Harris Wins Major Contract - Analyst Blog
February 01 2012 - 7:30AM
Zacks
Harris Corp.
(HRS), a leading telecommunications equipment manufacturer for the
defense sector, has received a $235 million contract to supply its
innovative Falcon III tactical radio system to the Australian
Department of Defense. Currently, Australian Defense Ministry is
working on a project to develop a fully networked Australian arms
brigade in 2013. Falcon III will provide Australia’s armed forces
with reliable and secure Type-1 tactical voice and data
communications.
We believe Australian contract is
most important for Harris since the defense contractors in the U.S.
are facing sales pressure due to gradual reduction of military
spending by the U.S. government. The defense Department has decided
to squeeze its budget by nearly $500 billion over the next decade.
Yesterday, Harris slashed its full-year sales forecast to about $6
billion from its prior range of $6.15 billion to $6.3 billion,
together with its second quarter of fiscal 2012 financial
report.
As a leading government electronics
supplier, Harris is benefiting from the strong International market
conditions. In fact, emerging economies like Brazil, Russia, India,
and China together with Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Africa
regions paved the way for the company’s long-run growth. Harris has
a sustainable and diversified product pipeline with a potential
market size of $15 billion. International market opportunities are
supplementing very well for any deficiency in the domestic U.S.
market.
Strong momentum in the RF
Communications segment will continue in the future since Harris’
next-generation Falcon III tactical radio is receiving increasing
market traction. At the end of the previous quarter, order backlog
came in at $1.252 billion including $581 million in Tactical Radio
Communications. Tactical radios constitute $3.3 billion pipeline
opportunity.
Accretive share repurchase plan
coupled with huge order backlogs will act as positive catalysts for
the stock going forward. However, intense competition from the
likes of ViaSat Inc. (VSAT), General
Dynamics Corp. (GD) and Globecomm Systems
Inc. (GCOM) will put Harris on the back foot. We thus
maintain our long-term Neutral recommendation on the stock.
Currently, Harris Corporationhas a Zacks #4 Rank, implying a
short-term Sell rating.
GLOBECOMM SYSTM (GCOM): Free Stock Analysis Report
GENL DYNAMICS (GD): Free Stock Analysis Report
HARRIS CORP (HRS): Free Stock Analysis Report
VIASAT INC (VSAT): Free Stock Analysis Report
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