MMM

It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Carlisle (CSL). Shares have lost about 2.5% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. But investors have to be wondering, will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Carlisle due for a breakout? Well, first let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent drivers for Carlisle Companies Incorporated before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late. Carlisle reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $7.03 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.43 by 9.3%. The bottom line increased 12% year over year. Revenues rose 8% year over year to a record $1.57 billion and surpassed the consensus estimate of $1.47 billion. Organic revenues rose 7.9%, while acquisitions and foreign-currency translation contributed 0.3% and 0.1%, respectively, to the top-line growth. Carlisle has divested its Carlisle Interconnect Technologies segment. The company now reports under the following two segments.Revenues from the Carlisle Construction Materials segment increased 7.8% year over year to $1.18 billion. Our estimate for segmental revenues was $1.09 billion. Organic revenues rose 7.7%, driven by healthy re-roofing demand, strategic initiatives and strong commercial execution, partly offset by continued softness in commercial new construction. Adjusted EBITDA of $363 million increased 4.8% year over year. Revenues from the Carlisle Weatherproofing Technologies segment increased 9.9% year over year to $389 million. Our estimate for segmental revenues was $350.2 million. Organic revenues rose 8.4% as share gains more than offset continued softness in residential and non-residential new construction markets. Adjusted EBITDA of $74.1 million increased 5% year over year. Carlisle’s cost of sales increased 10.3% year over year to $1.00 billion. Selling and administrative expenses rose 1.2% to $199.3 million, while research and development expenses totaled $11.4 million, up 2.7% year over year. It recorded operating income of $352.5 million, up 5.2% year over year. However, the operating margin contracted 70 basis points to 22.4% from 23.1% in the year-ago quarter, as higher raw material and freight costs outpaced pricing realization. At the end of the second quarter, Carlisle had cash and cash equivalents of $665.3 million compared with $1.11 billion at the end of 2025. Long-term debt, including the current portion, was $2.89 billion, largely unchanged from the year-end 2025 level. In the first six months of 2026, it generated net cash of $197.1 million from operating activities compared with $288.9 million in the year-ago period.During the same period, it paid dividends of $90.1 million, up 2% year over year. The company repurchased shares worth $500 million, down 28.6% from the prior-year period. For 2026, Carlisle raised its outlook. The company now expects revenues from the Carlisle Construction Materials segment to increase in the mid-single-digit range, while revenues from the Carlisle Weatherproofing Technologies segment are also projected to grow in the mid-single-digit range year over year.For 2026, the company expects consolidated revenues to increase in the mid-single-digit range on a year-over-year basis. Adjusted EBITDA margin is projected to remain flat, while the free cash flow margin is expected to be approximately 15%. In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in fresh estimates. The consensus estimate has shifted -7.61% due to these changes. At this time, Carlisle has a average Growth Score of C, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. However, the stock was allocated a score of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for value investors. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of D. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, Carlisle has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. Carlisle belongs to the Zacks Diversified Operations industry. Another stock from the same industry, 3M (MMM), has gained 1.6% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended June 2026. 3M reported revenues of $6.5 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +5.6%. EPS of $2.40 for the same period compares with $2.16 a year ago. For the current quarter, 3M is expected to post earnings of $2.40 per share, indicating a change of +9.6% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.8% over the last 30 days. 3M has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) based on the overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions. Additionally, the stock has a VGM Score of C. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Carlisle Companies Incorporated (CSL) : Free Stock Analysis Report 3M Company (MMM) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. AIT reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 (ended June 30, 2026) earnings of $3.17 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.92. The bottom line increased 13.2% year over year.Net sales of $1.35 billion beat the consensus estimate of $1.29 billion. Also, the top line increased 10.4% year over year. Acquisitions boosted the top line by 0.3% while foreign-currency translation had a favorable impact of 0.4%. Organic sales increased 9.7% year over year.In fiscal 2026, the company reported earnings of $10.95 per share, up 8.2% year over year. AIT’s net sales were $4.97 billion in the year, up 8.8% year over year. Service Center segment sales increased 9% year over year to $849.5 million. Organic sales rose 7.9%, acquisitions contributed 0.5% and foreign currency added 0.6%. U.S. organic sales increased 9%, supported by stronger technical maintenance, repair and operations demand and internal sales initiatives.Segment EBITDA increased 16.3% to $123.6 million. The EBITDA margin expanded 91 basis points to 14.5%, reflecting operating leverage from stronger sales, steady margin performance and effective cost management. Engineered Solutions segment’s sales jumped 12.9% to $503.2 million, entirely on an organic basis. Growth was driven by stronger demand and backlog conversion across automation and fluid power, with contributions from industrial and mobile OEM customers and technology verticals.Segment EBITDA rose 15.8% to $76.2 million, while the EBITDA margin improved 38 basis points to 15.1%. Operating leverage and cost management supported profitability, although muted Flow Control sales growth partly offset the gains. Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. Quote In the quarter, Applied Industrial’s cost of sales was up 10.8% year over year to $941.5 million. Gross profit was $411.2 million, up 9.7% from the year-ago quarter.Gross margin slipped 20 basis points to 30.4%, including a 26-basis-point year-over-year headwind from higher LIFO expense. Selling, distribution and administrative expenses (including depreciation) increased 5.1% year over year to $251.9 million. EBITDA was $177.6 million, reflecting an increase of 16.1%. The EBITDA margin expanded 64 basis points to 13.1%. Exiting fiscal 2026, Applied Industrial had cash and cash equivalents of $127.1 million compared with $388.4 million at the end of fiscal 2025. Long-term debt was $262.3 million compared with $572.3 million at the end of the prior fiscal year.In fiscal 2026, it generated net cash of $484.1 million from operating activities, indicating a decrease of 1.7% from the prior year. Capital expenditures totaled $23.6 million, down 13.3% year over year. Free cash flow decreased 1% year over year to $460.5 million.In fiscal 2026, AIT rewarded its shareholders with dividends of $72.6 million, up 14% year over year. For fiscal 2027 (ending June 2027), Applied Industrial projects sales growth of 4-6.5%, an EBITDA margin of 12.5-12.8% and earnings of $11.65-$12.15 per share. The midpoint assumes stronger sales growth in the first half than the second half, with approximately 150-200 basis points of price contribution.For the first quarter of fiscal 2027 (ending September 2026), AIT expects total sales growth of 6.5-8.5%, organic growth of 6-8% and an EBITDA margin of 12.3-12.4%. The company also raised its intermediate targets to $7 billion in sales and a 14% EBITDA margin, which it expects to achieve over five years. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Carlisle Companies Incorporated CSL reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $7.03 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.43 by 9.3%. The bottom line increased 12% year over year. Revenues rose 8% year over year to a record $1.57 billion and surpassed the consensus estimate of $1.47 billion. 3M Company MMM reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $2.40 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.27 by 5.7%. The bottom line increased 11% year over year.MMM’s adjusted net revenues of $6.5 billion topped the consensus estimate of $6.4 billion and grew 5.5%. On an adjusted basis, organic revenues increased 5.4% year over year. Graco Inc. GGG reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 91 cents per share, up 17% from 78 cents in the year-ago quarter. The bottom line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 81 cents by 12.4%.The company’s net sales rose 3% year over year to $590.6 million but lagged the consensus estimate of $609 million by 3%. Organic order backlog (excluding acquisitions) rose 28% from the end of 2025. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT) : Free Stock Analysis Report 3M Company (MMM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Graco Inc. (GGG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Carlisle Companies Incorporated (CSL) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

ITT Inc.’s ITT second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $2.08 per share surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.93. The bottom line jumped 18.2% year over year, aided by strong segment operating income and solid commercial and operational performance.Total revenues of $1.47 billion beat the consensus estimate of $1.39 billion. The top line increased 51.5% year over year. Organic sales rose 12.7% year over year, driven by strength in aerospace and defense, connectors, pump projects and continued outperformance in Friction aftermarket. In the first quarter of 2026, the company combined the Industrial Process segment with its SPX FLOW business to form the Flow Technologies segment.Revenues from the Flow Technologies segment totaled $792.5 million, up 122.7% year over year. The increase primarily reflected the first full quarter of contributions from the SPX FLOW acquisition, along with strength in pump projects and valves. Our estimate was $718.7 million. Organic sales increased 20.7% and adjusted operating income grew 107.8% on a year-over-year basis.Revenues from the Motion Technologies segment amounted to $403.6 million, implying a year-over-year increase of 5.6%. The higher sales were attributable to increased volumes from market share gains and favorable foreign currency impacts, partly offset by pricing. Our estimate was $278.6 million. Organic revenues increased 1.6% year over year. Adjusted operating income increased 10%.Revenues from the Connect & Control Technologies segment of $295.7 million rose 17.4% year over year on a reported basis and 17.3% organically. Our estimate was $271.5 million. The results were driven by wins in defense and industrial connectors and aerospace components, along with favorable pricing actions. Adjusted operating income increased 23% year over year. ITT Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | ITT Inc. Quote ITT’s cost of revenues increased 54.9% year over year to $963 million. The gross profit jumped 45.4% to $510.1 million.General and administrative expenses increased 68.3% year over year to $143.9 million. Sales and marketing expenses rose 70.2% to $87.5 million. Research and development expenses increased 31.6% year over year to $35.8 million.Adjusted operating income rose 54.9% year over year to $295.2 million. The margin expanded 40 basis points to 20%. Exiting the second quarter, ITT had cash and cash equivalents of $590.8 million compared with $1.74 billion at the end of fourth-quarter 2025. The company’s short-term borrowings were $858.4 million compared with $261.3 million at the end of December 2025.In the first six months of 2026, ITT generated net cash of $231.1 million from operating activities compared with $267.1 million in the year-ago period. Capital expenditure totaled $55.2 million in the same period, up 3.8% year over year. Free cash flow was $176 million compared with $214 million in the prior-year period.During the first six months of the year, ITT paid out dividends of $69.5 million, up 23.7% year over year. It repurchased shares worth $104.9 million in the period. For 2026, ITT raised its adjusted earnings guidance to $8.12-$8.32 per share from $7.70-$8.00 previously expected. The company also increased its revenue growth forecast to 38-41% from 36-38%, with organic growth now expected at 5-8% compared with 4-6% earlier. Adjusted operating margin guidance was raised to 20-20.9% from 19.7-20.6% anticipated before. Free cash flow is now projected at $550-$580 million, indicating a free cash flow margin of 10-11%. