URI

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Armstrong World Industries (AWI). Shares have added about 1.9% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. But investors have to be wondering, will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Armstrong World Industries due for a pullback? Well, first let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent drivers for Armstrong World Industries, Inc. before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late. Armstrong World reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $2.36 per share, up 12.9% year over year. The figure topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.33 by 1.3%.Net sales rose 11.2% to $472 million year over year and surpassed the consensus mark of $458 million by 3.1%. Favorable average unit value, higher volumes and broad-based demand in Architectural Specialties supported growth. Mineral Fiber volume advanced 2%, its strongest quarterly growth rate since early 2023. Mineral Fiber sales increased 7.9% to $288.2 million. Favorable AUV contributed $16 million, reflecting like-for-like pricing and richer mix as demand remained firm for higher-end products, including smooth white acoustical tiles. Higher volume added another $5 million.Segment operating income rose 7% to $105.3 million, while adjusted EBITDA grew 6.8% to $129 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin slipped 50 basis points to 44.7% as freight and raw-material inflation and growth investments offset AUV gains, productivity and stronger WAVE contributions. Architectural Specialties revenues climbed 16.6% to $183.8 million. Organic sales added $15 million, while acquisitions contributed $11 million. Organic growth was 9%, with strength across most specialty product categories.Segment operating income advanced 14.8% to $29.4 million, and adjusted EBITDA increased 10.4% to $37 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin fell 110 basis points to 20.4%, though the organic margin reached 21.4%. Strong order intake continued at a double-digit rate, led by transportation and education projects. Operating income increased 8.6% year over year to $133.8 million. The upside reflected a $13 million benefit from sales volume growth, a $12 million benefit from favorable AUV and a $2 million increase in WAVE equity earnings.These gains were partly offset by a $9 million rise in selling, general and administrative expenses and a $6 million increase in manufacturing costs. Operating margin contracted 70 basis points to 28.3%, while adjusted EBITDA margin declined 110 basis points to 35.2%. Second-quarter adjusted free cash flow rose 14% to $100 million. For the first six months, net cash provided by operating activities increased to $125.9 million from $122.6 million, while capital expenditures totaled $41.7 million.AWI repurchased 0.5 million shares for $75 million during the quarter at an average price of $163.20. The board added $800 million to the repurchase authorization and extended it through December 2029. Cash and cash equivalents were $78.6 million at June 30, 2026, compared with $112.7 million at year-end 2025. For 2026, management now expects net sales of $1.77-$1.80 billion, implying growth of 9-11%. Adjusted EBITDA is projected at $605-$620 million, adjusted earnings at $8.30-$8.50 per share and adjusted free cash flow at $380-$395 million. The outlook assumes roughly 1% Mineral Fiber volume growth, about 6% AUV growth and mid-single-digit growth in WAVE equity earnings. Organic Architectural Specialties sales are expected to rise at a high-single-digit rate, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of about 20%. It turns out, fresh estimates flatlined during the past month. At this time, Armstrong World Industries has a nice Growth Score of B, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a C. Following the exact same course, the stock has a grade of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for value investors. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of C. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Armstrong World Industries has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. Armstrong World Industries belongs to the Zacks Building Products - Miscellaneous industry. Another stock from the same industry, United Rentals (URI), has gained 0.2% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended June 2026. United Rentals reported revenues of $4.41 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +11.8%. EPS of $12.76 for the same period compares with $10.47 a year ago. United Rentals is expected to post earnings of $13.67 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +16.8%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.8%. United Rentals has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) based on the overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions. Additionally, the stock has a VGM Score of B. 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 Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (AWI) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Rentals, Inc. (URI) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for United Rentals (URI). Shares have lost about 3.9% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is United Rentals due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the latest earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts. United Rentals reported solid second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings per share and total revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing year over year.Record rental revenues, higher fleet productivity and robust specialty demand supported the results. Fleet productivity improved 3.4% year over year. URI posted adjusted earnings of $12.76 per share, up 21.9% from $10.47 a year ago and surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $11.67 by 9.3%.Total revenues advanced 11.8% to $4.41 billion and topped the consensus mark of $4.24 billion by 4.1%. Rental revenues increased 12.7% year over year to a quarterly record of $3.85 billion. Average original equipment at cost, or OEC, rose 7.1%. Owned equipment rental revenues increased 9% to $2.99 billion from $2.75 billion. Re-rent revenues rose 46.7% to $88 million, while ancillary and other rental revenues advanced 26.2% to $770 million.Sales of rental equipment increased 4.1% to $330 million. Sales of new equipment rose 14.7% to $86 million, contractor supplies sales increased 7.3% to $44 million and service and other revenues grew 6.3% to $101 million. General Rentals segment equipment rental revenues increased 6.6% year over year to $2.42 billion. Equipment rental gross profit rose 8.7% to $865 million, while gross margin expanded 70 basis points to 35.8%.Specialty segment equipment rental revenues rose 24.8% to $1.43 billion. Gross profit increased 21.1% to $636 million, but gross margin contracted 140 basis points to 44.4%. The decline reflected a revenue mix shift toward lower-margin ancillary and re-rent revenues, partly offset by lower labor and benefit expenses as a percentage of revenues. Gross profit increased to $1.73 billion from $1.53 billion. The gross margin improved to 39.3% from 38.9%, as revenue growth outpaced the increase in cost of revenues.Adjusted EBITDA rose 13.6% to a quarterly record of $2.06 billion. The adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 70 basis points to 46.6%, including a $49 million gain from the sale of part of the scaffolding business. Excluding that gain, the margin declined 40 basis points due mainly to the Specialty Rentals mix pressure.Net income increased 21.1% to a second-quarter record of $753 million. Net income margin expanded 130 basis points to 17.1%, including a $37 million after-tax benefit from the scaffolding transaction. For the first six months of 2026, net cash provided by operating activities increased 20.1% to $3.31 billion. Free cash flow declined 4.1% to $1.15 billion, including restructuring-related payments and gross rental equipment purchases of $2.72 billion.URI ended June with liquidity of $3 billion, including $112 million in cash and equivalents. Its net leverage ratio improved to 1.8x from 1.9x at the end of 2025.The company returned $998 million to its shareholders during the first half of 2026, comprising $750 million in share repurchases and $248 million in dividends. United Rentals expects to repurchase $1.5 billion of shares in 2026 and declared a quarterly dividend of $1.97 per share. Management raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $17.5-$17.8 billion from $16.9-$17.4 billion. The adjusted EBITDA forecast increased to $7.98-$8.13 billion from $7.63-$7.88 billion.United Rentals now expects net cash provided by operating activities of $5.85-$6.65 billion, compared with the prior projection of $5.4-$6.2 billion. The free cash flow outlook, excluding restructuring-related payments, was maintained at $2.15-$2.45 billion.Net rental capital expenditures are projected at $3.4-$3.8 billion after gross purchases of $4.85-$5.25 billion. Management cited large-project activity, customer backlogs and year-to-date momentum as factors supporting the higher outlook. In the past month, investors have witnessed a upward trend in estimates review. Currently, United Rentals has a nice Growth Score of B, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with an F. However, the stock has a grade of B on the value side, putting it in the second quintile for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of B. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Estimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. It comes with little surprise United Rentals has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). We expect an above average return from the stock in the next few months. 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 United Rentals, Inc. (URI) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

