Key Conclusions From GE's Earnings Report

Another set of earnings and another disappointment for General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) shareholders. Having updated investors on its turnaround strategy on a presentation in November, it was important for CEO John Flannery to demonstrate that a line has been drawn in the sand, notably on its ailing power segment, but the fourth-quarter earnings report failed to do this. That said, there were some good aspects to the earnings report, so let's take a look at four key takeaways -- two bad and two good -- from the presentations.

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Boeing Looks Set for Another Strong Year

The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) stock had an outstanding 2017 as the company benefited from ongoing strength in the industry and internal execution on its aircraft platforms. In order to assess whether the company will have a similarly successful year in 2018, it's useful to look at what went right last year and the trends going into this year. In this vein, here are the five key things to look out for this year.

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How to Invest in Stocks

So you're looking to buy stocks but aren't sure how to value them or decide which are the most attractive? It's a challenge for most newbie investors because it's hard to sift through the mass of numbers and stats thrown at you. To help you make sense of it all, here's my view on how to think about investing, and a demonstration of a method you can easily use to find suitable stocks for your portfolio.

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GE Takes Another Hit

In a development that CEO John Flannery described as "deeply disappointing," General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) was forced to take a $6.2 billion after-tax GAAP charge relating to its insurance portfolio. It's not exactly what investors want to hear, after a few tumultuous months involving significant earnings misses and an unconvincing investor updatein November.

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Food Equipment Industry and Stock Analysis

Last year was one to forget for the commercial food equipment industry in the U.S. Earnings reports from multi-industrial companies like Illinois Tool Works and Dover Corp contained references to the softness in sales in 2017, while the message from pure-play food equipment companies like Wellbilt Inc. and The Middleby Corporation was pretty much the same. Is it part of a reversal of a trend, or merely a blip that's creating a buying opportunity in the sector, especially in a stock like Middleby, which has risen recently on hopes of a turnaround? Let's take a closer look.

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Deere is Well Positioned for 2018

Shares in Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) have gone up nearly 60% in the last 12 months, but there could be more to come. After a difficult few years operationally, the company looks set for a strong 2018. I think there are three key reasons to like Deere this year. Let's look at why this could be the case.

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Caterpillar Stock Looks Well Set For 2018

Given the kind of year Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) just had -- the stock rose nearly 70% in 2017 as it doubled its full-year earnings expectations -- it will be hard for the company to better it. However, that doesn't mean Caterpillar and its stock can't have another great year. A combination of positive momentum in its end markets and the benefits of substantive cost-cutting have positioned it strongly for 2018, so let's take a closer look at its prospects.

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AZZ Earnings Review

AZZ Inc. (NYSE:AZZ) is delaying issuing third-quarter earnings due to a pending review of its historical accounting, which may or may not have a significant impact on its last three years' results. However, that isn't the only uncertainty created by the statement issued by the company on Jan. 9. Let's take a closer look at AZZ's announcement.

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Can MSC Industrial Direct Generate Margin Growth?

Given the strength of the recovery in U.S. industrial production, it's reasonable to expect that a highly cyclical industrial supplier like MSC Industrial Direct (NYSE:MSM) would start to perform strongly. In a sense, that's exactly what's happening, as sales growth is now in the double digits, but on the other hand, the company's margin performance has been somewhat disappointing. Let's take a closer look at the company's recent first-quarter 2018 earnings report.

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Why Boeing Company Stock Soared

By any standards, The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) had an outstanding 2017. The stock's 89% rise is startling for a company of such size and a testimony to how many things went right for the company. I'm going to pick out a few of the highlights of 2017.

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Why PPG Industries Soared in 2017

Shares of dividend aristocrat PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG) rose 23.3% in 2017, a few points ahead of the S&P 500. It marks a return to form for the paintings and coatings company after a disappointing 2016, when the stock fell 4%.

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Why Honeywell Stock Soared in 2017

Shares in Honeywell International (NYSE:HON) rose 32% in 2017 as the industrial conglomerate significantly outperformed peers such as United Technologies and General Electric Company (NYSE:GE). While the former still needs to convince the market it's on track with its long-term objectives -- not least with the production of its geared turbofan engine and completion of its Rockwell Collins acquisition -- and GE battles with a possible structural problem at its power segment, Honeywell has had a solid year of execution. I have three key points to note:

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What About General Electric in 2018?

Investors in General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) were left sorely disappointed by the stock's performance last year, but 2018 may prove to be a better one. New CEO John Flannery has plans in place to turn things around at the company, so let's look at what to expect from GE in 2018 from an investment perspective.

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Time to Buy Illinois Tool Works?

The valuations of multi-industrials company Illinois Tool Works(NYSE:ITW) and its peer 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) are at historical highs, that's pretty easy to see. In such cases, stocks usually need strong earnings growth in order to justify such valuation ratings, so the question turns to what kind of growth can Illinois Tool Works generate and is it enough to buy the stock?

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A Sector Set to Bounce in 2018

Last year was one to forget for auto-parts retailers, and many investors wrote off the sector. While the S&P 500 rose nearly 20%, the best-performing stock, Genuine Parts Company (NYSE:GPC) declined slightly; the most highly regarded stocks in the industry, O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ:ORLY) and AutoZone, Inc (NYSE:AZO) declined around 14% and 10% respectively -- and Advance Auto Parts (NYSE:AAP) fell a whopping 41%.

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Why Stock in Rio Tinto and Vale Surged

The stock prices of major mining shares surged in December, with leading stocks in the sector such as the U.K.'s Rio Tinto plc (NYSE:RIO)increasing 12.6%, and Brazil's Vale S.A. (NYSE:VALE) up 14.6%. While Rio Tinto's 9% gain in November can be attributed to company-specific reasons -- namely, the announcement of a deal to divest some non-core assets --  the move in December was very much a sector-wide phenomenon.

