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Here's Why Should You Add Hawkins (HWKN) to Your Portfolio

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Hawkins, Inc (HWKN - Free Report) has experienced a 10.6% increase in its stock value in a month, primarily driven by its solid fiscal second-quarter earnings performance that exceeded expectations.

The stock offers an attractive investment opportunity with strong growth prospects. HWKN carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Positive Earnings Surprise History

In the second quarter of fiscal 2024, Hawkins exceeded expectations by reporting earnings of $1.10 per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1. Also, the company exceeded earnings forecasts in each of the past four quarters, showcasing an impressive average surprise of 27.5%.

Healthy Growth Potential

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2024 earnings is currently pegged at $3.46, suggesting year-over-year growth of 21%. The consensus estimate for earnings for the current fiscal year has also been revised upward by 1.8% in the past 60 days.

An Outperformer

Shares of HWKN are up 46.3% in a year compared with the industry’s rise of 6.6% in the same period.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Water Treatment Driving Growth

In the second quarter of fiscal 2024, the company delivered strong results, with earnings rising 27.9% from the previous quarter’s levels.

The Water Treatment segment delivered a solid performance in the quarter, marked by a notable 17% year-over-year revenue surge and an impressive 70% growth in operating income. The company attributes this success to profit growth in its longstanding business and recent acquisitions, such as the addition of EcoTech Enterprises in July. This strategic move significantly strengthened the company's position in the water treatment market.

Benefiting from a robust financial position, Hawkins has maintained its strategic focus on expanding its Water Treatment portfolio by acquiring six additional locations through two acquisitions post-quarter-end. Anticipating sustained growth, the company foresees continued expansion in its Water Treatment segment throughout the remainder of the year.

The company used record quarterly operating cash flow for the repayment of $28.6 million in debt. As a result, the total outstanding debt stands at $60 million, representing a debt-to-trailing twelve-month adjusted EBITDA ratio of 0.45x. This reflects a significant reduction from the 0.96x recorded at the end of fiscal 2023.

Hawkins, Inc. Price and Consensus

 

Hawkins, Inc. Price and Consensus

Hawkins, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Hawkins, Inc. Quote

 

Other Key Picks

Some other top-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. (AXTA - Free Report) , sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and The Andersons Inc. (ANDE - Free Report) and Alamos Gold Inc. (AGI - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The consensus estimate for AXTA’s current fiscal year earnings is pegged at $1.58, indicating year-over-year growth of 6.8%. AXTA beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last four quarters and missed one, with the average earnings surprise being 6.7%. The company’s shares have ralied 15.6% in the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ANDE’s current-year earnings has been revised 8.6% upward in the past 60 days. Andersons beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last four quarters. It delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 32.8% on average. ANDE’s shares have rallied around 37.1% in a year.

The consensus estimate for Alamos’ current fiscal year earnings is pegged at 52 cents, indicating year-over-year growth of 85.7%. AGI beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all of the last four quarters, with the average earnings surprise being 25.6%. The company’s shares have increased 38.1% in the past year.


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