United Rentals, Inc. URI reported solid second-quarter 2026 results, with both adjusted earnings and revenues exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 9.3% and 4.1%, respectively. The company also delivered strong year-over-year growth across key metrics. Record rental revenues, higher fleet productivity and strong specialty demand supported the performance. Shares of United Rentals have gained 10.4% since the earnings release, reflecting positive investor sentiment toward its strong rental demand and raised 2026 guidance. Adjusted earnings per share stood at $12.76, up 21.9% from the prior-year quarter, while revenues of $4.41 billion increased 11.8%. This growth was driven by record rental revenues, higher fleet productivity and strong specialty demand. Operating margin in the quarter was supported by higher revenue growth and fleet productivity, while adjusted EBITDA increased 13.6% year over year to a quarterly record of $2.06 billion.Furthermore, United Rentals raised its 2026 revenue and adjusted EBITDA guidance, backed by strong large-project activity, customer backlogs and higher fleet utilization. (read more: United Rentals Q2 Earnings Beat on Rental Growth, '26 Guidance Raised) Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Shares of this Connecticut-based equipment rental company have surged 22.3% in the past three months, outperforming the Zacks Building Products - Miscellaneous industry, the broader Zacks Construction sector and the S&P 500 Index. Let us take a closer look at the factors shaping United Rentals stock’s prospects. United Rentals is benefiting from stronger-than-expected customer demand, particularly across large projects. In the second quarter of 2026, total revenues increased 12% year over year to $4.4 billion, while rental revenues rose nearly 13% to a record $3.8 billion. Fleet productivity increased 3.4%, contributing to 9% growth in OER. Strong project activity during the first half also led the company to raise its 2026 revenue guidance to $17.5-$17.8 billion, up $500 million from the previous range.The demand environment remains supported by large projects, which are expected to drive activity through the second half of 2026. The company is also seeing growth across construction and industrial markets, providing a broader base for rental demand. Higher project activity, combined with strong fleet utilization, should support revenue generation as the company enters the second half of the year. United Rentals is gaining traction across its Specialty business, creating additional avenues for rental revenue growth. In the second quarter of 2026, Specialty rental revenues increased 25% year over year, with growth across all lines of business and 11 cold starts. Power posted double-digit growth, while metals and minerals also delivered healthy gains during the quarter.The broad performance across Specialty strengthens United Rentals’ exposure to customers requiring more specialized equipment and services. Demand across power, infrastructure and other project-driven markets should provide opportunities to expand the business as customers undertake increasingly complex projects. United Rentals is benefiting from activity across a wide range of end markets rather than relying on a single source of demand. During the second quarter, projects began across hospitals, airports and LNG terminals, while data centers remained a source of growth. Construction activity was led by nonresidential and infrastructure projects, while power also delivered double-digit growth within the industrial business.This diversified exposure provides a broader foundation for rental demand as project activity expands across different parts of the economy. Large infrastructure and industrial projects can also support demand for both general rental equipment and specialized products, allowing United Rentals to participate across multiple stages of project development. United Rentals is increasing fleet investment to meet customer requirements as equipment utilization remains elevated. The company spent $2.9 billion on gross rental CapEx through the first half of 2026, more than $650 million above the prior-year period. Full-year gross CapEx guidance was raised $450 million to $4.85-$5.25 billion.The higher investment should expand equipment availability as United Rentals responds to stronger project demand. The company expects historically high utilization levels to support the need for additional fleet, while continued investment should help it serve customers without relying solely on existing equipment capacity. United Rentals is generating significant cash while maintaining a disciplined approach to capital allocation. Free cash flow totaled roughly $1.15 billion year to date, while net leverage remained at 1.8x and total liquidity stood at almost $3 billion at the end of June. The company also returned $998 million to its shareholders through the first half, including $750 million in share repurchases and $248 million in dividends.Financial flexibility gives United Rentals capacity to fund fleet expansion while maintaining shareholder returns. The company expects 2026 free cash flow of $2.15-$2.45 billion and plans to return roughly $2 billion to its shareholders through repurchases and dividends, supporting capital allocation while preserving flexibility for growth opportunities. URI’s earnings estimates for 2026 and 2027 have moved upward over the past 30 days to $48.55 and $55.71 per share, respectively. The revised estimates for 2026 and 2027 imply year-over-year improvements of 15.4% and 14.7%, respectively. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research URI stock is currently trading at a premium compared with the industry peers, with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 21.6, as the trend lines suggest below. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research United Rentals operates across a broad industrial and infrastructure market alongside Armstrong World Industries, Inc. AWI, Masco Corporation MAS and Argan, Inc. AGX, which have exposure to construction, building products and infrastructure spending.Armstrong World Industries provides ceiling, architectural specialty and interior solutions for commercial buildings. Its broad product portfolio, product differentiation and expansion into structural and containment solutions provide an advantage as demand grows across transportation and data center projects. However, the company faces inflationary pressure from freight, energy and raw material costs, which could affect profitability.Meanwhile, Masco operates across plumbing and decorative architectural products, with brands spanning kitchen, bath and premium water products. Masco’s strong brands, product innovation, e-commerce capabilities and customer service support its competitive position across multiple channels. However, softer international demand in markets such as China and pressure from strategic investments could weigh on near-term sales performance.Conversely, Argan provides engineering, procurement and construction services across power, industrial and Teledata markets. Argan’s experience with complex power projects, strong execution record and ability to handle large fixed-price contracts provide an advantage in an environment of rising power infrastructure demand. However, project timing can cause fluctuations in backlog and revenues, with gaps possible between the completion of projects and the award of new contracts.United Rentals’ one-stop-shop model, broad specialty offerings, technology and distributed footprint provide a competitive advantage in terms of customer service, fleet utilization and ability to serve large projects. However, competition could increase as industry utilization improves and smaller rental players use available capacity, while supply constraints may limit how quickly additional equipment can be added. United Rentals’ strong second-quarter performance, healthy rental demand and raised 2026 guidance support its growth prospects. Record rental revenues, higher fleet productivity and 25% growth in Specialty rental revenues highlight solid customer activity, while elevated utilization is driving additional fleet investment. Strong cash generation and a solid balance sheet also provide flexibility to support growth and shareholder returns.Although URI trades at a premium valuation relative to the industry, upward earnings estimate revisions and expectations for more than 10% revenue growth at the midpoint of 2026 guidance support the higher multiple. With a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present, United Rentals remains an attractive choice for investors seeking exposure to equipment rental and infrastructure-related activity. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. 