Core Insights - Mueller Water Products (MWA) reported quarterly earnings of $0.38 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.34 per share, and up from $0.22 per share a year ago [1][2] - The company achieved revenues of $380.8 million for the quarter ended September 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.18% and increasing from $348.2 million year-over-year [3] - The stock has gained approximately 15.8% since the beginning of the year, slightly outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 15.6% [4] Earnings Performance - The earnings surprise for the recent quarter was +11.76%, while the previous quarter saw a surprise of -2.86% [2] - Over the last four quarters, Mueller Water Products has exceeded consensus EPS estimates three times [2] Future Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.29 on revenues of $317.3 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $1.42 on revenues of $1.47 billion [8] - The estimate revisions trend for the company was mixed prior to the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) for the stock, indicating expected performance in line with the market [7] Industry Context - Mueller Water Products operates within the Zacks Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, which is currently ranked in the bottom 17% of over 250 Zacks industries [9] - Historical data suggests that the top 50% of Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by more than a factor of 2 to 1 [9]

Core Insights - MRC Global reported quarterly earnings of $0.13 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.28 per share, and down from $0.22 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of -53.57% [1] - The company posted revenues of $678 million for the quarter ended September 2025, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 18.8%, and down from $797 million year-over-year [2] - MRC shares have increased by approximately 8.3% since the beginning of the year, compared to the S&P 500's gain of 15.1% [3] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.19 on revenues of $738.4 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $0.71 on revenues of $3.08 billion [7] - The estimate revisions trend for MRC was unfavorable prior to the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell) for the stock, indicating expected underperformance in the near future [6] Industry Context - The Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, to which MRC belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 28% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting that stocks in the top 50% of Zacks-ranked industries outperform those in the bottom 50% by more than 2 to 1 [8] - Another company in the same industry, Mueller Water Products, is expected to report quarterly earnings of $0.34 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of +54.6%, with revenues projected at $362.05 million, up 4% from the previous year [9][10]

Core Insights - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, aiming to buy high and sell higher, with the expectation that established trends will continue [1] - Valmont Industries (VMI) currently holds a Momentum Style Score of A, indicating strong momentum characteristics [2] - The Zacks Rank for Valmont Industries is 2 (Buy), suggesting it is positioned for potential outperformance in the market [3] Price Performance - VMI shares have increased by 3.82% over the past week, outperforming the Zacks Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, which rose by 1.3% [5] - Over the past month, VMI's price change is 8.92%, significantly higher than the industry's 2.14% [5] - In the last quarter, VMI shares rose by 10.15%, and over the past year, they gained 23.21%, while the S&P 500 increased by 6.56% and 15.83%, respectively [6] Trading Volume - The average 20-day trading volume for VMI is 157,152 shares, which serves as a baseline for price-to-volume analysis [7] Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, three earnings estimates for VMI have been revised upwards, while none have been lowered, raising the consensus estimate from $18.63 to $19.02 [9] - For the next fiscal year, one estimate has increased, while one has decreased during the same period [9] Conclusion - Considering the strong price performance, positive earnings revisions, and high Momentum Style Score, VMI is identified as a solid momentum pick and is recommended for investors looking for potential near-term gains [11]

Group 1: Momentum Investing Overview - Momentum investing involves following a stock's recent trend, with the strategy of buying high and selling higher, capitalizing on established price movements [1] - The Zacks Momentum Style Score helps define momentum characteristics, with Valmont Industries (VMI) currently holding a Momentum Style Score of B [2][3] Group 2: Valmont Industries Performance - Valmont Industries has shown a 2.7% increase in shares over the past week, while the Zacks Steel - Pipe and Tube industry increased by 2.92% [5] - Over the past quarter, VMI shares increased by 21.49%, and over the last year, they gained 34.94%, outperforming the S&P 500's increases of 10.18% and 20.38% respectively [6] - The average 20-day trading volume for VMI is 177,740 shares, indicating a bullish sign if the stock is rising with above-average volume [7] Group 3: Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, four earnings estimates for VMI have moved higher, with no downward revisions, raising the consensus estimate from $18.12 to $18.63 [9] - For the next fiscal year, four estimates have also moved upwards without any downward revisions [9] Group 4: Conclusion - Valmont Industries is rated as a 2 (Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of B, making it a potential candidate for near-term investment [11]

