Core Viewpoint - AECOM reported strong fourth-quarter fiscal 2024 earnings, exceeding estimates and showing year-over-year growth in both earnings and revenues, alongside an increase in dividend and share repurchase authorization [2][3][4]. Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) reached $1.27, surpassing the consensus estimate of $1.22 by 4.1% and increasing 25.7% from $1.01 in the prior-year quarter [4]. - Revenues totaled $4.11 billion, reflecting a 7% year-over-year increase, with adjusted net service revenues (NSR) rising 5% to $1.81 billion [5]. Segment Performance - Revenues in the Americas segment were $3.16 billion, up 8% year-over-year, with NSR of $1.06 billion increasing 6% [6]. - International revenues grew 5% year-over-year to $948.4 million, with NSR increasing 4% to $754.1 million [8]. Operating Metrics - Adjusted operating income was $207.7 million, a 9% increase year-over-year, with an adjusted operating margin expanding 70 basis points to 19.6% [7]. - Adjusted EBITDA rose 15% year-over-year to $290 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 16.7%, up 140 basis points [13]. Backlog and Growth Opportunities - Total backlog at the end of fiscal 2024 was $23.86 billion, compared to $23.16 billion a year ago, with a 5% increase in the design business backlog [14]. - The company reported a 10% increase in its pipeline of opportunities, driven by robust funding across major markets [14]. Fiscal 2024 Highlights - For the full year, AECOM reported revenues of $16.1 billion, a 12% increase from the previous year, with NSR reaching an all-time high [15]. - Adjusted EPS increased 22% to $4.52, with adjusted EBITDA margins rising 100 basis points to 16% [16]. Liquidity and Cash Flow - Cash and cash equivalents at fiscal 2024-end totaled $1.58 billion, up from $1.26 billion at fiscal 2023-end, while total debt increased to $2.54 billion [17]. - Adjusted operating cash flow increased 19% year-over-year to $827 million, with adjusted free cash flow rising 20% to $708 million [17]. Fiscal 2025 Guidance - The company anticipates 5-8% organic NSR growth in fiscal 2025, with adjusted EPS expected in the range of $5.00-$5.20, indicating a 13% improvement from fiscal 2024 [18]. - Adjusted EBITDA is projected to be between $1.17 billion and $1.21 billion, reflecting 9% year-over-year growth at the midpoint [18]. Long-Term Outlook - AECOM expects to achieve 5-8% organic NSR growth annually, with double-digit adjusted EPS and free cash flow per share improvement [20]. - The company aims for at least 17% adjusted EBITDA margin by the end of fiscal 2026 and approximately 100% conversion of adjusted net income to free cash flow [21].

Core Viewpoint - Zacks Premium provides various tools and resources to help investors make informed decisions and enhance their investment strategies [1][10]. Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum, serving as complementary indicators to the Zacks Rank [3][9]. - Stocks are rated from A to F, with A indicating the highest potential for outperforming the market [4]. Value Score - The Value Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, and Price/Sales [5]. Growth Score - The Growth Score assesses a company's financial health and future growth potential by analyzing earnings, sales, and cash flow [6]. Momentum Score - The Momentum Score evaluates stocks based on price trends and earnings estimate changes to identify optimal buying opportunities [7]. VGM Score - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores to highlight stocks with attractive value, strong growth forecasts, and positive momentum [8]. Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to simplify portfolio building [9]. - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically achieved an average annual return of +25.41% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [10]. Stock to Watch: AECOM Technology - AECOM is a leading provider of professional, technical, and management solutions across various industries [14]. - AECOM holds a 2 (Buy) rating on the Zacks Rank and has a VGM Score of B, indicating strong growth potential [15]. - The company is projected to achieve year-over-year earnings growth of 12.8% for the current fiscal year, with recent earnings estimates revised upward [15][16].

Core Insights - Zacks Premium provides various tools for investors to enhance their stock market strategies and confidence [1][2] Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics, helping investors identify securities likely to outperform the market in the short term [3][4] - Each stock is rated from A to F, with A indicating the highest potential for outperformance [4] Categories of Style Scores - **Value Score**: Focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios like P/E and Price/Sales [5] - **Growth Score**: Evaluates stocks based on future earnings and sales growth potential [6] - **Momentum Score**: Assesses stocks based on price trends and earnings estimate changes [7] - **VGM Score**: Combines all three Style Scores to identify stocks with the best overall potential [8] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that uses earnings estimate revisions to help investors build successful portfolios [9] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically produced an average annual return of +25.41% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [10] Stock Selection Strategy - Investors are encouraged to select stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for optimal success [11] - The direction of earnings estimate revisions is crucial; stocks with lower ranks may still have good Style Scores but are at risk of price declines [12][13] Company Spotlight: AECOM Technology - AECOM is a leading provider of professional, technical, and management solutions across various industries [14] - AECOM holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and has a VGM Score of B, indicating strong potential [15] - The company has seen upward revisions in earnings estimates, with a consensus estimate of $5.10 per share for fiscal 2025 [15] - AECOM's forward P/E ratio of 21.97 makes it attractive for value investors [15][16]

