Industrials businesses quietly power the physical things we depend on, from cars and homes to e-commerce infrastructure. Still, their generally high capital requirements expose them to the ups and downs of economic cycles, and the market seems to be baking in a prolonged downturn as the industry has shed 6.6% over the past six months. This performance was discouraging since the S&P 500 held its ground.
The elite companies can churn out earnings growth under any circumstance, however, and our mission at StockStory is to help you find them. Taking that into account, here are two industrials stocks we think can generate sustainable market-beating returns and one we’re passing on.
One Industrials Stock to Sell:
IDEX (IEX)
Market Cap: $13.99 billion
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.
Why Do We Think IEX Will Underperform?
- Core business is underperforming as its organic revenue has disappointed over the past two years, suggesting it might need acquisitions to stimulate growth
- Performance over the past two years shows its incremental sales were much less profitable, as its earnings per share fell by 1.5% annually
- Eroding returns on capital suggest its historical profit centers are aging
IDEX is trading at $184.21 per share, or 21.6x forward price-to-earnings. If you’re considering IEX for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
Two Industrials Stocks to Watch:
Construction Partners (ROAD)
Market Cap: $4.25 billion
Founded in 2001, Construction Partners (NASDAQ:ROAD) is a civil infrastructure company that builds and maintains roads, highways, and other infrastructure projects.
Why Do We Watch ROAD?
- Core business can prosper without any help from acquisitions as its organic revenue growth averaged 9.3% over the past two years
- Projected revenue growth of 41.6% for the next 12 months is above its two-year trend, pointing to accelerating demand
- Earnings per share grew by 100% annually over the last two years and trumped its peers
Construction Partners’s stock price of $76 implies a valuation ratio of 36.9x forward price-to-earnings. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our full research report, it’s free.
Wabtec (WAB)
Market Cap: $31.71 billion
Also known as Wabtec, Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies (NYSE:WAB) provides equipment, systems, and related software for the railway industry.
Why Is WAB a Good Business?
- Average organic revenue growth of 10.8% over the past two years demonstrates its ability to expand independently without relying on acquisitions
- Share repurchases over the last two years enabled its annual earnings per share growth of 24.2% to outpace its revenue gains
- Free cash flow margin jumped by 7.1 percentage points over the last five years, giving the company more resources to pursue growth initiatives, repurchase shares, or pay dividends
At $185.20 per share, Wabtec trades at 21.4x forward price-to-earnings. Is now the right time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.
Stocks We Like Even More
The elections are now behind us. With rates dropping and inflation cooling, many analysts expect a breakout market - and we’re zeroing in on the stocks that could benefit immensely.
Take advantage of the rebound by checking out our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 175% over the last five years.
Stocks that made our list in 2019 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+2,183% between December 2019 and December 2024) as well as under-the-radar businesses like Comfort Systems (+751% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.