Leading aerospace firms: 1 buy & 1 hold

Article Excerpt

The outlook for the global aerospace industry is bright, as an expanding middle class lifts demand for air travel. We feel the best way to profit from that trend is with companies that provide vital support services to airlines, such as CAE, instead of aircraft makers like Bombardier. CAE INC. $24 (Toronto symbol CAE; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 268.2 million; Market cap: $6.4 billion; Priceto- sales ratio: 2.3; Dividend yield: 1.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.cae.com) is the world’s largest maker of flight simulators. It also trains pilots. The company is reorganizing its Asian operations. It recently sold its 49% stake in a Chinese pilot-training joint venture. Its partner in the business, China Southern Airlines, paid $96 million U.S. for CAE’s interest. CAE has also completed its acquisition of AirAsia’s share of the Asian Aviation Centre of Excellence (AACE) for $100 million U.S. The deal gives CAE 100% ownership of the AACE’s three training centres and greater exposure to…