AZZ Inc. (AZZ)

Even if they go mostly unnoticed, industrial businesses are the backbone of our country. Still, their generally high capital requirements expose them to the ups and downs of economic cycles, and the industry’s six-month return of 2.7% has fallen short of the S&P 500’s 5.4% rise.

Shares of metal coating and infrastructure solutions provider AZZ (NYSE:AZZ) jumped 9.9% in the morning session after the company reported record financial results for the first quarter of its 2026 fiscal year and raised its full-year guidance. The metal coatings and coil coating solutions provider announced adjusted earnings per share of $1.78, a 21.9% increase from the prior year and well ahead of Wall Street's consensus estimate of $1.58. While total sales of $422 million were up 2.1% year-over-year, they slightly missed analyst expectations. The strong bottom-line performance was driven by the Metal Coatings segment, which saw sales jump 6.0% to $187.2 million due to higher volumes for hot-dip galvanized steel and improved operational productivity. Buoyed by the strong start to the year, AZZ raised its full-year fiscal 2026 guidance. The company now projects adjusted earnings per share between $5.75 and $6.25, an increase from previous forecasts, signaling management's confidence in sustained profitability.

U.S. stock futures declined on Thursday after ending higher on Wednesday. Futures of major benchmark indices were trading lower.

Metal coating and infrastructure solutions provider AZZ (NYSE:AZZ) missed Wall Street’s revenue expectations in Q2 CY2025 as sales rose 2.1% year on year to $422 million. The company’s full-year revenue guidance of $1.68 billion at the midpoint came in 0.5% below analysts’ estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $1.78 per share was 11.7% above analysts’ consensus estimates.

U.S. stock futures advanced on Wednesday after ending on a mixed note on Tuesday. Futures of major benchmark indices were trading higher.

Metal coating and infrastructure solutions provider AZZ (NYSE:AZZ) will be announcing earnings results this Wednesday after market close. Here’s what investors should know.

Many small-cap stocks have limited Wall Street coverage, giving savvy investors the chance to act before everyone else catches on. But the flip side is that these businesses have increased downside risk because they lack the scale and staying power of their larger competitors.

Companies that consistently increase their sales, margins, or returns on capital are usually rewarded with the best returns, and those that can do all three for years on end are almost always the legendary stocks that return 100 times your money.

While profitability is essential, it doesn’t guarantee long-term success. Some companies that rest on their margins will lose ground as competition intensifies - as Jeff Bezos said, "Your margin is my opportunity".

AZZ currently trades at $89.93 per share and has shown little upside over the past six months, posting a small loss of 3.4%.

Wrapping up Q1 earnings, we look at the numbers and key takeaways for the commercial building products stocks, including AZZ (NYSE:AZZ) and its peers.

Small-cap stocks in the Russell 2000 (^RUT) can be a goldmine for investors looking beyond the usual large-cap names. But with less stability and fewer resources than their bigger counterparts, these companies face steeper challenges in scaling their businesses.