Industrial Stock Q1 Earnings Due on Apr 22: GGG, MSA & More

SLGN GGG MSA

The first-quarter 2020 results of Industrial Products, which is one of the 16 Zacks sectors, might mirror the adverse impacts of the coronavirus outbreak and other headwinds.

Earnings for the sector are predicted to decline 21.5% year over year for first-quarter 2020, while revenues and margins are expected to fall 4.8% and 1.9%, respectively. Notably, the sector’s earnings in the fourth quarter of 2019 increased 0.7%, while revenues declined 0.2% and margins grew 0.1% year over year.

Key Factors for Industrial Stocks

Operating conditions in the first quarter were weak for industrial stocks due to the pandemic-related worries. Per the official data, industrial production in the United States declined 5.4% (month over month) in March. The metric fell 0.5% in January, while inched up 0.5% in February.

In addition, the country’s Purchasing Managers' Index (“PMI”) also points toward difficulties for industrial stocks. The ISM’s report states that the country’s PMI fell from 50.1% in February to 49.1% in March. The index’s value below 50% indicates a contraction in manufacturing activities. Notably, PMI stood at 50.9% in January.

The measures undertaken to control the virus spread might have adversely impacted product demand, international operations, supply-chain activities, manufacturing actions, marketing techniques and others. However, actions — including interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve and a $2-trillion relief package by the U.S. government — to fight the pandemic-related woes might have aided the companies in the sector.

Also, unfavorable movements in foreign currencies, cost-related woes and huge debts might have impacted industrial companies. Multiple sub-industries within the sector — including material handling, tools and products, industrial services, farm equipment, electronics, construction and mining equipment, and others — might have suffered due to the pandemic in the quarter.

Stocks Due for Earnings Release on Apr 22

Below, we briefly discussed what we expect from the three industrial stocks in the first quarter of 2020.

Graco Inc. (GGG - Free Report) will release first-quarter results after market close. It delivered better-than-expected results in one of the last four quarters, while lagging estimates in others. Earnings surprise for the period was a positive 0.40%, on average.

Graco Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

 

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