XLI - Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund
| Previous Close | 78.92 |
| Open | 79.28 |
| Bid | 79.11 x 3200 |
| Ask | 79.72 x 1000 |
| Day's Range | 79.25 - 79.78 |
| 52 Week Range | 59.92 - 82.66 |
| Volume | 9,357,681 |
| Avg. Volume | 10,279,433 |
| Net Assets | 9.83B |
| NAV | 79.40 |
| PE Ratio (TTM) | N/A |
| Yield | 2.03% |
| YTD Return | 24.47% |
| Beta (3Y Monthly) | 1.31 |
| Expense Ratio (net) | 0.13% |
| Inception Date | 1998-12-16 |
- InvestorPlace
Just Leave These 5 Industrial ETFs Alone for Now
It may seem hard to believe following the carnage seen on Friday, Aug 23, but the S&P 500 is still higher by 1.2% over the past 90 days. Perhaps what is not surprising is that with stocks being smacked around on the back of trade tensions, tariff-sensitive sectors are suffering. This is true for some industrial ETFs as well.While not as export-dependent as the energy or technology sectors, industrials aren't as export-defensive as, say, healthcare, real estate or utilities. As such, the Industrial Select Sector SPDR (NYSEARCA:XLI), the largest industrial ETF, is lower by a market-lagging half a percent.To be fair, there are some bright spots among industrial ETFs, thanks in large part to a recent rebound by Dow component Boeing (NYSE:BA), meaning some aerospace and defense have been holding up. Conversely, some other industrial ETFs are languishing.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 7 Tech Industry Dividend Stocks for Growth and Income Here, we'll look at some of the industrial ETFs investors would be best served by leaving alone for the time being. Invesco S&P SmallCap Industrials ETF (PSCI)Source: Shutterstock Expense ratio: 0.29%When small-cap stocks are part of the problem (and they currently are), not part of the solution, investors ought to steer clear of the related sector funds, including the Invesco S&P SmallCap Industrials ETF (NASDAQ:PSCI).Perhaps the best thing that can be said of this industrial ETF is that over the past 90 days, the fund has performed less poorly than the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. Then again, PSCI has been nearly three times as bad as the large-cap XLI over the same period.Two other marks again PSCI in the current climate. First, the fund devotes nearly 39% of its weight to growth stocks, a corner of the market under pressure due to trade tensions. Second, this industrial ETF's weight of just around 13% to aerospace and defense stocks is not large enough to offset weakness in its other industry exposures. iShares Transportation Average ETF (IYT)Source: Shutterstock Expense ratio: 0.43%Opportunities may still exist with transportation funds, but the iShares Transportation Average ETF (CBOE:IYT) is one of the more economically sensitive industrial ETFs out there and that's saying something. In a vacuum, IYT's 3.6% three-month slide is concerning, but it's even more concerning in the broader context of transportation stocks being viewed as accurate tells of broader market direction.Residing more than 16% below its 52-week high, this industrial ETF face near-term technical challenges because it also labors below its 50- and 200-day moving averages. IYT fits the bill as an industrial ETF to watch, but not one to buy right now. * 10 Companies Using AI to Grow "Just as some equity analysts were providing commentary about potentially becoming more constructive on the transportation stocks, the next shoe dropped," according to Freight Waves. "While investors were purportedly sniffing around the space looking for bargains, likely not interested in a full basket approach to owning the transports, a new round of Chinese tariffs were announced, taking the breath out of the transports." First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF (AIRR)Source: Shutterstock Expense ratio: 0.70%The First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF (NASDAQ:AIRR) would be one of those industrial ETFs that when the sector is working, it could really deliver for investors. However, that is not the current state of affairs for the sector and last Friday's price action suggests AIRR's 8.41% month-to-date loss could easily increase.AIRR isn't a pure industrial ETF; it allocates about 10% of its weight to financial services stocks, but if industrial exposure is going to be augmented right, best not to do it with another scuffling sector. Compounding that issue is that AIRR's bank holdings are located in states that are major manufacturing centers, a trait that is only valuable if the U.S. can continue avoiding a recession.Hopefully, that will be the case, but this industrial ETF has another reason to avoid it: the median market value of its 56 holdings is around $1.5 billion, meaning it's a small-cap fund at a time when smaller stocks are languishing. John Hancock Multifactor Industrials