Tariff fears ease for Linamar

Article Excerpt

LINAMAR CORP. $45 (Toronto symbol LNR; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 65.4 million; Market cap: $2.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; Dividend yield: 1.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.linamar.com) makes a variety of automotive parts, including cylinder heads, cylinder blocks, camshafts, crankshafts and rods. It also makes self-propelled, scissor-type work platforms under the Skyjack brand as well as a variety of other machinery for industrial clients. The stock has dropped 25% in the past year, due to fears about possible new tariffs. That includes U.S. President Trump’s recent threat to impose duties on goods from Mexico, where the company has five plants. While that threat has now been withdrawn, the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal should further help to limit any new U.S. tariffs. In addition, Linamar benefits from the recent removal of U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum products imported from Canada. Meantime, the company continues to cut its exposure to automakers. Last year, it paid $1.2 billion for Winnipeg’s MacDon, a..