The construction sector is gearing up for a promising 2025, bolstered by improving conditions in both residential and infrastructure markets. Falling mortgage rates, renewed builder confidence, and the U.S. government’s focus on infrastructure investment set the stage for growth. Wall Street analysts are eyeing several stocks in this space, highlighting their potential to rally in the coming year.Macroeconomic indicators further underscore this optimism. The U.S. economy is expected to grow at a moderate pa ...

FREMONT, Calif., Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ACM Research, Inc. (“ACM”) (NASDAQ: ACMR), a leading supplier of wafer processing solutions for semiconductor and advanced packaging applications, today issued comments regarding recent updates to U.S. export regulations. On December 2, 2024, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) imposed additional controls on exports to, and transfers within, the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) relating to advanced integrated circuit ...

Investors interested in stocks from the Engineering - R and D Services sector have probably already heard of Aecom Technology (ACM) and Altair Engineering (ALTR) . But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.Everyone has their own methods for finding great value opportunities, but our model includes pairing an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system with a strong Zacks Rank. The Zacks Rank favors stocks with stro ...

Group 1: Share Buybacks and Market Impact - Share buybacks are crucial for the stock market as they increase earnings and equity per share, leading to higher stock prices [1] - Companies listed are significantly increasing their share buyback authorizations, which is expected to drive stock prices higher over the next twelve months [1] Group 2: Corteva Overview - Corteva plans to buy back 7.5% of its stock with an additional $3 billion authorization, raising the total to $3.75 billion [2] - The company has a dividend yield of 1.09% and an annual dividend of $0.68, with a 6.04% annualized three-year dividend growth [2][3] - Corteva's buybacks have reduced the share count by over 1% year-to-date by the end of Q3, with expectations to continue this pace into 2025 [2] Group 3: AECOM Overview - AECOM has raised its dividend by 18% and increased share repurchase authorization to $1 billion, nearly 7% of its market cap [6] - The company has a dividend yield of 0.76% and an annual dividend of $0.88, with a payout ratio of 29.73% [6][7] - Buybacks in Q4 reduced the share count by 3.0% for the quarter and 2.6% for the year [7] Group 4: EOG Resources Overview - EOG Resources has a dividend yield of 2.77% and an annual dividend of $3.64, with a 32.69% annualized three-year dividend growth [7][8] - The company has increased its buyback authorization to $5 billion, which is nearly 7% of its market cap, and reduced the share count by 2.2% in Q3 [8][9] - EOG plans to fund the buyback increase with debt, raising its debt to about $5 billion, but maintains a strong balance sheet with low leverage [9]

FREMONT, Calif., Nov. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ACM Research, Inc. (“ACM” or “ACM Research”) (NASDAQ: ACMR), a leading supplier of wafer processing solutions for semiconductor and advanced wafer-level packaging applications, today announced management's participation in the 13th Annual NYC Summit 2024 investor conference (the “NYC Summit”), being held Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at Mastro’s Steakhouse New York. The presentation material utilized by ACM during the NYC Summit will be made accessible on the ...

Core Insights - AECOM Technical Services Inc., a subsidiary of AECOM, has secured a $24.3 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense for environmental remediation services, scheduled for completion by November 26, 2034 [1] - The company is experiencing strong backlog growth, with total backlog reaching $23.86 billion, reflecting a 3% increase from the previous year [3] - AECOM's competitive advantage is supported by a win rate of over 50% for large projects, particularly those exceeding $25 million [3] Backlog and Growth Prospects - AECOM's backlog includes 50.8% contracted backlog growth, indicating robust demand for its services driven by improving global infrastructure needs [3] - The company has a positive outlook due to the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding in the U.S. and increased infrastructure investments in the U.K. [5] Stock Performance - AECOM's shares have increased by 36% over the past six months, significantly outperforming the Zacks Engineering - R and D Services industry's growth of 3.4% [5] - The company currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating favorable market sentiment [6]

Shares of AECOM (ACM) have been on a strong upward trend, recently reaching a new 52-week high. On Wednesday, the stock hit a new 52-week high of $118.54 but ended the day slightly lower at $116.74.The stock has surged 36.5% over the past six months, far outpacing the 4.7% rise in the Zacks Engineering - R and D Services industry, the broader Construction sector's 17.7% growth, and even the S&P 500's impressive 13.8% rally.ACM Stock’s 6-Month Price PerformanceImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchWith anal ...