It has been a year of significant stock dispersion, with notable leadership in Refining and Specialty Contractors and weakness in Oil E&P, reflecting commodity/thematic bifurcation. In this brief report, we try to make sense of the moves and also highlight some of the early pushback we have received on our ten stocks ideas for 2026, which we discussed here. Exhibit 1: This year, VLO had the top ranking in the XLE, while OKE was the relative laggard along with several E&Ps Relative components of the XLE rank ...

AI data center and substation complex highlights EMCOR project pipeline, Cummins backup generators, and GE Vernova grid equipment demand. Key Points While headlines swirl around chip developers and hyperscalers, many other stocks are benefiting from AI under the surface. EMCOR Group, Cummins, and GE Vernova each provide critical products and services that allow data centers and AI to proliferate. These stocks are up more than 35% in 2025, and analysts continue to see upside. Interested in GE Vernova I ...

Core Viewpoint - MYR Group Inc. will participate in the Oppenheimer Winter Industrial Summit investor conference, where its CEO and CFO will engage with institutional investors virtually on December 11, 2025 [1] Company Overview - MYR Group Inc. is a holding company specializing in electrical contracting services across the United States and Canada, operating through two main segments: Transmission & Distribution (T&D) and Commercial & Industrial (C&I) [2] - The T&D segment offers services related to electric transmission, distribution networks, substations, clean energy projects, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, catering to a diverse clientele including utilities, private developers, and government-funded entities [2] - The C&I segment provides a wide range of services such as design, installation, maintenance, and repair of commercial and industrial wiring, serving clients like general contractors, facility owners, and government agencies [2]

Summary of EMCOR Group Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: EMCOR Group - **Industry**: Specialty Contractors and Engineering Construction - **Key Executives Present**: Tony Guzzi (CEO and Chairman), Jason Nalbandian (CFO), Lucas Sullivan (Investor Relations) Core Business Insights - EMCOR is a project-oriented company with a maintenance element, executing over 12,000 projects annually, with a third of projects under $1 million, another third between $1 million and $10 million, and the remaining third over $10 million [3][4] - Major growth areas include data centers, high-tech manufacturing, healthcare, and water/wastewater projects [3][4] - EMCOR is a leading builder of data centers, particularly strong in electrical and fire protection services [4] Financial Performance - Revenue growth has been robust, with a three-year CAGR of 14%-15%, while CapEx has grown at 28%-30%, indicating significant investment in productivity-enhancing technologies like prefabrication and BIM [26][27] - Margins have improved, trending closer to 10%, attributed to strong demand and internal innovations [20][22][23] Labor and Workforce Strategy - EMCOR emphasizes a values-driven culture, which aids in recruiting skilled labor, particularly union tradespeople [10][11] - The company maintains a flexible workforce, allowing for adjustments during downturns without significant severance costs [58][59] - EMCOR's workforce includes 30,000-35,000 skilled tradespeople, with a significant portion being career employees [12] Market Position and Strategy - EMCOR has a balanced capital allocation strategy, focusing on organic growth and M&A, with a near 50/50 split between reinvestments and shareholder returns [37][38] - The company has exited the U.K. market, focusing on core U.S. markets for electrical and mechanical construction [39][41] - EMCOR's competitive advantage lies in its skilled labor force and local market knowledge, making it a predominantly U.S.-focused business [42] Future Outlook - The construction business is expected to grow organically at high single digits, driven by sectors like data centers and healthcare [45] - Margins are projected to fluctuate but remain within historical bands, with a rolling 12-24 month average providing a clearer picture of performance [50][52] - EMCOR is well-positioned for future growth, with ongoing demand in data centers and a flexible operational model to adapt to market changes [61][62] Additional Insights - The company has a strong focus on safety, achieving industry-leading safety records, which also contributes to margin improvements [11][23] - EMCOR's approach to technology integration, such as BIM and prefabrication, is seen as essential for maintaining competitive margins and productivity [25][28] This summary encapsulates the key points discussed during the conference call, highlighting EMCOR's operational strengths, financial performance, labor strategies, and future growth prospects.

