FedEx Benefits From Ecommerce

FedEx Corporation got back on form by delivering a solid set of second-quarter earnings on Wednesday, and guidance was maintained in the face of weaker-than-expected economic conditions. Moreover, management commentary confirmed FedEx is successfully handling surging e-commerce demand during the holiday season. Let's take a closer look at FedEx's second-quarter results.

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5 Key Indicators for the Industrial Sector

While we don't believe in macroeconomic speculation at the Motley Fool, we admit that sometimes key insights into a company's prospects can be explained by looking closely at an industry or macro economic indicator. After all, it's hard for even the best company to fight against strong economic tides. With that in mind, the information in the following 5 charts give a rough idea of how the underlying industries of the 5 companies in question might fare in the year ahead.

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United Technologies Outlook for 2016

United Technologies faces a year of transition in 2016. In a nutshell, next year will see the company laying the groundwork for long-term growth in recurring earnings and cash flow. It will make the stock more attractive in the long term, but reduce near-term earnings prospects. Let's take a look at what investors need to know about the company's 2016.

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Illinois Tool Works Outlook for 2016

During its recent investor and analyst day, Illinois Tool Works reiterated its performance goals for 2017. Its management has set its targets as the fruition of a five-year enterprise strategy plan intended to increase margin and revenue growth. Let's look at the analyst day presentation in the context of making a decision to buy the stock or not.

The company's enterprise plan means the stock offers self-help growth opportunities -- not a bad quality in a sluggish economy -- but ultimately its fortunes are still tied to the industrial economy. The question is whether the former is enough to offset any difficulties with the latter in 2016.

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Time to Buy Agricultural Machinery Stocks For 2016?

Titan Machinery, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:TITN) third-quarter results delivered the latest tale of woe for the agricultural machinery sector, and the market promptly reacted by sending the stock down nearly 25% in the days following the earnings report. Titan's troubles matter to the sector because it sells and rents agricultural and industrial equipment to CNH Industrial (NYSE:CNHI). As CNH goes, so do rivals Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) and AGCO Corporation (NYSE:AGCO). That said, let's take a look at Titan's earnings and the outlook for the rest of the sector.

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Is Rockwell Automation ROK a Stock to Buy for 2016?

There's no doubt that the industrial automation sector has had a disappointing 2015. Falling oil prices have pressured capital spending in the upstream oil industry, and slowing industrial growth -- not least in emerging markets -- created caution in industrial capital spending. That said, Rockwell Automation  has notably outperformed peers such as Emerson Electric and ABB Ltd. Let's look at why, and examine whether Rockwell's stock can outperform in 2016.

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5 Key Takeaways From Deere & Company (DE) Earnings

Deere & Company's recent results beat analyst expectations, and the initial uptick in the stock price served notice that despite forecasts for another year of falling sales, Deere still has upside potential. In this context, let's look at five things management wants you to know from its fourth-quarter results.

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Time to Buy Johnson Controls for 2016?

Johnson Controls' (NYSE:JCI) recent strategic review and outlook failed to convince the market, with the stock down around 7% in the two days' trading afterward. The negative issues look stock-specific rather than any kind of warning on its end market, and rivals such as United Technologies (NYSE:UTX) and Ingersoll-Rand Plc (NYSE:IR) shouldn't be unduly worried by what Johnson Controls' management said. However, a deeper dive into the company's guidance suggests management may be taking a rosy view on its prospects in China in 2016. Let's take a closer look.

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General Electric Company (GE) and Alstom

General Electric Company recently updated investors on its acquisition of Alstom's power and grid assets.The deal is an integral part of the company's refocusing on its industrial businesses, and management outlined a number of initiatives that strengthen the case for buying the stock. It's been thought of as a play on cost-cutting, but management outlined a number of growth initiatives as well. Let's take a closer look.

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Winners and Losers From Earnings Season

With the third-quarter earnings season largely over, it's time to analyze which industrial stocks and sectors outperformed or disappointed. In doing so, let's take a look at the key trends and themes in the results of the major industrial companies. Will these investment themes continue to work in 2016?

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Deere & Company Company Analysis

Deere & Company's  recent results were warmly received by a stock market that's hoping the company can engineer a turnaround in fiscal year 2016. However, the earnings beat was more about cost cutting than any improvement in the agriculture machinery market. In reality, Deere still faces declining end markets in 2016. On a brighter note, the stock gives you upside exposure to any increase in crop prices, and for that reason alone it's attractive within a balanced portfolio. Let's look at what you need to know before buying or selling a position.

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Using Behavioral Finance in Investing

Have you ever wondered how you can make money from behavioral finance? It's a much-discussed topic that often leaves investors floundering for something tangible to invest in. Well, wonder no further, because I have three examples of stocks whose prospects are best understood using a simple understanding of the so-called wealth effect. So let's look at why Boeing , Deere & Company , and The Home Depot are interesting for behavioral-finance enthusiasts

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Today's Dividend Candidate: Emerson Electric

For those on the hunt of dividend yield, industrial stalwart Emerson Electric's  nearly 3.9% dividend yield is surely attracting some attention. Unfortunately, investing is rarely as simple as picking out a stock based on yield, so I thought I would discuss some of the pros and cons of buying dividend aristocrat Emerson Electric for its yield.

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When Will Caterpillar Stock Recover?

The eternal question with a company like Caterpillar  is when the cycle will turn in its end markets. As ever with highly cyclical stocks, when the market turns down, its sales fall dramatically, only to rise in similar fashion when conditions improve. In this context, let's look at the underlying sales trends with Caterpillar and what it means for its prospects in 2016.

