Core Viewpoint - Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc (AIT) is positioned favorably for an upcoming earnings report, with analysts raising earnings estimates, indicating potential for an earnings beat [1][2] Earnings Estimates - The Most Accurate Estimate for AIT's current quarter is $2.41 per share, slightly above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.40 per share, reflecting recent upward revisions by analysts [1] - AIT has a Zacks Earnings ESP of +0.63%, suggesting positive trends leading into the earnings season [1] Historical Performance - Stocks with a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) or better have shown a positive surprise rate of nearly 70% and average annual returns exceeding 28% over the past decade [2] - AIT holds a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), further enhancing its attractiveness to investors ahead of the earnings report [2]

We are in the first busy week of the first-quarter 2024 earnings season, and results are so far in line with expectations. Several industrial product companies are gearing up for their earnings releases next week, and some are set to beat. These companies currently carry a favorable Zacks Rank. The combination of a favorable Zacks Rank and an earnings beat should drive their stock prices in the near term.Industrial Product in Q1 at a GlanceIndustrial production declined 1.8% year over year in the first quar ...

Core Viewpoint - Growth stocks are appealing due to their potential for above-average financial growth, but identifying those that can fulfill their potential is challenging due to associated risks and volatility [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT) is currently highlighted as a recommended growth stock, possessing a favorable Growth Score and a top Zacks Rank [1][6] - The company has a historical EPS growth rate of 22.5%, with projected EPS growth of 8.5% this year, surpassing the industry average of 8.3% [3] - AIT's year-over-year cash flow growth stands at 26.9%, significantly higher than the industry average of 8.1%, with a historical annualized cash flow growth rate of 15% over the past 3-5 years compared to the industry average of 9.1% [4] Group 2: Earnings and Estimates - There have been upward revisions in current-year earnings estimates for AIT, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate increasing by 0.7% over the past month [5] - The combination of strong earnings growth, cash flow growth, and positive earnings estimate revisions has positioned AIT as a Zacks Rank 1 stock and earned it a Growth Score of B [6][7]

Two factors often determine stock prices in the long run: earnings and interest rates. Investors can't control the latter, but they can focus on a company's earnings results every quarter.Life and the stock market are both about expectations, and rising above what is expected is often rewarded, while falling short can come with negative consequences. Investors might want to try to capture stronger returns by finding positive earnings surprises.The ability to identify stocks that are likely to top quarterly ...

Wall Street expects a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT) reports results for the quarter ended March 2024. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.The earnings report, which is expected to be released on April 25, 2024, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers ar ...

Industry Overview - The U.S. manufacturing sector is experiencing a rebound driven by higher demand, following a period of struggle due to slowing demand and higher borrowing rates [1] - Industrial production rose by 0.4% in March, with manufacturing output increasing by 0.5% [1] - Year-over-year production at U.S. factories increased by 0.8% in March, attributed to a 3.1% rise in motor vehicles and parts output [1] - Manufacturing accounts for 10.4% of the U.S. economy, indicating its significant role [1] - The Federal Reserve's monetary tightening campaign has led to a 525 basis point increase in interest rates to combat inflation [1] Economic Indicators - New orders for U.S.-made manufactured goods rose by 1.4% in February, signaling a boost in manufacturing activity [2] - The Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing PMI rose to 50.3 in March, marking the first reading above 50 since September 2022 [2] Company Highlights - **Hubbell Incorporated (HUBB)**: Expected earnings growth of 7.2% for the current year, with a Zacks Rank of 2 [3] - **A. O. Smith Corporation (AOS)**: Expected earnings growth of 7.6% for the current year, with a Zacks Rank of 2 [4] - **AZZ Inc. (AZZ)**: Expected earnings growth of 23.9% for the current year, with a Zacks Rank of 1 [5] - **Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT)**: Expected earnings growth of 8.5% for the current year, with a Zacks Rank of 1 [6] - **Luxfer Holdings PLC (LXFR)**: Expected earnings growth of 21.3% for the current year, with a Zacks Rank of 2 [6]

Several highly ranked stocks are standing out in terms of momentum this spring and seeing a very positive trend of upward earnings estimate revisions.Belonging to the Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) list, here are three of these top-rated stocks to consider at the moment.Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT) Along with rising EPS estimates, Applied Industrial Technologies’ improved cash flow is very intriguing as a distributor of value-added industrial products including engineered fluid power components, bearin ...

The U.S. manufacturing sector, which suffered over the past year, is finally showing signs of a rebound as new orders and production continue to increase. The Commerce Department reported that new orders for U.S.-made manufactured goods jumped 1.4% in February after declining 3.8% in January.This was also higher than the consensus estimate of a rise of 1%. Year over year, factory orders increased 1% in February.Higher orders for commercial aircraft and motor vehicles drove the solid jump in February. Orders ...

Investors generally consider a 52-week high a good criterion for determining an entry or exit point for a given stock. However, stocks touching new 52-week highs are often predisposed to profit-taking, resulting in pullbacks and trend reversals.Moreover, given the high price, investors often wonder if the stock is overpriced. While the speculation is not absolutely baseless, all stocks hitting a 52-week high are not necessarily overpriced.In fact, investors might lose out on top gainers in an attempt to avo ...

Growth stocks are attractive to many investors, as above-average financial growth helps these stocks easily grab the market's attention and produce exceptional returns. But finding a great growth stock is not easy at all.By their very nature, these stocks carry above-average risk and volatility. Moreover, if a company's growth story is over or nearing its end, betting on it could lead to significant loss.However, the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the tr ...