SWK

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Shares have added about 1.4% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Stanley Black & Decker due for a pullback? Well, first let's take a quick look at the latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent drivers for Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late. Stanley Black reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 80 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 61 cents. The bottom line increased 6.7% year over year. Stanley Black’s net sales of $3.85 billion beat the consensus estimate of $3.74 billion. The top line increased 2.7% from the year-ago quarter. Effective from the first quarter of 2025, it has renamed the Industrial segment as the Engineered Fastening segment. It had no impact on the company's consolidated financial statements or segment results. Revenues from the company’s primary segment, Tools & Outdoor, totaled $3.34 billion, which increased 2% from the year-ago quarter. However, the segment’s organic revenues decreased 1%. Our estimate was $3.29 billion. Revenues from the Engineered Fastening segment grossed $511 million, up 10% year over year. The segment’s organic revenues increased 7%. Our estimate was $459.3 million. Stanley Black’s cost of sales was up 2.5% year over year to $2.69 billion. The gross profit increased 3.3% year over year to $1.16 billion. The gross margin increased 20 basis points (bps) year over year to 30.1%. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased 2% year over year to $884.0 million. Adjusted EBITDA was $354.7 million, indicating a year-over-year decrease of 2%. The margin decreased 50 bps to 9.2%. While exiting the first quarter, Stanley Black had cash and cash equivalents of $333.7 million compared with $280.1 million at the end of fourth-quarter 2025. The long-term debt balance was $4.70 billion, in line with the figure reported at the end of fourth-quarter 2025. In the first three months of 2026, net cash used for operating activities was $388.8 million compared with $420 million used in the year-ago period. Capital and software expenditures totaled $58.5 million, down from $65 million reported in the year-ago period. Free c...

As the craze of earnings season draws to a close, here’s a look back at some of the most exciting (and some less so) results from Q1. Today, we are looking at professional tools and equipment stocks, starting with Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE:SWK). Automation that increases efficiency and connected equipment that collects analyzable data have been trending, creating new demand. Some professional tools and equipment companies also provide software to accompany measurement or automated machinery, adding a stream of recurring revenues to their businesses. On the other hand, professional tools and equipment 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 10 professional tools and equipment stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.9% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 0.6% below. While some professional tools and equipment stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 4.5% since the latest earnings results. With an iconic “STANLEY” logo which has remained virtually unchanged for over a century, Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE:SWK) is a manufacturer primarily catering to the tool and outdoor equipment industry. Stanley Black & Decker reported revenues of $3.85 billion, up 2.7% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 2.7%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter for the company with a beat of analysts’ EPS and EBITDA estimates. Chris Nelson, Stanley Black & Decker's President & CEO, commented, "Stanley Black & Decker entered 2026 with unwavering commitment to our strategic priorities, and we delivered stronger than planned first quarter results through disciplined execution. Our team's focus and resilience ensured that sales, gross margin, and cash1 performance remain firmly on track with our full year plan. I am proud of our team for maintaining their customer-centric approach and for advancing our vision to build a world-class branded industrial company. The stock is down 2.4% since reporting and currently trades at $76.46. Is now the time to buy Stanley Black & Decker? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free. Involved in manufacturing hard...

Nordson Corporation NDSN is scheduled to release second-quarter fiscal 2026 (ended April 30) results on May 20, after market close.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal second-quarter earnings has remained steady in the past 30 days. The company has an impressive earnings surprise history, having outperformed the consensus estimate in each of the preceding four quarters. The average surprise was 2.5%.The consensus estimate for fiscal second-quarter revenues is pegged at $731 million, suggesting growth of 7% from the year-ago quarter’s figure. The consensus estimate for adjusted earnings is pinned at $2.82 per share, indicating a 16.5% increase from the year-ago quarter’s number.Let’s see how things have shaped up for Nordson this earnings season. The Industrial Precision Solutions segment’s results are likely to benefit from growing demand for industrial and automotive product lines. Continued investments in packaging, product assembly and precision agriculture end markets are expected to have boosted revenues. The consensus mark for the segment’s revenues is pegged at $337 million, indicating a 5.6% increase from the year-ago figure.The Advanced Technology Solutions segment is expected to have benefited on the back of increased demand for semiconductor application products. Also, a rise in demand for electronics dispense systems is expected to support the segment’s results. The consensus mark for the segment’s revenues is pegged at $190 million, indicating a 18.8% increase from the year-ago figure.Increased demand for fluid solutions product lines is likely to have aided the Medical and Fluid Solutions segment in the to-be-reported quarter. The consensus mark for the segment’s revenues is pegged at $213 million, indicating a 4.9% increase from the year-ago figure.However, rising costs and operating expenses have been concerns for Nordson for some time now. The impacts of high labor and raw material costs are likely to have affected its margin and profitability. Also, investments associated with product development and growth initiatives are expected to have hurt the company’s performance.Given the company’s substantial international operations, foreign currency headwinds are likely to have marred its margins and profitability. Nordson Corporation price-eps-surprise | Nordson Corporation Quote Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat...

