The best stock on the market right now, according to more than 115,000 members of the Motley Fool CAPS investing community, is WABCO Holdings (NYSE:WBC).
Getting to know WABCO
|
Headquarters (Founded) |
Brussels, Belgium (1869 as "Westinghouse Air Brake Company"; spun off in 2007) |
|
Market Cap |
$3.14 billion |
|
Industry |
Auto Parts and Equipment |
|
TTM Revenue |
$2.75 billion |
|
Management |
CEO Jacques Esculier (since 2004) CFO Ulrich Michel (since 2005) |
|
Major Competitors |
SORL Auto Parts (NASDAQ:SORL) |
|
CAPS members bullish on WABCO also bullish on |
General Electric (NYSE:GE) |
|
CAPS members bearish on WABCO also bearish on |
General Motors (NYSE:GM) Ford (NYSE:F) |
Sources: Capital IQ, a division of Standard & Poor's, and Motley Fool CAPS. TTM = trailing 12 months.
While WABCO may be a young company on its own, it has a long operating history dating back to the 19th century -- as part of the Westinghouse Air Brake Company. The original railway-services wing of Westinghouse went public in 1995 under the name Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies (NYSE:WAB) (WABTEC), but the auto-parts segment was bought in 1968 by American Standard, which owned it for more than 30 years. WABCO in its current form was brought to the market in 2007.
The company has made some significant inventions in its field, including the first heavy-duty truck anti-lock braking system, the first electronic braking system, and the first electronic stability control system for commercial vehicles. Its products are mostly found in heavy-duty commercial vehicles like trucks, buses, and trailers, and most sales are done overseas. In fact, 93% of its 2007 revenue came from outside the U.S.
Wait, this is an auto-parts company!
Despite these impressive facts, it still may be hard to believe that out of more than 5,500 rated stocks on CAPS, an auto-parts company would receive top honors -- especially with high gas prices and global economic concerns all the rage.
Then again, maybe CAPS investors are betting with Buffett here. The master investor owns 2.7 million shares of WABCO for the Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK-A) portfolio. In fact, most CAPS players who commented on why they picked this stock to outperform wrote that the reason behind their confidence in WABCO is Buffett's ownership.
Business has also been brisk, however -- the company recently reported that its second-quarter income had doubled, lifting its full-year earnings guidance range about 4% higher than was previously expected. At 16.7 times trailing earnings, WABCO shares aren't trading at a discount to the market, but earnings and margins are up year-over-year at a time when other companies are suffering.
So, has the Oracle of Omaha found another winner with WABCO? Or are investors wrong in following his example? Add your voice to the ongoing discussion about WABCO -- or any stock for that matter -- at Motley Fool CAPS, where 115,000-plus members are waiting to hear what you have to say. To get started, click here. CAPS is 100% free.
