Why Is TopBuild (BLD) Up 4.2% Since Last Earnings Report?
It has been about a month since the last earnings report for TopBuild (BLD). Shares have added about 4.2% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is TopBuild due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.
TopBuild's Q3 Earnings & Sales Beat Estimates, View Up
TopBuild Corp. reported stellar results for third-quarter 2022. Its earnings and revenues surpassed their respective Zacks Consensus Estimate and improved significantly on a year-over-year basis. Solid contributions from all three end markets that BLD serves (residential, commercial and industrial), along with operational efficiency, drove the results.
Robert Buck, president & CEO of TopBuild, stated, “As we look to the rest of this year and next, our focus remains on driving profitable growth and identifying and implementing initiatives that will enhance our Company’s operations. Our entire team remains focused on continuing to deliver strong results and creating shareholder value in every operating environment.”
Inside the Headlines
The company’s adjusted earnings of $4.80 per share topped the consensus estimate of $4.09 by 17.4% and grew a whopping 62.7% from the prior-year figure.
Total net sales of $1.3 billion beat the consensus mark of $1.21 billion by 7.9% and increased 53.8% (22.6% on a same-branch basis) year over year. The growth was backed by improvement in all three end markets it serves, i.e., residential, commercial and industrial.
Segmental Performance
Installation sales increased 27.8% year over year to $783.1 million. Acquisitions, volume and selling price added 1.7%, 12.3% and 13.8% to sales, respectively. The adjusted operating margin for the quarter expanded 240 basis points (bps) to 19.6%. Adjusted EBITDA margin also improved 200 bps to 21.6% for the quarter.
Revenues of the Specialty Distribution segment grew 111.1% year over year to $583.5 million, driven by 13% growth in price and 92.4% from acquisitions. Volumes inched up 5.7% year over year. Adjusted operating margin declined 180 bps from the year-ago quarter’s level to 15.3%. Nonetheless, the adjusted EBITDA margin improved 10 bps to 18% for the quarter.
Operating Highlights
The adjusted gross margin of 30.4% expanded 80 bps year over year. Adjusted SG&A expenses, as a percentage of revenues, rose 10 bps to 13.2%. Adjusted operating margin expanded 90 bps from the year-ago period’s levels to 17.2%.
Adjusted EBITDA increased 63.8% from the year-ago quarter’s levels to $259.2 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin also improved 120 bps to 19.9% in the quarter.
Financial Update
At September-end, cash and cash equivalents were $159.4 million, up from $139.8 million at 2021-end. Long-term debt was $1.43 billion, down from $1.45 billion at the 2021-end. For the first nine months of 2022, net cash provided by operating activities was $335.6 million compared with $309.5 million in the year-ago period.
During the first nine months of 2022, BLD repurchased 1,059,361 shares.
2022 View Raised
TopBuild expects sales between $4.95 billion and $5 billion versus $4.8-$4.9 billion expected earlier. The estimated figure indicates an increase from $3.49 billion. Adjusted EBITDA is projected within $915-$935 million compared with $860-$900 million projected earlier. This suggests growth from $605.9 million reported in 2021.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?
It turns out, fresh estimates have trended upward during the past month.
VGM Scores
At this time, TopBuild has a nice Growth Score of B, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a C. However, the stock was allocated a grade of A on the value side, putting it in the top 20% for this investment strategy.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
Outlook
Estimates have been broadly trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. Notably, TopBuild has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.
Performance of an Industry Player
TopBuild is part of the Zacks Building Products - Miscellaneous industry. Over the past month, Otis Worldwide (OTIS), a stock from the same industry, has gained 11.2%. The company reported its results for the quarter ended September 2022 more than a month ago.
Otis Worldwide reported revenues of $3.34 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -7.6%. EPS of $0.80 for the same period compares with $0.77 a year ago.
Otis Worldwide is expected to post earnings of $0.72 per share for the current quarter, representing no change from the year-ago quarter. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged.
The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) for Otis Worldwide. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of B.
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TopBuild Corp. (BLD) : Free Stock Analysis Report
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