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 United Rentals, Inc. (URI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Masco Corporation (MAS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (AWI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Argan, Inc. (AGX) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Fluor Corporation FLR is scheduled to report its second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 7, before the opening bell.In the last reported quarter, the company’s adjusted earnings per share (EPS) and revenues missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 78.8% and 3.6%, respectively. On a year-over-year basis, both metrics declined 80.8% and 8%, respectively.Fluor’s earnings topped the consensus mark in one of the trailing four quarters and missed on the remaining three occasions, with a negative average surprise of 13.6%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s second-quarter EPS has remained unchanged at 73 cents over the past 60 days. The estimated figure indicates a 69.8% year-over-year rise from 43 cents. Fluor Corporation price-eps-surprise | Fluor Corporation Quote The consensus estimate for revenues is pegged at $3.80 billion, indicating a decline of 4.5% from $3.98 billion reported in the year-ago quarter. Fluor’s top-line performance in the second quarter is expected to have decreased year over year due to the timing of project awards, slower conversion of front-end engineering work into execution activities and softer revenue contributions from the Energy Solutions segment. Geopolitical uncertainties and the potential for supply-chain disruptions are also likely to have weighed on revenue recognition during the quarter.Despite these headwinds, robust demand across data centers, life sciences, power generation, LNG, mining and critical minerals is likely to have supported business activity. These favorable market trends are likely to have resulted in continued contributions from the company’s Urban Solutions (comprising 66.5% of first-quarter 2026 total revenues) and Mission Solutions (comprising 14.3% of first-quarter 2026 total revenues) segments. Besides, a growing pipeline of front-end awards, a high-quality reimbursable backlog and disciplined project selection are likely to have partially offset the revenue decline. Fluor’s bottom-line performance in the second quarter is expected to have increased year over year, supported by higher-margin new awards, disciplined project selection and an increasing mix of reimbursable contracts. Continued execution of quality backlog, improving commercial terms and higher margins on newly awarded projects are also likely to have supported profitability during the quarter.Although geopolitical uncertainty and potential supply-chain disruptions remain as risks, the company’s focus on building a higher-quality backlog, maintaining commercial discipline and expanding front-end engineering opportunities is likely to have supported margins during the quarter. Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Fluor 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. Unfortunately, this is not the case here, as you will see below.Earnings ESP: FLR has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.Zacks Rank: The company currently carries a Zacks Rank of 5 (Strong Sell). Here are some companies in the Zacks Construction sector, which per our model, have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in the respective quarters to be reported.EMCOR Group, Inc. EME has an Earnings ESP of +7.90% and a Zacks Rank of 1 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.EMCOR’s earnings beat estimates in three of the last four quarters, missed on the remaining occasion, the average surprise being 12.2%. EME’s earnings for the third quarter of 2026 are expected to increase 19.9% year over year.United Rentals, Inc. URI currently has an Earnings ESP of +1.42% and a Zacks Rank of 1.URI’s earnings beat estimates in two of the last four quarters, missed on the remaining two occasions, the average surprise being 1%. United Rentals’ earnings for the third quarter of 2026 are expected to increase 16% year over year.Dycom Industries, Inc. DY currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.69% and a Zacks Rank of 3.DY’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 25%. Dycom’s earnings for the second quarter of fiscal 2027 are expected to grow 39% year over year. 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 Fluor Corporation (FLR) : Free Stock Analysis Report EMCOR Group, Inc. (EME) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Rentals, Inc. (URI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Dycom Industries, Inc. (DY) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. STRL delivered a strong second quarter of 2026, with adjusted earnings and revenues topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing sharply year over year. Results were driven by outsized growth in E-Infrastructure Solutions, supported by strong organic execution and contributions from the CEC and Stone Ridge acquisitions.Transportation Solutions revenues declined as Sterling accelerated the reallocation of resources toward higher-margin E-Infrastructure opportunities. Meanwhile, Building Solutions remained pressured by relatively flat homebuilder activity and continued housing affordability challenges. Adjusted earnings were $5.80 per share, beating the consensus mark of $5.20 by 11.5%. In the year-ago quarter, the company reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.69.Revenues of $1.17 billion surpassed the consensus estimate of $1.07 billion by 9.3% and increased 90.1% from $614.5 million in the year-ago quarter. Acquisitions, including CEC and Stone Ridge, contributed $250.8 million to revenues during the quarter. Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. Quote Signed backlog ended the quarter at $4.33 billion, up 116% year over year, while combined backlog increased 150% to $5.62 billion. Second-quarter book-to-burn ratios were 1.4x for signed backlog and 1.3x for combined backlog, excluding the impact of the Stone Ridge acquisition.Beyond signed work, the company’s pipeline of high-probability future-phase opportunities exceeded $1.4 billion. Sterling’s signed backlog, unsigned awards and future-phase opportunities represented a total addressable pool of more than $7 billion, up more than $2.5 billion from the end of 2025. Operating leverage remained a key highlight as profit growth outpaced the top line. Gross profit increased to $290 million from $143.1 million a year ago, while gross margin improved to 24.8% from 23.3%, an expansion of roughly 150 basis points.Operating income reached $219.3 million compared with $104.6 million in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA rose 104% year over year to $256.7 million, while adjusted EBITDA margin improved to 22% from 20.4%. E-Infrastructure Solutions was the primary growth engine, with segment revenues, which accounted for 78% of total revenues, jumping to $905 million from $310.4 million in the year-ago quarter. Management attributed the performance to strong results across organic and acquired operations. The legacy site development business generated 111% revenue growth, reflecting expansion across all regions, while CEC’s electrical services revenues increased 140% from the pre-acquisition second quarter.Profitability in the segment also increased sharply. Adjusted operating income climbed to $217.8 million from $87.7 million. E-Infrastructure signed backlog rose 165% year over year, with mission-critical projects, including data centers, manufacturing and semiconductor facilities, representing 92% of segment backlog.Transportation Solutions revenues, which represented 13% of total revenues, declined to $156.7 million from $196.8 million. The decrease reflected Sterling’s ongoing shift of resources from transportation projects toward higher-margin E-Infrastructure opportunities. Despite lower revenues, adjusted operating income increased to $30.5 million from $28.3 million, and adjusted operating margin expanded to 19.5% from 14.4%.Building Solutions remained the softer spot. Revenues, which accounted for 9% of total revenues, slipped to $106.5 million from $107.3 million. Adjusted operating income declined to $10.5 million from $11.8 million as relatively flat homebuilder activity and affordability pressures weighed on performance. Cash generation remained a notable support for the balance sheet. Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $328 million during the first six months of 2026, up from $170.3 million in the year-ago period. Cash and cash equivalents ended June at $464.5 million, up from $390.7 million at the end of 2025.Sterling repurchased $35.3 million of common stock during the first half of the year. Long-term debt stood at $268.7 million at quarter-end compared with $275.9 million at the end of 2025, while capital expenditures totaled $69.6 million. Confidence in its operating momentum translated into higher full-year targets. Sterling raised its 2026 revenue guidance to $4-$4.15 billion from the prior range of $3.70-$3.80 billion, indicating strong execution, expanding backlog and contributions from the Stone Ridge acquisition.Earnings are now expected to be $17.25-$17.85 per share, up from the previous forecast of $16.50-$17.15. Adjusted earnings are projected at $19.70-$20.30 per share compared with the prior outlook of $18.40-$19.05.The company also lifted EBITDA guidance to $829-$854 million from $801-$831 million and adjusted EBITDA guidance to $891-$916 million from the earlier range of $843-$873 million. Sterling currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Comfort Systems USA, Inc. FIX delivered impressive second-quarter 2026 results, with earnings and revenues surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Both metrics increased sharply year over year.Comfort Systems’ quarterly performance reflected continued strength across the end markets, robust execution by the operating teams and sustained demand that drove record backlog growth, reinforcing its confidence in the business momentum. Backlog as of June 30, 2026, totaled $14.06 billion, increasing 12.9% from $12.45 billion on March 31, 2026, and jumping 73.2% from $8.12 billion reported a year ago.United Rentals, Inc. URI reported solid second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings per share and total revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing year over year.Record rental revenues, higher fleet productivity and robust specialty demand supported United Rentals’ results. Fleet productivity improved 3.4% year over year. Rental revenues increased 12.7% year over year to a quarterly record of $3.85 billion. Management raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $17.5-$17.8 billion from $16.9-$17.4 billion. The adjusted EBITDA forecast increased to $7.98-$8.13 billion from $7.63-$7.88 billion.PulteGroup, Inc. PHM reported better-than-expected second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings and total revenues topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate, but declining year over year.The quarterly results reflect reduced home-closing volumes, softer average selling prices and margin compression. Ongoing softness in the housing market because of weaker consumer confidence and ongoing affordability challenges due to high mortgage rates hurt the top-line growth. The number of homes closed declined 8.4% year over year to 6,997 units. Net new orders increased 6.4% year over year to 7,536 homes. 