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What Siemens Results Mean to General Electric Investors

It's always interesting to hear what competitors are saying about end markets and their competitive positioning, and there aren't many more iconic rivals in the industrials space than General Electric Company  and Siemens. Let's look at Siemens' latest earnings and commentary on end markets, and compare where the two companies are headed.

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Advance Auto Parts Looks a Good Value

The investment idea behind buying Advance Auto Parts is based on the belief that the company can play catch-up with rivals such as AutoZone and O'Reilly Automotive. It's an attractive proposition because Advance currently trades at a substantial discount to its peers. In my view, closing the gap could result in a near doubling of the stock price. But can Advance really achieve its aims? Here is what you need to know before buying the stock. 

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Advance Auto Parts: A Value Stock

Advance Auto Parts represents one of the most compelling deep-value stocks in the market. But a deep-value company is rarely one firing on all cylinders, and Advance Auto Parts has challenges ahead, as its management seeks to close the valuation gap with rivals AutoZone and O'Reilly Automotive. Let's take a closer look at the value proposition.

In a nutshell, the case for buying Advance Auto Parts rests on the idea that it can improve its operational metrics to the levels O'Reilly and AutoZone have achieved.

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Is 3M Company a Stock to Buy?

Quality stocks rarely come cheap, and 3M Company is a prime example. The company trades with a P/E in excess of 20 times and has recently cut its full-year 2015 guidance in the face of a weakening industrial economy. However, its underlying performance remains excellent, and management recently announced restructuring and productivity improvement programs designed to increase profitability in the next few years. Let's take a look at the pros and cons of buying 3M stock.

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Emerson Electric's Latest Earnings Call

Emerson Electric's fiscal-year 2015 proved challenging, to say the least. Reductions in energy capital expenditures, adverse currency movements, and emerging-market weakness combined to reduce full-year net sales by 9% and adjusted EPS by 15%. As the company enters its fiscal 2016, investors will be hoping to see some improvement. With this in mind, here are five things that management wants you to know about its future prospects.

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Home Depot, Inc HD Sees Growth in Housing Market

Home Depot, Inc. reported third-quarter results on Nov. 17 and continued its three-quarter run of raising full-year 2015 guidance. Moreover, management discussed the positive trends in its underlying business and outlined how the key drivers of its growth continued to show positive signs. It's time to take a closer look at a good quarter for the retailer.


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AgroFresh Solutions Inc Stock Research

AgroFresh Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ:AGFS) gave its first earnings call as a listed company and immediately introduced followers to the vagaries of the farming market. AgroFresh sells solutions that enable farmers to control the quality of their fruit during storage and transportation as well as pre-harvesting. Its earnings are thus always going to be somewhat subject to crop conditions in any given year. What happened and why?


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Emerson Electric to Recover in 2016?

There is something soothing and therapeutic about a company reaching the fourth-quarter of a difficult fiscal year and looking ahead to a better year. It's not quite that Emerson Electric's (NYSE: EMR) management is expecting a better fiscal 2016, but rather it expects the second half of its 2016 to mark an improvement on the first.Following the current rough patch, investors could be looking at an entirely different story by this time next year.Time to get excited? Let's dive in and see if there is any cause for optimism.


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Is United Technologies Undervalued?

United Technologies isn't the only company whose management believes its stock is intrinsically undervalued, but in this case, there's a sound argument to justify that belief. Furthermore, management is backing up its claim by promising to buy back $16 billion worth of stock in the 2015-2017 period. Let's take a look at what's going on, and why investors in General Electric also have cause for optimism.


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Illinois Tool Works Equity Analysis

Investors buy stocks for many different reasons, and differing investment philosophies can easily lead to radically diverging conclusions on the same stock. A good example is Illinois Tool Works. The stock is interesting because it offers different things to growth and value investors, and depending on your perspective, it might fit your portfolio. Let's take a closer look.



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Cisco Systems Gives Disappointing Guidance

Information technology bellwether Cisco Systems delivered a good set of first-quarter fiscal 2016 results, but by management's own admission, its second-quarter guidance was lower than market expectations. The company blamed this on a combination of adverse foreign exchange issues and macro-economic challenges. However, there is a lot more going under the surface of these results, so let's take a closer look.


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Is Ecommerce Actually Hurting United Parcel Service?

A lot has been made of the way business-to-consumer e-commerce demand is surging, and how package delivery companies like United Parcel Service  and FedEx Corporation will benefit from it in the long term. However, it hasn't been smooth sailing for those shippers just yet. Volumes have increased strongly during recent holiday seasons, putting pressure on both companies as they attempt to deal with the demand. Consequently, both companies have taken costly measures to improve their abilities to cope with peak. Has peak demand affected profitability, particularly in the fourth quarter?


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Dover Corp: Time to Buy Stock?

At some point, oil has to bounce, right? That's the question investors in Dover Corporation must be asking themselves. Dover may be classified as a diversified industrial company, but in 2014, it generated around 35% of its earnings from the oil and gas industry. Given the slump in energy capital spending this year, it's hardly surprising that Dover's full-year revenue and earnings are expected to slump in 2015. However, the stock is also 19% cheaper than it was a year ago. So, is now the time to be picking up shares of Dover? Here's what you need to know before buying.


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United Parcel Service Conference Call

As United Parcel Service moves into its critical fourth-quarter, it's a good time for investors to take stock on what kind of year it's been and how UPS shaping up for the future. In the near-term, the company's focus is on dealing with peak demand during the holiday period, and the likely impact of slower economic growth. Thinking longer term, the question is how will it affect UPS's business and its earnings expectations? Here are five things management had to say on such issues during the recent third-quarter earnings call.


