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]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Positive" investment rating for the communication equipment industry [15]. Core Insights - Major cloud vendors such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta reported better-than-expected financial results, driven by strong demand for cloud services and advertising, with significant capital expenditure increases [4][7]. - AI applications are deeply penetrating various sectors, leading to accelerated investments in computing power and infrastructure [7][13]. - The overall trend indicates a robust growth trajectory for AI and computing power, with companies ramping up their capital expenditures to support this growth [13]. Summary by Sections Cloud Vendors: Strong Financial Performance and Demand - Google reported Q2 2025 revenues of $96.43 billion, up 13.8% year-on-year, with a net profit of $28.20 billion, up 19.4% [24][26]. - Amazon achieved Q2 2025 revenues of $167.70 billion, a 13.3% increase year-on-year, with a net profit of $18.16 billion, up 34.7% [34][36]. - Microsoft recorded Q4 FY25 revenues of $76.44 billion, an 18.1% increase year-on-year, with a net profit of $27.23 billion, up 23.6% [43][45]. - Meta's Q2 2025 revenues reached $47.52 billion, a 21.6% increase year-on-year, with a net profit of $18.34 billion, up 36.2% [51][54]. CPU/GPU: Product Iteration and Ecosystem Upgrade - AMD's Q2 2025 revenues were $7.69 billion, a 31.7% increase year-on-year, with a net profit of $0.87 billion, up 229.1% [60][62]. - The client and gaming segments saw record growth, while the data center business faced challenges due to export restrictions [62]. Switches: High-End Volume and Stable Profitability - Arista's revenue growth was driven by its AI Center strategy, with significant increases in AI network revenue [9]. - Celestica's communication market growth was primarily driven by high-performance switches, with revenue and performance outlooks adjusted upwards [9]. Optical Communication & Fiber Optics: Strong Shipments and Scale-Up Acceleration - Lumentum's optical module shipments surged, and coherent optical communication business saw rapid growth [10]. - Corning's optical communication business thrived, driven by enterprise networks, with expectations for significant future growth from scale-up scenarios [10]. Cables: Strong Orders and Active Capacity Expansion - Amphenol reported strong AI-related orders and exceeded expectations in IT data communication business growth [11]. Cooling: High Demand and Accelerated Liquid Cooling Adoption - Vertiv's revenue and profits saw significant growth, with a strong order backlog and upward guidance for the year [12]. Investment Recommendations: Accelerating Business Flywheel and Computing Power - The report recommends several companies across different segments, including optical modules, liquid cooling, fiber optics, and AI applications, highlighting their potential for growth [13].

Industry Overview - The electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry provides design, engineering, and manufacturing services to electronics original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and is currently ranked in the top 4% of the Zacks Industry Rank [1] - The industry has delivered a remarkable 102.8% return over the past year and a 48.7% year-to-date return, indicating strong performance and potential for continued outperformance in the next three to six months [2] Company Analysis: Celestica Inc. (CLS) - Celestica Inc. is a leading global EMS provider, offering a wide range of manufacturing and supply-chain solutions tailored to various customer needs [6] - The company is experiencing strong demand in the Connectivity & Cloud Solutions segment, particularly in its Hyperscaler Portfolio Solutions networking business and optical programs [7] - Celestica is well-positioned in the AI infrastructure market, projected to reach $223.45 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 30.4% from 2024 to 2030 [8] - For 2025, the Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates revenues of $11.63 billion (up 20.6% year over year) and earnings per share of $5.55 (up 43% year over year) [11] - The short-term average price target for CLS shares suggests a potential increase of 13.3% from the last closing price of $181.34, with a maximum upside of 35.1% [13] Company Analysis: Jabil Inc. (JBL) - Jabil Inc. is a major global supplier of EMS solutions, providing design, production, product management, and after-market services across various industries [14] - The company is benefiting from strong momentum in capital equipment, AI-powered data center infrastructure, cloud, and digital commerce sectors [15] - Jabil plans to invest $500 million to enhance its manufacturing capabilities for the AI data center vertical, strengthening its position in the AI hardware supply chain [17] - For fiscal 2026, the Zacks Consensus Estimate shows revenues of $30.93 billion (up 6.1% year over year) and earnings per share of $11.05 (up 17.8% year over year) [22] - The short-term average price target for JBL shares indicates a potential increase of 14.5% from the last closing price of $204.05, with a maximum upside of 24.9% [23]

Core Viewpoint - Celestica (CLS) shares have recently declined by 10.4% over the past week, but the formation of a hammer chart pattern suggests potential support and a possible trend reversal in the future [1][2]. Technical Analysis - The hammer chart pattern indicates a potential bottoming out, suggesting that selling pressure may be exhausting. This pattern forms when there is a small candle body with a long lower wick, typically occurring during a downtrend [4][5]. - The hammer pattern signals that bears may be losing control, and the buying interest that emerges can indicate a potential trend reversal [5]. Fundamental Analysis - There has been a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions for CLS, with a 12.2% increase in the consensus EPS estimate for the current year over the last 30 days. This indicates that analysts expect better earnings than previously predicted [7][8]. - CLS holds a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), placing it in the top 5% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimate revisions and EPS surprises. Stocks with this ranking typically outperform the market [9][10].

Core Insights - Celestica Inc. (CLS) and Jabil Inc. (JBL) are prominent players in the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry, with Celestica being one of the largest EMS companies globally, serving various sectors including cloud-based services and business enterprises [1][4] - Jabil is also a major global supplier of EMS solutions, providing a wide range of services across multiple industries such as aerospace, automotive, and telecommunications [2][10] - Both companies are well-positioned to meet the growing demands of artificial intelligence (AI) within the EMS landscape [3][8] Celestica Overview - Celestica has over two decades of manufacturing experience and focuses on delivering cloud-optimized data storage and networking solutions, which are increasingly in demand due to the rise of AI applications [4][5] - The company emphasizes product diversification and aims to strengthen its presence in high-value markets, which enhances business resilience by reducing dependence on any single industry [5] - Despite its strengths, Celestica faces challenges with high research and development costs and stiff competition from other industry giants, which have led to margin pressures [6] Jabil Overview - Jabil operates in 100 locations across 30 countries, benefiting from strong margins and cash flow dynamics, along with extensive end-market experience and technical capabilities [7][10] - The company is expected to see growth driven by AI data center infrastructure and the adoption of 5G and cloud computing, supported by effective supply chain management [10][11] - However, Jabil also contends with a competitive environment and geopolitical tensions that may impact its margins [11] Financial Performance and Estimates - Celestica's 2025 sales and EPS estimates indicate a year-over-year growth of 20.6% and 43%, respectively, with a positive trend in EPS estimates over the past 60 days [12] - In contrast, Jabil's 2025 sales and EPS growth is projected at 0.9% and 10.6%, respectively, with a slight upward trend in EPS estimates [14] - Over the past year, Celestica has outperformed Jabil significantly, with a price increase of 244.1% compared to Jabil's 89.7% [15] Valuation Comparison - Jabil's shares trade at a lower price/earnings ratio of 18.73 compared to Celestica's 29.28, making Jabil appear more attractive from a valuation perspective [15] - Despite Jabil's favorable valuation metrics, Celestica has shown superior revenue and EPS growth, leading to a stronger overall investment case for Celestica at this time [17]