Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE:AIT) Shares Gap Down – Should You Sell?

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:AIT) shares gapped down prior to trading on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $281.54, but opened at $268.33. Applied Industrial Technologies shares last traded at $261.6630, with a volume of 73,912 shares traded.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have commented on AIT shares. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a research note on Monday, December 29th. KeyCorp dropped their price objective on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from $310.00 to $300.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Mizuho set a $305.00 price target on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $290.63.

Applied Industrial Technologies Trading Up 1.3%

The firm has a market capitalization of $9.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.70, a PEG ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 0.87. The business has a 50 day moving average of $264.41 and a 200-day moving average of $261.56. The company has a current ratio of 3.68, a quick ratio of 2.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31.

Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE:AIT) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The industrial products company reported $2.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.48 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $1.16 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.17 billion. Applied Industrial Technologies had a net margin of 8.49% and a return on equity of 21.74%. The firm’s revenue was up 8.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.39 earnings per share. Applied Industrial Technologies has set its FY 2026 guidance at 10.450-10.750 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. will post 9.9 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Applied Industrial Technologies Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a $0.51 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. This is a boost from Applied Industrial Technologies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Applied Industrial Technologies’s payout ratio is currently 17.51%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Applied Industrial Technologies by 890.0% in the 3rd quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 99 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 89 shares during the period. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its holdings in Applied Industrial Technologies by 2,033.3% in the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 128 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 122 shares during the period. Finally, V Square Quantitative Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in the 4th quarter valued at about $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.52% of the company’s stock.

Applied Industrial Technologies Company Profile

Applied Industrial Technologies, listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AIT, is a leading distributor of industrial products and services. The company offers a comprehensive range of bearings, power transmission components, fluid power products, industrial rubber products, and automation solutions. Through its network of distribution centers and branch locations, Applied Industrial Technologies serves diverse end markets including manufacturing, oil and gas, mining, food and beverage, and wastewater treatment.

Founded in 1923 and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Applied Industrial Technologies has grown through a combination of organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.