Four Industrial Stocks with Healthy Growth Prospects (HON, NDSN, RBC, WCC)

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The ongoing economic recovery could lead to strong earnings for certain stocks in the industrial sector in the latter half of this year. So says a new Oppenheimer research report. Companies with attractive growth prospects that were highlighted in the report include:
Honeywell InternationalHON
,
NordsonNDSN
,
Regal BeloitRBC
and
Wesco InternationalWCC
. Below we take a look at how these stocks have fared and what analysts expect from them. In addition, the report also included Dublin-based
Eaton Corp.ETN
and Swiss company
Pentair
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PNR
among its potential earnings growth candidates.
Honeywell International
The share price of this diversified manufacturing company hit a new multiyear high Tuesday. The Morristown, New Jersey-based S&P 500 component now sports a market capitalization near $58 billion. It offers a dividend yield near 2.2 percent as well. Honeywell's long-term earnings per share (EPS) growth forecast is more than 10 percent. And the return on equity is more than 24 percent, while the operating margin is higher than the industry average. Of the 25 analysts surveyed by Thomson/First Call who follow this stock, 19 recommend buying shares. But the upside potential, based on the analysts' mean price target relative to the current share price, is only marginal. Shares of Honeywell International have risen more than 14 percent year to date. And the stock has outperformed the Dow Jones Industrial Average over the past six months.
Nordson
This Westlake, Ohio-based company makes products and systems for dispensing, fluid management and surface treatment. The company has a market cap of more than $4 billion, as well as a dividend yield of about 0.9 percent. The long-term EPS growth forecast is more than 13 percent, though the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is higher than the industry average. Nordson has a return on equity of about 30 percent. The short interest is less than one percent of the float. Four of the 10 analysts surveyed recommend buying shares, but none recommend selling them. And the mean price target, or where analysts expect the share price to go, is now more than seven percent higher than the current share price. The share price is still recovering from a pullback in February in the wake of a disappointing first-quarter report. But over the past six months, this stock has narrowly outperformed the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Regal Beloit
This maker of electric motors, electric generators and mechanical motion control products is also trading near a multiyear high. The Beloit, Wisconsin-based company has a market cap near $3.7 billion and dividend yield of about 0.9 percent. It has a long-term EPS growth forecast of more than 11 percent, and the P/E ratio is in line with the industry average. But the return on equity is only about 11 percent. Shares sold short represent about three percent of the float. The consensus recommendation of analysts is to hold the stock, and they believe Regal Beloit has little room to grow, as their price target is only marginally higher than the current share price. The share price has risen about 16 percent since the beginning of the year. Here too, the stock has outperformed the Dow Jones Industrial Average over the past six months.
Wesco International
This wholesaler of electrical, industrial, and communications products and construction materials said in its most recent quarterly report that is expects a strong second half of 2013. The $3.4 billion market cap company is headquartered in Pittsburgh, but it does not offer a dividend. Wesco's long-term EPS growth forecast is almost 14 percent, and the return on equity is more than 15 percent. But note that short interest is more than 16 percent of the float. For at least three months, the consensus recommendation has been to buy Wesco shares. However, the analysts' mean price target indicates potential upside of less than five percent, though that target would be a multiyear high. The share price is up about 11 percent so far this year, despite pulling back a bit in the past few days. Over the past six months, the stock has outperformed the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
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Posted In: Long IdeasShort IdeasTrading IdeasEatonHoneywell InternationalnordsonOppenheimerpentairregal beloitwesco international
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