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Time to Buy 3M Stock?

The recent outlook meeting from 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) showed it on track with its plan for 2016 to 2020; the numbers all add up. Alongside industrial peers like Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW), Dover Corp.(NYSE:DOV), and Honeywell International (NYSE:HON), the company has been raising estimates on the back of stronger-than-expected sales growth.

It's been a good 2017 for 3M Company, but what will 2018 bring? Let's take a look at the recent outlook meeting, and focus on the one thing 3M investors need to see next year.

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Honeywell International is a Buy For 2018

Honeywell International (NYSE:HON) has been the standout performer in the stable of industrial conglomerates, and its near- to mid-term prospects look better than its nearest peers, namely General Electric Company(NYSE:GE) and United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX). In addition, analysts walked away from Honeywell's recent outlook thinking that management's guidance was too conservative and promptly raised it. I agree that the stock is worth buying and here's why

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Commercial Construction Stocks

There are two key reasons to buy stocks in the commercial construction sector: the ongoing cyclical recovery in the U.S., and the long-term megatrend of an emerging middle class in countries like China. As a population's GDP growth per head and consumer spending increase, it's going to need offices, warehouses, hotels, and retail centers. That's where companies like United Technologies, Ingersoll-Rand, Lennox International, and Allegion plc come in. Let's take a closer look at why these stocks are good plays on global growth in commercial construction spending.

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FedEx's Management Talks About 2018

FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX) reported its fiscal second-quarter earnings a few days before Christmas. While it was easy to lose track of them in the festive merriment, they actually contained a lot of positive indicators for investors leading into 2018. Let's take a closer look at five key takeaways from the earnings presentations and how the company is set for the coming year.

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Is PPG Industries Dividend Sustainable?

Dividend Aristocrat PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG) has increased its dividend every year since 1972. But is its current dividend sustainable? And what can income-seeking investors expect in terms of long-term growth?

Let's take a closer look at the coatings company's prospects for dividend investors.

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FedEx Will Grow in 2018

FedEx (NYSE:FDX) has had a good year, and the package delivery company's recent second-quarter 2018 results served notice that its strategic plans are on track. In addition, FedEx would be a major beneficiary of President Donald Trump's planned Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 -- management intimated that its earnings would get a boost -- and the expected increase in GDP growth will likely lead to the company boosting capital spending and hiring. There's a lot of new news in FedEx's earnings report, so let's take a closer look at what happened.

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2 Growth Stocks to Buy

You would struggle to find two more dissimilar companies than Owens Corning (NYSE:OC) and Dana Incorporated (NYSE:DAN), but it's what they have in common that really counts. Both are mid-cap stocks set to grow earnings at a double-digit rate in the next couple of years. Let's take a closer look at these two growth-stock candidates for your portfolio.

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3 Stocks to Buy?

The stock prices of United Technologies (NYSE:UTX), United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS), and Ingersoll-Rand (NYSE:IR) all fell recently after they reported their third-quarter results, and although each has recovered somewhat, they remain below their 2017 highs. It's therefore worth taking a look at all three to see if those declines provide a good value entry for investors.

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Honeywell International is a Better Stock to Buy General Electric

The dramatic 44% fall of General Electric's (NYSE:GE) share price this year is undoubtedly starting to tempt value investors into the stock. But on a risk/reward basis, I think Honeywell International (NYSE:HON) -- up nearly 32% over the same period -- remains the more attractive investment. Here's why.

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FedEx Stock Had a Strong 2017

It's been another good year for investors in FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX). The stock's near 24% rise this year is significantly ahead of the 18% increase of the S&P 500 and key rival United Parcel Service's (NYSE:UPS) rise of merely 5%. Let's take a look at FedEx's 2017 and why the market has taken a positive view of the package delivery company's prospects.

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Why Middleby Stock Rose Recently

After a disappointing year, stock in commercial cooking and processing equipment company The Middleby Corporation (NASDAQ:MIDD) rose 10% in November. The reason? On the third-quarter results presentation on Nov. 7, CEO Selim Bassoul served notice that the company's revenue outlook was improving, providing for "continued margin expansion for Middleby as we enter into 2018." 

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Why A O Smith Soared Recently

he stock price of residential and commercial water heater and boiler manufacturer A.O. Smith Corporation (NYSE:AOS) rose 7.1% in November largely after an upbeat presentation to analysts on Nov. 9.

Essentially, the company reiterated the investment case for buying the stock and highlighted management's projection of organic revenue growth of 8% for the next several years.

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Why Deere Stock Soared Lately

Agricultural equipment manufacturer Deere & Company (NYSE:DE)soared 12.8% in November on the back of a strong set of fourth-quarter earnings and a positive outlook for 2018. It's been a difficult few years for the company but 2017 marked the passing of a trough in revenue and earnings and Deere looks set for an upswing in the agricultural machinery cycle.

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Why Transportation Sector has Soared Recently

The stock prices of leading railroads CSX Corporation (NASDAQ:CSX)and Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) rose strongly in November, with the former increasing 9.3% and the latter up 10.5% on the month. While it's easy to get too focused on the granular detail, the reality is the whole transportation sector was taken higher in November.

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Why GE Stock Slumped

General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) stock fell 9.3% in November, compounding a disappointing year for investors. In a nutshell, GE's investor update on Nov. 13 failed to demonstrate that a quick fix for the company's problems was in the cards. In addition, a 50% dividend cut would have disappointed any income-seeking investors holding the stock

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