ETF (JHMI)Source: Shutterstock Expense ratio: 0.40%The John Hancock Multifactor Industrials ETF (NYSEARCA:JHMI) is another example of an industrial ETF that would certainly be worth embracing if sentiment surrounding the sector wasn't as dour as it is now. Technically speaking, there are concerns here, chief among that a drop of the 200-day line that JHMI is clinging to could lead to rapid share price erosion.JHMI is advertised as a multi-factor fund, but the factors it emphasizes -- value, size and profitability -- are not used in its security selection process. JHMI and other Hancock's other sector ETFs track indexes developed by Dimensional Fund Advisors."Dimensional's approach to sector indexing directly targets factors associated with higher expected returns, provide broad diversification to increase the reliability of capturing sector beta relative to strategies that are concentrated or ignore market prices, and aim to limit turnover to trades that meaningfully affect expected returns," according to ETF Trends. * 7 of Worst ETFs -- Boot These From Your Portfolio Right Now In fairness to this industrial ETF, it has been performing less poorly this month traditional industrial ETFs, indicating that if risk appetite is renewed and cyclical stocks rally, this fund is poised for some upside. iShares Global Industrials ETF (EXI)Source: Shutterstock Expense ratio: 0.46%As its name implies, the iShares Global Industrials ETF (NYSEARCA:EXI) is a global ETF, meaning investors should expect hefty exposure to domestic equities with sprinkles of industrial stocks from other large developed markets. That would be an alluring combination if the world's two largest economies weren't mired in a trade war and some other big economies weren't flirting with recessions.However, those are conditions investors are contending with right now and as a result, EXI is trailing the MSCI All-Country World Index by 100 basis points this month. EXI allocates over 68% of its combined weight to the U.S. and Japan, but a significant portion of the remaining portfolio is allocated to Europe, a region where several major economies are weakening. Oh yeah, President Trump could easily target Europe with trade tariffs, too.Even if cyclical stocks can get their mojo back, the moving geographical parts of EXI may say that investors looking to wade back into industrials would be better served doing so with a domestic focus. EXI only trades at a slight discount to the MSCI ACWI Index, which could be too much optimism given the recent lethargy in the industrial sector.Todd Shriber does not own any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 7 Tech Industry Dividend Stocks for Growth and Income * 7 Stocks the Insiders Are Buying on Sale * 7 of the Worst Stocks on Wall Street The post Just Leave These 5 Industrial ETFs Alone for Now appeared first on InvestorPlace.
- Zacks
Should You Invest in the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Industrials ETF (RGI)?
Sector ETF report for RGI
- Zacks
Don't Fear Yield Curve Inversion, Play These Top ETFs Instead
Inverted yield curve is not as scary as it seems to be. Wall Street staged a rally on many such occasions. So, investors can easily bet on these top-ranked ETFs.
- Benzinga
Najarian Brothers See Unusual Activity In FXI, XLI And More
On CNBC's "Fast Money Halftime Report," Jon Najarian said he saw unusually high options activity in the Nov. $39 calls in iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index (NYSE: FXI ). Almost 16,000 contracts ...
- Zacks
Make the Most of Positive Trade News With These Sector ETFs
While the delay in tariff has been greeted by the broad stock market, sectors which are the most sensitive to trade issues, seem to be the biggest beneficiaries.
- Market Realist
China Counters Trump’s Tariff Threat by Devaluing Yuan
As anticipated, China is retaliating against Donald Trump’s latest tariff threat, letting its currency fall to a record low.
- Zacks
Mixed Q2 Earnings Releases Put Spotlight on Industrial ETFs
The release of earnings results of four major players in the industrial sector makes us study the impact on certain ETFs with high exposure to these in-focus companies.
- Zacks
General Electric ETFs in Focus Ahead of Q2 Earnings
With General Electric scheduled to release Q2 earnings soon, we discuss some ETFs with high exposure to this American multinational conglomerate.
- ETF Trends
Industrial Sector Could Benefit From a Rate Cut or Two
The Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) , the largest industrial exchange traded fund by assets, is higher by more than 23% year-to-date and that upside could be extended if the Federal Reserve, as expected, proceeds with cutting interest rates at its meeting this week. “All is not ideal for industrial stocks right now,” reports Al Root for Barron's.