Zebra Technologies Corporation ZBRA reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $4.75 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.21. The bottom line increased 18.2% from $4.02 per share reported in the year-ago quarter. Total revenues of $1.50 billion surpassed the consensus estimate of $1.47 billion. The top line increased 14.3% year over year, driven by broad-based growth across segments and regions. Consolidated organic net sales increased 4.3% year over year. Effective from the fourth quarter of 2025, the company started reporting under two segments, namely Connected Frontline and Asset Visibility & Automation. Revenues from the Connected Frontline segment rose 20.6% year over year to $825 million. Organic net sales increased 3.8%. The Asset Visibility & Automation segment’s revenues totaled $670 million, up 7.4% year over year. Organic net sales increased 4.8%. Zebra Technologies Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Zebra Technologies Corporation Quote In the first quarter of 2026, Zebra Technologies’ cost of sales totaled $753 million, up 13.6% year over year. Total operating expenses increased 17.1% year over year to $527 million. The company reported net income of $135 million compared with $136 million in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted net income increased to $235 million from $208 million reported in the prior-year quarter. Zebra Technologies had cash and cash equivalents of $114 million at the end of the first quarter compared with $125 million at the end of 2025. Long-term debt totaled $2.39 billion compared with $2.36 billion at the end of 2025. In the first three months of 2026, Zebra Technologies generated net cash of $176 million in operating activities compared with $178 million in the year-ago period. The company incurred capital expenditure of $13 million in the same time frame. Free cash flow amounted to $163 million compared with $158 million in the prior-year period. For the second quarter of 2026, Zebra Technologies expects net sales growth in the band of 14-17% year over year. The guidance includes an approximately 10.5 point favorable impact from acquisitions and foreign currency. Adjusted EBITDA margin is anticipated to be a little higher than 21% in the second quarter. Adjusted earnings per share are expected to be in the band of $4.20-$4.50. For 2026, ZBRA raised its financial outlook. The company no...

Plug Power Inc. PLUG is scheduled to release first-quarter 2026 results on May 11, after market close. The company has a mixed earnings surprise history. Its earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate twice in the trailing four quarters and missed the mark in two, the average surprise being 9%. Let’s see how things have shaped up for Plug Power this earnings season. Revenues from services performed on fuel cell systems and related infrastructure are expected to have grown, driven by an increase in the sales of service parts, a surge in pricing of service agreements and an improvement in the scope of services provided to certain customers. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for services performed on fuel cell systems and related infrastructure net revenues is pegged at $22.7 million, implying a 34.3% increase from the year-ago number. Increased fuel prices and a rise in the number of customer sites with fuel contracts are expected to have aided revenues from fuel delivered to customers and related equipment in the first quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fuel delivered to customers and related equipment net revenues is pegged at $30.8 million, implying a 4.4% increase from the year-ago number. Revenues from Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) are expected to have been buoyed by an increase in pricing of the PPAs. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for net revenues from the same is $27.4 million, indicating an increase of 18.1% from the prior-year quarter. However, a decline in revenues related to hydrogen site installations, liquefiers and cryogenic equipment is expected to have adversely impacted the sales of equipment, related infrastructure and others. However, an increase in demand for electrolyzers is expected to have provided some relief. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for net revenues from the sale of equipment, related infrastructure and others is $64 million, in line with the prior-year quarter. Rising costs and operating expenses have been concerns for Plug Power for some time now. The impacts of high labor and raw material costs are likely to have affected its margin and profitability. Also, investments associated with product development and growth initiatives are expected to have hurt the company’s performance. Given the company’s substantial international operations, foreign currency headwinds are likely to have marred its margins and profitability....

