AMETEK, Inc. AME reported second-quarter 2018 adjusted earnings of 83 cents per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5 cents and also surpassed management’s guided range of 76-78 cents per share. Further, the figure increased 28% from the year-ago quarter and 6.4% sequentially.
Net sales increased 14.1% on a year-over-year basis and 3.4% sequentially to $1.21 billion, driven by robust organic growth and strong contribution from acquisitions. The figure also came ahead of Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.17 billion.
AMETEK recorded organic sales growth of 7% in the reported quarter. Additionally, improved operational activities drove the results.
The company continues to reap benefits from the execution of its four core growth strategies — operational excellence, global market expansion, investments in product development and strategic acquisitions.
Notably, shares of AMETEK have returned 23.5% over a year, outperforming the industry’s rally of 12.5%.
Top Line in Detail
AMETEK reports sales in two organized segments — Electronic Instruments Group (“EIG”) and Electromechanical Group (“EMG”)
EIG (61.6% of total sales): The company generated $744.5 million of sales in this segment, up 3.9% sequentially and 13.2% from the year-ago quarter. Robust organic sales in this quarter drove year-over-year growth. Moreover, benefits from acquisitions contributed well to the results within this segment.
EMG (38.4% of sales): This segment generated $464.5 million of sales in this quarter, increasing 14.1% on year-over-year basis and 1.8% from the previous quarter. Year-over-year growth can primarily be attributed to solid organic sales growth and positive contributions from the acquisition of FMH Aerospace.
AMETEK, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
AMETEK, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | AMETEK, Inc. Quote
Operating Details
For the second quarter, operating margin was 22.3%, which expanded 70 basis points (bps) from the prior-year quarter and 30 bps on a sequential basis. This can primarily be attributed to robust performance of AMETEK in both the segments, which exhibited operational efficiency in the reported quarter.
EIG contributed 71.8% to the total operating income and improved 18.4% from the prior-year quarter, while EMG accounted for 34.9% of the operating income and was up 11.4% year over year.
Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were 12.2%, as percentage of sales, which contracted 20 basis points (bps) from the year-ago quarter but rose 50 bps on a sequential basis.
Balance Sheet
As of Jun 30, 2018, cash and cash equivalents was $557.7 million, up from $556.8 million as of Mar 31, 2018.
Long-term debt was $1.84 billion, which decreased from $1.89 billion in the previous quarter.
Guidance
For third-quarter 2018, AMETEK expects sales to increase by high-single digit on a year-over-year basis. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales is pegged at $1.17 billion.
Earnings are anticipated to lie in the range of 76-78 cents per diluted share, which reflects year-over-year growth of 15-18%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is projected at 77 cents per share.
For 2018, the company anticipates total sales to grow by low-double digits and organic sales by mid-single digit. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $4.74 billion.
Further, AMETEK revised its guided range upward for adjusted earnings per share from $3.06-$3.12 to $3.16-$3.2, which reflects 21-23% growth from 2017. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at $3.14 per share.
Zacks Rank and Other Stocks to Consider
AMETEK carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Some other top-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector are TripAdvisor TRIP, Micron Technology MU and Stoneridge SRI. While Micron Technology and TripAdvisor sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Stoneridge carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Long-term earnings growth rate for TripAdvisor, Micron Technology and Stoneridge is pegged at 13.85%, 8.18%, and 8.5%, respectively.
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