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Johnson Controls Management Speaks

Automotive parts and building components maker Johnson Controls Inc  has been in transformation mode for the past couple of years, and its fiscal 2016 promises more of the same. The company is best known as a major automotive interior manufacturer, but CEO Alex Molinaroli has increasingly focused on its building efficiency segment while investing in expanding power solutions (automotive batteries). Meanwhile the automotive experience segment is set to be spun off next year. With this in mind, let's take a look at five things management wants you to know about Johnson's future plans.


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Emerson Electric's fourth-quarter results capped off a very difficult year for the diversified industrial company. Emerson started its fiscal year struggling with weak energy capital spending and a strong U.S. dollar. Unfortunately, adding insult to injury, the year got worse. As the year progressed, issues like weakening emerging market growth and slowing industrial spending joined the party. Despite recent travails, the company continues to be well respected by dividend investors for being a Dividend Aristocrat -- 2015 marked the 59th consecutive year of increased dividends -- so let's take a look at the results and how management is dealing with difficult markets.


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Cognex Corporation Not Immune From Industrial Economy

s has been the case with many industrial companies, Cognex  reported slowing conditions in its markets in the third quarter. Moreover, management gave soft guidance for the fourth quarter and cautioned investors against too much near-term optimism. On the other hand, management still views Cognex has a long-term growth business, so let's take a closer look at what exactly happened in the third quarter.


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Johnson Controls's Difficult Third Quarter

It was a tough fourth quarter for Johnson Controls Inc from an end-market perspective, but much of the bad news, such as the slowdown in China hitting its automotive and construction markets -- was arguably priced into the stock before the earnings came out.

The question now is what about the company's prospects in 2016? Let's take a look at the details behind the trends in the fourth quarter.


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What United Parcel Service Must do in the Fourth Quarter

United Parcel Service's recently released third-quarter results left the market underwhelmed, and the stock sold off slightly in the aftermath. Its report followed disappointing results from package delivery rival FedEx Corporation. Consequently, investors must be wondering what lies ahead for UPS in the fourth quarter?


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Dassault Systemes Earnings Analysis

3D design software specialist Dassault Systemes continued its strong run in 2015 by delivering earnings on Oct. 22 that came in ahead of management's guidance. In addition, full-year estimates were raised in view of the strong third-quarter results. Let's take a look at the third quarter and what management predicts for the rest of the year.


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What Danaher Corporation's Management Wants You to Know

Danaher Corporation (NYSE:DHR) has comfortably outperformed the S&P 500 in the last year, but the question is: Can its run continue? Part of the answer lies in management's ability to successfully integrate Pall Corp. and complete the planned separation of Danaher into two companies. The other part lies in continuing to generate growth with its existing businesses. That said, here are five key things that management wants you to know about the company's future prospects.


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Check Point Software, Best Stock in the IT Security Sector?

Following fellow IT security company Fortinet Inc.'s near-20% drop after it reported results last Friday, investors in Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. must have had a nervous weekend waiting for earnings on the following Monday. In the end, Check Point's third-quarter earnings were fine, but the real question is: What will happen in the fourth quarter?


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BorgWarner Reduces Guidance, Again

For the third quarter in a row, engine and powertrain company BorgWarner (NYSE:BWA) disappointed the market by reducing its full-year revenue and earnings guidance. Once again, currency effects played a part, but clearly weakness in China and commercial vehicle production in parts of the world is also hurting the company. It was an interesting report in terms of observing trends in auto production. In addition, management took the time to explain BorgWarner's exposure to the Volkswagen (NASDAQOTH:VLKAY) emissions debacle. Let's take a closer look.


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MSC Industrial Earnings Signals a Weak Manufacturing Environment

Anyone with lingering doubts that the manufacturing sector is in a slowdown need only take a look at MSC Industrial Direct's fiscal fourth-quarter results, which were released on Tuesday. Just as rival W.W. Grainger indicated in mid-October, MSC Industrial is seeing a challenging environment in which revenue growth and margin are coming under pressure. In reality, industrial supply companies have limited visibility, so future guidance is subject to change, but they do give a very accurate reading on current conditions. Let's take a look at the earnings report.


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United Parcel Service Earnings Analysis

On a headline basis, United Parcel Service delivered a solid set of results and guidance on Tuesday, but many of the underlying themes in the report confirmed what key rival FedEx Corporation said about the weakening in the global economy in 2015. Let's take a look at the headline numbers and then focus on the trends beneath them.


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Jones Lang LaSalle Keeps Growing

Commercial real estate company Jones Lang LaSalle  followed rival CBRE Group, Inc in releasing a bumper set of earnings on Wednesday. CBRE beat analyst estimates and raised full-year earnings guidance in its results presentation, but the standout numbers came from Jones Lang LaSalle. Let's take a look at why the market got so excited by the earnings report.


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Danaher Corporation Offers a Safe Haven

Given the weakening in the industrial economy in the last six months, investors have increasingly bought into companies like Danaher for two main reasons:

First, its mix of healthcare and niche technology businesses and minimal exposure to oil and gas capital spending means it should avoid the worst of the slowdown.

Second, it's somewhat of a special-situations stock in the sense that its $13.8 billion acquisition of filtration company Pall Corp. was with the intention to separate itself into two publicly traded companies.

That said, do its recent third-quarter results back up this thesis?


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General Electric Company Profting From the Industrial Internet

A lot has been said about General Electric Company's industrial Internet, but a lot less about how it's likely to favorably change the operating metrics of the company. Investors' primary focus is usually on a company's bottom line and how much they are paying for it.

