Investing

Top Strategist Says Now's the Time to Buy Stocks With International Exposure

Lee Jackson

Published: May 15, 2017 8:20 am

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 12:01 pm

For the longest time, many on Wall Street stressed staying with companies that had more of their business and sales in the United States, and with good reason. With the dollar staying strong over the past few years, that made sense as products and services are more expensive overseas with a strong currency here at home. That tide may beginning to turn, and one strategist thinks it’s time to look for top companies that do significant amount of international business.

In a new Jefferies research report, outstanding Small and Midcap strategist Steven DeSanctis reverses his field and is removing his preference for stocks that get the lion’s shares of the revenue they generate domestically, and he notes that small and midcap stocks with substantial international revenue are performing better. Combine a weaker dollar, with some economic strength globally and the recipe for success is looking good.

DeSanctis and his team refreshed their screen to account for first-quarter results and international exposure and came up with 30 stocks that fit the criteria. We then screened for the companies that also pay dividends, and these five that look outstanding.

Booz Allen Hamilton

This company could be a big beneficiary of increased military sending. Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp. (NYSE: BAH) is a leading provider of management consulting, technology and engineering services to the U.S. government in defense, intelligence and civil markets, as well as to major corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Wall Street sees the company using the firm’s cash stockpile for acquisitions and the possibility for increased dividend payouts.

Jefferies also sees the potential for additional growth at the company through potential acquisitions. With cybersecurity also becoming a major priority for U.S. commercial companies, Booz Allen could benefit there as well. The analysts also cite the huge carve-out in the federal budget for cybersecurity as a big positive going forward.

Booz Allen shareholders currently receive a 1.9% dividend. Jefferies has a $40 price target on the stock, while the Wall Street consensus target is $40.40. The stock closed trading on Friday at $35.99.

Delphi Automotive

This company used to be owned by General Motors and is one the newest additions to the Jefferies Franchise Picks portfolio. Delphi Automotive PLC (NYSE: DLPH) is a global supplier of vehicle electronics, transportation components, integrated systems and modules, and other electronic technology. The company is one of the most geographically diversified suppliers in the world, with a goal of generating an equal portion of sales from North America, Europe, Asia and the rest of the world.

Jefferies cites the 30% growth of advanced driver assistance systems for autonomous vehicles, which provides safety at a moderate cost. A recent report noted this:

Delphi is the global Electrical/Electronic Architecture (E/EA) leader with 25% market share (55% annual revs). The growing need for vehicle complexity management (wiring/cabling +50% since 2012) suggests E/EA is nearing an inflection point (and is undervalued). Original equipment manufacturers will be more inclined to rely on the company’s expertise in a segment increasingly intertwined with both complex hardware (cabling, wiring, harnesses etc.) and software (Multi-domain, SoC) needs.

Shareholders receive a 1.34% dividend. Jefferies recently raised the price target to $100 from $86. The consensus target is $97.14, and shares closed Friday at $86.69.

Foot Locker

Though this athletic shoe retailer finally bottomed last June, it still offers a good entry point. Foot Locker Inc. (NYSE: FL) is a specialty athletic retailer that operates 3,419 stores in 23 countries in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. It operates Foot Locker, Footaction, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Champs Sports, SIX:02, Runners Point and Sidestep retail stores, as well as direct-to-customer channels, including Eastbay.com, FootLocker.com and SIX02.com.

Many Wall Street analysts feel that consumers are easily bearing price increases from the top companies like Nike and Under Armour. They also say that currently athletic apparel and footwear companies are continuing to see higher gross margins and return-on-invested-capital, which some think will be a source of multiple expansion.

The company announced a rather soft first quarter, some of which as attributed to delayed tax refunds. Same-store sales improved sequentially through the quarter and are said to be tracking up low double-digits in April. Many feel that Foot Locker can drive mid- to single-digit same-store sales, supported by continued Adidas momentum.

Foot Locker investors receive a 1.66% dividend. The Jefferies price target is $75, near the consensus target of $75.47 The stock closed Friday at $66.

Ingersoll-Rand

This is one of the many top companies that have restructured and are now based in Ireland. Ingersoll-Rand PLC (NYSE: IR) is another top industrial stock to buy and, with the housing market continuing to grow, the company’s wide range of portfolio products should continue to sell well.

Many on Wall Street also see the stock as a good play on the replacement, upgrade and, ultimately, growth in the commercial and residential air conditioning markets. Trends in these markets have been highly correlated with overall commercial construction and are thus earlier in the cycle.

Ingersoll Rand has an outstanding portfolio of global brands and holds leading market share in all major product lines. The geographic and industrial diversity coupled with a large installed product base provides solid growth opportunities for the company within service, spare parts and replacement revenue streams.

The company posted stellar numbers and raised the lower end of it 2017 earnings outlook, which some still view as conservative. Margins were solid as material inflation headwind was more than offset by productivity improvement returning to a positive.

Ingersoll-Rand investors receive a 1.82% dividend. The $100 Jefferies price objective compares with the consensus target price of $92.56. Shares closed on Friday at $89.65.

T. Rowe Price

Many analysts feel shares of this top financial services company have very good upside potential. T. Rowe Price Group Inc. (NASDAQ: TROW) provides its services to individuals, institutional investors, retirement plans, financial intermediaries and institutions. Through its subsidiaries, it launches and manages equity and fixed income mutual funds. The company also launches balanced mutual funds and private equity funds. It invests in the public equity and fixed income markets across the globe. It also invests in alternative markets, including currency markets, and it employs fundamental and quantitative analysis with a bottom-up approach.

The company enjoyed at least temporarily, a huge windfall recently as it has a big position in the recent hot initial public offering from Snap. While the shares have backed up big over the past couple of days, the company owns 1.6 million shares of Snap as of December 31, including 645,007 in its Institutional Large-Cap Growth Fund.

Investors receive a 3.2% dividend. Jefferies has set its price target at $80, and consensus price objective is $71.35. The shares closed Friday at $71.26.

These five outstanding companies have solid earnings and very solid international exposure. All make good sense now for longer term growth accounts looking to also have a dividend kicker for total return.