Core Insights - The investment approach focuses on identifying businesses with potential for long-term growth and significant terminal value generation [1] - Emphasis is placed on understanding core business economics, including competitive advantages, unit economics, reinvestment opportunities, and management quality [1] - The analyst aims to provide accessible and analytical insights to help readers identify high-quality, long-term investment opportunities [1] Investment Strategy - The investment strategy is fundamentally driven, concentrating on sectors with strong secular growth trends [1] - The approach involves a deep dive into the factors that contribute to long-term free cash flow generation and shareholder value [1] - The analyst has a decade of self-education in investment, currently managing personal funds sourced from friends and family [1]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total sales growth of 2% was achieved, with record adjusted EBITDA margins of 20.4% [8][27] - Adjusted EBITDA reached 20.1%, highlighting the company's resilience despite challenges [29] - Free cash flow generated in the quarter was $46 million, with expectations for improvement in cash flow during the second half of 2025 [31][32] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - EMEA and APAC segments showed strong performance, with total sales rising 11% and EBITDA margins hitting a record 20.6% [30] - Organic sales in The Americas declined due to delays in automation orders and tariff impacts, but strong pricing helped balance this [28][29] - Automation orders were delayed, but the company expects recovery in the second half of the year [41][50] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Middle East delivered double-digit growth, while India grew at high single digits [12] - China and Southeast Asia experienced mid-single-digit growth, supported by increased capital expenditure and ongoing LNG investments [13] - The Americas faced near-term headwinds primarily due to tariffs, particularly impacting local customers in Mexico [14][40] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on disciplined cost control, elevating customer experience, and sharpening market differentiation [6] - Recent acquisitions, including Delta P and Active, are expected to accelerate growth and expand the product portfolio [9][22] - The company raised its full-year guidance based on confidence in its equipment portfolio and improving market conditions [9][33] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the recovery of the automation business in North America and the overall health of the business [41][36] - The company anticipates continued strong performance in high-growth markets and expects to complete four acquisitions this year [36][37] - Management remains optimistic about the impact of EU stimulus measures and the stability of the European market [92][96] Other Important Information - The company is investing approximately $20 million in strategic growth initiatives, including university research partnerships and AI capabilities [17][81] - The Flame internship program aims to build a robust talent pipeline for the fabrication technology sector [10] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide more color on the tariff impacts? - Management noted that tariffs introduced unexpected volume headwinds, particularly in Mexico, but expects recovery in the second half of the year [40][41] Question: What are the savings targets for 2024? - The company has been increasing savings over the last three years, with a focus on back office automation and productivity improvements [43][44] Question: Can you elaborate on the automation demand in Mexico? - Management indicated that automation orders were delayed but are expected to recover in Q3 and Q4, with a slow recovery in Mexico overall [50][88] Question: What is the outlook for Europe and the impact of stimulus measures? - Management expects stable growth in Europe, with stimulus measures beginning to show positive effects, although not at the anticipated rate [92][96] Question: How significant is the automation component's decline? - The decline in automation sales was noted to be in the high twenties percentage-wise, with expectations for recovery [105] Question: What is the expected growth and margin for the EWM acquisition? - The EWM acquisition is expected to have mid-single-digit growth potential and gross margins above 40% [56][57]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total sales growth of 2% was achieved, with record adjusted EBITDA margins of 20.4% [7][26] - Adjusted EBITDA reached 20.1%, highlighting the company's resilience despite challenges [26] - Free cash flow generated in the quarter was $46 million, with expectations for improvement in cash flow during the second half of 2025 [30][31] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - EMEA and APAC segments showed strong performance, with total sales rising 11% and EBITDA margins hitting a record 20.6% [28][29] - Organic sales in The Americas declined due to tariff-related delays, but strong pricing helped balance this [27][28] - Automation orders were delayed, impacting the Americas, but a robust automation funnel gives confidence for recovery in the second half [14][46] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Middle East delivered double-digit growth, while India grew at high single digits [12][13] - China and Southeast Asia experienced mid-single-digit growth, supported by increased capital expenditure [13][62] - Europe remained steady, benefiting from EU stimulus measures, with expectations for stable growth [11][94] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on disciplined cost control, enhancing customer experience, and sharpening market differentiation [5][8] - Recent acquisitions, including Delta P and Active, are expected to accelerate growth and expand product offerings [22][24] - The integration of EBX and AI initiatives aims to enhance operational excellence and innovation [16][17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the recovery of the automation business in North America and the overall health of the business [34][40] - The company raised its full-year guidance based on strong market conditions and successful acquisitions [8][32] - Management remains optimistic about the high growth markets and expects continued momentum in EMEA and APAC [34][94] Other Important Information - The Flame internship program aims to build a robust talent pipeline for the fabrication technology sector [10] - The company is committed to investing approximately $20 million in strategic growth initiatives in 2025 [17][80] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide more details on the tariff impact? - Management noted that tariffs introduced unexpected volume headwinds, particularly in Mexico, but expects recovery in the second half [37][39] Question: What are the underlying order trends in The Americas? - Management indicated that automation orders are expected to recover, while Mexico's market is showing signs of life but will take longer to stabilize [46][48] Question: Can you elaborate on the EWM acquisition? - The EWM acquisition is expected to enhance the heavy industrial portfolio and is projected to have mid-single-digit growth potential with gross margins over 40% [49][52] Question: What is the outlook for Europe and the impact of EU stimulus measures? - Management expects stable growth in Europe, with stimulus measures beginning to show positive effects, although not at the anticipated rate [90][94] Question: How is the company addressing productivity improvements? - The company has increased its savings target and is investing back into the business to support long-term growth initiatives [78][80]