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 Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. (STRL) : Free Stock Analysis Report PulteGroup, Inc. (PHM) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Rentals, Inc. (URI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Comfort Systems USA, Inc. (FIX) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Quanta Services, Inc. PWR reported better-than-expected second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings and revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Quanta’s performance benefited from strong demand for grid, generation and data-center infrastructure, broader self-perform capabilities, efficient resource utilization and solid execution across both segments.Shares of this leading provider of specialty contracting and infrastructure solutions gained more than 14% following its earnings release. The company reported adjusted earnings of $4.24 per share for the second quarter of 2026, up 71% year over year. The figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.29 by 28.9%.Revenues increased 41.1% year over year to $9.56 billion and surpassed the consensus mark of $8.53 billion by 12.1%. Strong Electric segment execution supported the results, while total backlog reached a record $53.4 billion. Organic revenues grew 27.4% year over year as demand remained strong across Quanta’s infrastructure markets. Adjusted EBITDA advanced 59.5% year over year to $1.07 billion from $668.8 million in the prior-year quarter.GAAP earnings were $2.96 per share, up 94.7% from $1.52. Net income attributable to common stock increased 96.9% year over year to $451.4 million, reflecting higher activity and stronger operating performance across the portfolio. Quanta Services, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Quanta Services, Inc. Quote Electric Infrastructure Solutions (which accounted for 82% of second-quarter revenues) revenues climbed 43.6% year over year to $7.84 billion. Organic revenues increased approximately 33%, while acquired businesses contributed about $575 million. Growth reflected continued demand for grid, generation, technology and load center solutions.Electric operating income increased 62.5% year over year to $898.2 million. The segment’s margin expanded to 11.5% from 10.1%, supported by increased project scope, self-performed solutions, efficient resource utilization and solid execution.Underground Utility and Infrastructure Solutions (18% of quarterly revenues) revenues rose 30.7% year over year to $1.72 billion. Organic revenues grew 4% year over year, and businesses acquired during the past 12 months contributed roughly $355 million.The segment’s operating income advanced 71.7% year over year to $155.8 million. Operating margin improved to 9.1% from 6.9%, primarily reflecting strong performance from Quanta’s civil and mechanical operations. Consolidated operating income increased 87.6% to $694.8 million from $370.3 million in the year-ago quarter. Operating margin widened to 7.3% from 5.5%, as the improvement in both operating segments more than offset higher corporate expenses.Corporate and non-allocated costs increased to $359.2 million from $273.0 million. These costs included amortization expense of $157.0 million compared with $113.2 million a year earlier and non-cash stock-based compensation of $63.4 million compared with $44.1 million in the prior year. Electric backlog reached a record $43.8 billion at quarter-end, driven primarily by additional awards and higher volumes with existing customers. The total included approximately $2.4 billion related to acquisitions completed during the second quarter.Underground and Infrastructure backlog rose to a record $9.7 billion, aided by strong bookings in mechanical and Canadian pipeline operations. Consolidated 12-month backlog was also a record at $32.3 billion. Remaining performance obligations totaled $33.6 billion. Cash provided by operating activities totaled $1.10 billion compared with $295.7 million a year earlier. Free cash flow improved to $886.0 million from $170.4 million, supported by favorable working-capital performance across Quanta’s portfolio.The debt-to-EBITDA ratio under the company’s senior credit agreement improved to 1.72X from 1.95X at 2025-end. Quanta ended the June quarter with approximately $2.8 billion of liquidity, even after deploying capital toward acquisitions offering high-return growth opportunities. Quanta increased its 2026 revenue forecast to $39.3-$39.7 billion, representing a $4.55 billion increase at the midpoint from its prior outlook. Adjusted earnings are now projected to be in the range of $16.45-$16.95 per share, while adjusted EBITDA is expected to be between $4.09 billion and $4.21 billion.Electric segment revenues are projected to be in the range of $31.7-$31.9 billion, with an operating margin of 10.5%-10.75%. Underground and Infrastructure revenues are expected to be between $7.60 billion and $7.80 billion, with an operating margin of 8.75%-9.0%. Free cash flow is forecasted to be in the $2.00-$2.50 billion range. Quanta currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Orion Group Holdings, Inc. ORN reported weaker-than-expected second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted EPS and revenues missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Revenues increased 8% year over year, driven by strong growth in the Concrete segment, supported by higher project volumes, new contract awards, expansion of site civil services and solid project execution. However, these gains were more than offset by weakness in the Marine business, where lower project volumes, along with higher selling, general and administrative expenses to support growth initiatives, pressured margins and reduced adjusted EBITDA, weighing on overall earnings.Despite the softer quarter, Orion reaffirmed its full-year revenue guidance of $900-$950 million, implying approximately 9% growth at the midpoint. However, the company lowered its adjusted EBITDA outlook to $50-$54 million from the prior $54-$58 million range and reduced its adjusted earnings guidance to 23-30 cents per share from the earlier forecast of 36-42 cents.United Rentals, Inc. URI reported solid second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings per share and total revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing year over year. Record rental revenues, higher fleet productivity and robust specialty demand supported the results. Fleet productivity improved 3.4% year over year.United Rentals’ management raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $17.5-$17.8 billion from $16.9-$17.4 billion. The adjusted EBITDA forecast increased to $7.98-$8.13 billion from $7.63-$7.88 billion.Comfort Systems USA, Inc. FIX delivered impressive second-quarter 2026 results, with earnings and revenues surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing sharply year over year. The quarterly performance reflected continued strength across its end markets, robust execution by the operating teams and sustained demand that drove record backlog growth, reinforcing the company’s confidence in the business momentum.Comfort Systems’ backlog as of June 30, 2026, totaled $14.06 billion, increasing 12.9% from $12.45 billion at March 31, 2026, and jumping 73.2% from $8.12 billion reported a year ago. On a same-store basis, backlog climbed to $13.70 billion from $8.12 billion in the year-ago period. 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 Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Rentals, Inc. (URI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Comfort Systems USA, Inc. (FIX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Orion Group Holdings, Inc. (ORN) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

CRH plc CRH reported exceptional second-quarter 2026 financial results with adjusted earnings and total revenues topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate and growing year over year. Positive pricing, favorable demand and acquisition contributions supported the quarterly growth.CRH stock inched up 0.8% during today’s pre-market trading session.The company completed 11 acquisitions during the quarter for $1.1 billion. The largest was Axius Water, acquired for $0.7 billion, strengthening CRH’s exposure to specialized water-quality solutions in North America. CRH also generated $1.7 billion from divestitures and long-lived asset disposals. The transactions included its construction accessories operations, lawn and garden business, and MoistureShield. CRH’s adjusted earnings of $2.21 per share topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.96 by 12.8%. The quarterly earnings increased 14% from $1.94 in the year-ago quarter.Revenues of $10.78 billion surpassed the consensus mark of $10.72 billion by 0.5% and rose 6% year over year.Product revenues increased to $8.49 billion from $7.92 billion a year earlier, while Service revenues were nearly flat at $2.29 billion. CRH PLC price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | CRH PLC Quote Americas Materials Solutions revenues increased 10% to $4.96 billion. Adjusted EBITDA advanced 12% to $1.38 billion, while the margin expanded 40 basis points to 27.9%.Essential Materials revenues rose 20% on pricing and acquisitions, led by the 2025 purchase of Eco Material Technologies. Aggregates volumes grew 2% and prices increased 5%, while cement volumes declined 2% and prices slipped 1%. Road Solutions revenues rose 6%, supported by asphalt volume growth of 3% and pricing growth of 6%.Americas Building Solutions revenues declined 2% to $2.12 billion