Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at CTS (NYSE:CTS) and the best and worst performers in the electronic components & manufacturing industry.
The sector could see higher demand as the prevalence of advanced electronics increases in industries such as automotive, healthcare, aerospace, and computing. The high-performance components and contract manufacturing expertise required for autonomous vehicles and cloud computing datacenters, for instance, will benefit companies in the space. However, headwinds include geopolitical risks, particularly U.S.-China trade tensions that could disrupt component sourcing and production as the Trump administration takes an increasingly antagonizing stance on foreign relations. Additionally, stringent environmental regulations on e-waste and emissions could force the industry to pivot in potentially costly ways.
The 10 electronic components & manufacturing stocks we track reported a mixed Q4. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.7% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 1.9% below.
Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 24.3% since the latest earnings results.
CTS (NYSE:CTS)
With roots dating back to 1896 and a global manufacturing footprint, CTS (NYSE:CTS) designs and manufactures sensors, connectivity components, and actuators for aerospace, defense, industrial, medical, and transportation markets.
CTS reported revenues of $127.4 million, up 2.2% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 4%. Overall, it was a disappointing quarter for the company with full-year revenue guidance missing analysts’ expectations.
“We continued diversifying our business, with solid progress in the medical, industrial, and aerospace and defense markets, which now represent more than 50% of our revenue. We also delivered solid profitability improvements and strong cash flow in a challenging operating environment,” said Kieran O’Sullivan, CEO of CTS Corporation.
CTS Total Revenue
CTS delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates of the whole group. The stock is down 24.9% since reporting and currently trades at $36.91.
Originally known as Flextronics until its 2016 rebranding, Flex (NASDAQ:FLEX) is a global manufacturing partner that designs, engineers, and builds products for companies across industries from medical devices to solar trackers.
Flex reported revenues of $6.56 billion, up 2.1% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 5.7%. The business had a very strong quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.
Flex Total Revenue
The stock is down 28% since reporting. It currently trades at $29.25.
With roots dating back to 1946 and a focus on components that must perform flawlessly in critical situations, Knowles (NYSE:KN) designs and manufactures specialized electronic components like high-performance capacitors, microphones, and speakers for medical technology, defense, and industrial applications.
Knowles reported revenues of $142.5 million, down 33.8% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 2.4%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted revenue guidance for next quarter missing analysts’ expectations.
Knowles delivered the slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 20.7% since the results and currently trades at $14.46.
With over 90 years of connecting the world's technologies, Amphenol (NYSE:APH) designs and manufactures connectors, cables, sensors, and interconnect systems that enable electrical and electronic connections across virtually every industry.
Amphenol reported revenues of $4.32 billion, up 29.8% year on year. This print surpassed analysts’ expectations by 5.8%. Zooming out, it was a slower quarter as it recorded full-year revenue guidance missing analysts’ expectations.
Amphenol scored the biggest analyst estimates beat and fastest revenue growth, but had the weakest full-year guidance update among its peers. The stock is down 13.4% since reporting and currently trades at $63.
With roots dating back to 1832, making it one of America's oldest continuously operating companies, Rogers (NYSE:ROG) designs and manufactures specialized engineered materials and components used in electric vehicles, telecommunications, renewable energy, and other high-performance applications.
Rogers reported revenues of $192.2 million, down 6.1% year on year. This result met analysts’ expectations. Aside from that, it was a softer quarter as it logged revenue guidance for next quarter missing analysts’ expectations.
The stock is down 37.9% since reporting and currently trades at $55.57.
In response to the Fed’s rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been gradually trending down from its post-pandemic peak, trending closer to the Fed’s 2% target. Despite higher borrowing costs, the economy has avoided flashing recessionary signals. This is the much-desired soft landing that many investors hoped for. The recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November 2024) have bolstered the stock market, making 2024 a strong year for equities. Donald Trump’s presidential win in November sparked additional market gains, sending indices to record highs in the days following his victory. However, debates continue over possible tariffs and corporate tax adjustments, raising questions about economic stability in 2025.
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