Second Quarter 2025 August 6, 2025 EARNINGS CONFERENCE CALL © 2024 Forward-Looking Statements & Non-GAAP Disclaimer Forward-Looking Statements This presentation includes forward-looking statements, including forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the Company's plans, goals, objectives, outlook, expectations, and intentions, including statements that are ...

ESAB raises its full year 2025 outlook for total core sales growth of 1.5% to 3.5%, core organic sales growth of 0.0% to 2.0%, M&A of ~2.5% and FX of ~(1.0)% from its prior outlook of total core sales growth of (1.0)% to 1.5%, core organic sales growth of 0.0% to 2.0%, M&A of 2.0%-2.5% and FX of ~(3.0)%. ESAB's core adjusted EBITDA outlook increases to $525 to $535 million versus prior guidance of $520 to $530 million, and core adjusted EPS increases to $5.15 to $5.30 versus prior guidance of $5.10 to $5.25 ...

Industry Overview - The Zacks Metal Products - Procurement and Fabrication industry is experiencing strong demand across various end markets, with improvements in order levels and strategic pricing expected to help maintain margins despite tariff impacts [1][4] - The industry primarily includes metal processing and fabrication service providers that transform metal into parts and components for sectors such as construction, aerospace, automotive, and more [3] Market Trends - Recent data shows signs of recovery in the manufacturing sector, with the Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index slightly increasing to 49% in June from 48.5% in May, and the Production Index rising to 50.3% [4] - Industrial production increased by 0.3% in June, with an annual growth rate of 1.1% for the second quarter [4] Strategic Initiatives - Companies are implementing strategic pricing adjustments and cost-reduction initiatives to tackle rising labor, freight, and fuel costs, while also diversifying supplier bases to mitigate tariff impacts [5] - A strong focus on automation and innovation is expected to drive future growth, particularly in manufacturing, aerospace, and automotive sectors [6] Performance Metrics - The Zacks Metal Products - Procurement and Fabrication industry has outperformed both its sector and the Zacks S&P 500 composite over the past year, growing by 27.2% compared to the sector's 13.5% and the S&P 500's 16.8% [10] - The industry is currently trading at a trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA ratio of 17.38X, which is lower than the S&P 500's 17.93X and the Industrial Products sector's 19.57X [13] Company Highlights - Kaiser Aluminum reported better-than-expected second-quarter results, with expectations for a 10-15% year-over-year increase in adjusted EBITDA and a 5-10% rise in conversion revenues for 2025 [19][20] - ESAB Corporation is making growth investments and pursuing acquisitions to enhance its market presence, with a recent 25% increase in its quarterly dividend [24] - TriMas Corporation's packaging segment is benefiting from solid demand, with an anticipated consolidated sales growth of 8-10% for full-year 2025 [26]

