Core Insights - Willdan Group, Inc. has been awarded a $15 million contract with the Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN) to provide energy efficiency services [1] - The contract spans two years and includes multiple programs aimed at enhancing energy efficiency for commercial clients [1] Summary by Categories Contract Details - The contract is valued at $15 million and is focused on delivering energy efficiency services [1] - It is a two-year agreement with SoCalREN [1] Programs Included - The contract encompasses the implementation of the Small Commercial Direct Install Program [1] - It also includes the Food Desert Energy Efficiency Equity Program [1] - Additionally, the Small Medium Business Energy Advisor Program is part of the contract [1]

Core Insights - Investors are focusing on cash-rich stocks with strong returns as attractive opportunities amid economic uncertainties, rather than solely on Federal Reserve policy shifts [1][9] Group 1: Importance of Cash Flow - Cash is essential for business vitality, providing the flexibility to make investment decisions and shielding companies from market turmoil [2] - Positive cash flow indicates an increase in liquid assets, enabling companies to meet obligations, reinvest, and return wealth to shareholders, while negative cash flow suggests declining liquidity [5] - Companies must not only have positive cash flow but also increasing cash flow to ensure future growth and reduce dependency on external financing [6] Group 2: Screening for Investment Opportunities - A screening process was established to identify stocks with increasing cash flow, focusing on those whose latest cash flow is at least equal to the 5-year average [7] - Stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) have a history of outperformance, and brokers' positive ratings further support investment decisions [8] Group 3: Qualified Stocks - Materion Corporation (MTRN) specializes in high-performance engineered materials, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings improving by 8.2% [10][11] - Willdan Group, Inc. (WLDN) provides consulting services to enhance cost and energy efficiencies, with a current-year earnings estimate up by 27.7% [11][12] - Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (BBW) is a leading retailer of stuffed animals, with a fiscal 2026 earnings estimate revised upward by 3.9% [12][13] - NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc. (NCSM) focuses on engineered products for oil and gas operators, with a current-year earnings estimate improving by 62% [14]

Core Insights - The U.S. equity markets reached record highs driven by strong performances from blue-chip tech stocks, indicating the persistence of the AI boom [1] - Despite weak job growth in August, with only 22,000 jobs added, investors remained optimistic and focused on upcoming economic indicators [2] - Momentum investing strategies are highlighted as a way to capitalize on current trends, particularly in the context of recent market conditions [3][4] Market Performance - The U.S. economy added 911,000 fewer jobs than previously estimated in the first three months of 2025, yet this did not deter market enthusiasm [1] - The market rally reflects investor confidence, looking ahead to the producer price index and consumer price index reports for further insights on Federal Reserve rate cuts [2] Momentum Investing Strategy - Momentum investing is characterized by "buying high and selling higher," leveraging the tendency of stocks to continue in the same direction once a trend is established [3] - A screening strategy is proposed to identify stocks with strong momentum, focusing on those with significant price changes over the past year and short-term pullbacks [4][5] Screening Parameters - The screening process includes selecting the top 50 stocks based on a 52-week price change, followed by identifying the 10 worst performers over the past week [5][6] - Stocks must have a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) and a Momentum Style Score of B or better to ensure high potential for success [7][8] Selected Stocks - Willdan Group, Inc. has seen a 152.8% increase over the past year but experienced an 11.1% decline in the past week, holding a Momentum Score of B [10][11] - Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. has risen 103.9% in the past year with a recent 2.6% drop, also holding a Momentum Score of B [12][13] - Acadian Asset Management Inc. has surged 99.2% over the past year but declined 7.8% recently, boasting a Momentum Score of A [13][14]