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Carlisle Companies Incorporated CSL reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $7.03 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.43 by 9.3%. The bottom line increased 12% year over year. Revenues rose 8% year over year to a record $1.57 billion and surpassed the consensus estimate of $1.47 billion. 3M Company MMM reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $2.40 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.27 by 5.7%. The bottom line increased 11% year over year.MMM’s adjusted net revenues of $6.5 billion topped the consensus estimate of $6.4 billion and grew 5.5%. On an adjusted basis, organic revenues increased 5.4% year over year. Graco Inc. GGG reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 91 cents per share, up 17% from 78 cents in the year-ago quarter. The bottom line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 81 cents by 12.4%.The company’s net sales rose 3% year over year to $590.6 million but lagged the consensus estimate of $609 million by 3%. Organic order backlog (excluding acquisitions) rose 28% from the end of 2025. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report ITT Inc. (ITT) : Free Stock Analysis Report 3M Company (MMM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Graco Inc. (GGG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Carlisle Companies Incorporated (CSL) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Griffon Corporation GFF reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 (ended June 2026) adjusted earnings of $1.51 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.33. The bottom line increased 8.6% year over year.Total revenues of $481.4 million beat the consensus estimate of $453 million and increased 7% year over year. The growth was attributable to favorable price and mix of 6%, along with increased volumes of 1%, driven primarily by residential. Effective from the fiscal second quarter, Griffon declared its AMES U.S., Canada, UK and Australia businesses as discontinued operations. The company currently reports the continuing operations’ financial results as a single segment. Griffon Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Griffon Corporation Quote Griffon’s cost of sales increased 10.6% year over year to $255.3 million. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased 3.0% year over year to $110.6 million. The gross margin decreased to 47.0% from 48.7% in the year-ago period. Net income was $51.6 million against a net loss of $120.1 million in the prior-year quarter. The company’s adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations totaled $124.8 million, up 2.1% from the year-ago quarter. At the end of the fiscal third quarter, Griffon had cash and cash equivalents of $110.4 million compared with $99.0 million at the end of fiscal 2025 (ended September 2025). Long-term debt, net of current maturities, was $1.26 billion at the end of the fiscal third quarter compared with $1.40 billion at fiscal 2025-end. In the first nine months of fiscal 2026, the company generated net cash of $217.9 million from operating activities from continuing operations compared with $234.5 million in the year-ago period. Griffon paid dividends of $30.9 million and repurchased shares worth $119.1 million in the same period. Exiting the fiscal third quarter, it had $193.8 million remaining under the share repurchase program. In the first nine months of fiscal 2026, free cash flow from continuing operations was $194.2 million and capital expenditures were $23.7 million. The company has reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 financial guidance. For fiscal 2026 (ending September 2026), management anticipates net sales from continuing operations to be $1.8 billion. It expects adjusted EBITDA to be approximately $458 million. For the fiscal year, Griffon now expects interest expense of $80 million, down from the prior expectation of $93 million, reflecting reduced debt and interest income from transaction-related notes receivable. Capital expenditures are expected to be $50 million. The company currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Carlisle Companies Incorporated CSL reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $7.03 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.43 by 9.3%. The bottom line increased 12% year over year. Revenues rose 8% year over year to a record $1.57 billion and surpassed the consensus estimate of $1.47 billion. 3M Company MMM reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $2.40 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.27 by 5.7%. The bottom line increased 11% year over year.MMM’s adjusted net revenues of $6.5 billion topped the consensus estimate of $6.4 billion and grew 5.5%. On an adjusted basis, organic revenues increased 5.4% year over year. Graco Inc. GGG reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 91 cents per share, up 17% from 78 cents in the year-ago quarter. The bottom line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 81 cents by 12.4%.The company’s net sales rose 3% year over year to $590.6 million but lagged the consensus estimate of $609 million by 3%. Organic order backlog (excluding acquisitions) rose 28% from the end of 2025. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Griffon Corporation (GFF) : Free Stock Analysis Report 3M Company (MMM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Graco Inc. (GGG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Carlisle Companies Incorporated (CSL) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Carlisle Companies Incorporated CSL reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $7.03 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.43 by 9.3%. The bottom line increased 12% year over year. Revenues rose 8% year over year to a record $1.57 billion and surpassed the consensus estimate of $1.47 billion. Organic revenues rose 7.9%, while acquisitions and foreign-currency translation contributed 0.3% and 0.1%, respectively, to the top-line growth. Carlisle has divested its Carlisle Interconnect Technologies segment. The company now reports under the following two segments.Revenues from the Carlisle Construction Materials segment increased 7.8% year over year to $1.18 billion. Our