Core Insights - The article highlights Steven Cress's role as VP of Quantitative Strategy and Market Data at Seeking Alpha, emphasizing his contributions to the platform's quantitative stock rating system and analytical tools designed to assist investors [1][2][4] - Cress's focus on a data-driven approach aims to eliminate emotional biases in investment decisions, utilizing sophisticated algorithms to streamline investment research [2][4] - His background includes founding CressCap Investment Research, which was acquired by Seeking Alpha in 2018, and previously running a proprietary trading desk at Morgan Stanley [3][4] Company Contributions - Seeking Alpha benefits from Cress's development of a quantitative stock rating system that interprets data for investors, providing insights and saving time [1][2] - The platform's systematic stock recommendation tool, Alpha Picks, is designed to help long-term investors build a high-quality portfolio [1] Industry Experience - Cress brings over 30 years of experience in equity research, quantitative strategies, and portfolio management, positioning him as an expert in various investment topics [4]

Core Idea - The article emphasizes the investment philosophy of Thomas W. Phelps, particularly his book "100 to 1 in the Stock Market," which advocates for buying exceptional companies early, holding them with discipline, and allowing compounding to generate wealth [1][4][6]. Phelps's Investment Framework - Phelps's framework focuses on identifying companies with durable advantages, such as network effects, proprietary know-how, and advantageous cost structures [8]. - The importance of verifying a large addressable market that allows for long-term compounding without hitting a wall is highlighted [8]. - Present-tense profitability is essential; Phelps preferred companies that generate cash rather than speculative ventures [8]. - The article suggests buying companies when their narratives are still forming, favoring modest valuations over those priced for perfection [8]. - A strategy of doing less is recommended, as holding onto winning investments can lead to tax deferral and reduced errors [8]. Current Investment Candidates - The article lists 25 companies that fit Phelps's criteria, categorized by how they create competitive advantages rather than by index labels [9]. - Companies in the construction and infrastructure sector, such as EMCOR Group and Quanta Services, are noted for their execution capabilities and ability to convert backlog into cash [10][11]. - Precision manufacturers like Celestica and Fabrinet are recognized for their high returns on capital and asset-light models [12]. - In network infrastructure, Arista Networks and Super Micro Computer are highlighted for their strong positions in high-speed switching and AI hardware, respectively [13]. - Companies in the materials sector, such as Martin Marietta Materials, are noted for their pricing power and local monopolies [14]. - Engineering firms like WSP Global are recognized for their expertise and customer relationships in regulated markets [15]. - Consumer brands like e.l.f. Beauty and Academy Sports are mentioned for their market share growth and operational efficiency [16]. - Specialty finance companies like FirstCash and software firms like Agilysys are noted for their cash generation and growth potential [17]. - Internationally, utilities like Sabesp and fintechs like StoneCo are highlighted for their governance and profitability improvements [18]. - UK companies like Spectris and Halma are recognized for their consistent acquisition strategies and operational excellence [19]. Conclusion - The article concludes that the focus should be on finding real engines of growth and sizing investments appropriately to endure market volatility, allowing time to enhance value [22].

Core Insights - Celestica Inc. (CLS) and AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (ASTS) are significant players in the technology sector, with Celestica specializing in electronics manufacturing services and AST SpaceMobile focusing on space-based cellular broadband networks [1][2] Group 1: Celestica Inc. (CLS) - Celestica has over two decades of manufacturing experience and offers cloud-optimized data storage and networking solutions, driven by the demand for AI-based applications [4] - The company is diversifying its product offerings and expanding into high-value markets, which enhances business resilience by reducing dependence on a single industry [5] - Despite its strengths, Celestica faces margin pressures due to high research and development costs and stiff competition from industry giants like Foxconn and Flex [6] - Celestica's sales and EPS are expected to grow by 20.6% and 43% year-over-year in 2025, respectively, with a positive trend in EPS estimates [12] - The company has experienced a remarkable stock performance, gaining 424% over the past year, significantly outperforming the sector's growth of 30.1% [15][18] - Celestica's valuation metrics are more attractive, with a price/sales ratio of 2.13 compared to AST SpaceMobile's 69.34 [16] Group 2: AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (ASTS) - AST SpaceMobile is developing the first global cellular broadband network in space, utilizing a constellation of satellites to provide service directly to smartphones [2][10] - The company has launched five commercial satellites, with plans to deploy 45 to 60 more by Q1 2026, aiming to enhance cellular coverage in areas lacking terrestrial networks [7][10] - AST SpaceMobile's sales are projected to grow by an extraordinary 1,120% in 2025, but its EPS is expected to decline by 48.5% [12] - The company faces challenges from unfavorable macroeconomic conditions and competition from established players like SpaceX's Starlink, which may pressure its financial performance [11] - AST SpaceMobile's stock has gained 29.8% over the past year, but this is significantly lower than Celestica's performance [15]