With this in mind, let's take a look at five ways the industrial Internet could make General Electric a more profitable company.


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Illinois Tool Works Earnings Analysis

Another quarter brings another set of earnings from Illinois Tool Works in which the underlying improvements due to its five-year enterprise strategy plan are hidden by deteriorating end markets. In short, management reduced earnings guidance to account for a weaker economy, but its ongoing initiatives continue to make progress -- possibly setting the company up for strong growth given a pickup in the industrial economy. Let's take a closer look at the earnings.


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Robert Half International Earnings Analysis

Staffing specialist Robert Half International delivered a solid set of third-quarter earnings, with management making positive noises about future growth prospects. Indeed, they clearly believe that more growth is coming, because the hiring company is itself hiring in order to capitalize on hot areas in the recruitment market. Time to look more closely at the results.


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The Bullish Case for Deere & Company Stock

It's been a difficult year for investors in the agricultural machinery sector, as key crop prices have continued to fall, putting pressure on farmers' incomes and willingness to spend on new machinery. Consequently, the leading players in the industry, including Deere & Company have underperformed the broader market. However, a recent report from PricewaterhouseCoopers titled "China's Agricultural Challenges" helps shed light on the long-term bullish case for buying agribusiness stocks. Let's look at the key arguments.


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Alcoa Sets the Tone for Eanings Season

Alcoa earnings usually set the tone for the earnings season, and not just because of the "AA" ticker. Its position as a major aluminum and alumina supplier means if companies are cutting back or increasing production, then Alcoa will hear about it first. Moreover, CEO Klaus Kleinfeld always gives good commentary on the company's trading environment. Let's run down the major changes in its end-market outlook and take a guess at how the earnings season will shape up for the industrial sector.


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Goldman Sachs Thinks You Should Sell These Stocks

In a recent quarterly chartbook, Goldman Sachs analysts recommended 40 stocks to buy and 40 to sell. The only major industrial company on the buy list is Johnson Controls, but there are a plethora of industrials on the sell list. Of course, that doesn't mean you should sell; in fact, sometimes it's a good idea to buy stocks the investment community has given up on.

Let's take a look at some of them and examine what you need to know before buying into these stocks unloved by Goldman Sachs analysts.




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Where is Wells Fargo Headed?

According to Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf, the bank's third-quarter results reflected its diversified business model's ability to "generate consistent financial performance in an uneven economic environment." It's a good way to summarize the challenges that Wells Fargo has been meeting this year within a difficult trading environment. That said, let's take a look at the key themes in the earnings report and what the bank has been doing to generate earnings growth.


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General Electric Company Order Book

General Electric Company is the largest industrials company in the U.S., and with the sector being highly cyclical, looking at the company's order book will reveal much about the economy as a whole. That said, each company has its own specific end markets, and General Electric is no different, so let's take a detailed look at what the company's order trends are saying about the economy and the investment themes that might be at work going forward.

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FedEx Corporation Free Cash Flow

One of the ongoing concerns that FedEx Corporation  investors have is its cash flow generation. In short, FedEx's free cash flow generation has consistently lagged that of rival United Parcel Service . With this in mind, let's look at the facts and ask what's been going on with FedEx's cash flow generation. The key question being: does its history of weak free cash flow generation mean the stock should be avoided?


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FedEx Corporation and United Parcel Service Preparing for Peak

During most of the year, package delivery companies FedEx Corporation  and United Parcel Service attract little attention from the public, but that all changes come the holiday season if they don't deliver packages on time. However, investors should also focus on the holiday period because dealing with peak demand is probably the biggest variable in both companies' earnings. Let's look at what both companies are doing to prepare for peak demand during the upcoming holiday season.


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McCormick & Company's Troubles in India

Spices and seasonings business McCormick & Company  delivered a mixed set of third-quarter earnings Thursday morning, but disappointed the market by guiding toward the lower end of its full-year earnings-per-share guidance range. The company's underlying revenue and earnings growth continues to be masked by unfavorable currency movements. Meanwhile, just as McCormick is achieving success in dealing with some of the weaker areas of its business, it's seeing weakness in its majority-owned India spice business, Kohinoor, and the ill effects of a decline in the Mexican peso. Let's take a closer look at what's going on.


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AZZ Incorporated Outperforms the S & P 500

Unlike many stocks in the industrial sector, AZZ Incorporated has significantly outperformed the S&P 500 in the last year. However, this isn't really due to any large help from its end markets.

Instead, the company has executed well on its plan to recover margins in its energy segment while increasing growth opportunities in the galvanizing segment with the acquisition of U.S. Galvanzing from Trinity Industries and the planned construction of a new galvanizing plant in Nevada. It's pretty much a "self-help" story, and the recent second-quarter results acted as confirmation of the progress the company has made. Let's take a closer look:


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Time to Buy Illinois Tool Works?

Diversified industrial giant Illinois Tool Works stock has notably underperformed the S&P 500 this year -- however, it's not the only one. As the chart below shows, many industrial stalwarts have gotten caught in the headwinds building up against the sector. The stronger U.S. dollar, a soft capital spending environment, declining energy capital expenditures, and weaker growth in China and other emerging markets have made conditions difficult. That said, the company's execution of its five-year enterprise strategy remains on track, and much of its operational effectiveness looks set to improve. Does this make the current weakness a buying opportunity for you?


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What Went Wrong With Cognex Corporation in 2015?

It's always punishing when growth stocks fail to live up to expectations, and investors in machine vision company Cognex  certainly weren't spared a sharp fall after it disappointed investors with its guidance at the time of the second-quarter results. However, since then the stock has recovered some lost ground. What exactly went wrong in 2015? And is it symptomatic of a deeper underlying problem?