- Market Realist
Could GE’s Q2 Results Surprise Investors Again?
General Electric (GE) is slated to report its Q2 results on Wednesday. Let’s look at what analysts expect from the company in the second quarter.
- Zacks
Should You Invest in the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Industrials ETF (RGI)?
Sector ETF report for RGI
- Zacks
Should You Buy Caterpillar or CAT-Proof Industrial ETFs?
Given Caterpillar's woes, investors wanting to avoid CAT could consider industrial ETFs that have no exposure to this machinery giant. However, risk-tolerant investors might consider this as a buying opportunity.
- Market Realist
Boeing, Caterpillar Drag Down the Dow Jones
On Wednesday, the Dow Jones fell while other major US indexes moved up. The Dow was mainly pulled down by two of its high-weighted stocks—Boeing (BA) and Caterpillar (CAT).
- Yahoo Finance
Boeing Q2 misses by wide margin
Embattled industrial giant Boeing’s second-quarter results missed expectations by a wide margin.
- InvestorPlace
Ahead of Next Week’s Earnings, Should Investors Buy 3M Stock Into Weakness?
3M Company (NYSE:MMM), a coveted member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since 1976, is an industrial conglomerate. The group got its start in the early 20th century by extracting corundum mineral.Source: Shutterstock These days, however, 3M stock has expanded beyond corundum to the point of recent conundrum. After reaching an all-time high of $259.77 in Jan. 2018, MMM stock price has been in a multi-month decline. Year-to-date, 3M stock price which has missed the broader market rally in 2019, is down about 8%.As MMM stock gets ready to report earnings on July 25, many of our readers are wondering whether July may offer a good entry point into MMM shares, which are currently trading around $175. Here is a candid look at the the prospects for 3M stock so that potential investors may decide if the shares should belong in their long-term portfolio.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips How Does 3M Stock Make Money?Although most consumers first think of 3M's ever-popular signature products, e.g., Scotch Tapes and Post-it Pads, the company produces and sells a diverse line of products ranging from adhesive tapes to air filters, filters for computer screens, heatshrink tubing, knee supports, lint rollers, lubricants, safety goggles, and sand paper.To be more precise, its current product range includes over 50,000 items. In other words, most consumers would probably feel somewhat lost while looking through 3M's website. And very few companies would have the capital, time, or technology to build market share in many of the lines of business.The group divides its business into five segments: * Industrial (such as tapes, adhesives, and supply chain management software); * Safety and Graphics (such as protective gear and security products); * Electronics and Energy (such as fibers and circuits); * Health Care (such as medical and surgical products as well as drug delivery systems); and * Consumer (such office supplies and home improvement products).However, with this kind of growth and business range, a big headache has also come; 3M Company is simply too large to run efficiently, i.e., bigger is not necessarily better. MMM Stock's First-Quarter Results Were DisappointingOn Apr. 25, 3M released Q1 2019 results with lower-than-expected earnings. CEO Mike Roman summed up the earnings results in one sentence when he said "The first quarter was a disappointing start to the year for 3M." * 10 Stocks to Sell for an Economic Slowdown MMM stock's EPS came at $2.23, adjusted vs. $2.49 expected. Revenue was $7.863 billion, instead of the expected $8.025 billion. Management partly blamed a litigation-related pretax charge of $548 million, or 72 cents per share, for the poor results.The group also cut 2019 guidance and announced plans to lay off 2,000 workers. Wall Street was not impressed and the stock tumbled.Going forward 3M's five business segments will be restructured into four. Management has been trying to paint a better future picture for MMM stock as the company believes it will increase productivity, reduce costs, and increase cash flow levels.However, Wall Street is not necessarily hopeful about the company's upcoming Q2 results as many analysts do not necessarily expect 3M stock's results to show any signs of real recovery. Is MMM Stock's Dividend Safe?In a low-interest rate environment, stock investors pay special attention to shares with robust dividend yields. Dividend stocks can be one of the best ways to generate a regular passive income for long-term shareholders.In general, big blue-chip names tend to be consistently generous dividend payers. And 3M, which has increased its dividend for decades, has traditionally been regarded as a safe dividend play.Yet with the recent poor results and on-going issues, analysts have also started wondering whether MMM stock's dividend may also be cut.The dividend payout ratio can show investors if a stock is paying out either less or more than the company earns. In other words, if a company earns $1 