estimate for segmental revenues was $1.09 billion. Organic revenues rose 7.7%, driven by healthy re-roofing demand, strategic initiatives and strong commercial execution, partly offset by continued softness in commercial new construction. Adjusted EBITDA of $363 million increased 4.8% year over year. Revenues from the Carlisle Weatherproofing Technologies segment increased 9.9% year over year to $389 million. Our estimate for segmental revenues was $350.2 million. Organic revenues rose 8.4% as share gains more than offset continued softness in residential and non-residential new construction markets. Adjusted EBITDA of $74.1 million increased 5% year over year. Carlisle Companies Incorporated price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Carlisle Companies Incorporated Quote Carlisle’s cost of sales increased 10.3% year over year to $1.00 billion. Selling and administrative expenses rose 1.2% to $199.3 million, while research and development expenses totaled $11.4 million, up 2.7% year over year. CSL recorded operating income of $352.5 million, up 5.2% year over year. However, the operating margin contracted 70 basis points to 22.4% from 23.1% in the year-ago quarter, as higher raw material and freight costs outpaced pricing realization. At the end of the second quarter, Carlisle had cash and cash equivalents of $665.3 million compared with $1.11 billion at the end of 2025. Long-term debt, including the current portion, was $2.89 billion, largely unchanged from the year-end 2025 level. In the first six months of 2026, CSL generated net cash of $197.1 million from operating activities compared with $288.9 million in the year-ago period.During the same period, CSL paid dividends of $90.1 million, up 2% year over year. The company repurchased shares worth $500 million, down 28.6% from the prior-year period. For 2026, Carlisle raised its outlook. The company now expects revenues from the Carlisle Construction Materials segment to increase in the mid-single-digit range, while revenues from the Carlisle Weatherproofing Technologies segment are also projected to grow in the mid-single-digit range year over year.For 2026, the company expects consolidated revenues to increase in the mid-single-digit range on a year-over-year basis. Adjusted EBITDA margin is projected to remain flat, while the free cash flow margin is expected to be approximately 15%. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 3M Company MMM delivered adjusted earnings of $2.40 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.27 by 5.7%. The bottom line increased 11% year over year.MMM’s adjusted net revenues of $6.5 billion topped the consensus estimate of $6.4 billion and grew 5.5%. On an adjusted basis, organic revenues increased 5.4% year over year. The results were supported by strength in general industrial, safety and electronics end markets.Honeywell Technologies HON reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.95 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.80. The bottom line increased 10% year over year on an adjusted basis. On a reported basis, the company’s earnings were $16.65 per share compared with $1.21 in the year-ago quarter, reflecting the impact of a one-time gain related to the deconsolidation of Quantinuum.Total revenues of $5.19 billion surpassed the consensus estimate of $4.98 billion. The top line increased 3% from the year-ago quarter, driven by strength in the Building Automation and Industrial Automation segments. Organic sales increased 4% year over year.Constellium SE CSTM came out with quarterly earnings of $1.04 per share in the second quarter of 2026, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.91 per share. This compares with earnings of $0.25 per share a year ago.Constellium posted revenues of $2.75 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.5%. This compares with year-ago revenues of $2.1 billion. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Carlisle Companies Incorporated (CSL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Honeywell International Inc. (HON) : Free Stock Analysis Report 3M Company (MMM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Constellium SE (CSTM) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

We are in the first half of the second-quarter 2026 earnings season, which appears robust so far, reaffirming the fundamental strength of the U.S. economy. Up to July 24, 135 S&P 500 companies reported their quarterly financial numbers. Total earnings for these companies are up 67.8% from the same period last year on 12.6% revenue gains, with 87.4% of the companies beating EPS estimates and 79.3% of them beating revenue estimates. At present, the Zacks Consensus Estimate shows that total S&P 500 earnings for this reporting cycle are expected to increase by 39.1% compared to the same period last year on 12.3% higher revenues. Aside from the S&P 500 stable, several companies of the 30-stock Dow portfolio (popularly known as blue-chip stocks) have also come out with their quarterly earnings results. Here, we recommend three such stocks with a favorable Zacks Rank for investment that have reported solid earnings results.These are: 3M Co. MMM, The Travelers Companies Inc. TRV and UnitedHealth Group Inc. UNH. Each of our picks currently carries either a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. The chart below shows the price performance of our three picks in the past three months. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Zacks Rank #2 3M is poised to benefit from solid momentum in the Safety and Industrial unit, driven by strength in the industrial adhesives and tapes, abrasives and electrical markets. Strength in MMM’s semiconductor, aerospace and defense markets is aiding the Transportation and Electronics unit. Solid operational execution, restructuring savings and spending discipline are supporting 3M’s margin performance. Synergies from acquisitions made by the company also bolster MMM’s growth. Its measures to reward shareholders through dividends are encouraging. MMM has strengthened and expanded the geographical footprint of its businesses through acquisitions while unlocking cash by disposing of underperforming or non-core assets. In July 2026, MMM completed the acquisition of Madison Fire & Rescue in partnership with Bain Capital. The transaction is expected to strengthen MMM’s safety portfolio. For 2026, MMM expects adjusted earnings to be in the range of $8.80-$8.95 per share compared with $8.50-$8.70 projected earlier. The midpoint of the guided range is about $8.88, which reflects an increase from earnings of $8.06 per share reported in 2025. Adjusted total revenue growth is projected to be above 4.5%. 