Analyst Consensus ?
ConsensusBuy16 ratings
Bullish1062.5%
Neutral637.5%
Bearish00.0%
Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. · AIT · FY2026 Q4 · Calendar Q3 2026
AIT reports record sales as automation growth accelerates
AIT's latest call supports a constructive operating thesis: record sales, accelerating automation demand, Hydrodyne integration benefits, and raised intermediate targets point to continued growth. The main tests are whether higher CapEx converts into revenue, margins remain durable after LIFO effects, and macro-sensitive industrial demand holds up.
Reported Before market openNYSEIndustrials
$11.90B market cap
100quality score
Earnings scorecard
Reported versus consensus
Reported EPS
$3.17
Consensus $2.92
EPS surprise
+8.6%
Reported versus consensus
Reported revenue
$1.35B
Consensus $1.29B
Revenue surprise
+4.7%
Reported versus consensus
Market reaction
prior-close to event-session close
Stock move
+1.5%
Event window
SPY move
+0.7%
Same window
Abnormal move
+0.8%
Stock minus SPY
Volume
1.8×
Versus trailing sessions
Subsequent drift
-9.5%
Up to 20 sessions
AITSPY benchmark
Ask FN2 about AIT FY2026 Q4
Transcript, numbers and history already loaded
Why did AIT rise 1.5% after beating EPS estimates in FY2026 Q4?What changed in AIT's guidance and outlook in FY2026 Q4?Give me the bull and bear case for AIT after FY2026 Q4 earnings.
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Transcript intelligence
What changed
The latest quarter showed stronger execution than the prior quarter: automation growth accelerated to more than 20% organically, Hydrodyne delivered margin improvement, intermediate targets were raised, and FY2027 CapEx is expected to increase. Management continued to emphasize M&A and automation investment while adding detail on capital deployment and the interest-expense outlook.
Guidance delta
Management raised its intermediate targets to $7 billion of sales and a 14% EBITDA margin; FY2027 CapEx is projected at $35–$40 million.
Key takeaways
- Record fourth-quarter sales increased alongside 10% organic growth and 16% EBITDA growth.
- Automation delivered more than 20% organic growth, its strongest performance in four years.
- Hydrodyne produced double-digit sales growth and more than 200 basis points of EBITDA margin improvement in FY2026.
- Strong cash flow supported $317 million of share repurchases and an 11% dividend increase.
Management priorities
- Continue pursuing bolt-on and larger M&A opportunities.
- Invest in automation, AI, machine vision, and digital solutions.
- Expand service-center capabilities and improve inventory and working-capital efficiency.
- Maintain disciplined capital deployment across buybacks, dividends, strategic CapEx, and integration.
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Estimate
Beat
Miss
Match
Analyst 52W Price Targets
$320.08Current
$210Low
$321.15Average
$420High
Latest persisted target per named analyst; persisted current price from FN2's market snapshot as of Sep 21, 2026. Not an FN2 forecast.
Firm-level rating actions
FMP grade actions identify the grading firm, not a named analyst.
| Firm | Rating | Prior rating | Action | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oppenheimer | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Mizuho | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Keybanc | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Aug 14, 2026 |
| DA Davidson | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Baird | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Aug 14, 2026 |
| B of A Securities | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Raymond James | Market Perform | Outperform | Downgrade | Aug 15, 2025 |
| Loop Capital | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Apr 17, 2025 |
| Wells Fargo | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Apr 5, 2021 |
| Sidoti & Co. | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Dec 9, 2019 |
| Longbow Research | Buy | Neutral | Upgrade | Mar 8, 2019 |
| Avondale Partners | Market Perform | Market Perform | Maintain | Mar 21, 2016 |
| BB&T Capital | Buy | Hold | Upgrade | Jul 7, 2014 |
| CJS Securities | Market Perform | Market Outperform | Downgrade | Aug 15, 2013 |
| Wunderlich Securities | Hold | Buy | Downgrade | Aug 2, 2013 |
| Wunderlich | Hold | Buy | Downgrade | Aug 2, 2013 |
Named analyst price targets
Upside is calculated against the persisted current price $320.08. FMP does not supply a rating on these named-analyst rows.