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Where is United Technologies Headed?

Ever since the abrupt retirement of former CEO Louis Chenevert in November 2014, the market has speculated over the future strategic direction of United Technologies. A change of CEO often means a change of direction, and given that the stock is down more than 18% this year, investors will be questioning whether CEO Gregory Hayes is taking the company on the right path. Let's take a closer look and try to answer this question.


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What Went Wrong With FedEx Corporation Earnings?

When the global economy sneezes, it's highly likely that package delivery companies like FedEx  and United Parcel Service will catch a cold. As a consequence, it's hardly surprising that FedEx's first-quarter results disappointed the market. Essentially, the company missed analyst earnings estimates and downgraded its EPS guidance for fiscal 2016 -- and don't forget that this is only the first quarter. Time to take a closer look at the earnings report


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Deere & Company Faces Two Big Near Term Risks

In a previous article, I looked at the current trends within Deere & Company's trading environment and concluded that the near-term risk was rising, even if the long-term case for the stock was still intact. For the benefit of readers looking for a deeper outline of the near-term risks, I've a created a graphical depiction below of what these rising risks are.

Let's take a closer look at what's going on.


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Gerneral Electric Growth Prospects

Investors in General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) no doubt already know about CEO Jeffrey Immelt's aim to return the company back to its industrial roots. So far the plan is working well in terms of divesting assets from GE Capital. Meanwhile, the company is developing its long-term growth opportunities with initiatives such as the industrial Internet and services. But the core driver of its earnings remains its industrial hardware solutions. The company has three new major product lines that are representative of its success in transitioning back to its industrial roots.
Let's take a closer look at the early indicators of their success


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Deere's Management Speaks

The best-case scenario for investors in Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) is that crop prices rise, leading to an increase in farmers' incomes and ultimately a pickup in spending on large agricultural machinery. However, until that happens, the company will have to weather the storm of declining sales and weakening economic conditions within emerging markets. The question now is: How is the company adjusting to weakening conditions? Here is a look at five things you need to know about Deere's current trends.


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Stocks to Buy and Hold for the Next 20 Years

When you are looking at stocks worth committing to for a long time, it's usually a good idea to have a high degree of confidence in the company's underlying earnings drivers. The four stocks outlined below have significantly different long-term trends guiding their prospects, but each of the trends is already in place.


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Time to Buy Johnson Controls?

After the S&P 500's recent falls, many investors will be looking at picking up some stocks at bargain-basement prices, and Johnson Controls  could fit the bill. Since trading around the $50 mark in June, the stock is off around 20% as I write. The move has attracted Goldman Sachs analysts, who recently upgraded the stock from "neutral" to "buy," saying the market has already priced in the heightened risk in the automotive sector in China. It's not a view that I share, and it should be noted that Goldman Sachs was recently hired to give financial advice for the spinoff of the company's automotive experience segment. With that said, let's look at five takeaways from the third-quarter earnings call that might be support the bullish case for the stock.


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Tupperware and Avon Products to Cut Dividend?

Many investors love dividends, but all of them hate stocks that unexpectedly cut dividends. In the cases of Avon Products and Tupperware Brands Corporation, I think there is cause for worry. I have quantitative and qualitative concerns about both companies and their ability to continue to pay the kinds of dividends that investors have gotten used to in the last few years. With that said, let's take a closer look.


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Can Deere & Company Stock Bounce Back?

Now that the dust has settled on Deere & Company's (NYSE:DE) earnings, it's time to take a closer look at the ongoing trends in its business. The stock has, superficially at least, some very attractive qualities.

The food industry is relatively noncyclically aligned and offers investors the potential to generate positive returns irrespective of where the economy is headed. Meanwhile, Deere investors will be hoping that 2015 sees a trough in its earnings. With that said, the company's third-quarter earnings and guidance were disappointing, and there is no sign that Deere's difficult end markets are picking up just yet.

So where does this leave the case for buying stock in Deere?


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Emerson Electric's Difficult 2015

Investors in Emerson Electric  already know the company had a difficult 2015, with a combination of negative trends forcing management to lower revenue and earnings estimates throughout its fiscal year. The last earnings report wasn't pretty, and as of this writing, the stock has declined around 20% year to date. However, no stock goes down forever, and the stock's forward annual yield of 3.8% is obviously going to attract dividend hunters. With that said, let's look at the five things management wants you to know about its current trading and future prospects.


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Special Situations Stocks to Buy and Sell

Special-situations investing describes when stocks experience some kind of corporate event that might lead the market to revalue them, and that leads investors to consider buying shares in anticipation of the valuation change. General Electric Company, Danaher Corporation, and Johnson Controls are all in the process of spinning off businesses and restructuring their companies. As such, they will all look fundamentally different in the next year or so. However, I believe that the former two have a good chance of outperforming the market, while Johnson Controls has more downside risk. Here's why.


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United Parcel Service's Good Quarter

The current earnings season has been disappointing for the industrial sector, but United Parcel Service, managed to buck the trend with its set of second-quarter results. In truth, the positive news was more about the company's execution rather than any help from the macro environment. With that said, let's take a closer look at five of the key things management wants you to know about the quarter, and what it means for the company in 2015.