as divestitures and subdued residential demand offset strength in energy and data infrastructure markets. The segment’s adjusted EBITDA declined 8% to $462 million, and margin contracted 140 basis points to 21.8% amid cost inflation and the impact of divestitures.Building & Infrastructure Solutions revenues grew 10%, helped by data center and utility activity. Outdoor Living Solutions revenues fell 7%, reflecting portfolio actions and weaker new-build residential demand.International Solutions revenues increased 5% to $3.70 billion, as pricing, acquisitions and higher activity in select markets more than offset divestitures. Adjusted EBITDA rose 8% to $781 million, and margin increased 70 basis points to 21.1%.Essential Materials revenues advanced 15%. Aggregates and cement volumes rose 10% and 6%, respectively, while pricing improved 2% and 4%. Road Solutions revenues declined 3% due to divestitures, although ready-mixed concrete volumes increased 5% and pricing rose 3%. As of June 30, 2026, CRH had cash and cash equivalents of $3.03 billion and restricted cash of $58 million, compared with $4.10 billion and $51 million, respectively, at the end of 2025. CRH ended the quarter with total equity of $25.10 billion, broadly stable with $25.05 billion at 2025-end. Long-term debt declined to $15.41 billion from $16.48 billion. Total liabilities were $33.02 billion compared with $32.85 billion at the end of 2025.Operating cash flow totaled $513 million in the first six months of 2026. CRH spent $607 million on share repurchases and $521 million on dividends during the period. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of 39 cents per share, up 5% year over year. CRH reaffirmed 2026 net income guidance of $3.9-$4.1 billion, adjusted EBITDA guidance of $8.1-$8.5 billion and earnings guidance of $5.60-$6.05 per share. The company expects public infrastructure spending and reindustrialization activity to support demand, while new-build residential conditions remain subdued.Capital expenditure guidance was lowered to $2.7-$2.9 billion from $2.8-$3 billion due to project timing and lower maintenance spending. CRH currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.Comfort Systems USA, Inc. FIX delivered impressive second-quarter 2026 results, with earnings and revenues surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing sharply year over year.Comfort Systems’ quarterly performance reflected continued strength across its end markets, robust execution by the operating teams and sustained demand that drove record backlog growth, reinforcing its confidence in the business momentum. Backlog as of June 30, 2026, totaled $14.06 billion, increasing 12.9% from $12.45 billion at March 31, 2026, and jumping 73.2% from $8.12 billion reported a year ago.United Rentals, Inc. URI reported solid second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings per share and total revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing year over year.Record rental revenues, higher fleet productivity and robust specialty demand supported United Rentals’ results. Fleet productivity improved 3.4% year over year. Rental revenues increased 12.7% year over year to a quarterly record of $3.85 billion. Management raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $17.5-$17.8 billion from $16.9-$17.4 billion. The adjusted EBITDA forecast increased to $7.98-$8.13 billion from $7.63-$7.88 billion.PulteGroup, Inc. PHM reported better-than-expected second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings and total revenues topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate, but declining year over year.The quarterly results reflect reduced home-closing volumes, softer average selling prices (ASP) and margin compression. Ongoing softness in the housing market because of weaker consumer confidence and ongoing affordability challenges due to high mortgage rates hurt the top-line growth. The number of homes closed declined 8.4% year over year to 6,997 units. Net new orders increased 6.4% year over year to 7,536 homes. 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 CRH PLC (CRH) : Free Stock Analysis Report PulteGroup, Inc. (PHM) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Rentals, Inc. (URI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Comfort Systems USA, Inc. (FIX) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. MLM reported outstanding second-quarter 2026 results, wherein adjusted earnings (from continuing operations) and revenues topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increased year over year.The results benefited from strong organic performance and acquisition contributions. Aggregates shipments increased 17% to a record 61.6 million tons, supported by infrastructure and heavy nonresidential demand.Infrastructure activity remains supported by significant funding available under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and historically elevated state transportation budgets in Martin Marietta's markets. Heavy nonresidential demand also benefits from data center, power-generation and warehouse construction. Residential activity remains constrained by affordability pressures. However, the company's footprint provides exposure to favorable long-term population and migration trends, creating potential upside when housing construction recovers.MLM stock inched up 0.02% during today’s pre-market trading hours, post the announcement of its financial results. The quarter’s adjusted earnings (from continuing operations) of $5.00 per share were up 3.3% year over year and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.62 by 8.2%.Revenues rose 21% to $1.95 billion year over year and beat the consensus mark of $1.87 billion by 4.3%. Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. Quote Aggregates revenues increased 16% year over year to $1.53 billion. Growth reflected a full-quarter contribution from assets acquired from QUIKRETE, a partial-quarter contribution from New Frontier Materials and 2.3% organic shipment growth.Average selling price per ton declined 2% to $22.74 because of acquisition-related mix pressure. However, organic pricing rose 2.1%, while organic mix-adjusted pricing advanced 3.7%, highlighting continued pricing strength in the legacy portfolio. Other Building Materials revenues increased 12% to $303 million. Gross profit, however, declined 14% to $34 million because of higher ready-mix concrete raw material costs, lower organic paving revenues and weaker job margins.Specialties revenues surged 68% to a quarterly record of $152 million, while gross profit climbed 39% to $50 million. The gains reflected contributions from the July 2025 Premier Magnesia acquisition and organic pricing improvement across all products. Consolidated gross profit was nearly flat at $495 million despite the sharp revenue increase. The quarter included a $52 million non-cash charge tied to the sale of acquired inventory after its fair-value markup under purchase accounting.Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations increased 13% to a record $638 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin contracted to 33% from 35% a year earlier, reflecting acquisition-related mix and accounting adjustments. Cash from operating activities totaled $339 million for the first six months of 2026, down from $605 million a year earlier. The decline mainly reflected higher income tax payments related to the taxable gain on the February 2026 divestiture of the Midlothian cement business and remaining Texas ready-mix operations.Capital expenditures were $314 million during the period. MLM returned $302 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases and ended June with $112 million in unrestricted cash and $742 million of unused borrowing capacity. Martin Marietta raised its 2026 revenue guidance to a range of $7.2-$7.4 billion, with a midpoint of $7.3 billion. The updated view reflects strong first-half results and continued operating momentum.The company reaffirmed adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations guidance of $2.36-$2.50 billion, or $2.43 billion at the midpoint. The outlook excludes any contribution from the proposed Lhoist North America transaction. Martin Marietta currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.Comfort Systems USA, Inc. FIX delivered impressive second-quarter 2026 results, with earnings and revenues surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing sharply year over year.Comfort Systems’ quarterly performance reflected continued strength across its end markets, robust execution by the operating teams and sustained demand that drove record backlog growth, reinforcing its confidence in the business momentum. Backlog as of June 30, 2026, totaled $14.06 billion, increasing 12.9% from $12.45 billion at March 31, 2026, and jumping 73.2% from $8.12 billion reported a year ago.United Rentals, Inc. URI reported solid second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings per share and total revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing year over year.Record rental revenues, higher fleet productivity and robust specialty demand supported United Rentals’ results. Fleet productivity improved 3.4% year over year. Rental revenues increased 12.7% year over year to a quarterly record of $3.85 billion. Management raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $17.5-$17.8 billion from $16.9-$17.4 billion. The adjusted EBITDA forecast increased to $7.98-$8.13 billion from $7.63-$7.88 billion.PulteGroup, Inc. PHM reported better-than-expected second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings and total revenues topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate, but declining year over year.The quarterly results reflect reduced home-closing volumes, softer average selling prices (ASP) and margin compression. Ongoing softness in the housing market because of weaker consumer confidence and ongoing affordability challenges due to high mortgage rates hurt the top-line growth. The number of homes closed declined 8.4% year over year to 6,997 units. Net new orders increased 6.4% year over year to 7,536 homes. 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 Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (MLM) : Free Stock Analysis Report PulteGroup, Inc. (PHM) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Rentals, Inc. (URI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Comfort Systems USA, Inc. (FIX) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