Core Viewpoint - MRC Global reported quarterly earnings of $0.25 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.23 per share, but down from $0.31 per share a year ago, indicating an earnings surprise of +8.70% [1] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $798 million for the quarter ended June 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.35%, although this is a decrease from year-ago revenues of $832 million [2] - Over the last four quarters, MRC has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times and topped consensus revenue estimates three times [2] Stock Performance - MRC shares have increased approximately 12.4% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 7.1% [3] Future Outlook - The company's earnings outlook is crucial for investors, with current consensus EPS estimates of $0.32 for the coming quarter and $0.87 for the current fiscal year, alongside revenues of $832.9 million and $3.04 billion respectively [7] - The estimate revisions trend for MRC was favorable ahead of the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) for the stock, indicating expected outperformance in the near future [6] Industry Context - The Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, to which MRC belongs, is currently in the top 23% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a positive outlook as the top 50% of Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by more than 2 to 1 [8]

Core Viewpoint - Mueller Water Products reported quarterly earnings of $0.34 per share, slightly missing the consensus estimate of $0.35 per share, but showing an increase from $0.32 per share a year ago [1][2] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $380.3 million for the quarter ended June 2025, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.84% and up from $356.7 million year-over-year [3] - Over the last four quarters, Mueller Water Products has surpassed consensus revenue estimates four times [3] Stock Performance - Since the beginning of the year, Mueller Water Products shares have increased by approximately 7.7%, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 6.1% [4] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating expectations of underperformance in the near future due to unfavorable estimate revisions [7] Future Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.31 on revenues of $358.8 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $1.23 on revenues of $1.39 billion [8] - The Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, to which Mueller Water Products belongs, is currently ranked in the top 21% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable industry outlook [9]

Core Insights - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, aiming to buy high and sell higher, with the expectation that established trends will continue [1] - Valmont Industries (VMI) currently holds a Momentum Style Score of A, indicating strong potential for momentum-based investment [2][11] Company Performance - VMI shares have increased by 0.16% over the past week, outperforming the Zacks Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, which rose by 0.14% [5] - Over the last quarter, VMI shares have risen by 22.24%, and over the past year, they have increased by 32.31%, compared to the S&P 500's gains of 18.84% and 15.9% respectively [6] - The average 20-day trading volume for VMI is 200,999 shares, which serves as a bullish indicator when combined with rising stock prices [7] Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, three earnings estimates for VMI have been revised upwards, leading to an increase in the consensus estimate from $18.14 to $18.49 [9] - For the next fiscal year, three estimates have also moved higher, with no downward revisions noted [9] Investment Recommendation - Given the strong performance metrics and positive earnings outlook, VMI is rated as a 2 (Buy) stock with a Momentum Score of A, making it a compelling option for near-term investment [11]

Company Performance - Valmont Industries reported quarterly earnings of $4.88 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.72 per share, and showing an increase from $4.76 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of +3.39% [1] - The company posted revenues of $1.05 billion for the quarter ended June 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.13%, and compared to year-ago revenues of $1.04 billion [2] - Over the last four quarters, Valmont has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times and topped consensus revenue estimates three times [2] Stock Outlook - Valmont shares have increased by approximately 8.2% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 7.2% [3] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the coming quarter is $4.50 on revenues of $1.03 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $18.12 on revenues of $4.08 billion [7] - The estimate revisions trend for Valmont was favorable ahead of the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) for the stock, indicating expected outperformance in the near future [6] Industry Context - The Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, to which Valmont belongs, is currently in the top 40% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable outlook for stocks within this sector [8] - Empirical research indicates a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can be tracked by investors [5]

Company Performance - Esab (ESAB) has returned approximately 8.1% year-to-date, outperforming the average gain of 7.7% in the Industrial Products group [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ESAB's full-year earnings has increased by 0.1% over the past 90 days, indicating an improving earnings outlook [3] - Esab is currently ranked 2 (Buy) in the Zacks Rank system, reflecting strong analyst sentiment [3] Industry Comparison - Esab is part of the Metal Products - Procurement and Fabrication industry, which has gained an average of 11.2% this year, indicating that ESAB is slightly underperforming its industry [5] - Valmont Industries (VMI), another stock in the Industrial Products sector, has returned 9.6% year-to-date and also holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [4][5] - The Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, to which Valmont Industries belongs, has seen a year-to-date increase of 1.9% [6]

Company Overview - Mueller Water Products, Inc. (MWA) is experiencing significant attention from investors due to high implied volatility in its options market, particularly the Aug 15, 2025 $15.00 Call option [1] - The company currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) in the Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, which is positioned in the top 39% of the Zacks Industry Rank [3] Analyst Sentiment - Over the past 60 days, no analysts have increased their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while two analysts have lowered their estimates, resulting in a decrease in the Zacks Consensus Estimate from earnings of 36 cents per share to 34 cents [3] Options Market Insights - The high implied volatility suggests that options traders are anticipating a significant price movement for Mueller Water Products shares, indicating potential upcoming events that could lead to a major rally or sell-off [2][4] - Seasoned options traders often seek to sell premium on options with high implied volatility, aiming to benefit from the decay of the option's value if the underlying stock does not move as much as expected [4]