Group 1: Construction Sector Overview - The Zacks Construction sector has 15 stocks on the Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) list, indicating abundant investment opportunities [1] - The sector is benefiting from strong business industries, with several stocks recently added to the strong buy list [1] Group 2: Comfort Systems USA (FIX) - Comfort Systems USA is part of the Zacks Building Products-Air Conditioner and Heating Industry, which ranks in the top 2% of over 250 Zacks industries [2] - The stock has increased by 54% year-to-date and 125% over the last year, driven by its comprehensive HVAC services [2] - Annual earnings are forecasted to grow by 30% in FY24 to $11.42 per share, with FY25 EPS expected to rise another 13% [2] - The stock trades at 27.5X forward earnings, slightly below the industry average of 33.8X [2] Group 3: CRH (CRH) - CRH operates in the Zacks Building Products-Miscellaneous Industry, which is in the top 3% of all Zacks industries [4] - The stock has risen by 22% year-to-date and 68% over the last year, trading at a forward earnings multiple of 15.8X, below the industry average of 18.3X [4] - Annual earnings are expected to increase by 15% this year and by another 8% in FY25 to $5.79 per share [4] Group 4: Armstrong World Industries (AWI) - Armstrong World Industries is also in the Zacks Building Products-Miscellaneous Industry, with its stock up 24% in 2024 and 78% over the last year [7] - The stock trades at a forward earnings multiple of 20.9X, near the industry average [7] - Annual earnings are projected to rise by 8% in both FY25 [7] Group 5: Earnings Estimates and Market Outlook - Earnings estimate revisions for these top construction sector stocks have increased, suggesting continued strong price performance [8] - The reasonable P/E valuations indicate that now is a good time to buy [8]

The U.S. Census Bureau recently reported slightly lower Construction spending in February from January’s revised reading. The metric declined 0.3% month over month and missed analysts’ expectations of 0.7% due to weaknesses in non-residential and public projects.Nonetheless, the reported metric rose 10.7% from the February 2023 reading. Defying a decline in outlays on public projects, improved residential market, increased repair and remodeling activities, higher infrastructure investments and the Federal G ...

Group 1 - Armstrong World Industries (AWI) is outperforming the Construction sector with a year-to-date return of 26.3%, compared to the sector average of 15.7% [2][3] - The Zacks Rank for AWI is 1 (Strong Buy), indicating strong analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook [2][3] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AWI's full-year earnings has increased by 4.8% over the past quarter, reflecting improving analyst sentiment [2] Group 2 - Dream Finders Homes Inc. (DFH) is another stock in the Construction sector that has performed well, with a year-to-date return of 23.1% [2][3] - AWI is part of the Building Products - Miscellaneous industry, which ranks 9 in the Zacks Industry Rank, with an average gain of 18% this year [3] - The Building Products - Home Builders industry, which includes DFH, is ranked 48 and has seen a year-to-date increase of 13.3% [3]

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Armstrong World Industries (AWI) . Shares have added about 3.1% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Armstrong World Industries due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts. Armstrong Worl ...

Industry Overview - U.S. home construction experienced significant growth in February, rebounding from earlier weather-related setbacks, driven by favorable mortgage rates and a shortage of existing homes for sale [1][2] - Builders are adapting to higher mortgage rates by implementing price reductions and incentives, as well as adjusting home sizes to manage rising material costs [1][2] Key Statistics - Housing starts increased by 10.7% month-over-month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.521 million units in February, surpassing the consensus estimate of 1.453 million units by 4.7% [2] - Residential building permits rose by 1.9% month-over-month and 2.4% year-over-year to an annualized rate of 1.518 million units, exceeding analysts' predictions [2] - Single-family homebuilding starts surged by 11.6% from January and 35.2% year-over-year [3] Market Trends - Anticipated Federal Reserve rate cuts in late 2024 may stabilize mortgage rates, benefiting homebuilders [4] - The 30-year fixed mortgage rate decreased to 6.74% as of March 14, 2024, marking a decline from the previous week and the lowest level since early February [4] - Homebuilder sentiment increased to 51 in March, indicating positive trends in the housing market [5] Company Performance - Toll Brothers, Inc. (TOL) shares surged 108.5% over the past year, with EPS estimates for fiscal 2024 rising to $13.72 [7] - Century Communities, Inc. (CCS) shares increased by 48% over the past year, with EPS estimates for 2024 rising to $10.06 [8] - Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (AWI) shares rose 78.4% over the past year, with EPS estimates for 2024 increasing to $5.74 [9] - Summit Materials, Inc. (SUM) shares gained 53.6% over the past year, with EPS estimates for 2024 rising to $2.31 [9] - Masco Corporation (MAS) shares rallied 46.9% over the past year, with EPS estimates for 2024 increasing to $4.12 [9]

