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Why Is Silgan (SLGN) Up 1.1% Since Last Earnings Report?

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It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Silgan Holdings (SLGN - Free Report) . Shares have added about 1.1% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Silgan due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.

Silgan Holdings' Q2 Earnings In Line, Revenues Lag

Silgan reported second-quarter 2018 adjusted earnings of 52 cents per share, which surged 49% from the year-ago quarter. Earnings were in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate and at the mid-point of management’s guidance of 50-54 cents.

Including one-time items, the company’s earnings per share came in at 50 cents compared with 25 cents in the prior-year quarter.

Total revenues increased 3.7% year over year to $1,059 million. This can be attributed to higher net sales in the closures and plastic container businesses, partially offset by lower net sales in the metal container business. However, revenues missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,070 million.

Cost and Margins

Cost of goods sold went up 2.6% to $886 million from $863 million in the year-ago quarter. Gross profit rose 9% year over year to $173 million. Gross margin expanded 50 basis points (bps) year over year to 16%.

Selling, general and administrative expenses slipped 11.7% year over year to $78 million. Adjusted operating income went up 36% year over year to $95 million. Operating margin advanced 200 bps year over year to 8.9%.

Segment Performance

Revenues at the Metal Containers segment edged down 0.9%, year over year to $525 million. The segment’s adjusted operating income declined 6% year over year to $48.5 million.

The Closures segment’s revenues increased 8.5% year over year to $379 million. Adjusted operating income improved 39.9% year over year to $47.7 million.

At the Plastic Containers segment, revenues climbed 8.7% year over year to $155 million. The segment reported an adjusted profit of $13.4 million, up from $7.2 million in the prior-year quarter.

Financial Updates

Silgan reported cash and cash equivalents of $181 million at the end of the quarter under review, up from $54 million at the end of 2017. The company used $93 million of cash in operating activities during the six-month period ended Jun 30, 2018, compared with cash usage of $139 million in the comparable period last year.

Guidance

For 2018, Silgan reaffirmed its adjusted earnings per share guidance at $2.03-$2.13. The mid-point of the range depicts year-over-year growth of 26%. The company expects improvement in sales and operating across all three segments.

For third-quarter 2018, the company issued an outlook of 74-78 cents for adjusted earnings per share, reflecting a 15% increase at the mid-point.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in fresh estimates.

VGM Scores

Currently, Silgan has a great Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a B. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of A on the value side, putting it in the top quintile for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Based on our scores, the stock is equally suitable for value and growth investors.

Outlook

Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, Silgan has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.


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