Core Viewpoint - Celestica Inc. will announce its third quarter 2025 financial results and host an Investor and Analyst Day on October 28, 2025, providing updates on business operations and financial outlook [1] Group 1: Financial Results and Conference Call - The financial results will be released after market close on October 27, 2025 [1] - The conference call will start at 8:00am ET on October 28, 2025 [1] - Management will discuss strategic priorities and growth opportunities during the call [1] Group 2: Investor and Analyst Day - Following the conference call, Celestica will host a Lunch Forum for investors and analysts in Midtown Manhattan, New York City [3] - A panel of management will be available to answer questions from institutional investors [3] - Attendance is limited and subject to availability [3] Group 3: Webcast Information - Participants can join a live webcast of the conference call [2] - A recorded version of the webcast will be available approximately two hours after the call [2] - The recorded webcast can be accessed via Celestica's website [2] Group 4: Attendance Registration - Institutional investors and research analysts interested in attending are invited to express their interest [4] - Contact information for Celestica Investor Relations is provided for inquiries [4]

Company Performance - Celestica's stock closed at $246.42, reflecting a decrease of -2.61% from the previous day's closing price, underperforming the S&P 500 which gained 0.85% [1] - Over the past month, Celestica's shares have increased by 23.9%, significantly outperforming the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 4.39% and the S&P 500's gain of 2.38% [2] Financial Expectations - Analysts anticipate Celestica will report earnings of $1.45 per share, representing a year-over-year growth of 39.42%. Revenue is expected to reach $3 billion, indicating a 19.99% increase compared to the same quarter last year [3] - For the full year, earnings are projected at $5.55 per share and revenue at $11.63 billion, reflecting increases of +43.04% and +20.61% respectively from the previous year [4] Analyst Sentiment - Recent revisions in analyst estimates are crucial as they often indicate near-term business trends, with positive changes suggesting optimism regarding Celestica's business and profitability [4][5] - Celestica currently holds a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which has historically delivered an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [6] Valuation Metrics - Celestica is trading with a Forward P/E ratio of 45.59, which is a premium compared to the industry average Forward P/E of 20.08 [7] - The Electronics - Manufacturing Services industry, to which Celestica belongs, ranks 9th in the Zacks Industry Rank, placing it in the top 4% of over 250 industries [7][8]

Group 1 - The Carillon Scout Mid Cap Fund's second quarter 2025 investor letter highlights the positive performance of the Russell Midcap Index despite a sell-off in early April due to tariff announcements, with delays in tariff collection allowing for better negotiations among trading partners [1] - Celestica Inc. (NYSE:CLS) is emphasized as a key holding, reporting a one-month return of 14.35% and a remarkable 461.23% increase in value over the past 52 weeks, with a market capitalization of $28.194 billion as of September 09, 2025 [2][3] - The company specializes in contract manufacturing for data center hardware, aerospace, defense, and industrial parts, driven by strong demand for networking switches, particularly 400-gigabyte and 800-gigabyte switches, indicating potential for earnings upside as new deals are expected to be won [3] Group 2 - Celestica Inc. reported revenue of $2.89 billion for Q2 2025, marking a 21% increase from Q2 2024, exceeding guidance expectations, although it is noted that certain AI stocks may present greater upside potential with less downside risk [4]

