Q: Could I have your views on there latest acquisition of an Australian company. Stock is up nicely this morning.
5i Research Answer:
The stock was also up on very strong earnings, with EPS more than 14% ahead of estimates and sales more than 8% ahead. For a $900M company, the $395M acquisition is very significant. NOA entered Australia two years ago, and this deal instantly gives it scale and market share, and allows it to serve its global customers better. It also further diversifies its overall business. It adds about 1,400 employees and a $4B backlog. It is highly accretive to sales and earnings. Debt-financed, there is risk, but the earnings boost is substantial. We think it is a solid deal, and the stock remains cheap overall despite the gains last week.