3M has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 4% and 9.4%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 0.9% over the last seven days. MMM has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 3.5% and 8%, respectively, for the next year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for next year’s earnings has improved 1.2% over the last seven days. Zacks Rank #2 The Travelers combines broad commercial and personal insurance franchises with disciplined underwriting, rising investment income and sustained capital returns. Second-quarter results reinforced the durability of TRV’s earnings base, as underlying margins remained attractive, catastrophe losses declined and favorable reserve development supported results across all segments. Technology investment, pricing segmentation and a high-quality fixed income portfolio should aid TRV’s long-term returns over time. Travelers’ growing fixed income portfolio provides an increasingly predictable earnings contribution. After-tax net investment income rose 14% to $883 million in the second quarter, reflecting TRV’s higher portfolio yields, growth in invested assets and better non-fixed income returns. New money yields were about 90 basis points above the portfolio’s embedded yield at quarter-end. TRV expects its full-year 2026 underwriting expense ratio to be approximately 28.5%. Management also emphasized that strong earnings, cash flow and capital generation continue to support investments in technology, including artificial intelligence, while maintaining significant capital returns to its shareholders. Travelers has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of -0.1% and 17.8%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 5.5% over the last seven days. TRV has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 2.9% and -8.6%, respectively, for the next year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for next year’s earnings has improved 1.9% over the last seven days. Zacks Rank #1 UnitedHealth has shown steady revenue growth, driven by Optum and UnitedHealthcare. Optum remains a key growth driver through its pharmacy services, technology integration, and government solutions. UNH’s strong second-quarter results were aided by growth in commercial fee-based membership and the strength witnessed in Optum Insight. Medical cost management, pricing discipline and benefit design changes also contributed to the upside. However, weakness in Optum Health, Optum Rx and declining risk-based membership partially offset the positives. A strong market position and ongoing expansion initiatives, combined with rising healthcare demand, support sustained long-term growth. Commercial membership also grew for UNH, supporting margins despite challenges from government programs. UNH earlier anticipated revenues for 2026 above $439 billion, which are below the 2025 level due to planned right-sizing across operations. Adjusted EPS is now expected to be in the range of $19.50-$20.00 for 2026, up from the previous guidance of more than $18.25, indicating improving margins. Net margin was expected to be around 3.6% in 2026, up from 2.7% in 2025. UnitedHealth has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of -0.3% and 19.1%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 6.3% over the last 30 days. UNH has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 2.4% and 13.8%, respectively, for the next year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for next year’s earnings has improved 6.7% over the last 30 days. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) : Free Stock Analysis Report 3M Company (MMM) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Travelers Companies, Inc. (TRV) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

In his appearance on CNBC's Squawk on the Street on Tuesday, Jim Cramer briefly discussed industrial conglomerate 3M Company (NYSE:MMM). Cramer discussed the firm's turnaround efforts, which were demonstrated through its second quarter earnings release on Tuesday morning. The results saw 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) post $6.50 billion in revenue and $2.40 in profit-per-share to beat analyst estimates of $6.41 billion and $2.25. Crucially, the firm also raised its full-year profit-per-share forecast to $8.80 and $8.95 from the earlier forecast of $8.50 to $8.70. During the quarter, 3M Company (NYSE:MMM)'s data center segment also benefited from AI-led tailwinds and posted 6% revenue growth to offset weakness in other sectors. Cramer's remarks were concise yet praiseful, particularly when we see the share price performance since the earnings report: Since the earnings release on Monday morning, 3M Company (NYSE:MMM)'s shares are up by 6.6%. During this period, several analysts have also discussed the firm. After the earnings report, several analysts discussed the firm. These included Goldman Sachs and RBC Capital. Goldman raised 3M Company (NYSE:MMM)'s share price target to $202 from $190 and kept a buy rating on the shares. As part of its coverage, the bank discussed the firm's second quarter operating income. 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) had posted $1 billion in operating income, and Goldman remarked that this figure had beaten expectations due to a 5.4% organic growth. UBS raised the price target to $218 from $190 and kept a Buy rating on the shares. Like Cramer, it hinted at an inflection for 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) and remarked that the firm appeared to be entering a growth phase. Shifting towards hedge funds, sentiment in 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) has been relatively static. According to Insider Monkey's data, 62 out of 1,041 hedge funds held the stock in Q4 2025. In Q1 2026, 63 out of 1,022 funds held 3M Company (NYSE:MMM)'s stock. In Q1, D. E. Shaw held the largest stake, which was worth $768 million, while several others, such as Two Sigma Advisors and Marshall Wace LLP significantly grew their stakes. While we acknowledge the potential of MMM to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MMM and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: Jim Cramer Draws the Line on NVIDIA in China: Why National Security Comes First and Jim Cramer Defends His Dell Stance as Investors Complain About Missing Out. Disclosure: None.