Core Insights - Investors should consider adding stocks with strong liquidity to their portfolios, as these stocks are associated with business growth and potential maximum returns [1][2] - Four top-ranked stocks identified for potential investment are Remitly Global, Inc. (RELY), Frontdoor, Inc. (FTDR), Pagaya Technologies Ltd. (PGY), and Willdan Group, Inc. (WLDN) [1][9] Liquidity Measures - Current Ratio: Measures current assets against current liabilities; a ratio below 1 indicates more liabilities than assets, while a range of 1-3 is ideal [4] - Quick Ratio: Indicates ability to pay short-term obligations, with a desirable ratio of more than 1 [5] - Cash Ratio: The most conservative measure, focusing on cash and equivalents relative to current liabilities; a ratio greater than 1 is desirable but may indicate inefficiency [6] Screening Parameters - Asset Utilization: A measure of efficiency, calculated as total sales over the last 12 months divided by the average total assets; companies with a ratio higher than their industry average are considered efficient [7][8] - Growth Score: A proprietary metric added to ensure that liquid and efficient stocks also have solid growth potential [8] Company Highlights - **Remitly Global, Inc. (RELY)**: Specializes in digital financial and remittance services, with revenues of $411.9 million for Q2 2025, up 34% year over year; active customers grew 24% to over 8.5 million [12][10] - **Frontdoor, Inc. (FTDR)**: Parent company of home service plan brands, reported revenues of $617 million for Q2 2025, up 14% year over year; DTC member count increased by 9% [15][14] - **Pagaya Technologies Ltd. (PGY)**: Focuses on AI infrastructure for finance, with total revenues of $326 million for Q2 2025, a 30% increase year over year; annualized run-rate for POS and Auto segments reached $1.2 billion and $2 billion, respectively [17][18] - **Willdan Group, Inc. (WLDN)**: Provides consulting services to government and private sectors, with net revenues expected between $340 million and $350 million for 2025; contract revenues jumped 23% year over year [20][21]

Group 1 - Willdan Group, Inc. (WLDN) was identified as a 'buy' candidate in September 2023 due to its attractive growth prospects and strong performance [1] - The focus of Crude Value Insights is on cash flow generation within the oil and natural gas sector, highlighting companies with real potential for value and growth [1] Group 2 - Subscribers to the service benefit from a 50+ stock model account, detailed cash flow analyses of exploration and production (E&P) firms, and live discussions about the sector [2] - A two-week free trial is available for new subscribers, promoting engagement with the oil and gas market [3]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of confirming the sustainability of a trend for profitable short-term investing, highlighting that trends can reverse unexpectedly [1][2]. Group 1: Investment Strategy - A unique short-term trading strategy called "Recent Price Strength" helps identify stocks with strong fundamentals that can maintain their upward momentum [3]. - Stocks that pass this screen are typically trading in the upper portion of their 52-week high-low range, indicating bullish sentiment [3]. Group 2: Company Spotlight - Willdan Group (WLDN) - Willdan Group (WLDN) has shown a significant price increase of 105.6% over the past 12 weeks, indicating strong investor interest [4]. - The stock has also increased by 35.4% in the last four weeks, suggesting that the upward trend is still intact [5]. - WLDN is currently trading at 89.1% of its 52-week high-low range, indicating a potential breakout [6]. Group 3: Fundamental Strength - WLDN holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), placing it in the top 5% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimate revisions and EPS surprises [6]. - The stock has an Average Broker Recommendation of 1 (Strong Buy), reflecting high optimism from the brokerage community regarding its near-term performance [7]. Group 4: Additional Opportunities - Besides WLDN, there are other stocks that meet the criteria of the "Recent Price Strength" screen, suggesting further investment opportunities [8]. - The article encourages exploring over 45 Zacks Premium Screens tailored to different investing styles for potential winning stock picks [8].

