Stockchase Opinions

Norman Levine Linamar Corp LNR-T HOLD Jan 14, 2022

Trades mostly as an auto parts company. Covid-19 has had negative affect on auto sales. As economy re-opens and chip shortages reduce, company will do better. Thinks Magna International is a better company.
$80.200

Stock price when the opinion was issued

transportation equip & components
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BUY
Dropped yesterday on tariff noise.

Provides an opportunity. Extremely well managed. Very integrated into auto manufacturing, as is MG. Multiple is slightly less than MG's. Hold for the long term.

Parts go back and forth over the border so often, not sure how you'd keep track of the tariffs. Both Trump and Canada see auto parts as important to the US. Wouldn't be surprised if affected by tariffs less than other industries.

PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Dec 11/23, Up 11%)

It should have done better since it beat expectations and raised guidance. Next year's expectations are not in the double digit range. Earnings are 6 to 6 1/2 X  which make it attractive to hold or buy. He has reduced their holdings from overweight to neutral weight. They plan to introduce a share buyback.

DON'T BUY

Auto parts could be impacted negatively by potential US tariffs. Rough technicals, 200-day MA very flat and moving down, with stock trading below that. 200-week MA also flat and starting to go down. PE always looks cheap, value trap.

PAST TOP PICK
(A Top Pick Jan 05/24, Down 8%)

Frustrating. Earnings growing about 15% per annum, yet still trades well below book value. Global autos have been hated. As production comes back the industrial economy will pick up, though agriculture may be a bit sloppy. 

HOLD
Investor believes tariffs will hit. Sell?

Would be vulnerable because it's a manufacturer that exports to the US. Global sales footprint, with 15% being sold into the US. Factories in US are ~10-15%, with others in Canada and around the world.

Don't sell in a knee-jerk reaction on the basis of one variable that may or may not come into force. Stock prices already discount everything that's fundamental to the outlook of a company. Instead, think about valuation, whether it's easy to substitute the product, customer loyalty, effect of tariffs on USD, and how long the tariffs will last.

WATCH
Impact of US tariffs.

Don't yet know how things are going to shake out. Rhetoric is at an all-time high. Short term, it's impacting our economy because the US is our largest trading partner. Reality is that there's a lot of value-added auto manufacturing in both Canada and US; the 2 countries are inextricably linked. Tariffs will be punitive for both Canada and the US.

Hope is not an investment strategy, but we have to hope that rational heads can prevail so that there continues to be a steady flow of goods across our borders.

DON'T BUY
Negative impact from US tariffs.

The names on this list are plenty. Start with the industrials, for instance. He's a big fan of BBD.B, but they make everything here in Canada.

An aerospace name like CAE, the rails, auto components like LNR and MG.

BUY

Prefers Linamar to Magna for its much lower EV of 6x, and they have diverse businesses, like agricultural equipment.

HOLD
Trevor Rose’s Insights - Trevor’s most-liked answers from 5i Research

LNR is in the same boat (same car?) as Magna. It is also very cheap though. It has some European business ($2.8B) which insulates it a bit from the US trade war. The balance sheet is fine and it will get through this crisis, but we would not expect much from it this year. 
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WEAK BUY

He prefers MG. The 2 charts look exactly the same over the last 10 years, so pick your poison. Buy these names when things look awful.