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Applied Industrial (AIT) Gibson Buyout to Aid Automation Business

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Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT - Free Report) yesterday announced that it acquired Norwood, MA-based Gibson Engineering Company, Inc. Financial terms of the acquisition have been kept under wraps.

It is worth mentioning here that Applied Industrial’s shares gained 2.4% yesterday, ending the trading session at $78.34.

Gibson specializes in providing engineered solutions, automation products and other services globally. The products and services offered are related to robotic solutions, motion control, intelligent sensors, machine vision and others.

Inside the Headlines

As noted, the Gibson buyout is anticipated to solidify Applied Industrial’s offerings in the automation technology space. Also, the buyout will boost the company’s reach in mid-Atlantic and northeast U.S. markets.

Further, Gibson’s solid customer base in multiple end markets, including plastics, life sciences, industrial, medical and electronics, will be a boon for Applied Industrial. Its innovative capabilities and efficient management team are added advantages.

Applied Industrial’s Buyout Activities

Acquiring businesses is an effective way for Applied Industrial to gain access to new markets, expand its product line and enhance customer base. In first-quarter fiscal 2021 (ended September 2020), buyouts boosted the company’s sales by 1.1%.

In second-quarter fiscal 2021 (ended December 2020, results awaited), Applied Industrial acquired Advanced Control Solutions. Since acquired in October, the buyout helped strengthen and expand the company’s range of automation solutions across various end markets.

Zacks Rank, Estimate Trend and Price Performance

With a $3-billion market capitalization, Applied Industrial currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). It is poised to benefit from its solid product offerings, acquired assets, value-added services and cost-reduction measures.

In the past three months, the company’s shares have gained 33% as compared with the industry’s growth of 12.1%.




 

Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its earnings is pegged at $3.44 for fiscal 2021 (ending June 2021) and $4.00 for fiscal 2022 (ending June 2022), reflecting no change and growth of 1.8% from the respective 60-day-ago figures. Also, the consensus estimate for the second quarter of fiscal 2021 is stable at 72 cents.

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. Price and Consensus

 

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. Price and Consensus

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. Quote

Other Stocks to Consider

Some other top-ranked stocks in the industry are Helios Technologies, Inc. (HLIO - Free Report) , Kaman Corporation (KAMN - Free Report) and Dover Corporation (DOV - Free Report) . While both Helios and Kaman sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Dover carries a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

In the past 60 days, earnings estimates for these companies improved for the current year. Also, its earnings surprise for the last reported quarter was 26.19% for Helios, 70.73% for Kaman and 22.14% for Dover.

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