MOHAWK INDUSTRIES (MHK, Financial) is a leading manufacturer of flooring products whose revenues continue to increase as the economy and, in particular, the housing markets continue to rebound. Sales in 2013 should exceed $7.3 billion with net earnings of just over $400 million.
The company continues to aggressively make acquisitions, including the purchases of Marazzi Group, the fifth largest producer by volume in the ceramic tile industry as well as Pergo and Spano. Combining Mohawk’s existing ceramic division Dal Tile with the Marazzi Group creates the largest ceramic tile company in the world on a revenue basis. Currently, about 9% of U.S. flooring consumption in value is made of ceramic tiles, a much lower percentage than in most other nations around the world. In Western Europe, tile represents 30%, and in countries like Italy tile can exceed 55- 60%.
We anticipate continued improvement in the housing markets and in the U.S. economy. Mohawk sales should rise to approximately $8.1 billion in 2014 and generate net income of over $500 million or $7.10 per share.
