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Why Hunt Electric Could Be a Strong Deal for Comfort Systems

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Key Takeaways

  • Comfort Systems expects Hunt to add about $250M in annualized revenue and $217M to backlog.
  • Hunt expands Comfort Systems' Western electrical footprint as second-quarter electrical revenues jumped 81%.
  • Joint Utah projects could pair Hunt's electrical expertise with Comfort Systems' mechanical operations.

Comfort Systems USA (FIX - Free Report) appears well positioned to extract meaningful value from its acquisition of R.C. Hunt Electric. The company acquired Utah-based Hunt on May 1, 2026, for a preliminary purchase price of $206 million. Hunt provides electrical design and construction services across industrial, technology, commercial and infrastructure markets in the Western United States. Management expects the business to contribute roughly $250 million of annualized revenues.

The strategic fit looks particularly attractive given Comfort Systems' expanding electrical footprint and strong technology demand. Second-quarter electrical revenues surged 81% year over year, while electrical gross margin improved to 26.4% from 25.3%. Meanwhile, technology accounted for roughly 58% of first-half revenues, supported by robust data-center activity. Hunt also added about $217 million to quarter-end backlog, strengthening Comfort Systems' already record $14.06 billion backlog.

Importantly, early integration appears encouraging. Management said Hunt is already pursuing projects jointly with Comfort Systems' mechanical contractors in Utah, potentially allowing the company to offer broader mechanical-and-electrical solutions and deepen customer relationships. Comfort Systems also retained substantial financial flexibility, ending the quarter with more than $1.8 billion of net cash despite acquisitions and heavy capital spending.

Integration execution and dependence on technology-sector demand remain risks. Still, Hunt's market position, electrical expertise, cross-selling potential and immediate backlog contribution suggest the acquisition could strengthen Comfort Systems' growth platform heading into 2027.

Hunt Deal Strengthens FIX Against Key Rivals

The Hunt Electric acquisition strengthens Comfort Systems’ position in a market where EMCOR Group (EME - Free Report) and Quanta Services (PWR - Free Report) are expanding aggressively. EMCOR Group is a direct rival across electrical and mechanical construction, particularly in mission-critical and data-center work. EMCOR Group reported record second-quarter 2026 revenues of $5.15 billion and remaining performance obligations of $17.14 billion, highlighting strong demand and substantial project visibility.

Quanta also raises the competitive bar. The company generated second-quarter revenues of $9.56 billion and ended the period with $53.4 billion of backlog. Its acquisition strategy has expanded electrical, mechanical and fabrication capabilities, including added exposure to data centers and other technology infrastructure. Quanta Services’ scale, skilled workforce and broad self-perform capabilities could intensify competition for large projects and labor. Still, Hunt gives Comfort Systems a stronger Western electrical presence and creates opportunities to pair electrical expertise with its mechanical operations, supporting broader customer solutions.

FIX Stock’s Price Performance & Valuation Trend

Shares of this Texas-based heating, ventilation, air conditioning and electrical contracting service provider have surged 77.7% year to date, outperforming the Zacks Building Products - Air Conditioner and Heating industry, the Zacks Construction sector and the S&P 500 Index.

FIX’s Share Price Performance (YTD)

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FIX stock is currently trading at a premium compared with the industry peers, with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 29.46, as the trend lines suggest below.

FIX Valuation (P/E F12M)

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Earnings Estimate Trend of FIX

FIX’s earnings estimates for 2026 increased to $47.65 per share, while the 2027 estimate declined to $59.31 over the past 60 days, as shown below. The revised estimates for 2026 and 2027 imply year-over-year growth of 65% and 24.5%, respectively.
 

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Comfort Systems currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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