Have you been searching for a stock that might be well-positioned to maintain its earnings-beat streak in its upcoming report? It is worth considering Esab (ESAB) , which belongs to the Zacks Metal Products - Procurement and Fabrication industry.This maker of welding and cutting equipment has an established record of topping earnings estimates, especially when looking at the previous two reports. The company boasts an average surprise for the past two quarters of 8.62%.For the last reported quarter, Esab ca ...

Company Performance - Esab (ESAB) has returned approximately 8.1% year-to-date, outperforming the average gain of 7.7% in the Industrial Products group [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ESAB's full-year earnings has increased by 0.1% over the past 90 days, indicating an improving earnings outlook [3] - Esab is currently ranked 2 (Buy) in the Zacks Rank system, reflecting strong analyst sentiment [3] Industry Comparison - Esab is part of the Metal Products - Procurement and Fabrication industry, which has gained an average of 11.2% this year, indicating that ESAB is slightly underperforming its industry [5] - Valmont Industries (VMI), another stock in the Industrial Products sector, has returned 9.6% year-to-date and also holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [4][5] - The Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, to which Valmont Industries belongs, has seen a year-to-date increase of 1.9% [6]

Market Overview - The Nasdaq Composite and the Dow Jones Industrial Average have lost 1.03% and 0.52% year-to-date, while the S&P 500 has gained 0.60% [1] - Investor hesitance is attributed to President Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs on all U.S. trading partners, although a potential truce between the U.S. and China may lead to reduced import duties [1] Economic Indicators - The consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.2% sequentially in April and 2.3% year-over-year, marking the lowest increase since February 2021 [2] - Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated that more clarity is needed before considering further interest rate cuts, with analysts expecting no cuts until at least September [2] - Ongoing trade conflicts raise fears of a potential recession, which could negatively impact inflation and key economic indicators [2] Investment Opportunities - In volatile market conditions, dividend-paying stocks are recommended for portfolio diversification [3] - Notable dividend-paying companies include Marriott International (MAR), HNI, Sun Life Financial, ESAB Corporation, and Victory Capital Holdings [3] - Companies that consistently pay dividends indicate a healthy business model, and those that have recently raised dividends show a sound financial structure [3] Company Spotlight: Marriott International - Marriott International is a leading global hospitality company involved in the operation, franchising, and licensing of various lodging properties [4] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [4] - On May 9, Marriott declared a dividend of 67 cents per share, with a dividend yield of 0.9% [5] - Over the past five years, Marriott has increased its dividend five times, with a current payout ratio of 26% of earnings [5]

Group 1: Earnings Performance - Esab reported quarterly earnings of $1.25 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.18 per share, and showing an increase from $1.20 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of 5.93% [1] - The company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates in all four of the last quarters [2] - Esab's revenues for the quarter ended March 2025 were $646.9 million, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.59%, although this is a decrease from year-ago revenues of $689.74 million [2] Group 2: Stock Performance and Outlook - Esab shares have increased by approximately 0.2% since the beginning of the year, contrasting with the S&P 500's decline of -5.3% [3] - The company's earnings outlook is crucial for investors, as it includes current consensus earnings expectations for upcoming quarters and any recent changes to these expectations [4] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $1.36 on revenues of $654.18 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $5.13 on revenues of $2.56 billion [7] Group 3: Industry Context - The Metal Products - Procurement and Fabrication industry, to which Esab belongs, is currently ranked in the top 18% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating a favorable outlook [8] - Empirical research suggests a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can be tracked by investors [5] - The current estimate revisions trend for Esab is mixed, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the market [6]