Schneider Electric (SU-EPA)

(A Top Pick May 29/24, Down 16%)

All about using electricity more efficiently at the commercial level. Longer-term infrastructure growth. Very stable. He actually sold yesterday, only to take the $$ and put it toward something he really likes in this market downturn. He'd look to buy it again.

Electric contracting and equipment. Growing. Long, long term. Double top recently, so expect a bit of weakness. Part of the digital transformation to energy. At the centre of the need to manage energy distribution and delivery. Tons of upside. Cashflow's increased in a year by 36%, 62% over 2 years. 90% institutional ownership. Could be volatile in short term, but in 10 years you'll be happy. Yield is 1.5%.

(Analysts’ price target is $44.89)

In the face of energy issues and global recession? Sees further strain on the European energy sector. Industrial stocks like SU wouldn't be immune to any softening in the economy. Longer term, lots of growth, especially as everything goes more electric. Fairly valued at 19 PE. Can own for a long time.

He would stay away from this one. They have been public since 1990, but it has been a long term under-performer. Some of their older businesses have not been growing well. There are other better players in this space. He would be interested if they spun off some of their legacy assets. It is not one of the better investments in the space of electrical products.

(French Exchange.) He prefers ABB (ABB-N). Balance sheet is kind of similar but ABB has a very strong growth profile. Dividend has grown substantially over the last few years. Very tied to the modernization of large population countries in the modernization of electrical growth. (See Past Picks.)

(French index.) A couple of challenges. Industrial so fairly cyclical and fairly leveraged to overall economic activity. Company is doing extremely well. Organic growth is good with good penetration into emerging markets. 4.4% yield which should be fairly secure. Might be quiet for the next couple of years. Watch the company and their business plan and what they are focused on.