Honeywell Technologies HON reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.95 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.80. The bottom line increased 10% year over year on an adjusted basis. On a reported basis, the company’s earnings were $16.65 per share compared with $1.21 in the year-ago quarter, reflecting the impact of a one-time gain related to the deconsolidation of Quantinuum.Total revenues of $5.19 billion surpassed the consensus estimate of $4.98 billion. The top line increased 3% from the year-ago quarter, driven by strength in the Building Automation and Industrial Automation segments. Organic sales increased 4% year over year. Orders rose 16%, while backlog increased 9% to approximately $20 billion.Including the Honeywell Aerospace business, Honeywell International reported total revenues of $9.72 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up 4% year over year from $9.32 billion. Following the separation of Honeywell Aerospace on June 29, 2026, the company operates as a pure-play automation business under the segments discussed below.Industrial Automation revenues declined 5% year over year to $1.50 billion. However, organic sales grew 4% year over year. Organic sales growth was driven by strength in utilities projects, warehouse backlog conversion, and sensing and industrial measurement businesses. Building Automation revenues totaled $2 billion, up 10% year over year. Organic sales increased 9% year over year. The upside was driven by continued strength in both the building products and building solutions businesses. While sales from the building products business grew 10%, the same from the building solutions business increased 7%, driven by services. Process Automation and Technology revenues increased 4% to $1.68 billion. However, organic sales fell 1% year over year. The results were driven by continued strength in LNG and a return to growth in automation projects. However, lower catalyst shipments compared with the year-ago quarter offset the gains. Honeywell International Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Honeywell International Inc. Quote Including the Honeywell Aerospace business, the company’s total cost of sales, comprising the cost of products and services sold, was about $6.07 billion, up 7.2% year over year. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $1.34 billion, down 1.3% year over year. Interest expenses and other financial charges were $363 million, reflecting an increase of 10.3% year over year.Operating income was $1.74 billion, down 5.8% year over year. The operating income margin was 17.9% compared with 19.8% in the year-ago period.Excluding the Honeywell Aerospace business, operating income was $662 million, down 0.6% year over year. The operating income margin was 12.8% compared with 13.3% in the year-ago period. Including the Honeywell Aerospace business, HON had cash and cash equivalents of $8.75 billion at the end of the second quarter of 2026 compared with $12.49 billion at the end of December 2025. Long-term debt was $26.23 billion, lower than $27.14 billion at 2025-end.Excluding the Honeywell Aerospace business, Honeywell Technologies generated $563 million in cash from continuing operating activities in the second quarter of 2026 compared with $187 million in the prior-year period. Capital expenditures totaled $187 million compared with $108 million in the prior-year quarter. Free cash flow was $456 million compared with $114 million in the year-ago quarter. For the third quarter of 2026, Honeywell Technologies expects sales to be in the range of $4.9-$5 billion. Organic sales are expected to increase 4-6%.HON expects a segment margin of 20-20.7%. The metric indicates an increase of 240-310 basis points year over year. Adjusted earnings per share are expected to be between $2.05 and $2.20. The metric indicates an increase of 21-29% on a year-over-year basis.The adjusted effective tax rate is expected to be approximately 17%. For the fourth quarter of 2026, Honeywell Technologies expects sales to be in the range of $5-$5.1 billion. Organic sales are expected to increase 4-6%.HON expects a segment margin of 22-22.7%. The metric indicates an increase of 400-470 basis points year over year. Adjusted earnings per share are expected to be between $2.28 and $2.43. The metric indicates an increase of 25-33% on a year-over-year basis.The adjusted effective tax rate is expected to be approximately 17%. For 2026, Honeywell Technologies raised its organic sales growth, segment margin and adjusted earnings outlook. Excluding the Honeywell Aerospace business, the company expects sales to be in the range of $19.8-$20 billion compared with the previous projection of $19.9-$20.2 billion. The lower sales forecast reflects the earlier-than-expected divestitures of the Productivity Solutions and Services and Warehouse and Workflow Solutions businesses.Organic sales are expected to increase 3-4%, up from the prior projection of 2-3%. HON expects a segment margin of 20.1-20.5%. The metric indicates an increase of 250-290 basis points year over year.Adjusted earnings per share are expected to be between $8.05 and $8.35, up from the previous projection of $7.90-$8.30. The metric indicates an increase of 25-29% on a year-over-year basis.Free cash flow is expected to be approximately $2 billion. The outlook includes the projected results of the Johnson Matthey Catalyst Technologies business following the completion of the acquisition on July 17, 2026. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Some better-ranked stocks are discussed below.3M Company MMM currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.MMM delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 4.1%. In the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 3M’s 2026 earnings has increased 0.9%.Applied Industrial Technologies AIT presently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. It has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 4.0%.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AIT’s fiscal 2026 (ended June 2026) earnings has improved by a penny in the past 60 days.Crane Company CR presently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 11.3%.In the past 60 days, the consensus estimate for CR’s 2026 earnings has increased by 0.3%. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Honeywell International Inc. (HON) : Free Stock Analysis Report 3M Company (MMM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Crane Company (CR) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

