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]

Company Overview - MRC Global shares increased by 11.8% to $14.89 in the last trading session, with a higher-than-average trading volume, compared to a 6.2% gain over the past four weeks [1] - MRC Global is set to be acquired by DNOW Inc. for approximately $1.5 billion, including net debt, with the acquisition expected to close in Q4 2025, pending regulatory approvals [2] Financial Performance - MRC Global is projected to report quarterly earnings of $0.23 per share, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 25.8%, with expected revenues of $771.6 million, down 7.3% from the previous year [3] - The consensus EPS estimate for MRC has remained unchanged over the last 30 days, indicating a lack of upward revisions in earnings estimates [4] Industry Context - MRC Global operates within the Zacks Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, where Mueller Water Products, another company in the same sector, experienced a 0.6% decline in its stock price [5] - Mueller Water Products has seen a 6.3% increase in its consensus EPS estimate over the past month, indicating a positive trend compared to the previous year [6]

Company Overview - MRC Global (MRC) shares have increased by approximately 9.6% over the past month, outperforming the S&P 500 [1] - Recent earnings report indicates a need to analyze important drivers for the stock's performance [1] Earnings Estimates - Estimates for MRC have trended downward over the past month, indicating a negative outlook [2][4] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank of 5 (Strong Sell), suggesting expectations of below-average returns in the coming months [4] VGM Scores - MRC has a strong Growth Score of A, but a lower Momentum Score of C, and a Value Score of B, resulting in an aggregate VGM Score of A [3] Industry Performance - MRC is part of the Zacks Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, where Valmont Industries (VMI) has gained 6.9% over the past month [5] - Valmont reported revenues of $969.31 million for the last quarter, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 0.9% [5] - For the current quarter, Valmont is expected to post earnings of $4.70 per share, indicating a year-over-year change of -1.3% [6]

Core Viewpoint - MRC Global reported quarterly earnings of $0.14 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.08 per share, but down from $0.20 per share a year ago, indicating a 75% earnings surprise [1][2] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $712 million for the quarter ended March 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.28%, but down from $806 million year-over-year [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 declined approximately 5.3% since the beginning of the year, compared to a decline of 3.9% for the S&P 500 [3] - The current Zacks Rank for MRC is 5 (Strong Sell), indicating expectations of underperformance in the near future [6] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.24 on revenues of $782.4 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $0.97 on revenues of $3.01 billion [7] - The trend for estimate revisions ahead of the earnings release was unfavorable, which may impact future stock performance [6] Industry Context - MRC operates within the Steel - Pipe and Tube industry, which is currently ranked in the bottom 6% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting potential challenges ahead [8]