per share but pays a dividend of $1.30, management may have to decrease the dividend at some point in the near future. A payout ratio of over 100% means that a company is paying out more in dividends than it earns.MMM stock's payout ratio is 0.59 which makes the dividend sustainable as long as the company keeps the earnings around the current levels. However, in case of a miss in earnings, I'd become sceptical of the dividend amount and would even expect a cut.Experienced dividend investors also pay close attention to a company's free cash flow as dividends are ultimately paid out of cash.Free cash flow is what remains in the bank after 3M has paid interest on its debt, paid any taxes owed, and made all of the capital expenditures necessary to run and invest in the giant business. MMM stock's capital structure has been under stress due to legal liabilities and decreasing revenue.Companies do not cut dividends in good times. And 3M Company is clearly going thorugh a difficult patch in its history. If there were further external events (such as increased trade tensions with China or a slowing down of the U.S. economy) as well as company-specific problems, it is possible that management may take the extraordinary measure of cutting MMM stock's dividend. Where is 3M Stock Price Now?On June 3, MMM stock hit a 52-week low at $159.32. In other words, as it hovers around $175, 3M stock is trading just above its 52-week lows right now. The downtrend since Jan. 2018 as well as Apr. 25, 2019 is a stark reminder that its all-time high of $259.77 is now in the rear-view mirror.If you are an investor who also pays attention to technical analysis, then you may want to know that over the past 18 months, 3M stock has suffered from a damaging technical picture.In addition to its long-term technical chart which still looks weak, MMM stock's short-term technical chart, trend lines and support and resistance levels, are telling investors to exercise caution.Although MMM stock's momentum indicators, which describe the speed at which prices move over a given time period, are currently in oversold territory, they can stay oversold for quite a long time, especially when the overall trend is down.Therefore, buy signals based on momentum indicators need to be confirmed with further chart analysis before the stock is a buy from a technical standpoint.Among 10 Wall Street analysts, there is one strong buy rating, seven hold ratings (which effectively mean sell) and two sell ratings on 3M stock. Recently its price target was cut from $201 to $182. In other words, could MMM share price have already seen the high for 2019?If there is any broader market weakness, say due to market worries over U.S.-China trade wars, 3M stock price may be further adversely affected. * 7 Dependable Dividend Stocks to Buy At this point, the bulls are not yet in control and the selling pressure has increased especially after the Q1 earnings report of April 25. Therefore MMM shares will need a catalyst to make them attractive in the eyes of long-term investors, who are probably still skeptical about the near-term prospects for the company. The Bottom Line on MMM StockI am of the camp that 3M stock's price weakness is a clear reflection of investor sentiment and major fundamental worries, especially regarding a large conglomerate with legal woes and which is going through a major restructuring process amidst falling revenues.If you aren't already long MMM stock, you may want to remain on the sidelines until the earnings report on July 25 to give yourself time to study the balance sheet as well as the outlook by the management. Many questions, such as the effects of the current trade wars, decreasing margins, falling revenues, viability of the dividend as well as the level of free cash flow, remain yet to be answered.If you already own 3M shares, you may also consider initiating covered call positions in conjunction with being long MMM stock. For example, Aug. 16 expiry at-the-money (ATM) covered calls may enable you to hedge your long position in case of profit-taking following the earnings report. You would also be able to participate in a further up move in 3M stock price.If you are considering investing in 3M stock, you may want to start building a position between the $150 and $160, and expect to hold the stock for several years.Investors who are interested in buying into 3M Company shares, but do not want to commit all their capital to a single stock may also consider investing in various exchange-traded Funds (ETFs) that have MMM stock as a holding, including the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (NYSEARCA:DIA), Industrial Select Sector SPDR (NYSEARCA:XLI), or iShares Core High Dividend ETF (NYSEARCA:HDV).As of this writing, the author did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 7 Stocks Top Investors Are Buying Now * The 10 Best Cryptocurrencies to Keep on Your Radar * 7 Marijuana Penny Stocks That Could Triple (But You Won't Make Money) The post Ahead of Next Week's Earnings, Should Investors Buy 3M Stock Into Weakness? appeared first on InvestorPlace.
