Fourth Quarter and Full Year Earnings Astec Industries Fourth Quarter and Full Year Highlights Jaco van der Merwe CEO and President 3 February 25, 2026 Safe Harbor Certain statements contained in this presentation contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements relate to, among other things, income, earnings, cash flows, changes in operat ...

Group 1: Market Overview - Volatility is increasing, with the VIX rising over 43% since the beginning of the year, as investors await developments in Iran [1] - The U.S. GDP growth for Q4 was reported at 1.4%, which is 300 and 240 basis points lower than Q3 and Q2 of 2025, respectively [1] - Core prices increased by 3.0% annually in December, indicating that tariffs are affecting prices as companies pass on costs [2] Group 2: Stock Analysis - Caterpillar (CAT) stock has increased by 118% over the past 12 months, with significant options activity noted recently [5] - A protective collar strategy is suggested for CAT, involving selling a put option below the current share price and buying a call option above it, which caps potential gains while providing downside protection [4][6] - The February 27 strike price of $820 for CAT will limit gains to 7.8% based on the previous closing price, with the expected move being less than half that amount [5]

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks fell Thursday, while oil prices rose with worries about a potential conflict between the United States and Iran. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% for its first loss in four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 267 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.3%. Booking Holdings dropped 6.1% for one of the market’s sharper losses, even though the company behind the Booking.com, Priceline and OpenTable brands reported a profit for the latest quarter that edged past a ...

Q4 2025 FINANCIAL RESULTS February 17, 2026 SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT AND DISCLOSURES All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this presentation including competitive strengths; business strategy; future financial position or operating results; budgets; projections with respect to revenue, income, earnings (or loss) per share, capital expenditures, dividends, liquidity, capital structure or other financial items; costs; and plans and objectives of management regarding operations and ...

Core Insights - Dangote Group has signed a $400 million agreement with XCMG Construction Machinery to enhance its construction capabilities and expand the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals capacity from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day, positioning it among the largest refineries globally [1][2] Group 1: Expansion Plans - The agreement allows Dangote to access advanced construction equipment for ongoing and future projects in refining, petrochemicals, agriculture, and infrastructure development, with the refinery expansion scheduled for completion in three years [2] - Dangote Group plans to increase polypropylene output from 900,000 metric tonnes per annum to 2.4 million metric tonnes, while Nigeria's urea production capacity will triple from three million to nine million metric tonnes annually [3] - The expansion will also raise annual production of Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) to 400,000 metric tonnes, making Dangote the largest LAB producer in Africa [4] Group 2: Strategic Vision - The additional equipment will enhance project execution, with the company aiming to become the number one construction company globally as part of its Dangote Vision 2030, which includes building a $100 billion pan-African industrial powerhouse [5][6] - The vision encompasses expanding operations in key sectors, increasing investments across Africa, and developing workforce capabilities to reduce import reliance and promote industrial development [6]

Core Viewpoint - Kubota Corporation aims to transform India into its growth engine under its 2030 mid-term business plan, identifying it as a key pillar alongside its construction machinery business in North America and lifecycle support business [1][11]. Growth Strategy - The company plans to leverage India as a global hub for R&D, procurement, and production to enhance cost competitiveness and strengthen its supply chain [2][11]. - Kubota anticipates strong economic growth in India, with real GDP growth projected at 8% in the first half of fiscal 2025, supported by solid domestic demand [5][11]. Market Opportunities - India is recognized as the world's largest tractor market, with expectations for continued expansion due to economic development and increased agricultural mechanization [6][11]. - The company aims to tap into the global market expansion of basic tractors, noting growing demand in Europe and low agricultural mechanization rates in Africa and Latin America, which may be boosted by government subsidies [8][11]. Product Development and Cost Competitiveness - Kubota plans to enhance cost competitiveness by introducing new products under the Kubota brand, utilizing resources from Escorts Kubota [6][11]. - The company will implement the Kubota production system (KPS) to improve quality and productivity, while also expanding its product lineup across its three brands: Farmtrac, Powertrac, and Kubota [7][11]. Future Investments - Future investments include establishing a new plant in India, with a 200-acre site in Uttar Pradesh allocated for a ₹4,500 crore tractor manufacturing unit [10][11].