3M Company MMM used its second-quarter earnings call to argue that its improvement is becoming more structural, not just cyclical. Management emphasized that commercial execution, faster product launches and tighter operations are now reinforcing one another. That framing mattered because 3M also raised full-year guidance after posting adjusted EPS of $2.40 on $6.5 billion of revenues, both ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The EPS surprise was 5.70%, while revenues topped expectations by 1.60%. 3M Company price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | 3M Company Quote Chairman and CEO William Brown said the biggest message from the quarter was that 3M’s strategy is producing more consistent results. He pointed to 5.4% organic growth, adjusted operating margin of 24.9% and adjusted free cash flow of $1.3 billion as evidence the business is moving with more discipline. Management also raised full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $8.80 to $8.95 from $8.50 to $8.70. The company now expects adjusted total sales growth of more than 4.5%, adjusted organic sales growth of more than 3.5% and adjusted operating cash flow of $5.8 billion to $6.0 billion. Chief financial officer Anurag Maheshwari said the stronger outlook reflects better sales momentum, productivity gains and capital deployment, with working-capital progress helping lift the cash forecast by $100 million. Brown repeatedly argued that 3M’s growth is being driven more by internal actions than by a friendlier macro backdrop. He highlighted sales force effectiveness, cross-selling, pricing governance and lower customer attrition as the main contributors so far. In Q&A, a Vertical Research Partners analyst pressed on whether the company’s roughly 2x-macro growth algorithm is sustainable. Brown answered that 3M expects to be about $450 million above macro this year, up from the company’s earlier expectation of roughly $340 million to $350 million. That exchange stood out because management sounded confident that the growth engine is broadening. Brown said commercial excellence has led the improvement so far, but innovation should contribute more in the back half of 2026 and even more in 2027. Innovation was one of the clearest themes on the call. Brown said 3M launched 92 new products in the quarter and 176 in the first half, keeping the company on track for more than 350 launches this year and more than 1,000 by 2027. The highest-profile strategic announcement was 3M’s partnership with Microsoft around expanded beam optics, or EBO, for Azure data centers. Brown described the technology as faster to install and more durable than conventional fiber connections, while management said 3M is scaling capacity and building an ecosystem around the product. Asked by Melius Research about the size of the opportunity, Brown said EBO revenues are running at about $40 million to $50 million this year, compared with a roughly $1 billion market that 3M sees growing to $2 billion by 2028. He said deeper trials with other hyperscalers are underway. Maheshwari said the quarter’s growth was broad-based geographically and stronger than expected through the period. Orders rose about 10% in the quarter, backlog was up close to 20% year over year and the company entered the second half with good visibility. Safety and Industrial was the standout, with 8.2% organic sales growth. Management tied that strength to new product launches, better account coverage, lower churn and cross-selling, while Transportation and Electronics also posted 5.9% growth. The softer area remained consumer, where second-quarter sales fell 2.1%. Brown said retailer inventory tightening in late June offset healthy point-of-sale trends, though management expects that pressure to normalize in the second half as back-to-school stocking improves. Margins were another point of emphasis. Maheshwari said adjusted operating margin reached 24.9%, the highest level 3M has posted, helped by stronger volume and continued productivity on both supply chain and general and administrative costs. At the same time, management did not present the quarter as frictionless. Maheshwari said tariff impacts and stranded costs remained headwinds, while oil-related inflation is now expected to be $150 million to $175 million this year, up from $125 million previously. Brown said 3M expects pricing to offset those oil costs on a dollar basis, even if margins still absorb some pressure. He also said the company still sees a path toward high-40% gross margin over time as transformation and network simplification continue. The call’s tone was notably more assertive than defensive. Management described 3M as ahead of its Investor Day commitments on growth, margins, earnings and cash, while pointing to commercial execution, innovation and transformation as the next legs of the story. Just as important, analyst questions centered less on near-term volatility and more on durability, scaling opportunities and how much of the recent improvement can carry into 2027. Management’s answers consistently framed the quarter as part of a longer operating reset already in motion. MMM carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which indicates favorable earnings estimate revision trends and generally supportive near-term prospects. Under the Zacks framework, Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and #2 stocks tend to offer the strongest setup, while the rank remains the first screen investors should watch. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. The Style Scores are more mixed, with a Value Score of D, Growth Score of C, Momentum Score of A and VGM Score of D. That combination points to stronger momentum characteristics than value or blended style appeal at the moment. The Zacks Rank can still change as analysts update estimates following the quarter’s results. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report 3M Company (MMM) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Technology stocks took off on Tuesday, and crude oil prices did the same. Investors, traders and speculators are looking forward to imminent earnings announcements from two of the Magnificent 7, even as the U.S. and Iran are escalating the war in the Middle East. At the closing bell, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite was up 1.3% at 25,837, the broad-based S&P 500 had added 0.9% at 7,509, and the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average was higher by 0.7% at 52,224. Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures rose 2.7% to $84.68 per barrel, and the 2-year Treasury yield ticked up to 4.266% from 4.215% on Monday. The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX, +5.5%) extended its gain on Monday into a full-blown rally on Tuesday, though the Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (MAGS, +0.01%) generated a more modest return. "The market continues to look through the Middle East situation as transitory and is staying focused on strong earnings," Louis Navellier of Navellier & Associates observes. "The trend remains positive." Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL, -1.4%) and electric vehicle maker Tesla (TSLA, +2.5%) are scheduled to report second-quarter earnings after the closing bell on Wednesday. Much is riding on all of the Magnificent 7 stocks, Nvidia (NVDA, +2.0%) in particular. As FactSet analyst John Butters notes, the estimated year-over-year earnings growth rate for the group is 31.1%. Track all markets on TradingView But there's a lot riding on earnings generally: The other 493 S&P 500 stocks are expected to post bottom-line growth of 22.8%, which would be their highest growth rate since the fourth quarter of 2021. "In fact," Butters writes, "four of the five top contributors to earnings growth for the S&P 500 for Q2 2026 are not 'Magnificent 7' companies: Micron Technology (MU, +12.2%), Chevron (CVX, +0.7%), Exxon Mobil (XOM, +2.3%), and Broadcom (AVGO, +2.2%)." Indeed, the leader of the AI revolution is the only Mag 7 stock that's also a top-five contributor to current earnings growth estimates. Nvidia posted fiscal 2027 first-quarter results in May and will report again on Wednesday, August 26. Looking for more timely stock market news to help gauge the health of your portfolio? Sign up for Closing Bell, our free newsletter that's delivered straight to your inbox at the close of each trading day. The energy stocks stand out, too, amid the bottleneck at the Strait of Hormuz. Chevron and Exxon Mobil are scheduled to report second-quarter results before the opening bell next Friday, July 31. Micron and Broadcom revealed blowout results for their respective fiscal quarters in June. The semiconductor stocks are scheduled to report again in September. 3M (MMM) was No. 1 among the 30 Dow Jones stocks on Tuesday, rising as much as 10.7% to within $1.26 of its February 12 52-week high, after management reported expectations-beating results and raised its full-year guidance. Track all markets on TradingView 3M now sees earnings of $8.80 to $8.95 per share for 2026, up from a range of $8.50 to $8.70, with CEO Bill Brown citing "strong first-half performance and continued momentum." The industrial stock generated a year-to-date total return of 0.3% through Monday vs 9.4% for the S&P 500, sagging in January after management shared lackluster initial guidance and trending lower through May. Genuine Parts (GPC, -2.7%) is one of the best stocks to buy for dependable dividend growth because of a 70-year history of raising its quarterly payout. Management of the automotive and industrial parts maker sustained that record in February with a 3.2% increase. At the same time, though, the consumer discretionary stock said it was splitting into two publicly traded companies, "Global Automotive," which operates as the familiar NAPA retail front, and "Global Industrial," which works under the Motion banner. The separation is costing more than management forecast, so Genuine Parts updated elements of its full-year forecast, most notably GAAP EPS. That estimate was revised from $6.10 to $6.60 to $5.90 to $6.40. Track all markets on TradingView Management reaffirmed its adjusted EPS guidance range, $7.50 to $8, as well as its 3% to 5% revenue growth rate forecast. Still, that updated element shook the market. It appears management understood the gravity of its decision and conducted a thorough review: "The company considered its recent business trends and financial results, current growth plans, strategic initiatives, global economic outlook, geopolitical conflicts and the potential impact on results in updating its outlook." Genuine Parts hasn't defined a post-separation dividend policy, though details will likely be forthcoming following the forecast completion of the separation in the first quarter of 2027. Earnings Calendar and Analysis for This Week Tech Stocks Are the Fuel for This Top Dividend Fund How to Invest in the Modern Space Race