Topic: How To Invest

Pat: What are your thoughts on Hardwoods Distribution?

Article Excerpt

Hardwoods Distribution, $10.28, symbol HWD on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 16.5 million; Market cap: $170.0 million; www.hardwoods-inc.com), is one of North America’s largest distributors of high-grade hardwood lumber and specialty sheet goods. The company mainly purchases these products from hardwood lumber mills and sells them in the home construction, renovation and institutional markets. It operates through 33 distribution centres across Canada and the U.S. Hardwoods converted from an income trust to a conventional corporation in July 2011. In May 2013, Hardwoods bought certain assets of Olam Wood Products in Leland, North Carolina, for $2.8 million U.S. This business imports tropical lumber and decking material from Africa and South America and resells them to industrial customers and wholesale distributors in North America. In April 2014, the company acquired Hardwoods of Michigan, a producer, distributor and exporter of hardwood lumber, for $15.0 million U.S. In the three months ended June 30, 2014, Hardwoods’ revenue rose 24.5%, to $119.0 million from $95.6 million a year earlier. Increased demand from…