| Firm | Analyst | 52W target | Price when posted | Upside | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Alliance Securities | Chris Dankert | $400 | $360.39 | +25.0% | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Oppenheimer | Analyst unavailable | $390 | $362.17 | +21.8% | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Industrial Alliance Securities | Analyst unavailable | $390 | $357.62 | +21.8% | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Robert W. Baird | Analyst unavailable | $400 | $357.62 | +25.0% | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Mizuho Securities | Brett Linzey | $400 | $357.62 | +25.0% | Aug 14, 2026 |
| KeyBanc | Analyst unavailable | $420 | $357.62 | +31.2% | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Mizuho Securities | Brett Linzey | $355 | $335.94 | +10.9% | Jul 21, 2026 |
| Industrial Alliance Securities | Chris Dankert | $380 | $316.18 | +18.7% | Jun 15, 2026 |
| Oppenheimer | Christopher Glynn | $350 | $301.24 | +9.3% | Apr 29, 2026 |
| Robert W. Baird | Analyst unavailable | $317 | $301.24 | -1.0% | Apr 29, 2026 |
| KeyBanc | Analyst unavailable | $300 | $262.34 | -6.3% | Jan 28, 2026 |
| Mizuho Securities | Brett Linzey | $305 | $258.03 | -4.7% | Oct 29, 2025 |
| Industrial Alliance Securities | Sabrina Abrams | $290 | $267.11 | -9.4% | Aug 22, 2025 |
| Oppenheimer | Chris Glynn | $235 | $232.36 | -26.6% | Oct 24, 2024 |
| Mizuho Securities | Brett Linzey | $285 | $229.98 | -11.0% | Oct 21, 2024 |
| KeyBanc | Ken Newman | $245 | $218.77 | -23.5% | Sep 23, 2024 |
| Robert W. Baird | David Manthey | $210 | $203.62 | -34.4% | Aug 29, 2024 |
| Loop Capital Markets | Chris Dankert | $230 | $199.67 | -28.1% | Aug 16, 2024 |
| KeyBanc | Steve Barger | $215 | $199.95 | -32.8% | Aug 16, 2024 |
| Loop Capital Markets | Chris Dankert | $215 | $183.59 | -32.8% | Apr 29, 2024 |
| KeyBanc | Ken Newman | $140 | $113.43 | -56.3% | Aug 12, 2022 |
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Start freeCompany context
Snapshot as of publicationApplied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (AIT) is a prominent distributor specializing in advanced solutions for industrial motion, power, control, and automation. Its operational footprint extends across North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. The company structures its operations into two main divisions: Service Center Based Distribution and Fluid Power & Flow Control. AIT's extensive product portfolio encompasses a wide range of industrial components and systems, including bearings, power transmission equipment, engineered fluid power systems, specialized flow control mechanisms, cutting-edge automation products, various industrial rubber items, linear motion components, and essential tools, safety gear, and oilfield provisions.…
Industrials peers this season
Latest reports in the same sector| Company | Quarter | EPS surprise | Market move | Headline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FPS Forgent Power Solutions, Inc. | FY2026 Q4 · Calendar Q3 2026 | +4.3% | +9.5% | Forgent Power Solutions pairs record results with an aggressive FY27 buildout |
| CPRT Copart, Inc. | FY2026 Q4 · Calendar Q3 2026 | -8.7% | -2.6% | Copart pairs international growth with ACV investment amid higher costs |
| SUNB Sunbelt Rentals Holdings Inc | FY2027 Q1 · Calendar Q3 2026 | +19.2% | +5.9% | Sunbelt raises FY27 outlook as specialty rental demand accelerates |
| FRO Frontline Plc | FY2026 Q2 · Calendar Q3 2026 | +8.0% | +1.0% | Frontline posts a record quarter as tanker rates remain elevated |
| DCI Donaldson Company, Inc. | FY2026 Q4 · Calendar Q3 2026 | +1.8% | +2.1% | Donaldson posts record FY26 and targets further growth |
Latest beats and misses
Who reports nextBeat on EPS
- FPSFY2026 Q4 · September 15, 2026+4.3% EPS+9.5% move
- TCOMFY2026 Q2 · September 15, 2026+22.3% EPS+3.0% move
- KRFY2026 Q2 · September 11, 2026+2.8% EPS+2.7% move
- ADBEFY2026 Q3 · September 10, 2026+0.8% EPS+1.4% move
- ORCLFY2027 Q1 · September 10, 2026+10.3% EPS-1.7% move
- CASYFY2027 Q1 · September 8, 2026+8.7% EPS-14.2% move
Get the AIT recap when the next report posts
One email per quarter with the scorecard, the market reaction and what changed on the call. No account needed.
Sources
- Earnings call transcript and parsed analysis · 2026-08-13T16:13:40.981115+00:00
- FN2 earnings calendar · 2026-09-18T01:23:15.369793+00:00
- Polygon adjusted daily market bars · 2026-09-21T16:10:51.849495+00:00
- Financial Modeling Prep analyst price-target consensus and quote snapshot · 2026-09-21T16:10:51.846549+00:00
Methodology
Reported and consensus figures come from FN2's earnings event records. Market reaction and volume are calculated from daily adjusted bars around the event; abnormal move subtracts the SPY move over the same window.
Analyst target low, average, and high values are derived at request time from each named analyst's latest persisted FMP target. The current-price marker comes from FN2's persisted market snapshot. They are sell-side estimates, not an FN2 valuation or recommendation.
Transcript intelligence is a structured synthesis of the current and prior earnings-call analyses. Missing values stay missing and are never estimated.
By FN2 Research · Updated . For educational purposes only; not investment advice.