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Home Depot Earnings Signal a Strong Housing Market

In an earnings season marked by talk of slowing U.S. growth, Home Depot's (NYSE second quarter served notice that the housing market remains in good health. The market would have been excused for some apprehension ahead of the earnings report. After all, painting company Sherwin-Williams, which works in an industry closely allied with spending on housing, was forced to reduce its full-year guidance amid talk of "unprecedented rainfall" that reduced end-demand growth in the United States. However, Home Depot raised full-year guidance, and the market promptly took the stock to an all-time high. Let's take a closer look at the earnings


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Danaher Corporation Earnings Call

It's been a difficult reporting season for the industrial sector, but Danaher Corporation stands out from its peer group in terms of results and prospects. A mix of favorable end-market exposure, corporate restructuring activity (management intends to split the company into two separate parts), and excitement over its intended $13.8 billion purchase of Pall Corp. has led to the stock's outperformance versus the market and its peer group in 2015.


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Cisco Systens Earnings Analysis

Chuck Robbins got his tenure as CEO of Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) off to a good start by delivering earnings ahead of analyst estimates. While all eyes will be on the new management in the coming quarters to see any restructuring of Cisco's portfolio, the immediate focus is on how its businesses are performing right now. With this in mind, let's take a closer look at the key numbers in the earnings report.


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Stocks to Beat Crime

NICE Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ:NICE) specializes in hardware and software that captures and analyzes customer interactions across a multitude of platforms -- very useful for crime prevention. Meanwhile, Allegion Plc (NYSE:ALLE) manufactures security doors and locks for use by corporations and homes alike. Let's take a brief look at both companies and what makes them attractive for this investing theme.


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Time to Buy Stock in PPG Industries?

Painting and coatings manufacturer PPG Industries is a curious beast. On one hand, it's a true Dividend Aristocrat, having raised its dividend for the last 43 years at a compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, of 7% -- making it attractive to dividend seekers. On the other hand, its mid-teens growth rate and trailing P/E of around 27 times earnings make it the kind of stock only growth investors will take a look at. However, I'm going to introduce a third hand into consideration, and ask whether PPG Industries stock is a buy right now.


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Danaher Corporation Business Model Analysis

Danaher Corporation  recently delivered a solid set of second-quarter earnings that belied some of the disappointing reports we have seen from other companies in the industrial sector in this current earnings season. The company is known for its business model of acquiring companies and then applying its Danaher Business System, or DBS, in order to increase their productivity.


Let's take a closer look at the earnings report and by use of a slideshow see if the business model is still working


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Emerson Electric Earnings Analysis

Emerson Electric (NYSE:EMR) was already having a difficult 2015, but unfortunately it just got a bit worse with its third-quarter results. The company continued its three-quarter-long streak of lowering its underlying revenue guidance, and management continued to caution investors that market conditions are likely to remain difficult for the next year. Let's take a closer look at the underlying trends in the results, and the pressures building up on the company.


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Cognex Corporation Earnings Analysis

Cognex Corporation delivered a solid set of results for its second quarter, but its guidance for the third quarter was nothing less than a disappointment. In short, management's expectations for revenue fell significantly short of expectations. The news is all the more disconcerting because the company has been taking steps to gear up for growth in precisely the kind of orders and revenue that won't be appearing in the third quarter. What went wrong?


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BorgWarner Faces Headwinds

Engine and powertrain company BorgWarner released its second-quarter earnings today, and disappointed the market by missing analyst estimates and reducing its full-year guidance. If there's one thing you can conclude from the recent spate of earnings in the industrial sector, it's that China's automotive sector is slowing.

In truth, after missing analyst estimates in its first quarter, the pressure was on BorgWarner to come up with a good set of results this time around. Unfortunately, a combination of factors conspired to disappoint such hopes. Let's take a closer look at what happened.


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Jones Lang LaSalle Earnings Analysis

Commercial real estate services company Jones Lang LaSalle delivered another strong set of results in its second-quarter and one detail in its earnings and guidance helped allay some concerns over the North American commercial construction market.


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Precisiom Castparts Equity Analysis

Precision Castparts (NYSE:PCP) missed analyst estimates for revenue and EPS in its first-quarter results, yet the stock moved sharply higher on the day. The company has disappointed investors with its past few earnings reports, but that wasn't enough to stop Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway from adding to its position in the stock. Despite the disappointments, or possibly because of them, the stock has become a value proposition. Let's look at what happened in its first quarter.


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Johnson Controls Conference Call Takeaways

Investors in Johnson Controls Inc. (NYSE:JCI) have watched the company being restructured in the past couple of years, and the recent third-quarter results promised more of the same. Having announced an intent to explore strategic options for its Automotive Experience segment (dealing in car seating and interiors) in June, management subsequently released third-quarter results and announced plans for a tax-free spinoff of the segment -- one that could change the nature of the company. With this development in mind, let's look at the five key takeaways from the earnings report.


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United Parcel Service Earnings Analysis

Despite some disappointing developments in the last three months, United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) managed to beat earnings estimates with its second-quarter results. Moreover, management pleased investors when it expressed confidence in hitting the upper end of the company's full-year guidance range. The stock is up more than 5% as of this writing. Let's take a look at how the package delivery company managed to do this.


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Robert Half International is a Growth Stock

For the second quarter in a row, staffing specialist Robert Half International (NYSE:RHI) reported a good set of results -- only for the market to sell off the stock. Guessing how and why the market reacts to earnings reports is a thankless task, and investors are probably better occupied by focusing on what the numbers mean for the developing trends in the business. With that in mind, let's take a look at the tale of Robert Half's second quarter.


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Dassault Systemes Equity Analysis

Engineering and design software company Dassault Systemes (OTC:DASTY) has had a strong year so far in 2015, with the stock price up 26% year to date. Moreover, its second-quarter results confirmed the company's growth prospects, and for the second quarter in a row, management upgraded its full-year guidance.



