Here's Why You Should Consider Investing in Kennametal Stock

Core Insights - Kennametal Inc. (KMT) is positioned to benefit from strong momentum in its end markets, a robust product portfolio, product innovations, and shareholder-friendly policies [1][9] - The company has a market capitalization of $2.1 billion and has seen its stock rise by 24.2% over the past six months, outperforming the industry growth of 3.5% [1] Business Strength - The Metal Cutting segment has shown strength with a 3% year-over-year revenue increase in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, driven by higher OEM build rates in aerospace and robust defense spending [3] - The Infrastructure segment is recovering due to increased mining activity and new project wins in the Americas, contributing to an optimistic revenue outlook for fiscal 2026, projected between $2.10 billion and $2.17 billion, up from earlier estimates of $1.95 billion to $2.05 billion [4] Strong Product Portfolio - Kennametal benefits from a diversified product portfolio and ongoing investments in product development, with notable new products including TopSwiss Inserts, HARVI TE Duo-Lock, and others [5] - The company is also focused on strategic partnerships and manufacturing investments, such as its collaboration with Toolpath Labs to enhance digital capabilities in manufacturing [6] Shareholder-Friendly Policies - Kennametal is committed to returning value to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, distributing $15.1 million in dividends and repurchasing $10 million in shares in the first three months of fiscal 2026 [7] - In fiscal 2025, the company distributed a total of $61.9 million in dividends and repurchased shares worth $60 million, with a new $200 million repurchase program authorized in February 2024 [10] Estimate Revisions - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KMT's fiscal 2026 earnings has increased by 25% in the past 60 days, while the estimate for fiscal 2027 has been revised upward by 16.4% [10]