The following three international companies have great exposure to exciting growth trends and each has shares traded as American depositary receipts (ADRs). This makes it easy for investors to buy into German industrial giant Siemens (SIEGY 0.90%), French industrial software company Dassault Systemes (DASTY 0.17%), and Swedish mining and engineering equipment company Sandvik (SDVKY -3.65%). Here's why all three are attractive stocks.
Siemens raises guidance, again
This industrial company recently raised its full-year 2023 guidance for revenue growth and earnings, making the second raise this year. This highlights the growth potential in a business that's been restructured over the years to focus on three key businesses: digital industries (factory automation, process automation, motion control, and industrial software), smart infrastructure (electrification, smart buildings, electrical products), and mobility (rail stock and infrastructure).
Management now expects digital industries revenue to grow 17% to 20% in 2023 compared to an expectation of 10% to 13% at the start of the year. It's a move mirrored by Rockwell Automation, which has hiked its full-year guidance twice through the year as well. Meanwhile, the electrification and smart buildings sector has been hot in 2023 -- smart infrastructure revenue at Siemens is now expected to grow 14% to 16% compared to an expectation of 8% to 11% at the start of the year. The icing on the cake comes from record quarterly orders of $6.2 billion in mobility in the fiscal second quarter, which ended March 31. Management hiked its full-year revenue growth guidance for the segment to 10%-12% from 6% to 9% previously.
Siemens is firing on all cylinders right now, and a quick look at its enterprise value (market cap plus net debt) to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) valuation compared to its peers shows that it remains an excellent relative and absolute value.
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Dassault Systemes, for the fourth industrial revolution
In common with Siemens' industrial software (digital industries segment) business, Dassault Systemes has a long-term growth opportunity from the increased adoption of digital technology in the industrial world. In addition, the growing interconnection between the physical and digital worlds is significantly increasing the value Dassault's design, engineering, and manufacturing software can offer.
Dassault is the leading computer-aided design (CAD) software company and the third-largest product lifecycle management company (Siemens is the second, with PTC the market leader).
Whereas previously a design engineer might have worked with different programs to create a part or product using CAD, Dassault's solutions allow that engineer to do much more. For example, they could create 3D models and simulate the performance of a mechanical design. They could also collaborate remotely with other design engineers. Moreover, by digitally modeling a product's physical performance, an engineer could digitally redesign the product using CAD. It's a fascinating growth market.
Despite being a leading player in its field, Dassault trades at a valuation discount to its U.S. peers, and is worth a look by anyone who likes investing in the industrial software space.
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Sandvik, for the commodity supercycle
If you believe in a long-term mining commodity supercycle driven by the trend toward electrification in the economy and its positive impact on demand for metals like copper, zinc, lithium, and cobalt, you could buy the underlying commodity or the mining companies that produce them. Alternatively, you could buy the equipment and services companies that sell to the mining companies.
Caterpillar has substantive exposure, but it's only part of what it does. The company is better known for its construction machinery, and also has power, transportation, and oil & gas equipment. Alternatively, you could look at Sweden's Sandvik, which generates nearly 60% of its sales from mining and infrastructure equipment. Its cutting, drilling, loading, and hauling equipment are integral to surface and underground mining. In addition, its rock-processing solutions (crushing and screening) are used across the mining and infrastructure sector.
Sandvik trades at a valuation below that of its immediate peers. For reference, Epiroc is more of a pure-play mining and infrastructure equipment company, and its valuation premium reflects its relatively higher returns on investment. However, Sandvik's 10-year average return on invested capital (ROIC) is 12.2% compared to Caterpillar's 7.4%.
So, if you're looking for exposure to mining equipment spending, then there's a strong case for favoring Sandvik over Caterpillar in terms of more exposure to mining and a lower relative valuation.
Data by YCharts
As such, Sandvik gives enterprising investors exposure to a market they wouldn't ordinarily get by sticking to domestic stocks.