- Market Realist
Will Weak Shipments Hurt Kansas City Southern’s Q2 Earnings?
Kansas City Southern (KSU) is scheduled to report its second-quarter earnings results on Friday. Analysts expect its earnings growth rate to slow.
- InvestorPlace
These 6 SPDR ETFs and Amazon Tell Me the Rally Is Over
Many investors watch the headlines like hawks, but moves in the market aren't as dependent on those as many people think. More often, stock market moves are due either to noise or to how markets react when they reach important levels. And considering those, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and these six SPDR ETFs are telling me that the rally is over for now.For an example of noise, suppose a person deposits money into a mutual fund at the same time that another person withdraws twice as much. The traders at this mutual fund will now need buy stocks to invest the deposit. At the same time, they will need to sell twice as many shares of the same stocks to raise the funds for the withdrawal. This will cause the prices to go lower. This happens thousands of times across the world every hour of every day. You can understand how it could move the markets.Then there's the reaction the various sectors have when they get to important levels. For example, I think this rally is over for now because most of the economic sectors that make up the S&P 500 are at or just under resistance.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 9 Retail Stocks Goldman Sachs Says Are Ready to Rip In addition, the consumer discretionary sector has been one of the leaders of the recent rally and it is losing momentum. AMZN is the largest component of this sector and it is overbought and at resistance.First, we will look at some sectors and you will see what I mean. Then we'll go over levels in Amazon stock. And lastly, we will look at the SPY. Industrial Sector SPDR (XLI)The Industrial Sector SPDR (NYSE:XLI) is testing resistance at the $78.50 level. You don't need to be a Market Guru or a Master Trader to see that this level is important. It was resistance at the end of April and in early May.According to academics and random-walk believers, support and resistance levels shouldn't exist. After all, how can a basket of dozens of stocks have the same exact valuations at two very different points in time?But support and resistance levels obviously exist. You do not need to have a PHD to see them. Financial Sector SPDR (XLF)The Financial Sector SPDR (NYSE:XLF) is testing resistance around the $28 level. This level was resistance in April.During last August and September, the financial sector did not participate in the rally. That was one of the key signals that the market was nearing a major top. * 7 Dependable Dividend Stocks to Buy This shows why it is important to examine the undercurrents in the markets in order to really understand how to profit. Last summer the media was going crazy over the bull market, just like now. There was talk of melt-ups and amazing new records. However, savvy investors saw the underlying weakness in the financials and knew that this was a signal that the rally was about to end. Health Care Sector SPDR (XLV)The Health Care Sector SPDR (NYSE:XLV) has been consolidating around resistance at the $93 level and it may be starting to trend lower. The $93 level was resistance in February as well. One of the main reasons for this is that Johnson and Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is 10% of this sector and some analysts think the company is facing some significant headwinds.JNJ just reported earnings that were better than analysts expected, and yet the stock price still dropped. This is probably because JNJ is being sued for its role in the opioid crisis, and investors are worried about the outcome. It is also being sued for allegedly selling dangerous talcum power for babies.I am not a lawyer and won't guess what the ultimate outcome of these lawsuits will be. What I do know is that even if JNJ stock is innocent of these accusations, it will still incur significant legal costs and damage to its reputation. Utilities Sector SPDR (XLU)The Utilities Sector SPDR (NYSE:XLU) has been testing resistance around the $28 level over the past month. This sector typically pays higher dividends than most others. Because of this, there has been more interest than usual in this sector due to the action of the yield curve.The yield curve illustrates the yield on bonds of all different durations. The vast majority of the time, the longer the term of the bond, the higher the rate of interest that it will pay. This is simply because the longer the timeframe, the greater the odds are that the bond will default. In order to take on this extra risk, investors need a higher return. * 10 Best Dividend Stocks to Buy for the Rest of 2019 and Beyond When the yield curve inverts, it means that shorter-term rates are actually higher than long-term rates. This is typically an indication that traders are bearish on the economy. They