STAMFORD, Conn. (Nov. 9, 2009)—CRT Capital Group L.L.C. has reiterated its “sell” rating on Goodyear common stock while increasing its price target for the tire maker's common shares to $10.
The Stamford-based independent sales, trading and research firm said it is revising its 2009 and 2010 earnings and cash flow estimates for the tire maker. In addition, CRT said it is rolling out its 2011 estimates to reflect an upward trend in volumes and prices; a favorable shift in mix; and, substantial structural cost reductions.
“Although we are forecasting a dramatic improvement in (Goodyear's) earnings over our forecast period, our estimates remain below consensus,” CRT said in its latest report on the company.
The firm said it is reducing its fourth-quarter 2009 earnings-per-share estimate from a loss of 8 cents to a loss of 23 cents “to reflect, among other things, a more unfavorable year-over-year impact related to unabsorbed overhead. We believe that our (2009 fourth quarter) estimate is at the low end of the guidance that (Goodyear) management provided” on the company's third-quarter investor call.
CRT said the combination of Goodyear's better-than-expected third-quarter results and the downward revision to CRT's fourth-quarter estimates “leaves our full-year 2009 estimate (adjusted to exclude special items) essentially unchanged at a loss of $1.33.”
The company pointed out that its revised price target is still about 25 percent below Goodyear's current trading level. However, it said that, overall, “we are comfortable with (Goodyear's) leverage and liquidity,” although CRT's forecasts suggest that the trends in the Akron-based tire company's credit profile “will be mixed during our forecast period.”