The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who not so much). Let’s take a look at how gas and liquid handling stocks fared in Q3, starting with Parker-Hannifin (NYSE:PH).
Gas and liquid handling companies possess the technical know-how and specialized equipment to handle valuable (and sometimes dangerous) substances. Lately, water conservation and carbon capture–which requires hydrogen and other gasses as well as specialized infrastructure–have been trending up, creating new demand for products such as filters, pumps, and valves. On the other hand, gas and liquid handling companies are at the whim of economic cycles. Consumer spending and interest rates, for example, can greatly impact the industrial production that drives demand for these companies’ offerings.
The 13 gas and liquid handling stocks we track reported a slower Q3. As a group, revenues missed analysts’ consensus estimates by 2.2%.
Thankfully, share prices of the companies have been resilient as they are up 9.5% on average since the latest earnings results.
Parker-Hannifin (NYSE:PH)
Founded in 1917, Parker Hannifin (NYSE:PH) is a manufacturer of motion and control systems for a wide variety of mobile, industrial and aerospace markets.
Parker-Hannifin reported revenues of $4.90 billion, up 1.2% year on year. This print was in line with analysts’ expectations, but overall, it was a slower quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates and a miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.
“Through continued execution of The Win Strategy™, our global team produced outstanding results in the first quarter,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Jenny Parmentier.
Interestingly, the stock is up 6.6% since reporting and currently trades at $666.05.
Is now the time to buy Parker-Hannifin? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Best Q3: IDEX (NYSE:IEX)
Founded in 1988, IDEX (NYSE:IEX) is a global manufacturer specializing in highly engineered products such as pumps, flow meters, and fluidics systems for various industries.
IDEX reported revenues of $798.2 million, flat year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 0.6%. The business had a satisfactory quarter with an impressive beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates but a slight miss of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.
The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 9% since reporting. It currently trades at $222.19.
Is now the time to buy IDEX? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Weakest Q3: Graco (NYSE:GGG)
Founded in 1926, Graco (NYSE:GGG) is an industrial company specializing in the development and manufacturing of fluid-handling systems and products.
Graco reported revenues of $519.2 million, down 3.8% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 3.4%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.
Interestingly, the stock is up 4% since the results and currently trades at $86.21.
Read our full analysis of Graco’s results here.
ITT (NYSE:ITT)
Playing a crucial role in the development of the first transatlantic television transmission in 1956, ITT (NYSE:ITT) provides motion and fluid handling equipment for various industries
ITT reported revenues of $885.2 million, up 7.7% year on year. This number was in line with analysts’ expectations. Zooming out, it was a mixed quarter as it also recorded a decent beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates but organic revenue in line with analysts’ estimates.
The stock is up 3.2% since reporting and currently trades at $149.06.
Read our full, actionable report on ITT here, it’s free.
Chart (NYSE:GTLS)
Installing the first bulk Co2 tank for McDonalds’s sodas, Chart (NYSE:GTLS) provides equipment to store and transport gasses.
Chart reported revenues of $1.06 billion, up 18.3% year on year. This print missed analysts’ expectations by 3.1%. It was a slower quarter as it also produced full-year revenue guidance missing analysts’ expectations.
Chart delivered the fastest revenue growth but had the weakest full-year guidance update among its peers. The stock is up 61.1% since reporting and currently trades at $194.51.
Read our full, actionable report on Chart here, it’s free.
Market Update
The Fed’s interest rate hikes throughout 2022 and 2023 have successfully cooled post-pandemic inflation, bringing it closer to the 2% target. Inflationary pressures have eased without tipping the economy into a recession, suggesting a soft landing. This stability, paired with recent rate cuts (0.5% in September 2024 and 0.25% in November 2024), has fueled a strong year for the stock market in 2024. The markets surged further after Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November, with major indices reaching record highs in the days following the election. Still, questions remain about the direction of economic policy, as potential tariffs and corporate tax changes add uncertainty heading into 2025.
Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 5 Growth Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.
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