Zacks Research Has Optimistic Outlook of AIT Q1 Earnings

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:AIT - Free Report) - Investment analysts at Zacks Research lifted their Q1 2026 earnings per share estimates for shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, June 10th. Zacks Research analyst S. Roy now anticipates that the industrial products company will post earnings of $2.50 per share for the quarter, up from their prior estimate of $2.49. The consensus estimate for Applied Industrial Technologies' current full-year earnings is $9.90 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Applied Industrial Technologies' FY2027 earnings at $11.59 EPS.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Wall Street Zen downgraded Applied Industrial Technologies from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday. KeyCorp cut their price target on Applied Industrial Technologies from $325.00 to $275.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, March 17th. Raymond James reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $250.00 price objective (down previously from $265.00) on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a report on Friday, May 2nd. Finally, Loop Capital dropped their price objective on Applied Industrial Technologies from $320.00 to $290.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 17th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Applied Industrial Technologies currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $285.00.

Applied Industrial Technologies Price Performance

Shares of AIT traded down $5.19 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $225.05. 257,053 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 311,974. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 2.55 and a current ratio of 3.76. Applied Industrial Technologies has a 12-month low of $182.21 and a 12-month high of $282.98. The company has a market cap of $8.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 0.93. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $227.67 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $240.93.

Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE:AIT - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 1st. The industrial products company reported $2.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.40 by $0.17. Applied Industrial Technologies had a return on equity of 22.37% and a net margin of 8.62%. The business had revenue of $1.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.17 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.48 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 1.8% on a year-over-year basis.

Applied Industrial Technologies Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, May 30th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 15th were given a dividend of $0.46 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 15th. This represents a $1.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.82%. Applied Industrial Technologies's payout ratio is 18.47%.

Applied Industrial Technologies declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback program on Thursday, May 1st that authorizes the company to buyback 1,500,000 outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the industrial products company to buy shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are typically an indication that the company's board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Institutional Trading of Applied Industrial Technologies

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Baird Financial Group Inc. raised its holdings in Applied Industrial Technologies by 2.5% during the fourth quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,588 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $380,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System grew its position in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 11,156 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $2,672,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the period. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust grew its position in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 25.3% in the fourth quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 203 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 41 shares during the period. OneAscent Financial Services LLC boosted its holdings in Applied Industrial Technologies by 4.1% in the fourth quarter. OneAscent Financial Services LLC now owns 1,038 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $249,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB boosted its holdings in Applied Industrial Technologies by 51.2% in the first quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 130 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. 93.52% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Applied Industrial Technologies

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc distributes industrial motion, power, control, and automation technology solutions in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It operates in two segments, Service Center Based Distribution, and Engineered Solutions. The company distributes bearings, power transmission products, engineered fluid power components and systems, specialty flow control solutions, advanced automation products, industrial rubber products, linear motion components, automation solutions, tools, safety products, oilfield supplies, and other industrial and maintenance supplies; and motors, belting, drives, couplings, pumps, hydraulic and pneumatic components, filtration supplies, valves, fittings, process instrumentation, actuators, and hoses, filtration supplies, as well as other related supplies for general operational needs of customers' machinery and equipment.