Group 1 - Armstrong World Industries (AWI) is currently outperforming the Construction sector with a year-to-date return of 23.8%, compared to the sector average of 10.7% [2][3] - The Zacks Rank for AWI is 2 (Buy), indicating a positive earnings outlook with a 4.8% increase in the consensus estimate for full-year earnings over the past 90 days [2] - AWI belongs to the Building Products - Miscellaneous industry, which has gained about 13.4% year to date, showing that AWI is performing better than its industry peers [3] Group 2 - Dream Finders Homes Inc. (DFH) has also shown strong performance with a year-to-date return of 12.9% and a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [2][3] - The consensus EPS estimate for DFH increased by 19.9% over the past three months, reflecting improved analyst sentiment [3] - The Building Products - Home Builders industry, to which DFH belongs, is currently ranked 26 and has moved up by 7.9% year to date [3]

Company Overview - Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (AWI) is positioned favorably within the Building Products – Miscellaneous sector, showing solid earnings estimate revision activity [1][2] - The company has experienced a rise in earnings estimates, with current quarter estimates increasing from $1.15 to $1.20 per share and current year estimates rising from $5.52 to $5.65 per share [2] Industry Analysis - The Building Products - Miscellaneous industry has a Zacks Industry Rank of 15 out of over 250 industries, indicating strong overall performance compared to other sectors [1] - The positive trends in the industry suggest that a rising tide may benefit multiple companies within this segment, enhancing investment opportunities [1] Investment Potential - Armstrong World has earned a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), reflecting analysts' increasing bullish sentiment regarding the company's short and long-term prospects [2] - The combination of a strong industry ranking and solid estimate revisions positions Armstrong World as an attractive investment choice for those seeking opportunities in this sector [2]

Company Overview - Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (AWI) is a leader in the design and manufacture of innovative ceiling and wall system solutions in the Americas [2] - The company reported $1.3 billion in revenue for 2023 and has approximately 3,100 employees [2] - AWI operates a manufacturing network consisting of 16 facilities, along with seven facilities dedicated to its WAVE joint venture [2] Upcoming Events - The President & CEO Vic Grizzle and SVP & CFO Chris Calzaretta will host virtual investor meetings at the 5th Annual Loop Investor Conference on March 11, 2024 [1] - An updated Investor Presentation has been published and is available on the company's Investor Relations website [1]

Group 1 - Armstrong World Industries (AWI) has shown a year-to-date return of 24.5%, outperforming the average gain of 6.1% in the Construction sector [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AWI's full-year earnings has increased by 5% in the past quarter, indicating improving analyst sentiment [2] - AWI is currently ranked 2 (Buy) in the Zacks Rank system, which evaluates stocks based on earnings estimates and revisions [1] Group 2 - Armstrong World Industries is part of the Building Products - Miscellaneous industry, which consists of 29 companies and is currently ranked 16 in the Zacks Industry Rank [3] - The Building Products - Miscellaneous industry has an average year-to-date gain of 9.7%, with AWI performing better than this average [3] - Acuity Brands (AYI), another stock in the Construction sector, has a year-to-date return of 19.5% and is ranked 1 (Strong Buy) in the Zacks Rank system [2][3]

Have you been paying attention to shares of Armstrong World Industries (AWI) ? Shares have been on the move with the stock up 24% over the past month. The stock hit a new 52-week high of $122.83 in the previous session. Armstrong World Industries has gained 24.5% since the start of the year compared to the 6.1% move for the Zacks Construction sector and the 9.7% return for the Zacks Building Products - Miscellaneous industry.What's Driving the Outperformance?The stock has a great record of positive earnings ...