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Trimble Navigation (TRMB)
Almost 30 years ago, Trimble Navigation helped pioneer the use of Global Positioning Satellite gear, which taps into a network of satellites to determine ground positions down to the centimeter. Now, as GPS receivers have shrunk in size to just a few silicon chips, they're finding their way into cars, construction equipment, and laptop computers -- and Trimble is reaping the benefits. Sales last year hit $744.9 million, up 43% in two years, while net income more than doubled, to $84.9 million. Trimble is keeping up the pace in 2006. First-quarter profits jumped 48%, to $26 million, on a 16% rise in sales, to $226 million. How does Trimble do it? Pushing products into a wider range of markets, such as construction, agriculture, telecommunications, and vehicle fleet management. In recent months, Trimble has made a flurry of acquisitions of software companies to provide more industry-specific location services and bolster its mobile-positioning offerings.
Company Info |
|
| 2005 Rank | 88 |
| Market Value* ($ Millions) | 2,554.3 |
| Sales* ($ Millions) | 805.4 |
| Sales Growth (3-yr. avg. annual) |
18.9 % |
| Profits* ($ Millions) | 93.2 |
| Profit Growth (3-yr. avg. annual) | 99.1 % |
| Return on Inv. Capital (3-yr.) | 12.4 % |
| Share Price 12-Mo. Hi/Lo | 50/27 |
| Share Price As of 4/28/06 | 47 |
| Return on Equity | 15.2 % |
| P/E Ratio | 29 |
| No. of Employees | 2,462 |
| Industry | Electronic Manufacturing Services |
| CURRENT MARKET INFO | TRMB > |
| COMPANY WEB SITE > | |
| Location | Sunnyvale, Calif. |
| Phone | 408 481-8000 |
*Trailing 12 months
Stock price data as of 4/28/06
DATA: Standard & Poor's Compustat
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Company Snapshot
Trimble Navigation engages in the development, manufacture, marketing, and sale of advanced positioning product solutions to commercial and government users worldwide. The company operates in five segments: Engineering and Construction, Field Solutions, Component Technologies, Mobile Solutions, and Portfolio Technologies. The Engineering and Construction segment offers various global positioning systems (GPS) and robotic optical surveying instruments incorporating GPS, optical, laser, radio, or cellular communication technologies for various construction process applications, including initial survey, planning, design, site preparation, and building processes. The Field Solutions segment provides manual and automated navigation guidance products for tractors and other farm equipment, and positioning solutions for leveling agricultural fields, as well as geographic information system product line, which gathers information comprising features, attributes, and positions of fixed infrastructure and natural resource assets. The Component Technologies segment provides GPS-based components, including modules, boards, custom integrated circuits, and software, or single application IP licenses for the telecommunications and automotive industries. The Mobile Solutions segment provides various solutions, including truck communication service, cellular interface, Software for handling various communications from/to the mobile computer, and electronic ticketing system for fleet management. The Portfolio Technologies segment offers products for combining GPS with inertial sensors; GPS receivers and embedded modules; and GPS-enabled cell phones to provide information for outdoor recreational activities. The company sells its products through dealers, representatives, joint ventures, and other channels. It has joint ventures with Nikon and Caterpillar. Trimble Navigation was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.
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