in the three months ended March 31, 2020, rose 2.2%, to $715.5 million from $700.0 million a year earlier. However, earnings fell 6.3%, to $0.45 a share from $0.48. That decline in part reflects Toromont’s increased loan-loss provisioning for customers who may struggle to pay their bills because of the COVID-19 shutdown. Even with that uncertainty, you will benefit from Toromont’s solid order backlog, up to $567.0 million in March from $544.9 million a year earlier. earlier…