The Middleby Corporation MIDD reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $2.16 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.94. The bottom line increased 15.5% year over year. Net sales of $839.9 million topped the consensus estimate of $777.1 million and increased 15% year over year. The upside was driven by robust backlog conversion in the Food Processing segment, where backlog reached a record $416 million. MIDD’s organic sales increased 11.9%. Acquisitions increased sales by 1%, while movements in foreign currencies had a positive impact of 2%. Effective from the fourth quarter of 2025, the company started reporting under two segments. Sales from the Commercial Foodservice segment (representing 73.3% of net sales) were $615.5 million, up 9.4% year over year. Organic sales increased 8.1%. Foreign-currency translation had a favorable impact of 1.3%. Sales from the Food Processing segment (26.7%) totaled $224.4 million, up 33.7% year over year. Organic sales increased 25% year over year. Acquisitions boosted sales by 4.5%, while foreign currency movements had a favorable impact of 4.2%. The Middleby Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | The Middleby Corporation Quote Middleby’s cost of sales increased 18% year over year to $516.7 million. Gross profit increased 10.5% to $323.2 million. The gross margin was 38.5%, down 150 basis points (bps) from the year-ago quarter. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased 16.4% year over year to $188.3 million. Operating income increased 3% year over year to $133.4 million. Operating margin decreased 250 bps to 15.9%. Adjusted EBITDA increased 11.8% year over year to $180.6 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin decreased 60 bps to 21.5%. Exiting the first quarter of 2026, Middleby had cash and cash equivalents of $177.1 million compared with $222.2 million at the end of 2025. Long-term debt was $1.83 billion at the end of the first quarter compared with $2.13 billion at 2025-end. In the first three months of 2026, Middleby generated net cash of $87.8 million from operating activities compared with $137.3 million in the year-ago quarter. In the first three months, its capital expenditure totaled $7.9 million compared with $26.5 million in the year-ago quarter. Free cash flow was $79.9 million compared with $110.8 million in the year-ago quarter. Middleby completed the sale of a 51% stak...

Emerson Electric Co. EMR reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 (ended March 31, 2026) adjusted earnings of $1.54 per share, which increased 4.1% year over year and came in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The quarter reflected resilient demand and pricing strength, partially offset by disruptions from the Middle East conflict and software contract renewal dynamics. The company’s underlying orders increased 5%, while backlog rose 9% year over year to $8.2 billion. Revenues of $4.56 billion rose 2.9% year over year with underlying sales growth of 0.5% but missed the consensus mark by 1.1%. Pricing contributed 3.5% to sales growth. Regionally, the Americas delivered 5% underlying sales growth, which helped offset declines of 4% in Europe and 5% in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The Intelligent Devices group’s net sales were $2.51 billion, up 2% year over year. However, underlying sales declined 1%. The group consists of two segments, namely Final Control and Sensors. Final Control segment’s sales increased 2% year over year to $1.49 billion. The Sensors segment generated sales of $1.02 billion, reflecting a 2% year-over-year increase. The Software & Systems group generated net sales of $1.50 billion, up 4% year over year. Underlying sales increased 1%. The group consists of two segments, namely Control Systems & Software and Test & Measurement. Control Systems & Software reported sales of $1.09 billion, reflecting a slight decline year over year. Test & Measurement sales were $414 million, increasing 16% year over year. The Safety & Productivity segment generated net sales of $547 million, up 5% year over year. Underlying sales increased 2%. Emerson Electric Co. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Emerson Electric Co. Quote The cost of sales increased 3.8% to $2.14 billion from the year-ago quarter. Selling, general and administrative expenses rose 3.1% year over year to $1.32 billion. The pretax earnings margin was 17.4% compared with 14.2% in the year-ago period. Adjusted segment EBITA margin was 27.6%, down 40 basis points from 28.0% in the prior-year quarter. Exiting the first six months of fiscal 2026, Emerson had cash and cash equivalents of $1.79 billion compared with $1.54 billion at the end of fiscal 2025. Long-term debt was $7.56 billion compared with $8.32 billion at the end of fiscal 2025. In the first six months of 2026, the company genera...

