Zacks Research Has Negative Estimate for AIT Q3 Earnings

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:AIT) – Stock analysts at Zacks Research decreased their Q3 2025 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, February 19th. Zacks Research analyst S. Roy now anticipates that the industrial products company will post earnings per share of $2.40 for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $2.48. The consensus estimate for Applied Industrial Technologies’ current full-year earnings is $9.87 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Applied Industrial Technologies’ FY2025 earnings at $9.86 EPS, Q1 2026 earnings at $2.46 EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at $2.75 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $2.85 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $10.62 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $2.69 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $2.72 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $11.43 EPS.

Several other analysts also recently commented on the company. Loop Capital raised their target price on Applied Industrial Technologies from $230.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, October 28th. Bank of America raised shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price target for the company from $285.00 to $315.00 in a research report on Tuesday, November 26th. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from $250.00 to $275.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Raymond James reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $265.00 price target (up previously from $250.00) on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $291.43.

Applied Industrial Technologies Stock Performance

Shares of AIT opened at $263.90 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 3.76 and a quick ratio of 2.55. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $254.09 and a 200-day moving average of $238.85. The company has a market cap of $10.13 billion, a PE ratio of 26.74, a P/E/G ratio of 3.40 and a beta of 1.08. Applied Industrial Technologies has a one year low of $177.68 and a one year high of $282.98.

Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE:AIT) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The industrial products company reported $2.39 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.21 by $0.18. Applied Industrial Technologies had a return on equity of 22.37% and a net margin of 8.62%.

Applied Industrial Technologies Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 14th will be given a dividend of $0.46 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 14th. This represents a $1.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.70%. This is a boost from Applied Industrial Technologies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.37. Applied Industrial Technologies’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 18.64%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, VP Warren E. Hoffner III sold 4,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $281.64, for a total transaction of $1,126,560.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 55,709 shares in the company, valued at $15,689,882.76. This trade represents a 6.70 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Mary Dean Hall sold 2,200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $275.08, for a total transaction of $605,176.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 3,462 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $952,326.96. The trade was a 38.86 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.67% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Applied Industrial Technologies

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of AIT. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Applied Industrial Technologies in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $129,690,000. Zurich Insurance Group Ltd FI purchased a new position in Applied Industrial Technologies in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $84,139,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its stake in Applied Industrial Technologies by 199.4% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 309,617 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $74,145,000 after buying an additional 206,220 shares in the last quarter. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP purchased a new position in Applied Industrial Technologies in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $32,233,000. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP grew its stake in Applied Industrial Technologies by 50.0% in the 4th quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 404,784 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $96,934,000 after buying an additional 134,975 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.52% of the company’s stock.

Applied Industrial Technologies Company Profile

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.