do not want to hold short-term bonds. They sell, and this drives down the price and makes the interest rates go up. Then they buy long-term bonds and makes the price rise and the yield fall. Consumer Discretionary Sector SPDR (XLY)The Consumer Discretionary Sector SPDR (NYSE:XLY) has been one of the leaders of the recent rally. However, the sector is now very overbought. The last time it was this overbought was in April, and a large move lower followed. A big part of the reason for this is AMZN stock. Amazon is about 20% of this sector, and it is at resistance.If the XLY heads lower, there will probably be support around the $121 level. This because this level was resistance in April and June.What does the term "overbought" mean? It is a measure of a stock's momentum, looking at where the price is now versus where it was X days ago. When stocks reach extremes of this measurement, traders refer to it as overbought or oversold.For example, according to statistics, 95% of all trading should be within two standard deviations of the average. If a stock is trading more than two standard deviations above or below the average, it would be considered overbought or oversold. It will most likely revert back to its average. Amazon (AMZN)Amazon is overbought and testing resistance. The last two times AMZN stock was this overbought were in September and May. A large selloff followed both times. In addition, it is testing resistance around the $2020 level. There is resistance at this level because it was the top and an all-time high last September. Stocks frequently run into resistance when they get to levels that were prior tops. * 10 Stocks Driving the Market to All-Time Highs (And Why) There is also excessive bullish sentiment on AMZN. Currently, 47 Wall Street firms follow it and every single one has a buy rating on it. Excessive bullish sentiment is actually a bearish indication. This is because if everyone likes the stock, everyone has bought it. Now there are no buyers left and the only way it can do is lower. S&P 500 SPDR (SPY)The S&P 500 SPDR (NYSEARCA:SPY) is also overbought. If it heads lower, there will probably be support around the $294 level because it was a resistance level in April. Why do resistance levels become support levels? Consider the following.After hitting the resistance at $294 the SPY traded lower. Those who sold it are happy that they sold. Those who shorted it have a profit. But then the SPY rallied. Now those who sold it tell themselves that if the SPY comes back to $294, they will buy it back. Those who shorted it are now losing money. They tell themselves they will cover it at $294 and break even.Those who bought it at $294 are happy that it went higher and tell themselves that if the SPDRs come back they will buy more. Add to that the professional traders who see a clear level and want to profit from it, and now we have 4 groups of investors who want to buy the SPYs at $294.As of this writing, Mark Putrino did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 9 Retail Stocks Goldman Sachs Says Are Ready to Rip * 7 Services Stocks to Buy for the Rest of 2019 * 6 Stocks to Buy and 1 to Sell Based on Insider Trading The post These 6 SPDR ETFs and Amazon Tell Me the Rally Is Over appeared first on InvestorPlace.
- Investor's Business Daily
J.B. Hunt, Transportation Stocks Rev Up Gains In Reviving Economy?
An out-of-nowhere upside earnings surprise from trucker J.B. Hunt is putting investors on track for a new way to make money: Transportation stocks.
- MarketWatch
GE loses a bull, and stock falls
Shares of General Electric Co. dropped Monday, after UBS backed away from its bullish stance, citing significant outperformance in the face of continued power market weakness and a significant decline in interest rates.
- MarketWatch
Fastenal's stock drops after profit and revenue miss, raised prices fail to offset inflation
Shares of Fastenal Co. dropped 4.6% toward a 6-month low, after the industrial and construction supplies distributor reported second-quarter earnings and revenue that missed expectations. Net earnings fell to $204.6 million, or 36 cents a share, from $211.2 million, or 37 cents a share, in the year-ago period, below analyst consensus expectations of 37 cents a share, according to FactSet. Sales rose 7.9% to $1.37 billion, just shy of the FactSet consensus of $1.38 billion. The company said economic activity slowed during the quarter relative to the sequential first quarter. Gross profit as a percentage of sales fell 180 basis points to 46.9%. "While we successfully raised prices as one element of our strategy to offset tariffs placed to date on products sourced from China, those increases were not sufficient to also counter general inflation in the marketplace," the company said in statement. The stock, which is on track for the lowest close since Jan. 24, has slumped 13% over the past three months, while the SPDR Industrial Select Sector ETF has edged up 0.4% and the S&P 500 has gained 3.7%.
