Celestica Jumps 67.9% Year to Date: Is the Stock Still a Buy?

Core Insights - Celestica, Inc. (CLS) has experienced a significant stock surge of 67.9% year-to-date, outperforming the Electronics - Manufacturing Services industry's growth of 44.7% and the broader Computer & Technology sector as well as the S&P 500 [1][8] Company Performance - The company has outperformed peers such as Jabil, Inc. (JBL) and Sanmina Corporation (SANM), with Jabil's shares increasing by 54.2% and Sanmina's by 33.8% [2][8] - Celestica's strong research and development capabilities enable it to produce high-volume electronic products and complex technology infrastructure products across various industries, enhancing its market penetration [3][8] Market Position - The company maintains a strong presence in multiple sectors, including aerospace and defense, industrial, communications, enterprise, HealthTech, and capital equipment, which helps reduce dependence on any single industry [4][8] - In Q1 2025, Celestica's current ratio was 1.43, surpassing the industry's 1.19, indicating a solid position to meet short-term obligations. The times interest earned improved to 11.4 from 6.2 a year ago, and the debt-to-capital ratio is 37.7%, compared to the industry's 45.9% [5][8] Challenges and Competition - The Electronics - Manufacturing industry is highly competitive, with significant competition from giants like Foxconn, Jabil, and Sanmina, as well as smaller regional players [6][8] - Jabil is gaining traction in the AI data center infrastructure market, which could challenge Celestica's prospects in that vertical. Sanmina is also enhancing its position in the data center vertical through a $3 billion acquisition [9][10] Global Exposure - Celestica generates a significant portion of its revenues outside North America, making it vulnerable to geopolitical volatility and foreign exchange fluctuations [11][8] Future Outlook - Earnings estimates for Celestica for 2025 and 2026 have remained unchanged over the past 60 days, with current estimates at 1.23 for Q1, 1.29 for Q2, 5.05 for FY 2025, and 6.07 for FY 2026 [13][14] - The company is expected to benefit from solid demand for its 400G and 800G switch products, driven by the increasing use of high bandwidth-intensive AI applications [15][8]