Core Viewpoint - Willdan Group (WLDN) is positioned as a strong investment opportunity due to its improving earnings outlook and analysts' increasing earnings estimates [1][2]. Earnings Estimates - Analysts are optimistic about Willdan's earnings prospects, leading to higher estimates that are expected to positively impact the stock price [2]. - The consensus earnings estimate for the current quarter is $0.81 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of +11.0% [7]. - For the full year, the earnings estimate has risen to $3.60 per share, indicating a significant change of +48.2% from the previous year [8]. Estimate Revisions - Over the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Willdan has increased by 12.98%, with no negative revisions reported [7]. - The consensus estimate for the current year has increased by 33.4%, supported by two upward revisions and no negative changes [9]. Zacks Rank - Willdan currently holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on favorable estimate revisions and has historically outperformed the market [10]. - Stocks with a Zacks Rank 1 and 2 have shown significant outperformance compared to the S&P 500 [10]. Stock Performance - Willdan shares have appreciated by 29.4% over the past four weeks, indicating strong investor confidence in the company's earnings growth potential [11].

Core Insights - Willdan Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: WLDN) has experienced a significant stock price increase from $65.80 to $114.90 within a two-month period, indicating strong market performance and investor interest [1] Company Overview - Willdan Group is characterized as a unique stock with aggressive growth prospects, suggesting a focus on long-term profitability within 1-2 years [1] Investment Philosophy - The investment philosophy associated with Willdan Group emphasizes long-term discipline, consistent alpha generation, and a calculated approach to risk [1]

Core Insights - Willdan Group and Sterling Infrastructure exceeded Q2 expectations, reporting record revenue and net income driven by strong performance in high-growth infrastructure sectors [1][2] - Both companies raised their full-year guidance following strong Q2 results, indicating confidence in continued growth [3] Willdan Group Summary - Willdan raised its full-year targets for net revenue to $340-$350 million, Adjusted EPS to $3.50-$3.65, and Adjusted EBITDA to $70-$73 million [4] - The company secured significant contracts, including a $30 million deal with the City of Fairfield and a $20 million contract with National Grid [4] - Willdan's stock has increased nearly +200% year to date, with a three-year growth of over +380% [9] Sterling Infrastructure Summary - Sterling raised its full-year revenue guidance to $2.10-$2.15 billion, net income to $243-$252 million, and adjusted EPS to $9.21-$9.47 [5] - The company has a backlog exceeding $2 billion, focusing on high-margin projects in states like Utah, Colorado, and Texas [5] - Sterling's stock has risen over +70% year to date, with a three-year increase of over +260% [9] Strategic Acquisitions - Both companies are expanding into data center infrastructure, capitalizing on advancements in artificial intelligence [6] - Willdan acquired Alternative Power Generation to enhance its capabilities for AI data centers and EV charging stations [7] - Sterling plans to acquire CEC Facilities Group to expand its electrical contracting services for semiconductors and data centers [8] Valuation Analysis - Both companies forecast high-double digit EPS growth, with Sterling having a P/E valuation of 34X forward earnings compared to Willdan's 40.3X [10] - Willdan's stock is closer to an optimal sales level of less than 2X, while Sterling's is at 4.3X [11] - Despite raising guidance, Willdan's top line is expected to dip at least 38% after a record year, while Sterling is projected to maintain or reach peak annual sales [11] Conclusion - Willdan Group and Sterling Infrastructure are positioned as top engineering companies for investment, with Sterling's stronger financials offering more appeal [12] - Both companies' ventures into data center infrastructure suggest long-term viability as investments [13]

Group 1 - Willdan Group reported quarterly earnings of $1.5 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.72 per share, and showing a significant increase from $0.55 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of +108.33% [1] - The company achieved revenues of $94.97 million for the quarter ended June 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 13.80%, although this represents a decline from year-ago revenues of $141 million [2] - Willdan has consistently outperformed consensus EPS estimates over the last four quarters, achieving this four times [2] Group 2 - The stock has appreciated approximately 131.1% since the beginning of the year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 7.9% [3] - The company's future stock performance will largely depend on management's commentary during the earnings call and the outlook for earnings estimates [4][6] - Current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.77 on revenues of $84.9 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $2.82 on revenues of $330.15 million [7] Group 3 - The Zacks Industry Rank indicates that the Business - Services sector is currently in the top 41% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable outlook for stocks within this industry [8] - The trend of estimate revisions for Willdan was mixed prior to the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) for the stock, indicating expected performance in line with the market [6]