Core Viewpoint - Primoris Services Corporation has appointed Koti Vadlamudi as the new President and CEO effective November 10, 2025, succeeding Interim President and CEO David King, who will remain as Chairman of the Board [1] Company Summary - Koti Vadlamudi will also join the Primoris Board on the same effective date [1] - David King will continue his role as Chairman of Primoris' Board after the transition [1]

Group 1 - The specialty contractors are benefiting from favorable policies such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) [1] - The industry is also influenced by secular megatrends including artificial intelligence (AI) [1] - The analyst has transitioned from a focus on technology to covering commodities and energy sectors due to the ongoing energy transition [1]

Core Insights - Specialty contractors are benefiting from favorable policies such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) [1] - The industry is also influenced by secular megatrends, including advancements in AI and the ongoing energy transition [1] Industry Overview - The coverage of specialty contractors began last year, highlighting their positive outlook due to supportive government policies [1] - The industry is positioned to capitalize on long-term trends that are reshaping the market landscape [1]

Core Viewpoint - MYR Group Inc. will participate in the D.A. Davidson 24th Annual Diversified Industrials & Services investor conference, where its CEO and CFO will engage with institutional investors [1] Company Overview - MYR Group Inc. is a holding company specializing in electrical contracting services across the United States and Canada, operating through two main segments: Transmission & Distribution (T&D) and Commercial & Industrial (C&I) [2] - The T&D segment offers services related to electric transmission, distribution networks, substations, clean energy projects, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, catering to a diverse clientele including utilities and independent power producers [2] - The C&I segment provides a wide range of services such as design, installation, maintenance, and repair of commercial and industrial wiring, serving clients like general contractors and government agencies [2]

Group 1: Primoris Services (PRIM) - Primoris Services operates as one of the largest specialty contractors and infrastructure companies in the United States [1] - The company carries a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [1] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 0.9% over the last 60 days [1] - Primoris has a PEG ratio of 1.57 compared to 3.83 for the industry [2] - The company possesses a Growth Score of A [2] Group 2: Afya (AFYA) - Afya is a medical education group primarily in Brazil [2] - The company carries a Zacks Rank 1 [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 4.6% over the last 60 days [2] - Afya has a PEG ratio of 0.47 compared to 0.82 for the industry [2] - The company possesses a Growth Score of B [2] Group 3: Jabil (JBL) - Jabil is one of the largest global suppliers of electronic manufacturing services [3] - The company carries a Zacks Rank 1 [3] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings has increased by 5.2% over the last 60 days [3] - Jabil has a PEG ratio of 1.41 compared to 1.95 for the industry [3] - The company possesses a Growth Score of B [3]

Core Insights - EMCOR Group reported record-setting Q2 FY2025 results, with GAAP revenue of $4.30 billion and GAAP diluted EPS of $6.72, both exceeding analyst expectations [1][5] - The company experienced significant year-over-year growth, with revenue increasing by 17.2% and EPS by 28.0% [2][5] - Strong performance was driven by core business execution, growth in project backlog, and positive impacts from recent acquisitions [1][4] Financial Performance - GAAP revenue reached $4.30 billion, surpassing the estimated $4.11 billion, while GAAP EPS was $6.72 compared to the consensus of $5.74 [2][5] - Operating margin improved to 9.6%, up from 9.1% in Q2 2024 [2][5] - Net income rose to $302.2 million, a 22.1% increase from $247.6 million in Q2 2024 [2] Business Overview - EMCOR operates as a leading specialty contractor in the U.S., focusing on mechanical construction, electrical contracting, and industrial maintenance [3] - The company generates 97% of its revenue domestically, allowing it to leverage local market knowledge [3] Strategic Focus - Recent diversification into high-growth sectors such as data centers, healthcare, and sustainable energy is a key strategy for EMCOR [4] - The acquisition of Miller Electric has expanded the company's service offerings and project pipeline [4][6] Project Pipeline - Remaining Performance Obligations (RPOs) surged to a record $11.91 billion, reflecting a 32.4% year-over-year increase [2][8] - Data center projects are a primary growth driver, with significant expansion and complexity in the project scope [11] Segment Performance - U.S. Electrical Construction and Facilities Services revenue increased by 67.5% year-over-year, driven by the Miller Electric acquisition [6] - Mechanical Construction revenue grew by 6% year-over-year, with a record operating margin of 13.6% [6] - Industrial Services faced challenges, with a revenue decline of 13.3% [6] Cost Management - SG&A expenses rose to $418.6 million, or 9.7% of revenue, attributed to increased staffing and acquisition integration costs [7] - Management expects normalization of this expense ratio as integration costs decrease [7] Future Outlook - EMCOR raised its FY2025 revenue guidance to $16.4 billion–$16.9 billion and non-GAAP diluted EPS guidance to $24.50–$25.75 [15] - The company anticipates continued growth supported by a robust project backlog and strong execution [15]