Kennametal Inc. KMT reported adjusted earnings of 77 cents per share for the third quarter of fiscal 2026 (ended March 31, 2026), up 63.8% year over year. The bottom line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 68 cents. Sales were $592.6 million, up 22.0% from the year-ago quarter. The top line topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $567 million. The quarter benefited from stronger volume and pricing. Organic sales rose 19% year over year. Foreign currency translation had a positive impact of 5% on sales, while divestitures had an adverse impact of 2%. Regionally (in constant currency), growth was strongest in the Americas (up 27%) and Asia Pacific (up 25%), while EMEA increased 2%. End-market performance also skewed positive, led by Earthworks (up 43%), Energy (up 28%) and Aerospace & Defense (up 23%). Kennametal reports results under two business segments, namely Metal Cutting and Infrastructure. Its segmental performance for the fiscal third quarter is briefly discussed below: The Metal Cutting segment’s revenues of $358 million increased 18% year over year. Organic revenues grew 12% and currency exchange had a positive impact of 6% year over year. The Infrastructure segment’s revenues totaled $235 million, up 29% year over year. Organic revenues increased 30% and currency exchange had a positive impact of 4% year over year. This was partially offset by the negative impact of 5% from divestitures. Kennametal’s cost of goods sold increased 16.5% year over year. Gross profit rose 33.0% year over year to $208.0 million, while the margin increased 300 basis points (bps) to 35.1%. Operating expenses were $124.0 million, up 19.2% year over year. Operating income increased 79.5% year over year to $79.4 million. Operating margin increased 430 bps year over year to 13.4%. The results were driven by favorable impacts of pricing and tariff surcharges, higher sales and production volume and restructuring savings, offset by increased compensation costs and general inflation. Interest expenses were $6.3 million, up 0.8% from the year-ago quarter’s figure. The adjusted effective tax rate was 23.1%. While exiting the fiscal third quarter, Kennametal’s cash and cash equivalents were $106.9 million compared with $140.5 million at the end of fiscal 2025. Long-term debt was $597.4 million compared with $596.8 million at the end of fiscal 2025. In the first nine months of fisca...

Axon Enterprise, Inc. AXON reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.61 per share, up 9.5% year over year. However, the figure missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.66. Total revenues were $807.3 million, up 33.7% year over year and ahead of the consensus estimate of $781 million. Effective first-quarter 2025, AXON realigned its business segments. The company now reports results under two business segments, namely Connected Devices and Software & Services. Connected Devices: The segment’s revenues increased 32.8% year over year to $452.8 million, driven by strong demand for TASER 10 devices, Axon Body 4, counter-drone products and fleet systems, along with continued momentum in Platform Solutions. However, the adjusted gross margin decreased year over year to 50.4% from 52.8%. Software & Services: The segment’s revenues rose 34.9% year over year to $354.5 million, driven by new users and increased adoption of premium software offerings by existing customers. However, the adjusted gross margin decreased to 75.8% from 77.7% in the year-ago period. Axon Enterprise, Inc price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Axon Enterprise, Inc Quote Axon’s cost of sales increased 38.7% year over year to $330.1 million. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $259 million, up 15.9% year over year. Total operating expenses climbed 19.6% year over year to $448 million. The adjusted gross margin decreased to 61.6% from 63.6% in the year-ago period, owing to an increase in global tariffs and higher professional services costs. At the end of first-quarter 2026, Axon had cash and cash equivalents of $458.9 million compared with $1.20 billion at December 2025-end. Long-term lease liabilities totaled $97.2 million compared with $98.9 million at 2025-end. In the first quarter of 2026, the company used net cash of $31.5 million in operating activities against $25.8 million net cash generated in the prior-year period. Adjusted free cash outflow was $54.1 million in the first quarter of 2026 against an inflow of $2.7 million in the prior-year period. Management raised its full-year revenue outlook to 30-32% annual growth, up from 27-30% expected earlier, while maintaining an adjusted EBITDA margin target of approximately 25.5%. The updated view reflects continued momentum across TASER, body-worn cameras, counter-drone, real-time operations and AI-enabled offerings. Ax...

Powell Industries, Inc.’s POWL second-quarter fiscal 2026 (ended March 2026) adjusted earnings of $1.25 per share missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.35. The bottom line decreased 1% year over year. Powell Industries’ total revenues of $297 million missed the consensus estimate of $298 million. However, the top line increased 6% year over year. The year-over-year increase was primarily attributable to strength in the electric utility and oil & gas markets. In the fiscal second quarter, revenues from the electric utility sector increased 14% year over year. The oil & gas sector’s revenues increased 11%. Revenues from the commercial & other industrial sector increased 35% while the petrochemical sector declined 37%, respectively, on a year-over-year basis. In the fiscal second quarter, new orders totaled $490 million compared with $249 million in the year-ago quarter. The increase was driven by robust order activity in the electric utility, commercial and other industrial sectors. Exiting the quarter, its backlog totaled $1.8 billion, up 12% on a sequential and 33% on a year-over-year basis. Powell Industries, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Powell Industries, Inc. Quote In the fiscal second quarter, Powell Industries’ cost of sales increased 6.9% year over year to $208.7 million. Gross profit increased 5.4% year over year to $87.9 million while the margin decreased 30 basis points (bps) to 29.6%. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $25.8 million, up 18.7% year over year. Operating income decreased 2.3% year over year to $57.6 million. The operating margin was 19.4%, down 170 bps year over year. Exiting the second quarter of fiscal 2026, Powell Industries had cash equivalents and short-term investments of $544.9 million compared with $475.5 million at the end of fiscal 2025 (ended September 2025). Current liabilities were $447.3 million compared with $446.4 million at the end of fiscal 2025. Stockholders’ equity totaled $709.1 million. In the first six months of fiscal 2026, capital expenditure totaled $3.9 million, down 38.4% year over year. In the same period, the company used $6.51 million for distributing dividends, up 1.6% on a year-over-year basis. Given Powell Industries’ robust backlog, solid liquidity and a strong balance sheet, it looks forward to witnessing solid revenues and earnings in fiscal 2026 (ending September 20...

