Latest news with #L.B.Foster
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Q1 Rundown: L.B. Foster (NASDAQ:FSTR) Vs Other General Industrial Machinery Stocks
The end of an earnings season can be a great time to discover new stocks and assess how companies are handling the current business environment. Let's take a look at how L.B. Foster (NASDAQ:FSTR) and the rest of the general industrial machinery stocks fared in Q1. Automation that increases efficiency and connected equipment that collects analyzable data have been trending, creating new demand for general industrial machinery companies. Those who innovate and create digitized solutions can spur sales and speed up replacement cycles, but all general industrial machinery companies are still 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 15 general industrial machinery stocks we track reported a mixed Q1. As a group, revenues missed analysts' consensus estimates by 1.5% while next quarter's revenue guidance was 1.5% below. In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady as they are up 3.1% on average since the latest earnings results. Founded with a $2,500 loan, L.B. Foster (NASDAQ:FSTR) is a provider of products and services for the transportation and energy infrastructure sectors, including rail products, construction materials, and coating solutions. L.B. Foster reported revenues of $97.79 million, down 21.3% year on year. This print fell short of analysts' expectations by 14.5%. Overall, it was a mixed quarter for the company with full-year EBITDA guidance exceeding analysts' expectations. John Kasel, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "As mentioned in our 2024 year end earnings announcement back in March, we started 2025 with first quarter sales and profitability down versus last year. This was due to an exceptionally-strong first quarter last year for our Rail segment. Within the segment, Rail Products sales declined $23.7 million, or 44.7%, due to lower Rail Distribution volumes. Infrastructure sales grew 5.0% over last year and expanded operating results in the quarter driven by a 33.7% increase in Precast Concrete sales. Focusing on what we can influence in the short term, we drove cost controls which resulted in an 8.4% reduction in operating expenses versus last year, partially mitigating the impact of lower gross profit from the Rail Distribution sales decline. We also stepped up our stock buybacks to 168,911 shares in the first quarter, or 1.5% of outstanding common stock." L.B. Foster pulled off the highest full-year guidance raise of the whole group. Still, the market seems discontent with the results. The stock is down 13.3% since reporting and currently trades at $18.98. Read our full report on L.B. Foster here, it's free. With its magnesium alloys used in the construction of the famous Spirit of St. Louis aircraft, Luxfer (NYSE:LXFR) offers specialized materials, components, and gas containment devices to various industries. Luxfer reported revenues of $97 million, up 8.5% year on year, outperforming analysts' expectations by 11.9%. The business had an incredible quarter with an impressive beat of analysts' EPS estimates and a solid beat of analysts' EBITDA estimates. Luxfer delivered the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 13.3% since reporting. It currently trades at $11.32. Is now the time to buy Luxfer? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it's free. Founded in 1987, Icahn Enterprises (NASDAQ: IEP) is a diversified holding company primarily engaged in investment and asset management across various sectors. Icahn Enterprises reported revenues of $1.87 billion, down 24.6% year on year, falling short of analysts' expectations by 29%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts' EPS estimates. Icahn Enterprises delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates and slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 3.8% since the results and currently trades at $8.40. Read our full analysis of Icahn Enterprises's results here. Based in Connecticut, Crane (NYSE:CR) is a diversified manufacturer of engineered industrial products, including fluid handling, and aerospace technologies. Crane reported revenues of $557.6 million, up 9.3% year on year. This result surpassed analysts' expectations by 1.5%. It was a strong quarter as it also logged an impressive beat of analysts' organic revenue estimates and a decent beat of analysts' EPS estimates. The stock is up 15% since reporting and currently trades at $170.82. Read our full, actionable report on Crane here, it's free. Tracing back to its invention of the mechanical milk bottle filler in 1884, John Bean (NYSE:JBT) designs, manufactures, and sells equipment used for food processing and aviation. John Bean reported revenues of $854.1 million, up 118% year on year. This number topped analysts' expectations by 2.6%. Overall, it was a very strong quarter as it also put up a solid beat of analysts' EBITDA estimates and EPS guidance for next quarter exceeding analysts' expectations. John Bean scored the fastest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is up 5.3% since reporting and currently trades at $112.80. Read our full, actionable report on John Bean here, it's free. Thanks to the Fed's rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been on a steady path downward, easing back toward that 2% sweet spot. Fortunately (miraculously to some), all this tightening didn't send the economy tumbling into a recession, so here we are, cautiously celebrating a soft landing. The cherry on top? Recent rate cuts (half a point in September 2024, a quarter in November) have propped up markets, especially after Trump's November win lit a fire under major indices and sent them to all-time highs. However, there's still plenty to ponder — tariffs, corporate tax cuts, and what 2025 might hold for the economy. Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 5 Quality Compounder Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Limbach, ArcBest, L.B. Foster, Universal Logistics, and John Bean Shares Skyrocket, What You Need To Know
A number of stocks jumped in the afternoon session after the major indices rebounded (Nasdaq +2.0%, S&P 500 +2.0%) as President Trump postponed the planned 50% tariff on European Union imports, shifting the start date to July 9, 2025. Companies with substantial business ties to Europe likely had some relief as the delay reduced near-term cost pressures and preserved cross-border demand. The stock market overreacts to news, and big price drops can present good opportunities to buy high-quality stocks. Among others, the following stocks were impacted: Construction and Maintenance Services company Limbach (NASDAQ:LMB) jumped 5.2%. Is now the time to buy Limbach? Access our full analysis report here, it's free. Ground Transportation company ArcBest (NASDAQ:ARCB) jumped 5.1%. Is now the time to buy ArcBest? Access our full analysis report here, it's free. General Industrial Machinery company L.B. Foster (NASDAQ:FSTR) jumped 6.4%. Is now the time to buy L.B. Foster? Access our full analysis report here, it's free. Ground Transportation company Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH) jumped 5.2%. Is now the time to buy Universal Logistics? Access our full analysis report here, it's free. General Industrial Machinery company John Bean (NYSE:JBTM) jumped 5.2%. Is now the time to buy John Bean? Access our full analysis report here, it's free. L.B. Foster's shares are very volatile and have had 21 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today's move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business. The biggest move we wrote about over the last year was 10 months ago when the stock dropped 21.5% on the news that the company reported weak second-quarter 2024 earnings. L.B. Foster exceeded analysts' revenue expectations. On the other hand, its EPS missed, and its EBITDA guidance for the full year fell short of Wall Street's estimates. Overall, this quarter could have been better. L.B. Foster is down 26.7% since the beginning of the year, and at $19.45 per share, it is trading 34% below its 52-week high of $29.45 from December 2024. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of L.B. Foster's shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,440. Unless you've been living under a rock, it should be obvious by now that generative AI is going to have a huge impact on how large corporations do business. While Nvidia and AMD are trading close to all-time highs, we prefer a lesser-known (but still profitable) semiconductor stock benefiting from the rise of AI. Click here to access our free report on our favorite semiconductor growth story. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
L.B. Foster (NASDAQ:FSTR) Misses Q1 Sales Targets
A company's long-term sales performance is one signal of its overall quality. Any business can have short-term success, but a top-tier one grows for years. L.B. Foster struggled to consistently generate demand over the last five years as its sales dropped at a 2.3% annual rate. This wasn't a great result and suggests it's a low quality business. Founded with a $2,500 loan, L.B. Foster (NASDAQ:FSTR) is a provider of products and services for the transportation and energy infrastructure sectors, including rail products, construction materials, and coating solutions. John Kasel, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "As mentioned in our 2024 year end earnings announcement back in March, we started 2025 with first quarter sales and profitability down versus last year. This was due to an exceptionally-strong first quarter last year for our Rail segment. Within the segment, Rail Products sales declined $23.7 million, or 44.7%, due to lower Rail Distribution volumes. Infrastructure sales grew 5.0% over last year and expanded operating results in the quarter driven by a 33.7% increase in Precast Concrete sales. Focusing on what we can influence in the short term, we drove cost controls which resulted in an 8.4% reduction in operating expenses versus last year, partially mitigating the impact of lower gross profit from the Rail Distribution sales decline. We also stepped up our stock buybacks to 168,911 shares in the first quarter, or 1.5% of outstanding common