Graco stock maintains neutral rating, $79 target at DA Davidson

Published 28/01/2025, 16:20
Graco stock maintains neutral rating, $79 target at DA Davidson

On Tuesday, DA Davidson maintained its Neutral rating and $79.00 price target for Graco Inc . (NYSE: NYSE:GGG), following the company’s fourth-quarter financial results. While Graco reported sales, adjusted operating profit, and adjusted earnings per share that fell short of DA Davidson’s projections, InvestingPro data shows the company maintains impressive gross profit margins of 53.1% and three analysts have recently revised their earnings estimates upward for the upcoming period. The underperformance was particularly marked in the Industrial and Contractor segments, which did not meet the anticipated figures, overshadowing the Process segment’s favorable results compared to the firm’s model.

Graco experienced an organic sales decline across all regions, with the Asia Pacific (AP) and Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) regions leading the downturn. The Industrial segment saw a significant 13% drop. Despite these challenges, Graco has set its initial core sales expectation for 2025 at a low single-digit increase, which is supported by stabilizing order entry trends.

The company’s balance sheet remains robust, boasting approximately $647 million in net cash, which highlights Graco’s financial stability amidst the reported declines. According to InvestingPro analysis, Graco holds more cash than debt on its balance sheet and maintains a strong current ratio of 3.69x, demonstrating excellent liquidity. The company has also maintained dividend payments for 55 consecutive years, with 19 years of consecutive dividend increases, showcasing its commitment to shareholder returns. In light of these results, DA Davidson’s stance on Graco’s stock remains unchanged, with the firm reiterating its neutral position.

Graco has announced that it will hold a conference call at 11 a.m. ET tomorrow to discuss these financial outcomes and provide further insights into the company’s performance and strategies moving forward. Investors and analysts will be keen to hear management’s commentary and future outlook after the reported fourth-quarter results. For deeper insights into Graco’s financial health and valuation metrics, investors can access comprehensive analysis and 12 additional ProTips through InvestingPro’s detailed research reports, which provide expert analysis on over 1,400 US stocks.

In other recent news, Graco Inc. reported fourth-quarter earnings and revenue that did not meet analyst expectations. The fluid handling equipment manufacturer reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.64, falling short of the consensus estimate of $0.77. Revenue also decreased 3% year-over-year to $548.7 million, which was lower than analyst projections of $551.75 million. Despite these outcomes, Graco’s Contractor segment saw a 3% sales increase to $246.9 million, primarily driven by acquisitions. However, the Industrial segment experienced a 14% sales drop to $165.7 million due to weakened global industrial activity. In light of these events, KeyBanc Capital Markets has maintained its Sector Weight rating on Graco’s shares. For 2025, Graco anticipates low single-digit organic sales growth on a constant currency basis, citing stabilizing demand in China and for semiconductor products as potential growth drivers. These are the recent developments for Graco Inc.

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