Canaccord Lays Out The Case For Manufacturing Technology Stocks

In a research note from Canaccord Genuity's Bobby Burleson released after Monday's closing bell, the firm highlighted the broadening of its coverage universe to what it's calling "Manufacturing Technology."

Burleson said the coverage universe was previously limited to additive manufacturing/3D printing, robotics and enabling technologies, but will now include the infrastructure space.

The Canaccord analyst said, "Our new infrastructure coverage represents a cross-section of the overall North American infrastructure development universe. We believe each company is positioned to benefit from a variety of positive ongoing macro-economic trends."

Some of the common beneficial themes for the space highlighted by Burleson included:

• "Easing comparisons this year following challenged results in calendar 2015;
• An improving bid environment for large project opportunities anticipated in 2016, both in volume and pricing sensibility;
• Growing backlogs of business as of the latest reporting period;
• A limited relative exposure among companies in the space to the downward trending Chinese economy;
• Attractive valuation levels relative to historical and market metrics; and,
• Favorable ongoing macro-related trends inclusive of low-cost commodities and favorable legislation, which should drive large-scale development opportunities in the years to come."

Burleson initiated coverage on the following stocks with a Buy rating:

• Dycom Industries, Inc. (NYSE: DY) - with a $75 price target
• MasTec, Inc. (NYSE: MTZ) - $23 target
• MYR Group Inc (NASDAQ: MYRG) - $27 target
• Tutor Perini Corp (NYSE: TPC) - $18 target

Hold-rated stocks included:

• Aecom (NYSE: ACM) - $31 target
• Orion Marine Group, Inc. (NY:SE ORN) - $7 target
• Primoris Services Corp (NASDAQ: PRIM) - $25 target
• Tetra Tech, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTEK) - $30 target