stock." Operating Margin: -2%, down from 1.7% in the same quarter last year EBITDA guidance for the full year is $45 million at the midpoint, above analyst estimates of $41.88 million The company reconfirmed its revenue guidance for the full year of $560 million at the midpoint Is now the time to buy L.B. Foster? Find out in our full research report . Railway infrastructure company L.B. Foster (NASDAQ:FSTR) fell short of the market's revenue expectations in Q1 CY2025, with sales falling 21.3% year on year to $97.79 million. On the other hand, the company's full-year revenue guidance of $560 million at the midpoint came in 3% above analysts' estimates. Its GAAP loss of $0.20 per share was significantly below analysts' consensus estimates. Story Continues L.B. Foster Quarterly Revenue We at StockStory place the most emphasis on long-term growth, but within industrials, a half-decade historical view may miss cycles, industry trends, or a company capitalizing on catalysts such as a new contract win or a successful product line. L.B. Foster's revenue over the last two years was flat, sugggesting its demand was weak but stabilized after its initial drop in sales. L.B. Foster Year-On-Year Revenue Growth This quarter, L.B. Foster missed Wall Street's estimates and reported a rather uninspiring 21.3% year-on-year revenue decline, generating $97.79 million of revenue. Looking ahead, sell-side analysts expect revenue to grow 7.9% over the next 12 months, an improvement versus the last two years. This projection is above average for the sector and suggests its newer products and services will fuel better top-line performance. Here at StockStory, we certainly understand the potential of thematic investing. Diverse winners from Microsoft (MSFT) to Alphabet (GOOG), Coca-Cola (KO) to Monster Beverage (MNST) could all have been identified as promising growth stories with a megatrend driving the growth. So, in that spirit, we've identified a relatively under-the-radar profitable growth stock benefiting from the rise of AI, available to you FREE via this link. Operating Margin L.B. Foster was profitable over the last five years but held back by its large cost base. Its average operating margin of 2% was weak for an industrials business. This result isn't too surprising given its low gross margin as a starting point. Looking at the trend in its profitability, L.B. Foster's operating margin might fluctuated slightly but has generally stayed the same over the last five years, meaning it will take a fundamental shift in the business model to change. L.B. Foster Trailing 12-Month Operating Margin (GAAP) In Q1, L.B. Foster generated an operating profit margin of negative 2%, down 3.7 percentage points year on year. Since L.B. Foster's operating margin decreased more than its gross margin, we can assume it was less efficient because expenses such as marketing, R&D, and administrative overhead increased. Earnings Per Share Revenue trends explain a company's historical growth, but the long-term change in earnings per share (EPS) points to the profitability of that growth – for example, a company could inflate its sales through excessive spending on advertising and promotions. L.B. Foster's EPS grew at a weak 3.5% compounded annual growth rate over the last five years. This performance was better than its 2.3% annualized revenue declines, but we take it with a grain of salt because its operating margin didn't expand and it didn't repurchase its shares, meaning the delta came from reduced interest expenses or taxes. L.B. Foster Trailing 12-Month EPS (GAAP) Like with revenue, we analyze EPS over a shorter period to see if we are missing a change in the business. For L.B. Foster, its two-year annual EPS growth of 66.4% was higher than its five-year trend. This acceleration made it one of the faster-growing industrials companies in recent history. In Q1, L.B. Foster reported EPS at negative $0.20, down from $0.40 in the same quarter last year. This print missed analysts' estimates. Over the next 12 months, Wall Street expects L.B. Foster's full-year EPS of $3.31 to shrink by 42.1%. Key Takeaways from L.B. Foster's Q1 Results We were impressed by L.B. Foster's full-year revenue and EBITDA guidance, which exceeded analysts' expectations. On the other hand, its revenue, EPS, and EBITDA missed significantly. Overall, this was a softer quarter. The stock traded down 1.1% to $20.20 immediately after reporting. Should you buy the stock or not? The latest quarter does matter, but not nearly as much as longer-term fundamentals and valuation, when deciding if the stock is a buy. We cover that in our actionable full research report which you can read here, it's free.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Earnings To Watch: L.B. Foster (FSTR) Reports Q1 Results Tomorrow
