As the Q4 earnings season comes to a close, it’s time to take stock of this quarter’s best and worst performers in the general industrial machinery industry, including Columbus McKinnon (NASDAQ:CMCO) and its peers.

Automation that increases efficiency and connected equipment that collects analyzable data have been trending, creating new demand for general industrial machinery companies. Those who innovate and create digitized solutions can spur sales and speed up replacement cycles, but all general industrial machinery companies are still at the whim of economic cycles. Consumer spending and interest rates, for example, can greatly impact the industrial production that drives demand for these companies’ offerings.

The 15 general industrial machinery stocks we track reported a slower Q4. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 2.2% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 2.5% below.

Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 18.5% since the latest earnings results.

Columbus McKinnon (NASDAQ:CMCO)

With 19 different brands across the globe, Columbus McKinnon (NASDAQ:CMCO) offers material handling equipment for the construction, manufacturing, and transportation industries.

Columbus McKinnon reported revenues of $234.1 million, down 7.9% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 7%. Overall, it was a disappointing quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA and EPS estimates.

"The second half of our third quarter saw a slowing of industry demand. This was driven by delayed customer decision-making related to U.S. policy uncertainty, including tariffs as well as continued weakening in the European economies," said David J. Wilson, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Columbus McKinnon delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates of the whole group. The stock is down 63% since reporting and currently trades at $13.13.

Read our full report on Columbus McKinnon here, it’s free.

Best Q4: GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE)

One of the original 12 companies on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, General Electric (NYSE:GE) is a multinational conglomerate providing technologies for various sectors including aviation, power, renewable energy, and healthcare.

GE Aerospace reported revenues of $10.81 billion, up 14.3% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 13.7%. The business had a stunning quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

GE Aerospace delivered the fastest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is down 3.5% since reporting. It currently trades at $181.82.

Is now the time to buy GE Aerospace? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Albany (NYSE:AIN)

Founded in 1895, Albany (NYSE:AIN) is a global textiles and materials processing company, specializing in machine clothing for paper mills and engineered composite structures for aerospace and other industries.

Albany reported revenues of $286.9 million, down 11.3% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 4.2%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted full-year revenue guidance missing analysts’ expectations.

Albany delivered the slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 19.5% since the results and currently trades at $63.42.

Read our full analysis of Albany’s results here.

3M (NYSE:MMM)

Producers of the first asthma inhaler, 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) is a global conglomerate known for products in industries like healthcare, safety, electronics, and consumer goods.

3M reported revenues of $6.01 billion, flat year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 4.5%. Overall, it was a satisfactory quarter as it also produced a decent beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

The stock is down 7.3% since reporting and currently trades at $130.70.

Read our full, actionable report on 3M here, it’s free.

Dover (NYSE:DOV)

A company that manufactured critical equipment for the United States military during World War II, Dover (NYSE:DOV) manufactures engineered components and specialized equipment for numerous industries.

Dover reported revenues of $1.93 billion, up 1.3% year on year. This number lagged analysts' expectations by 1.1%. It was a slower quarter as it also logged a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates and a slight miss of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.

The stock is down 18.3% since reporting and currently trades at $161.08.

Read our full, actionable report on Dover here, it’s free.

Market Update

Thanks to the Fed’s series of rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has cooled significantly from its post-pandemic highs, drawing closer to the 2% goal. This disinflation has occurred without severely impacting economic growth, suggesting the success of a soft landing. The stock market thrived in 2024, spurred by recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November), and a notable surge followed Donald Trump’s presidential election win in November, propelling indices to historic highs. Nonetheless, the outlook for 2025 remains clouded by potential trade policy changes and corporate tax discussions, which could impact business confidence and growth. The path forward holds both optimism and caution as new policies take shape.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Hidden Gem Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

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