DXP Enterprises, Inc. DXPE is expected to release first-quarter 2026 results on May 6, 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter earnings has remained steady in the past 30 days. The consensus estimate for earnings is currently pegged at 1.38 per share on revenues of $530 million. The bottom-line projection indicates an increase of 9.5% from the year-ago number. Also, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly revenues indicates a year-over-year increase of 11.2%. Let’s see how things have shaped up for DXP Enterprise this earnings season. DXPE’s Service Centers segment is anticipated to have performed well in the first quarter, driven by growth in larger customer projects across the Ohio River Valley, Southwest, Texas Gulf Coast and California regions. Strength in the metalworking and air compressors division is also expected to augment the segment’s results. The Innovative Pumping Solutions segment’s results are expected to benefit from the company’s continued diversification into water and wastewater end markets. Also, an increase in larger customer projects is expected to have acted as a tailwind for the segment. Synergistic gains from the acquisitions made by DXPE are expected to have boosted its quarterly revenues. In December 2025, it acquired Pump Solutions, Inc. Also, in November 2025, DXP Enterprises acquired Triangle Pump & Equipment, Inc. Both acquisitions boosted the company’s water and wastewater end market and its product categories. In June 2025, it acquired Moores Pump & Services, Inc., which strengthened DXPE’s Rotating Equipment division. Despite the positives, rising costs and expenses are likely to have weighed on DXP Enterprises’ performance. Rising selling and administrative expenses are expected to have dented the company’s margins and profitability. The company has considerable exposure to overseas markets. Given its substantial international operations, foreign currency headwinds are likely to have marred its profitability. DXP Enterprises, Inc. price-eps-surprise | DXP Enterprises, Inc. Quote Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for DXPE this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is not the case here, as elaborated below. Earnings ESP: DXPE has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% as both t...

Q1 beat expectations: Revenue rose about 3% year‑over‑year (organic flat) and adjusted EPS was $0.80, roughly $0.20 above the high end of prior guidance, while adjusted gross margin was 30.2% and adjusted EBITDA margin was 9.2%. CAM sale used to de‑lever: The April sale of the aerospace fasteners business generated roughly $1.57 billion of net proceeds that were largely applied to debt reduction, with management targeting around 2.5x net debt/adjusted EBITDA by year‑end and a capital allocation bias toward share buybacks (including a $500 million repurchase authorization). 2026 guidance and margin targets maintained: Adjusted EPS guidance of $4.90–$5.70 was reaffirmed (midpoint ~13% growth) with revenue slightly lower due to CAM timing, and the company reiterated a plan to expand gross margin (about +150 bps) and reach 35%+ adjusted gross margin by Q4 2026 (35–37% by end of 2028), while noting tariff changes and inflation roughly offset each other for the year. Interested in Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.? Here are five stocks we like better. The 4 Dividend Stocks Smart Money Is Grabbing Right Now Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE:SWK) reported what CEO Chris Nelson described as a “solid start to the year,” with first-quarter results coming in ahead of the company’s expectations on both revenue and earnings. Management reiterated its strategic focus on brand activation, operational excellence, and accelerated innovation, while also updating investors on portfolio actions, tariffs, and margin expectations for 2026. Nelson said first-quarter revenue rose 3% year over year, while organic revenue was flat. He attributed the stronger-than-expected performance primarily to “a well-executed outdoor products preseason.” → Meta Posted Its Best Sales Growth Since 2021—So Why Did Shares Fall? 3 Huge S&P 500 Winners From Trump Trade Deal & The Biggest Loser On profitability, Nelson said adjusted gross margin was 30.2%, down 20 basis points year over year, while adjusted EBITDA margin was 9.2%, down 50 basis points. Adjusted earnings per share were $0.80, which CFO Patrick Hallinan said was $0.20 above the high end of the company’s prior guidance range. Hallinan attributed about half of the EPS outperformance to “above the line operating outperformance…driven by Outdoor,” with the remainder coming from below-the-line items, including a first-quarter tax rate of 26% versus a 30%...