Railway infrastructure company L.B. Foster (NASDAQ:FSTR) will be announcing earnings results tomorrow before market hours. Here's what you need to know. L.B. Foster missed analysts' revenue expectations by 2% last quarter, reporting revenues of $128.2 million, down 5% year on year. It was a softer quarter for the company, with a significant miss of analysts' EBITDA and EPS estimates. Is L.B. Foster a buy or sell going into earnings? Read our full analysis here, it's free. This quarter, analysts are expecting L.B. Foster's revenue to decline 8% year on year to $114.4 million, a reversal from the 7.6% increase it recorded in the same quarter last year. Adjusted earnings are expected to come in at $0.03 per share. Analysts covering the company have generally reconfirmed their estimates over the last 30 days, suggesting they anticipate the business to stay the course heading into earnings. L.B. Foster has missed Wall Street's revenue estimates twice over the last two years. Looking at L.B. Foster's peers in the general industrial machinery segment, some have already reported their Q1 results, giving us a hint as to what we can expect. Luxfer delivered year-on-year revenue growth of 8.5%, beating analysts' expectations by 11.9%, and Honeywell reported revenues up 7.9%, topping estimates by 2.5%. Luxfer traded up 7.7% following the results while Honeywell was also up 5%. Read our full analysis of Luxfer's results here and Honeywell's results here. There has been positive sentiment among investors in the general industrial machinery segment, with share prices up 13% on average over the last month. L.B. Foster is up 10.7% during the same time and is heading into earnings with an average analyst price target of $29 (compared to the current share price of $20.59). Here at StockStory, we certainly understand the potential of thematic investing. Diverse winners from Microsoft (MSFT) to Alphabet (GOOG), Coca-Cola (KO) to Monster Beverage (MNST) could all have been identified as promising growth stories with a megatrend driving the growth. So, in that spirit, we've identified a relatively under-the-radar profitable growth stock benefiting from the rise of AI, available to you FREE via this link.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
1 Volatile Stock to Consider Right Now and 2 to Question
Market swings can be tough to stomach, and volatile stocks often experience exaggerated moves in both directions. While many thrive during risk-on environments, many also struggle to maintain investor confidence when the ride gets bumpy. At StockStory, our job is to help you avoid costly mistakes and stay on the right side of the trade. That said, here is one volatile stock that could deliver huge gains and two that might not be worth the risk. Rolling One-Year Beta: 2.89 Founded by consignment store aficionado Julie Wainwright, The RealReal (NASDAQ: REAL) is an online marketplace for buying and selling secondhand luxury goods. Why Are We Hesitant About REAL? Struggled with new customer acquisition as its active buyers averaged 7.7% declines Negative free cash flow raises questions about the return timeline for its investments High net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 23× increases the risk of forced asset sales or dilutive financing if operational performance weakens The RealReal's stock price of $6.02 implies a valuation ratio of 24.1x forward EV-to-EBITDA. To fully understand why you should be careful with REAL, check out our full research report (it's free). Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.98 Founded with a $2,500 loan, L.B. Foster (NASDAQ:FSTR) is a provider of products and services for the transportation and energy infrastructure sectors, including rail products, construction materials, and coating solutions. Why Do We Think FSTR Will Underperform? Products and services are facing significant end-market challenges during this cycle as sales have declined by 1.5% annually over the last five years Lacking free cash flow generation means it has few chances to reinvest for growth, repurchase shares, or distribute capital Underwhelming 4.9% return on capital reflects management's difficulties in finding profitable growth opportunities At $19.61 per share, L.B. Foster trades at 4.8x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why FSTR doesn't pass our bar. Rolling One-Year Beta: 1.21 Formed through the 2013 merger of Elance and oDesk, Upwork (NASDAQ:UPWK) is an online platform where businesses and independent professionals connect to get work done. Why Does UPWK Stand Out? Monetization efforts are paying off as its average revenue per customer has grown by 8.4% annually over the last two years Additional sales over the last three years increased its profitability as the 168% annual growth in its earnings per share outpaced its revenue Free cash flow margin jumped by 21.1 percentage points over the last few years, giving the company more resources to pursue growth initiatives, repurchase shares, or pay dividends Upwork is trading at $13.38 per share, or 10.1x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it's free. Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump's presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth. While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we're leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. 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 United Rentals (+322% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Sign in to access your portfolio
