Should You Buy Eaton While It's Below $360?

Core Viewpoint - Eaton is well-positioned to benefit from the growing demand for electrical and cooling solutions driven by the rapid buildout of data centers, particularly in the context of artificial intelligence [1][12]. Company Overview - Eaton provides essential electrical solutions globally, focusing on products such as circuit breakers, switchgear, transformers, and power distribution units, which are crucial for managing electricity in various sectors including commercial factories and data centers [3]. - The company also serves the aerospace industry and automakers, supplying components that enhance fuel efficiency and support electric vehicle development [4]. Market Demand and Growth - The demand for data centers is a significant growth driver for Eaton, with orders in the data center vertical increasing by 70% in Q3 compared to the previous year [7]. - Eaton's backlog in the Electrical Americas segment reached a record $12 billion in Q3, reflecting a 20% increase year-over-year, indicating strong demand across its segments [6]. Strategic Acquisitions - To capitalize on the growth in data centers, Eaton announced a $9.5 billion acquisition of Boyd's thermal business, which is expected to generate $1.7 billion in sales next year, representing a 70% year-over-year growth [8][9]. - The acquisition aims to enhance Eaton's capabilities in providing cooling solutions for data centers, leveraging Boyd's expertise and existing relationships with major chip manufacturers [10]. Future Outlook - The company anticipates continued growth driven by data centers, distributed IT, and electric vehicle markets, with expectations of double-digit growth over the next several years [12]. - Eaton is expanding its domestic manufacturing capabilities by increasing production capacity across 12 facilities to meet the rising demand and fulfill its backlog [11].