Analysts, commentators, businesses, and even Portland business lawyers are looking for signs that the economy is coming back.
Last week, Precision Castparts Corp. released its first quarter profit numbers, revealing a spark in profits that has people buzzing. One of only two Portland Fortune 500 companies, PCC realized a banner 20 percent year-over-year increase in profits. The company attributes the strong earnings to its revert blends, an industry term for metal scraps that are cheaper than virgin stock.
In a broader sense, it is the teeming aerospace industry that continues to drive Precision’s stellar performance growth. Airplane makers like Boeing and Airbus are some of Precision’s major customers.
Precision has also made some aggressive business acquisitions recently that, so far, look savvy.
Looking at the company’s growth from a broader perspective, a bigger question remains: What does this mean for the economy at large, both in Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest?
Of note: Slinde Nelson partner, Darian Stanford, was former in-house general counsel for the metal parts giant.