- InvestorPlace
The 5 Best Industrial Stocks to Buy Today
[Editor's note: "The 5 Best Industrial Stocks to Buy Today" was previously published in February 2019. It has since been updated to include the most relevant information available.]It's no secret that industrial stocks move and groove with the overall economy. That was kind of a problem last year. Thanks to the worries about slowing global growth and the trade war with China, many industrial stocks fell by the wayside. The broad sector measure of industrial stocks -- the Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSEARCA:XLI) -- sank by over 13% last year as investors ran from the economically sensitive sector.But investors may not want to dump industrial stocks just yet.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsProgress continues to be made on the trade front and recent meetings between the U.S. and China have gone in a positive direction. Meanwhile, here at home, economic data seems to be stabilizing after a few months of steady drops. With the Federal Reserve pausing on rate hikes and even considering cutting them, we could still see some more quarters of gains for the sector. No wonder why the sector has rebounded in a big way. XLI has jumped nearly 20% so far this year and is leading the market.The best part is that several industrial stocks are still trading for discounts to the overall market. And with that as well as the potential for thawing on tariffs/trade, the sector could be ripe for the picking. * 10 Stocks to Sell for an Economic Slowdown But which industrial stocks could make sense in today's market? Here are five of the best industrials to buy today. Corning (GLW)I bet if I asked you what one of the fastest growing sectors were, glass wouldn't even make into the top five. After all, who uses glass anymore? But for industrial stalwart Corning (NYSE:GLW), glass is driving double-digit revenue growth.That growth from glass is coming from two major factors. First off, GLW is still the fiber optics king and makes solutions for telecom networks, data centers, and networking customers. With cloud computing, the upgrade to 5G wireless and increased data usage all converging, Corning has seen demand for its fiber optic cables surge. In the first quarter, optical communications revenues jumped an impressive 20% year-over-year. With our modern lives demanding, even more, data/connectivity, Corning should see more revenue gains for its optics products.The second factor is device adoption itself. Corning's Gorilla Glass has become the standard on many smartphones, wearable devices, augmented reality displays and now automobile dashboards/infotainment units. For GLW, this again has translated into some impressive revenue growth.All of this has helped profits and cash flows at the firm. After building out capacity last year, sales have translated back in earnings-per-share gains, as core EPS jumped 29% year-over-year . Moreover, GLW has continued to return excess capital to shareholders via buybacks and dividends.With growth still at hand, Corning could be one of the best industrial stocks to own in the quarters ahead. Dover (DOV)Like many industrial stocks, Dover (NYSE:DOV) has its hands in many soups. This includes everything from your local service station's gasoline pump to the refrigeration units at your local grocery store. Its wide product catalog across automation equipment, refrigeration and fluid management has allowed the firm to reward shareholders over its history. DOV has managed to pay an increasing dividend for the last 63 years.And it looks like that streak will continue.DOV has moved forward with some restructuring plans to reduce costs and improve margins. Likewise, accreditive buyouts and bolt-on acquisitions have worked in its favor and have reduced the bumpiness in its refrigeration segment. Because of this, Dover managed to see a 29% adjusted earnings increase during the last quarter. Sales grew by 5%. This highlights that the restructuring is working and the steady nature of Dover's product mix. Many of DOV's products tend to be must-haves for other consumer and industrial applications. This makes them a bit immune to changes in the economy. * 10 Stocks to Sell for an Economic Slowdown With a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 15.80 and a 1.9% yield, Dover could be a great industrial stock to buoy your portfolio. Xylem Inc (XYL)Perhaps one of the most critical commodities out there happens to be water. Moving, cleaning and storing it for our ever-increasing population is becoming a paramount issue. And Xylem Inc (NYSE:XYL) is the industrial stock to make that happen.With its appropriate name, the former spin-off from industrial giant ITT (NYSE:ITT) makes a whole host of equipment like pumps, controllers and filtration devices for wastewater treatment plants across the globe. That's a great position to be in. Growth in water treatment is steady and surging.Here in the