Let's take a look at four key takeaways from the results.


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Check Point Software Equity Analysis

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ:CHKP) released a set of second-quarter earnings that suggested the company is on track with most of its growth initiatives in 2015. In recent years, the company has been known as the highly cash generative but low growth investment option in the network security sector. However, given its recent performance it might be time to reappraise that assessment. Let's take a closer look at the results.


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Illinois Tool Works Earnings Analysis

Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW) unveiled a mixed set of second-quarter results that initially disappointed the market, and the stock is marked down a few percentage points as of this writing. However, there are a lot of things going on underneath the surface of the headline numbers. Let's take a closer look as I highlight the key points in the quarter.


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Is Advance Auto Parts a Stock to Buy?

Back in October of last year, I took a look at the investment prospects  for Advance Auto Parts, (NYSE: AAP) stock. The investment case for buying the stock rests on the successful integration of General Parts International, a deal that results in Advance Auto becoming the largest auto parts retailer in the U.S.

With the stock up more than 25% since October, I thought it would be time to update investors on progress with the integration. Is it going smoothly enough to justify the stock price move?


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Alcoa Earnings Analysis

With the markets in a tailspin over events in China and Greece, I thought it would be good to get some commentary on the global industrial economy. The earnings call at aluminum and alumina producer Alcoa (NYSE:AA) is a great place to start. Its management always delivers solid guidance on its end markets, and what it says has direct relevance to industrial bellwethers General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) and United Technologies Corporation. Let's take a look at Alcoa's recent results and take a deeper dive into what's going on with the global economy.


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Why FedEx Has Outperformed United Parcel Service

All great corporations have great men behind them who shape the management philosophy of the company, and there is no doubt who it is at FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX). Founder, Chairman, President and CEO Fred Smith created the company in 1971 and his influence can be directly seen in the ongoing operations of the company today. With this in mind, let's take a look at Smith's development of FedEx and why it may have led to the company outperforming its rivals in the last few years.


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McCormick & Company Earnings Analysis

The good news is spice-and-seasonings business McCormick & Company (NYSE:MKC) is achieving most of its objectives in 2015. The bad news is currency effects continue to erode its reported sales and profit generation. With this in mind, let's take a closer look at what is actually going on with its sales trends and earnings. The company reported Q2 results on July 1 and gave an updated 2015 outlook.


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MSC Industrial Earnings Analysis

The latest third-quarter results from MSC Industrial Direct (NYSE:MSM) confirmed the company's position as a potential recovery play, but it also underlined how difficult its end markets are at present. In short, it was a mixed bag of results. Let's take a closer look at the good and bad in the quarter.


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AZZ Incorporated Earnings Analysis

After a difficult 2014 in which the company underperformed the S&P 500 index by nearly 14%, AZZ (NYSE:AZZ) is ahead of the index by more than 8% on a year-to-date basis. Essentially, AZZ's management has addressed a number of issues that plagued the company last year, and the market is warming to its plan to expand its steel galvanizing operations. In this context, let's take a look at its recent first-quarter results and what they indicate for the company's prospects.


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General Electric Company (GE) New Technologies

By now, most investors in General Electric Co. (NYSE:GE) will be aware of management's plans to shift the company toward generating 90% of its profits from industrial operations by 2018. Alongside this move, General Electric is also busy trying to generate orders for three key technologies. All three are within its core operations, and their success will help convince the market that CEO Jeff Immelt has put the company on the right track.


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Best Stocks in Agriculture

Are you looking to buy into the idea that the agricultural sector is going to bottom out this year? If so, you would be in good company, because Warren Buffett has been buying stock in agricultural machinery giant Deere & Co. (NYSE:DE). But is that the best stock for individual investors? Which stock in the sector should you prefer, and why? Let's look at the leading candidates in the agricultural machinery sector and some of their key metrics for 2015 and 2016.


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Jack Welch and General Electric Company (GE)

Assessing the greatest business contribution Jack Welch has made to General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) is a worthy endeavor from an academic perspective, but what does it mean for contemporary investors? In reality, the company is vastly different from the one that Welch left in 2001, but there are still many conclusions from Welch's time that are relevant to the company today. Let's take a look at Welch's tenure and what it means to current investors in the stock


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3m Company Equity Analysis

3M Company (NYSE:MMM) is an exceptionally well-run business, but is it a great stock for your portfolio? It has industry-leading margins and productivity, but also a valuation to match. What it boils down to is whether you think the company can sustain the excellence of its execution. Let's take a closer look.


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General Electric Company Finds $1.8 Billion

Whisper it quietly but General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) just found $1.8 billion for investors. Essentially, the company now expects cost synergies from the intended integration of Alstom to produce $3 billion in annual cost savings by the fifth year, up from a previous target of $1.2 billion. With CEO Jeff Immelt outlining the details at the Electrical Products Group conference at the end of May, I thought it would be a good time to look at what he said, and why the news is so important for GE investors.


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What About United Parcel Service Inc Credit Rating?

On the same day that United Parcel Service Inc (NYSE:UPS) released its first-quarter earnings, Moody's changed its outlook on the company's debt to negative. It's never a good sign when a credit rating agency lowers its outlook on a company's debt, and investors in the stock might be concerned that the bond market knows something that the equity market doesn't. With that said, what are investors to make of Moody's move?


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Commercial Construction Stocks to Buy in 2015

Since 2009, the global economic recovery has been uneven and unpredictable. Possibly the worst hit segment of the economy was the commercial construction sector which has certainly seen its share of ups and downs over the years. However, uncertainty often creates opportunities for forward-thinking investors. Let's take a look at the dynamics in the sector and the stocks that could benefit from an extended recovery.