EMCOR Group, Inc. EME reported solid second-quarter 2026 results, with earnings and revenues surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The company’s quarterly performance was driven by broad-based organic growth across its reportable segments, disciplined project execution, favorable project mix and solid demand in key end markets. Improved operating leverage and cost control supported margin expansion, while record remaining performance obligations strengthened revenue visibility. Continued demand for mission-critical construction, network and communications, healthcare, institutional, water and wastewater, and high-tech manufacturing projects also supported management’s improved outlook.Following the results, EMCOR stock gained more than 11% during today’s pre-market trading session. EMCOR reported second-quarter 2026 earnings of $9.06 per share, up 34.8% year over year. The figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.23 by 25.3%.Revenues rose 19.8% to a record $5.15 billion and surpassed the consensus mark by 9%. Strong organic growth across every reportable segment drove the results, while Remaining Performance Obligations or RPOs reached a record $17.14 billion.Organic revenues increased 19.6% year over year after adjusting for incremental acquisition contributions and the sale of the company’s U.K. operations. The performance reflected sustained activity across EMCOR’s construction and services platforms.Net income climbed to $403.7 million from $302.2 million in the prior-year quarter. Management attributed the performance to disciplined execution, favorable demand across key markets and the company’s ability to deliver complex, mission-critical projects. EMCOR Group, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | EMCOR Group, Inc. Quote Gross profit increased 22.6% year over year to $1.02 billion. The gross margin expanded 40 basis points (bps) to 19.8%, as profit growth exceeded the pace of revenue growth.Selling, general and administrative expenses rose 13.5% year over year to $475 million but declined to 9.2% of revenues from 9.7% a year earlier. Operating income advanced 31.8% year over year to $547.3 million, while the operating margin improved 100 bps to 10.6%. U.S. Electrical Construction and Facilities Services revenues (which accounted for 32% of second-quarter total revenues) increased 24% year over year to $1.66 billion. Operating income surged 46.8% year over year to $231.4 million, while the segment margin expanded 210 bps to 13.9%.U.S. Mechanical Construction and Facilities Services (45%) revenues grew 31.1% year over year to $2.30 billion. Operating income rose 20.1% to $286.6 million, though the operating margin contracted 110 bps to 12.5%.U.S. Building Services revenues (16%) advanced 5.6% year over year to $837.7 million. Operating income increased 26.6% year over year to $63.4 million, and the margin expanded 130 basis points to 7.6%.U.S. Industrial Services revenues (7%) climbed 25.9% year over year to $353.8 million. The segment generated operating income of $9.6 million against a loss of $0.4 million in the year-ago quarter, lifting its margin to 2.7% from negative 0.1%. RPOs, or contracted work yet to be recognized as revenue, increased 43.9% year over year to $17.14 billion. The metric also rose $3.89 billion from the end of 2025.The largest increases came from Network and Communications, Water and Wastewater and Institutional and Healthcare. EMCOR also cited strong demand in Manufacturing and Industrial, High-Tech Manufacturing, fire life safety services and HVAC-related aftermarket projects. Cash and cash equivalents totaled $924.4 million as of June 30, 2026, compared with $1.11 billion at 2025-end. Working capital increased to $1.45 billion from $1.07 billion, while total debt remained low at $6.1 million.Net cash provided by operating activities was $289.9 million during the first six months of 2026. The company used $268.5 million for share repurchases, $35.6 million for dividends and $95 million for business acquisitions during the period. EMCOR increased its 2026 revenue guidance to $20-$20.50 billion from $18.50-$19.25 billion. The company also raised its operating margin forecast to 9.5-9.8% from 9-9.4%.Earnings are now expected to be between $32 and $33.25 per share, up from the previous range of $28.25-$29.75. The revised outlook reflects continued demand, success in winning and executing large-scale projects and management’s confidence in the company’s operating capabilities. EMCOR currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Orion Group Holdings, Inc. ORN reported weaker-than-expected second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted EPS and revenues missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Revenues increased 8% year over year, driven by strong growth in the Concrete segment, supported by higher project volumes, new contract awards, expansion of site civil services and solid project execution. However, these gains were more than offset by weakness in the Marine business, where lower project volumes, along with higher selling, general and administrative expenses to support growth initiatives, pressured margins and reduced adjusted EBITDA, weighing on overall earnings.Despite the softer quarter, Orion reaffirmed its full-year revenue guidance of $900-$950 million, implying approximately 9% growth at the midpoint. However, the company lowered its adjusted EBITDA outlook to $50-$54 million from the prior $54-$58 million range and reduced its adjusted earnings guidance to 23-30 cents per share from the earlier forecast of 36-42 cents.United Rentals, Inc. URI reported solid second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings per share and total revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing year over year. Record rental revenues, higher fleet productivity and robust specialty demand supported the results. Fleet productivity improved 3.4% year over year.United Rentals’ management raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $17.5-$17.8 billion from $16.9-$17.4 billion. The adjusted EBITDA forecast increased to $7.98-$8.13 billion from $7.63-$7.88 billion.Comfort Systems USA, Inc. FIX delivered impressive second-quarter 2026 results, with earnings and revenues surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing sharply year over year. The quarterly performance reflected continued strength across its end markets, robust execution by the operating teams and sustained demand that drove record backlog growth, reinforcing the company’s confidence in the business momentum.Comfort Systems’ backlog as of June 30, 2026, totaled $14.06 billion, increasing 12.9% from $12.45 billion at March 31, 2026, and jumping 73.2% from $8.12 billion reported a year ago. On a same-store basis, backlog climbed to $13.70 billion from $8.12 billion in the year-ago period. 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 EMCOR Group, Inc. (EME) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Rentals, Inc. (URI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Comfort Systems USA, Inc. (FIX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Orion Group Holdings, Inc. (ORN) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). 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Masco Corporation MAS reported mixed second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing year over year. However, net sales missed the consensus mark and declined from the prior-year quarter.Earnings benefited from tariff refunds, pricing actions, cost savings and share repurchases, while lower North American volumes weighed on revenues. The company also raised its 2026 adjusted earnings outlook, primarily reflecting an anticipated benefit from tariff refunds and growing year over year.MAS stock declined 6.7% during today’s pre-trading hours following the earnings release. Second-quarter 2026 earnings of $1.64 per share increased 26.2% from $1.30 a year ago. The figure topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.30 by 26.2%. Masco Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Masco Corporation Quote Net sales declined 2.9% year over year to $1.99 billion and missed the consensus mark of $2.09 billion by 4.6%. Currency translation had a minimal impact on quarterly revenues. In local currency, North American sales fell 5%, while international sales increased 4%. Reported gross profit increased 12.4% year over year to $868 million. Gross margin expanded 600 basis points to 43.6%.On an adjusted basis, gross profit rose to $872 million from $774 million. Adjusted gross margin improved 610 basis points to 43.8%, supported by lower tariff costs, including refunds, cost-saving initiatives and higher selling prices. These benefits were partly offset by lower sales volume, increased commodity costs, unfavorable product mix and other expenses.Adjusted operating profit increased 16.7% to $482 million. Adjusted operating margin expanded 410 basis points to 24.2%. The quarter included an approximately $95 million net benefit from refunds of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.Selling, general and administrative expenses increased 10% to $397 million. Higher employee-related expenses and increased legal and professional fees contributed to the rise. Plumbing Products segment sales decreased 2.6% year over year to $1.337 billion (up from our model’s projection of $1.22 billion). Currency had a minimal impact on the segment’s