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - **Construction Machinery**: - According to the China Construction Machinery Association (CCMA), domestic excavator shipment/export volume increased by **61%** and **40%** year-over-year (YoY) in January 2026, attributed to a low base effect from January 2025 [1][4][11]. - The tower crane leasing rate index decreased by **6%** week-over-week (WoW) as the Chinese New Year (CNY) low season approaches, but remains **15%** higher than the same period last year, marking the third consecutive week of YoY increase [1][12]. - **Factory Automation**: - Ta Liang Technology (3167.TW), a Taiwanese peer of Han's CNC, reported a **120%** YoY revenue growth in January 2026, up from **61%** and **53%** in December 2025 and November 2025 respectively, indicating strong demand for PCB drilling equipment from AI PCB manufacturers [1][8][10]. Company Insights - **Top Picks in Construction Machinery**: - Recommended companies include: - Zoomlion (1157.HK) - Sany Heavy (6031.HK) and Sany Heavy Equipment International Holdings Company Ltd (631.HK) - In the AI PCB and Apple equipment theme: - Han's Laser (002008.SZ) and Han's CNC (301200.SZ) - For humanoid robots: - Hengli Hydraulic (601100.SS) [1]. - **Price Adjustments**: - THK (6481.T) announced a **10%** increase in the average selling price (ASP) of all ball screw products effective from February 2, 2026, to reflect rising raw material and operating costs. This follows similar price hikes by SKF and Schaeffler in January 2026 [2]. Upcoming Events - A business update call with Sany International (631.HK) is scheduled for **10 AM HKT on February 12, 2026**, focusing on how rising commodity prices may benefit mining equipment [1]. Additional Notes - The ball screw is estimated to account for approximately **2%** of total revenue in 2026E for THK [2]. - The report emphasizes the importance of monitoring the construction machinery and factory automation sectors for potential investment opportunities, especially in light of the recent positive data points and company performance metrics [1][2].

The broader market is near a significant milestone thanks to big gains for stocks outside of tech. Goldman Sachs and Caterpillar are examples. ...

Core Viewpoint - The Dow Jones Industrial Average has surged to record levels, approaching the 50,000 mark, driven by significant gains in Nvidia and Caterpillar stocks [1]. Group 1: Market Performance - The Dow increased by 1,000 points, representing a 2.1% rise, reaching an intraday high of 49,980.29 [1]. - The S&P 500 index rose by 1.6%, while the Nasdaq Composite experienced a rally of 1.9% [1]. Group 2: Key Contributors - Nvidia and Caterpillar are identified as the leading companies contributing to the recent market rally [1].

Group 1: Market Overview - The market is experiencing "manic rotations," with 70 stocks in the S&P 100 trading upwards while the index itself is down, indicating a disconnect between stock performance and overall market trends [3][5]. - There is a notable shift away from technology stocks, with fund managers seeking alternative investments like Caterpillar and Exxon Mobile due to stagnation in tech stocks like Nvidia and Microsoft [5][6]. Group 2: Caterpillar Analysis - Caterpillar has seen an 18% year-to-date increase, but is considered overbought and overhyped, leading to a bearish outlook [5][6]. - A bearish trade is being set up with a $10 wide out-of-the-money put spread, targeting a pullback as the current market rotation is expected to cease [7][8][9]. - Technical indicators suggest that a modest pullback could occur, with potential support levels identified around 660 and 627 [10][11]. Group 3: TLT (Treasury Bonds) Analysis - There is a lack of interest in treasury bonds, with investors favoring metals instead, indicating a bearish sentiment towards TLT [17][19]. - A synthetic stock replacement strategy is being employed by purchasing a deep in-the-money put to simulate a short position, with a focus on maintaining a bearish trend [18][19]. - Technical analysis shows that moving averages are diverging downwards, suggesting a continued bearish trend for TLT [22][23]. Group 4: Exxon Mobile Analysis - Exxon Mobile has experienced a 19% year-to-date increase, characterized as a "mother of all rotation plays," with significant capital flowing into the stock [25][26]. - A bearish position is being established through a put spread, with a risk defined at $260, as the stock is perceived to be on borrowed time after its explosive growth [29][30]. - Technical indicators show that while the stock has reached new highs, there are signs of bearish divergence in momentum, suggesting potential for a pullback [36][37].