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Kuehne + Nagel Equity Analysis

It's usually a good idea for long-term investors to take a step back once in a while and look at the thematic trends affecting the prospects of their stocks. One such trend for transportation companies United Parcel Service Inc (NYSE:UPS) and FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX) is the relative weakness in global trade growth when compared to global GDP growth. Both companies' managements have mentioned the issue on earnings calls. So I decided it would be a good idea to delve deeper into the trend by looking at Switzerland's Kuehne + Nagel (NASDAQ Other:KHNGF).


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Mooody's Sees Elevated Risk in General Electric Company

Moody's Investors Service recently released a report on General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) highlighting the elevated near-term risk in GE's investment programs. To be clear, the report also outlined that the investments should leave GE "well positioned" in the long run, but I want to focus on the near-term issues.



What were the reasons behind the elevated risks discussed? And what are investors to make of them?


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Stocks to Buy in the Dental Sector

The investment thesis behind investing in the dental business is simple. An aging Western population with better access to dental healthcare means many more teeth will need treatment in the future.

Moreover, increasing standards of healthcare in the developing world offer ample opportunities for the dental business abroad as well. Throw in the relatively recession-resistant nature of the industry and you have a bullish case for this business. So which are the best stocks to buy in the dental business?


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Is Deere & Company a Buy?

The recent second-quarter earnings from Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) helped the stock to outperform the S&P 500 on a year-to-date basis. The stock has attracted a lot of attention in 2015, not least from the news that Warren Buffett has been buying it for Berkshire Hathaway.

How did the recent results reflect upon the company's prospects in 2015? Let's take a look at four key conclusions.


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Heico Corp Earnings Research

Investors in aviation product and service company Heico Corp. (NYSE:HEI) must have been perplexed by the stock's recent price movements. As shown in the chart below, the stock shot up more than 10% in trading after Heico released its fiscal second-quarter earnings on Tuesday. However, that came after the share price declined significantly in the weeks before the results were released. Essentially, the earnings numbers confirmed the company's positive trajectory and the market rewarded the stock accordingly.


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What do SmartPost and SurePost Offer?

In an earlier article, I looked at the three big changes facing FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX) and United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) in the shipping marketplace. Two of them, the shift in consumer preference toward slower/lower-cost delivery options and burgeoning e-commerce deliveries, have contributed to the growth of FedEx's SmartPost and UPS's SurePost. Both services offer lower-cost ground delivery options and use the U.S. Postal Service, or USPS, for final delivery to residential consumers. As such, SmartPost and SurePost both carry risk due to their reliance on the USPS. Let's consider those risks, and why they matter to FedEx and UPS.


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Precision Castparts Stock Article

As readers might already know, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has been buying shares of Precision Castparts  (NYSE: PCP  )   even as the stock has declined in the last year and a half. Essentially, the bullish case for the metal-components maker is that the sell-off is due to a combination of nonrecurring events and weakness in its oil and gas markets, but that the long-term growth potential from its core commercial aviation market remains intact. Let's look at four key conclusions from the recent fourth-quarter earnings and how they relate to the idea of buying the stock.


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Danaher Corporation Stock Would Suit Warren Buffett

I'll cut to the chase: it's Danaher Corp.  (NYSE: DHR  ) Why? It's simple. Throughout the last 20 years or so, the conglomerate has incorporated many of the principles that made Warren Buffett so successful. In fact, I would argue that Danaher's management has run the company almost in the manner of an investment firm such as Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. An argument which is only strengthened by the recent agreement to purchase life science filtration company Pall Corporation (NYSE: PLL  ) --a move which was suggested in a Fool article on takeover targets for 2015. Let's take a closer look at why investing in Danaher stock is something that could suit Buffett and what the Pall Corp deal means for investors.


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Emerson Electric's (EMR) David Farr Sounds Gloomy

Investors in Emerson Electric (NYSE: EMR  ) watched on with disappointment as their company missed analyst estimates in the second quarter and lowered full-year estimates. In addition, when speaking on the earnings call, CEO David Farr's gloomily realistic commentary served notice that conditions aren't going to get any better in the near term. With that said, let's take a look at what actually happened in the second quarter and assess whether the headwinds are likely to be long-term or not.


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5 Things You Should Know About Johnson Controls Inc

In a familiar refrain from major U.S. exporters during this earnings season, Johnson Controls Inc. said its second-quarter earnings took a hit from currency effects. The strong U.S. dollar -- which reduces the value of foreign earnings when converted back to U.S. dollars -- caused the company to miss earnings estimates and reduce its full-year earnings outlook. However, the underlying trends are much stronger than the headline numbers suggest. Let's check out the latest earnings.


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Cognex Corporation Growth Prospects

Investors in machine vision specialist Cognex Corporation  have gotten used to seeing the company exceed expectations, and the recent first-quarter results were no exception. In a previous article on Cognex, I outlined seven key things to look out for, and the company managed to report favorably on most of them. Let's look at them in more detail and learn more about Cognex's prospects.


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FedEx Corporation (FDX) Return on Assets

In a previous article, I discussed the three big trends that have changed the nature of end-market demand for FedEx Corporation and United Parcel Service since the last recession: booming e-commerce demand, increasing protectionism that's slowing the growth of world trade, and customer preferences for cheaper, less time-sensitive deliveries. All three trends are affecting both companies, and both have had to make significant operational changes in response. The question is whether these changes have fundamentally affected profitability. I previously discussed UPS in this regard, and now it's time to take a closer look at FedEx.


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