Rising steel spurs Russel

Article Excerpt

RUSSEL METALS $23.24 (Toronto symbol RUS; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (905-819-7777; www.russelmetals.com; Shares o/s: 62.1 million; Market cap: $1.4 billion; Divd. yield: 6.5%) is one of North America’s largest metal distributors. It serves over 29,000 clients at 51 locations in Canada and 12 in the U.S. In the three months ended December 31, 2018, revenue rose 35.2%, to $1.12 billion from $825.1 million a year earlier. The increase came from higher selling prices as well as the acquisition of DuBose Steel in 2018. Earnings in the latest quarter were $46.2 million, or $0.74 a share. That’s a 65.0% increase from $28.0 million, or $0.45, a year earlier. The company enjoyed both rising steel prices and increased volume sales. That includes selling more pipe to energy-products customers. The stock trades at just 8.8 times 2019 forecast earnings of $2.63 a share. It yields 6.5%. Russel Metals is a buy. buy…