results.Adjusted operating profit increased to $361 million from $286 million. The adjusted operating margin expanded 620 basis points to 27%. The improvement reflected the tariff refund benefit, pricing and cost savings, partly offset by lower volume and higher tariff, commodity and employee-related costs. Decorative Architectural Products segment sales decreased 3.5% year over year to $655 million (down from our model’s projection of $609.3 million). Professional paint sales increased in the mid-single digits, but do-it-yourself paint sales declined in the high-single digits.The DIY decline was affected by the customer transition of Masco’s primer and applicator business. Lower sales volume also pressured the segment’s overall top line.Adjusted operating profit edged up to $148 million from $147 million. Adjusted operating margin increased 100 basis points to 22.6%, as cost-saving initiatives and higher prices offset lower volume and increased commodity costs. Masco returned $454 million to its shareholders through dividends and share repurchases during the quarter. In the first six months of 2026, the company spent $592 million on common-stock repurchases and paid $129 million in cash dividends.Cash and cash investments totaled $548 million at quarter-end. Total liquidity was $1.548 billion, including $1 billion of available revolving credit. Gross debt to EBITDA was 2.1X, while working capital represented 19.8% of trailing sales.Net cash from operating activities increased to $417 million in the first half from $148 million a year earlier. Capital expenditures rose to $77 million from $68 million. Masco raised its adjusted earnings forecast for 2026 to $4.40-$4.60 per share from $4.10-$4.30. The revision reflects an anticipated full-year net benefit of approximately $85 million from tariff refunds, while management indicated that underlying business performance remained largely aligned with its previous outlook.The company expects total sales to increase in the low-single digits. Plumbing Products sales are projected to rise in the low-single digits, while Decorative Architectural Products revenues are expected to remain in line with 2025. Masco forecasts adjusted operating margins of about 20% for Plumbing Products, 19% for Decorative Architectural Products and 18% companywide. Masco currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.Comfort Systems USA, Inc. FIX delivered impressive second-quarter 2026 results, with earnings and revenues surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing sharply year over year.Comfort Systems’ quarterly performance reflected continued strength across its end markets, robust execution by the operating teams and sustained demand that drove record backlog growth, reinforcing its confidence in the business momentum. Backlog as of June 30, 2026, totaled $14.06 billion, increasing 12.9% from $12.45 billion on March 31, 2026, and jumping 73.2% from $8.12 billion reported a year ago.United Rentals, Inc. URI reported solid second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings per share and total revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing year over year.Record rental revenues, higher fleet productivity and robust specialty demand supported United Rentals’ results. Fleet productivity improved 3.4% year over year. Rental revenues increased 12.7% year over year to a quarterly record of $3.85 billion. Management raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $17.5-$17.8 billion from $16.9-$17.4 billion. The adjusted EBITDA forecast increased to $7.98-$8.13 billion from $7.63-$7.88 billion.PulteGroup, Inc. PHM reported better-than-expected second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings and total revenues topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate, but declining year over year.The quarterly results reflect reduced home-closing volumes, softer average selling prices (ASP) and margin compression. Ongoing softness in the housing market because of weaker consumer confidence and ongoing affordability challenges due to high mortgage rates hurt the top-line growth. The number of homes closed declined 8.4% year over year to 6,997 units. Net new orders increased 6.4% year over year to 7,536 homes. 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 Masco Corporation (MAS) : Free Stock Analysis Report PulteGroup, Inc. (PHM) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Rentals, Inc. (URI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Comfort Systems USA, Inc. (FIX) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Orion Group Holdings, Inc. ORN reported weather-than-expected second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) and revenues missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Although revenues increased 8% year over year, supported by strong growth in the Concrete business driven by higher project volumes, new awards, expansion of site civil services and solid project execution, the benefits were offset by weakness in the Marine segment. Lower Marine volumes, coupled with higher selling, general and administrative expenses to support business growth, compressed margins and reduced adjusted EBITDA, ultimately weighing on earnings.Shares of this leading specialty construction company dipped more than 12% after its second-quarter earnings release yesterday.The company reported adjusted earnings of 2 cents per share for the quarter, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 6 cents by 66.7%. Adjusted earnings fell 71.4% from 7 cents in the year-ago quarter.Contract revenues of $221.9 million missed the consensus mark of $227.3 million by 2.4% but increased 8.1% year over year. Concrete growth was offset by lower Marine activity, while backlog climbed to $722 million.Gross profit fell 11.1% year over year to $22.9 million. Gross margin contracted to 10.3% from 12.6%, reflecting lower Marine volume and equipment utilization, partly offset by favorable Concrete project execution. Orion's second-quarter performance reflected a sharp divergence between its two operating segments. The Concrete segment (which accounted for 41% of the second-quarter contract revenues) remained the primary growth driver, with revenues increasing more than 30% year over year to $91 million. The strong performance was fueled by robust customer demand, new project awards, expansion of site civil services, higher project volumes, favorable equipment utilization and solid project execution. These factors also lifted segment adjusted EBITDA by more than 45% year over year to $5.2 million, with the adjusted EBITDA margin improving to 5.7% from 5.1% in the prior-year quarter.In contrast, the Marine segment (which accounted for 59% of the second-quarter contract revenues) weighed on overall results. Revenues declined 3.3% year over year to $130.8 million as project start-ups were delayed due to client-related issues, including site readiness and the timing of customer-provided materials. The slower project ramp-up reduced equipment utilization, resulting in lower profitability. Segment adjusted EBITDA declined to $13.8 million from $18.1 million a year ago, while the adjusted EBITDA margin contracted to 10.6% from 13.4%. Despite the near-term weakness, management highlighted that Marine bookings remained healthy, with major awards in port expansion, dredging and jetty rehabilitation projects, providing strong visibility into the remainder of the year. Orion Group Holdings, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Orion Group Holdings, Inc. Quote Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses increased to $24.4 million from $22.8 million, mainly due to costs incurred to support business growth. The higher expense base, combined with lower gross profit, pushed the company to an operating loss of $1.3 million versus operating income of $3.4 million a year earlier.GAAP net loss was $4.1 million, or 10 cents per share, against a net income of $0.8 million, or 2 cents per share, in the prior-year quarter. Overall adjusted EBITDA declined to $7.9 million from $11 million, while the adjusted EBITDA margin narrowed to 3.5% from 5.3%. Backlog ended the quarter at $722 million, up from $640 million at the end of 2025. Marine backlog rose to $554 million from $480 million, while Concrete backlog increased to $168 million from $160 million.The company booked $277 million of awards and change orders, producing a 1.25x book-to-bill ratio. Marine awards included a major port terminal expansion, a large dredging project and a jetty rehabilitation project, while Concrete wins included data centers, healthcare and advanced manufacturing work. Orion maintained its full-year revenue outlook of $900-$950 million, implying 9% growth at the midpoint. However, it lowered adjusted EBITDA guidance to $50-$54 million from $54-$58 million.Adjusted earnings guidance was reduced to 23-30 cents per share from 36-42 cents. The revision reflected lower Marine revenues and profitability tied to project timing and equipment utilization, while capital expenditure guidance remained unchanged at $25-$35 million. Working capital totaled $92 million at the second-quarter end, including $2.5 million in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents. Total debt stood at $99 million, with $76 million borrowed under the UMB Credit Facility.For the first six months of 2026, operating activities used $12.7 million of cash. Investing activities used $62.3 million, including $42.9 million for a business acquisition and $20.1 million for property and equipment purchases. Orion currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.United Rentals, Inc. URI reported solid second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings per share and total revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing year over year. Record rental revenues, higher fleet productivity and robust specialty demand supported the results. Fleet productivity improved 3.4% year over year.United Rentals’ management raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $17.5-$17.8 billion from $16.9-$17.4 billion. The adjusted EBITDA forecast increased to $7.98-$8.13 billion from $7.63-$7.88 billion.Comfort Systems USA, Inc. FIX delivered impressive second-quarter 2026 results, with earnings and revenues surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing sharply year over year. The quarterly performance reflected continued strength across its end markets, robust execution by the operating teams and sustained demand that drove record backlog growth, reinforcing the company’s confidence in the business momentum.Comfort Systems’ backlog as of June 30, 2026, totaled $14.06 billion, increasing 12.9% from $12.45 billion at March 31, 2026, and jumping 73.2% from $8.12 billion reported a year ago. On a same-store basis, backlog climbed to $13.70 billion from $8.12 billion in the year-ago period.PulteGroup, Inc. PHM reported better-than-expected second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings and total revenues topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate, but declining year over year. The quarterly results reflect reduced home-closing volumes, softer average selling prices and margin compression.PulteGroup ended the quarter with a backlog of 10,966 homes, up 1.7% from the prior-year level. Backlog units increased in the Northeast, Florida, Midwest and Texas, while the Southeast and West reported declines. The value of homes in backlog slipped 0.6% to $6.80 billion. The divergence between higher units and lower value indicates that the average value of homes in backlog declined year over year, consistent with PHM’s broader pricing pressure. 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 Orion Group Holdings, Inc. (ORN) : Free Stock Analysis Report PulteGroup, Inc. (PHM) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Rentals, Inc. (URI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Comfort Systems USA, Inc. (FIX) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Vulcan Materials Company VMC posted solid second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings and total revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing year over year.The quarter’s results reflect aggregates volume and pricing growth, commercial discipline and operating efficiencies. However, significant energy-related inflation and disruptive weather partly offset these benefits. Aggregates cash gross profit per ton increased to $12.02 from $11.88 in the year-ago quarter.VMC stock gained 2.2% during today’s pre-market trading hours following its earnings release. VMC reported adjusted earnings of $2.59 per share in the second quarter, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.50 by 3.6%. The figure increased 5.7% from the year-ago quarter’s adjusted earnings of $2.45 per share. Vulcan Materials Company price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Vulcan Materials Company Quote Quarterly revenues were $2.16 billion, up 2.5% year over year and slightly ahead of the consensus mark. Aggregates shipments increased 1% to 59.9 million tons, supported by healthy public construction activity and large projects despite weather-related disruptions in certain markets. Profitability remained resilient despite elevated energy costs. Gross profit was $625.5 million compared with $625.2 million a year ago. Operating earnings declined 3.3% year over year to $455.5 million. Net earnings attributable to Vulcan increased to $323.4 million from $320.9 million in the prior-year quarter.Adjusted EBITDA decreased 0.9% to $654 million, and the adjusted EBITDA margin narrowed to 30.3% from 31.4%. Approximately $40 million of energy-related inflation tied to higher oil prices weighed on earnings, partly offsetting benefits from pricing and operating execution. Below-the-line discipline continued to support results. Selling, administrative and general (SA&G) expenses were $141.3 million, down from $144.5 million in the prior-year quarter. SA&G, as a percentage of revenues, improved year over year to 6.6% from 6.9%, reflecting continued leverage of the company's overhead cost structure.The company recorded an $11.3 million loss on the sale of property, plant and equipment and businesses versus a $1.2 million gain a year ago. Other operating expense, net, increased to $17.4 million from $10.9 million, partly offsetting the benefits of stronger commercial execution. The Aggregates segment again did the heavy lifting. Segment sales increased 6.9% year over year to $1.76 billion, while segment gross profit climbed to $567.3 million from $559.5 million. Cash gross profit increased to $720.1 million from $703.8 million.Freight-adjusted sales price improved to $22.97 per ton from $22.11 year over year. On a mix-adjusted basis, pricing increased 5%, reflecting widespread pricing gains across the company's footprint. Cash gross profit per ton rose to $12.02 from $11.88.Freight-adjusted revenues advanced to approximately $1.38 billion from $1.31 billion, highlighting continued pricing strength. At the same time, freight-adjusted cash cost of sales per ton increased 7% to $10.95 from $10.23, primarily due to higher diesel fuel costs. Excluding diesel inflation, unit cash costs increased 3%, supported by disciplined cost management and improved plant efficiencies. Aggregates shipments increased 1% to 59.9 million tons despite significant rainfall in Texas and certain Southeastern markets. Performance in the downstream businesses reflected weather-related disruptions and recent portfolio actions. Asphalt segment revenues declined to $330 million from $368.7 million, while gross profit decreased to $49.8 million from $57.2 million. Nevertheless, the asphalt gross profit margin remained strong at 15%.Operationally, asphalt mix shipments declined to 3.4 million tons from 3.9 million tons, while the average selling price improved to $85.74 per ton from $81.26. The prior-year quarter included the Houston asphalt and construction business, which was divested during the fourth quarter of 2025.Concrete segment revenues declined to $186.8 million from $220.5 million, while gross profit was essentially flat at $8.4 million compared with $8.5 million a year ago. Ready-mixed concrete shipments decreased to 1 million cubic yards from 1.2 million cubic yards, while the average selling price increased to $189.94 from $186.52. Results reflected only two months of contributions from the California ready-mixed concrete business before its divestiture in early June. Liquidity remained healthy at quarter-end, with cash and cash equivalents of $194.2 million. The company carried $400 million of current maturities of long-term debt and $3.96 billion of long-term debt. Total debt to trailing-12-month adjusted EBITDA stood at 1.9x, below management's targeted range of 2x to 2.5x.VMC invested $176 million in maintenance and growth projects during the quarter. The company also returned $318 million to its shareholders through $250 million of share repurchases and $68 million of dividends.During the quarter, Vulcan completed the divestiture of its California ready-mixed concrete operations. The company also acquired a quarry in southern Colorado and a rail yard in Dallas-Fort Worth, further strengthening its aggregates-led growth strategy. Management reiterated its full-year adjusted EBITDA outlook of $2.4-$2.6 billion. The company expects continued aggregates price growth, supported by healthy public construction activity, large infrastructure projects and disciplined commercial execution.Vulcan also expects its ongoing focus on cost management, operating efficiencies and aggregates unit profitability to support earnings growth and cash generation throughout the remainder of 2026. Vulcan currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.Comfort Systems USA, Inc. FIX delivered impressive second-quarter 2026 results, with earnings and revenues surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Both metrics increased sharply year over year.Comfort Systems’ quarterly performance reflected continued strength across the end markets, robust execution by the operating teams and sustained demand that drove record backlog growth, reinforcing its confidence in the business momentum. Backlog as of June 30, 2026, totaled $14.06 billion, increasing 12.9% from $12.45 billion on March 31, 2026, and jumping 73.2% from $8.12 billion reported a year ago.United Rentals, Inc. URI reported solid second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings per share and total revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increasing year over year.Record rental revenues, higher fleet productivity and robust specialty demand supported United Rentals’ results. Fleet productivity improved 3.4% year over year. Rental revenues increased 12.7% year over year to a quarterly record of $3.85 billion. Management raised its 2026 revenue outlook to $17.5-$17.8 billion from $16.9-$17.4 billion. The adjusted EBITDA forecast increased to $7.98-$8.13 billion from $7.63-$7.88 billion.PulteGroup, Inc. PHM reported better-than-expected second-quarter 2026 results, with adjusted earnings and total revenues topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate, but declining year over year.The quarterly results reflect reduced home-closing volumes, softer average selling prices and margin compression. Ongoing softness in the housing market because of weaker consumer confidence and ongoing affordability challenges due to high mortgage rates hurt the top-line growth. The number of homes closed declined 8.4% year over year to 6,997 units. Net new orders increased 6.4% year over year to 7,536 homes. 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 Vulcan Materials Company (VMC) : Free Stock Analysis Report PulteGroup, Inc. (PHM) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Rentals, Inc. (URI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Comfort Systems USA, Inc. (FIX) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research