Motorola Solutions faces a new risk

Article Excerpt

MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS INC. $80 (New York symbol MSI; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 166.1 million; Market cap: $13.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.2; Dividend yield: 2.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.motorolasolutions.com) makes radios for police and fire vehicles. It split from cellphone maker Motorola in 2011. In February 2016, the company paid $1.0 billion for Airwave. That firm provides two-way radio and other communications services to 300 emergency and public-service agencies in the U.K. Motorola’s sales rose 6.0%, to $6.0 billion in 2016 from $5.7 billion in 2015. Lower sales in Latin America offset the $462 million that Airwave contributed to overall sales. Without unusual items, earnings per share jumped 47.7%, to $4.92 from $3.33. For all of 2017, Motorola expects to earn between $5.05 and $5.20 a share. The stock trades at a moderate 15.6 times the midpoint of that range. However, the company now controls 85% of the U.S. police and fire radio market. That has led to allegations…