Group 1 - Celestica, Inc. is focusing on strengthening its global supply chain network to mitigate supply chain disruptions and procurement delays caused by geopolitical unrest [1][7] - The company is expanding its manufacturing capacity in the United States, Thailand, and Malaysia to meet the growing demand for AI data center products [2][7] - Celestica's robust inventory management and operational flexibility have minimized the impact of geopolitical conflicts on its supply chain [3] Group 2 - Celestica faces competition from Jabil, Inc. and Flex Ltd., both of which are also enhancing their supply chain resilience through localized manufacturing [4][5] - Jabil is investing $500 million in the Southeast U.S. to strengthen its position in the AI hardware supply chain [4] - Flex operates over 49 million square feet globally, focusing on localized manufacturing to enhance supply chain resilience [5] Group 3 - Celestica's stock has increased by 461.8% over the past year, significantly outperforming the industry growth of 157.5% [6][7] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 38.33, which is higher than the industry average [9] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Celestica's earnings for 2025 has risen by 9.9% in the past 60 days [11]

Core Insights - Celestica, Inc. (CLS) shares have surged 139% in the past six months, outperforming the Electronics - Manufacturing Services industry growth of 64.9% and the Zacks Computer & Technology sector as well as the S&P 500 during the same period [1][8] - The company has outperformed peers such as Jabil, Inc. (JBL) and Sanmina Corporation (SANM), whose shares have risen 45.1% and 54.2%, respectively [2][8] Growth Drivers - Celestica's growth is driven by strong demand in the Connectivity & Cloud Solutions segment, particularly in its Hardware Platform Solutions business, with a transition from 400G to 800G switches accelerating revenue growth [3][8] - The company is capitalizing on AI investments, which are driving demand for its data center interconnects, edge solutions, and servers and storage-related products [3][8] - Strategic collaborations with Broadcom and AMD are enhancing Celestica's product offerings, such as the DS4100 switch and SC6100 storage controller, positioning the company competitively against peers [4][8] Financial Management - Celestica demonstrates strong capital discipline, with capital expenditure at 1.1% of revenues in Q2, below the projected range of 1.5-2% [5][8] - The company is focusing on higher utilization of manufacturing facilities, with only 40 basis points of capex allocated to maintenance, indicating a strong emphasis on growth programs [5][8] - Inventory balance increased to $1.92 billion in Q2 from $130 million in Q1, with cash cycle days improving to 66 days from 69 days, suggesting anticipation of strong demand [6][8] Supply Chain Resilience - Celestica operates in 16 countries, benefiting from a diversified manufacturing network that mitigates geopolitical and tariff-related uncertainties [9][8] - Investments in expanding capacity and capabilities in the U.S., Thailand, and Malaysia, along with design centers in India and the U.S., have minimized supply chain disruptions [9][8] Earnings Estimates - Earnings estimates for Celestica for 2025 and 2026 have increased over the past 60 days, indicating positive market sentiment [10][8] Valuation Metrics - Celestica's shares are currently trading at a premium with a price/earnings ratio of 33.33 compared to the industry average of 21.56 [11][8] Long-term Outlook - The company's diverse manufacturing strategy and efficient capital management are expected to support long-term growth, particularly in the CCS segment driven by AI applications [12][8]

Core Insights - Celestica (NYSE: CLS) stock has seen a significant increase of approximately 344% since the initiation of bullish coverage in March 2024 [1] Group 1: Company Performance - The stock performance of Celestica has been highlighted as one of the top picks, indicating strong investor interest and confidence in the company's future prospects [1] Group 2: Investment Strategy - The investment group Beyond the Wall Investing offers features such as a fundamentals-based portfolio, weekly analysis from institutional investors, and alerts for short-term trade ideas based on technical signals [1]

Group 1 - The core investment thesis for Celestica (CLS) focuses on the company's shift from traditional contract manufacturing to Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) [1] - The author has a background in engineering and a strong interest in technology stocks, which influences the investment perspective [1] Group 2 - No stock or derivative positions in any mentioned companies are held by the author, and there are no plans to initiate such positions in the near future [1]