U.S., replacing aging water infrastructure has become a top priority. Moreover, XYL has quickly moved in helping utilities with smart-metering, leakage detection and other efficiency applications. That provides plenty of higher margins versus just pumps.Secondly, Xylem's real growth is coming from overseas. Just after its spin-off, Xylem changed its strategy and started looking towards key markets like China, the Middle East and South East Asia. Here, populations are growing and access to clean water is shrinking. Last quarter, XYL managed to score a 12% gain in adjusted net income.The shift to higher margin products and to the emerging world has helped XYL boost its cash flows, reduce its debt and pad shareholder's pockets as well.At a forward P/E of 21.6, XYL isn't super-cheap. But when it comes to industrial stocks, it has an impressive growth profile and it is worth the slight premium. Ingersoll-Rand (IR)Ingersoll-Rand (NYSE:IR) could be leading the pack of industrial stocks … at least when it comes to sector moves. The firm slimmed down in a big way after the recession. And now that many of its peers -- like General Electric (NYSE:GE), Honeywell (NYSE:HON) and United Technologies (NYSE:UTX) -- are splitting apart, IR is building up its portfolio of products.This time, Ingersoll-Rand made its biggest buyout ever. IR agreed to pay $1.45 billion for Precision Flow Systems from a group of private equity investors. Precision Flow makes a bunch of engineered pumps, boosters and other systems for water, chemicals and food and beverage customers. This is an easy bolt-on for IR's current fluids management business and actually would nearly triple the size of its current revenues from the segment.At the same, IR has continued to see more demand from its air conditioning and HVAC unit Trane. Both here and across the world, heating and cooling are often the biggest demanders of electricity/power. With global energy surging, especially in key emerging markets, IR has steadily clipped higher revenues from the unit.All of this has made, IR a growth machine among industrial stocks. The firm saw continuing EPS grow more than 61% during Q1 and more than 24% for all of 2018. * 10 Stocks to Sell for an Economic Slowdown For investors looking for a great growth industrial stock, IR is it. iShares U.S. Industrials ETF (IYJ)Perhaps the best way to play the surge in industrial stocks is to own them all. Here's where exchange-traded funds can come in handy. However, investors may want to bypass the previously mentioned XLI and choose the iShares U.S. Industrials ETF (NYSEARCA:IYJ) instead.For one thing, the IYJ has a much broader portfolio of holdings and includes more mid-cap industrial stocks in its portfolio. These mid-caps have provided plenty of growth as well as being M&A targets for the sector. It has also allowed IYJ to outperform the XLI over the longer haul. Over the last ten years, the iShares fund has managed to produce an average annual return of over 13%. At the same time, you still get plenty of large-cap industrial stocks as well. Top holdings in the ETF include Honeywell, Boeing (NYSE:BA) and 3M (NYSE:MMM).As trade begins to thaw and the economy continues to move along, IYJ should be able to post some impressive returns. In the meantime, investors can clip at 1.3% dividend yield.While IYJ isn't the cheapest ETF in the world -- at 0.43% or $43 per $10,000 invested in expenses -- it's certainly not high-priced. And with a strong performance and breadth of holdings, it could be a great way to play all the industrial stocks out there.As of this writing, Aaron Levitt did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 10 Stocks to Sell for an Economic Slowdown * 7 Marijuana Penny Stocks That I May Buy * 7 of The Best Schwab ETFs for Low Fees The post The 5 Best Industrial Stocks to Buy Today appeared first on InvestorPlace.
- MarketWatch
Deere's stock falls after UBS downgrades
Shares of Deere & Co. fell 0.8% in morning trading Wednesday, after the maker of agriculture, construction and turf care equipment was downgraded at UBS, citing concerns over valuation following the sharp bounce over the past couple months. Analyst Steven Fisher cut his rating to neutral from buy, but raised his stock price target to $167 from $158. Fisher said he now believes the stock "fairly reflects the balance of near-term caution vs. the potential for a pick up in the large ag replacement cycle in 2020." The downgrade comes after the stock has soared 20.2% since closing at a 6 1/2-month low of $134.82 on May 17. Over the same time, the SPDR Industrial Select Sector ETF has gained 3.0% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average tacked on 4.4%. Fisher said his research indicates demand will weaken in the next one to two quarters, as farmers hold back on purchases given "poor growing conditions and ongoing trade uncertainty," although higher gain prices are a "positive indicator for future farm income."
