Trimble is Still a Buy

Article Excerpt

TRIMBLE NAVIGATION $14.22 (Nasdaq symbol TRMB; SI Rating: Speculative) (408- 481-6914; www.trimble.com; Shares outstanding: 119.5 million; Market cap: $1.7 billion) reports that its revenues fell 14.3% in the three months ended December 31, 2008, to $268.1 million from $312.8 million a year earlier. Excluding one-time items, earnings fell 18.4%, to $29 million from $35.5 million. Earnings per share fell 14.3% on 1.7% fewer shares outstanding. Trimble specializes in “advanced positioning solutions,” such as GPS and other tracking technologies. In the latest quarter, sharply falling demand at its engineering and construction division hurt results. Revenues were down 16% in the mobile solutions division, which focuses on vehicle and vessel tracking, and GPS components revenues fell 5%. However, field solutions (agriculture) revenues rose 17.4%. Trimble forecasts a difficult market in the early part of 2009, especially in its engineering and construction division, which generates 53% of Trimble’s revenues. To improve its profitability, Trimble is undertaking a number of cost-cutting measures, including cutting its workforce…