Justin Paget/DigitalVision via Getty Images Back in February of this year, I decided to take a fresh look at Astec Industries ( ASTE ), a rather interesting company that produces, sells, and services, equipment that is used in the asphalt and concrete road-building spaces. It's also a provider of goods and services for other construction activities as well. Plus, the company offers up industrial a...
Justin Paget/DigitalVision via Getty Images Back in February of this year, I decided to take a fresh look at Astec Industries ( ASTE ), a rather interesting company that produces, sells, and services, equipment that is used in the asphalt and concrete road-building spaces. It's also a provider of goods and services for other construction activities as well. Plus, the company offers up industrial automation controls and telematics platforms, in addition to equipment and components that are used in other industries like recycling, land clearing, demolition, and mining. Part of it is also dedicated to providing industrial heat transfer equipment, horizontal grinders, blower trucks, and more. Clearly, this means that the business is a diversified provider of industrial equipment and services. And that means that it strikes at the heart of what makes the global economy function. I have always found enterprises like this to be interesting. And in my last article about it, published in February of this year, I reaffirmed it as a 'buy' candidate. This was based off of the attractive valuation and acquisition-driven growth that the company had achieved. But since then, things have worsened. Shares are down 19.5% while the S&P 500 is up 7.4%. Although this looks disappointing at first glance, it is important to note that since I originally turned bullish on it in April of last year, the stock has underperformed the market only a hair. Shares are up 30.4%, which is below the 34.7% rise that the S&P 500 saw. Fundamentals are mixed on the bottom line, though I would say they are slightly negative. However, revenue continues to expand, and, on a forward basis at least, the stock is cheap. It's also relatively attractive when it comes to other comparable enterprises. At the end of the day, this all justifies a 'buy' rating in my book. Digging into Astec Industries Author - SEC EDGAR Data Not much new data has come out since I last wrote about Astec Industries. We have had results ...
Ryanair is warning of rising costs this year if unhedged jet fuel prices remain at current levels. CFO Neil Sorahan spoke with Bloomberg’s Lizzy Burden in London. (Source: Bloomberg)
Ryanair is warning of rising costs this year if unhedged jet fuel prices remain at current levels. CFO Neil Sorahan spoke with Bloomberg’s Lizzy Burden in London. (Source: Bloomberg)
From removal of tunnel cover to turning off concourse TVs, title-chasing Arsenal manager has left no stone unturned It’s being billed as the biggest Premier League game ever hosted at the Emirates Stadium. Tickets for Monday’s meeting with Burnley, who were relegated almost a month ago and returned 1,500 tickets for their trip to north London, were being sold for upwards of £650 last week as Arsen...
From removal of tunnel cover to turning off concourse TVs, title-chasing Arsenal manager has left no stone unturned It’s being billed as the biggest Premier League game ever hosted at the Emirates Stadium. Tickets for Monday’s meeting with Burnley, who were relegated almost a month ago and returned 1,500 tickets for their trip to north London, were being sold for upwards of £650 last week as Arsenal attempt to edge closer to being crowned champions for the first time since they said goodbye to Highbury. In an attempt to recreate the red-hot atmosphere that inspired the victory over Atlético Madrid in the Champions League semi-final, Arsenal supporters have been encouraged to arrive two hours before kick-off on Monday night to greet the team when they arrive at the stadium. “The players were in the other bus, but I could see straight away all the staff and everybody was there just looking at each other and saying: ‘Wow, we’ve taken this to a different level,’” Mikel Arteta said this week of the Atlético experience. “The engagement, the passion, the enthusiasm of our fans in their eyes, I think that was something special.” Continue reading...
Exposure to high temperatures won’t have a noticable effect – unless your sperm count is already low Could your post-gym spa habit affect your ability to have a baby? It’s a belief that gets repeated regularly online. But Prof Colin Duncan, a fertility expert at the University of Edinburgh, says things aren’t as clearcut as people make out. Cisgender men produce sperm in the testicles. It’s from h...
Exposure to high temperatures won’t have a noticable effect – unless your sperm count is already low Could your post-gym spa habit affect your ability to have a baby? It’s a belief that gets repeated regularly online. But Prof Colin Duncan, a fertility expert at the University of Edinburgh, says things aren’t as clearcut as people make out. Cisgender men produce sperm in the testicles. It’s from here that these male reproductive cells are released to inseminate the eggs women produce. Duncan says that repeated exposure to higher temperatures, such as those found in saunas, do inevitably have some effect on how much sperm is made by them. “Testicles are located outside the body because they work better when they’re cooler. If you’re incubating them in a sauna then they don’t work quite as well.” Continue reading...
Over the past five years, I’ve spoken to people struggling to get by in post-industrial northern England. They’re crying out for more radicalism, not less Among other defeats, the recent local elections saw Labour lose heavily across the Midlands and the north of England. The results are reminiscent of the 2016 Brexit vote and, with the return of those electoral geographies, some of the old tropes...
Over the past five years, I’ve spoken to people struggling to get by in post-industrial northern England. They’re crying out for more radicalism, not less Among other defeats, the recent local elections saw Labour lose heavily across the Midlands and the north of England. The results are reminiscent of the 2016 Brexit vote and, with the return of those electoral geographies, some of the old tropes have resurfaced, too. Once again, England’s post-industrial towns are cast as the angry, reactionary counterparts to booming, progressive cities. Certainly, Reform UK is winning there now, but that is not the full picture. These places should not be chalked up as lost causes for the left. Sacha Hilhorst is a Hallsworth Fellow at the University of Manchester and a senior research fellow at Common Wealth Continue reading...
Relegated three times this century, AGF are the latest surprise champions in a notable trend for Scandinavia When the buses pulled up at Brøndby Stadion on the penultimate weekend of the season, the travelling fans were already celebrating. The final whistle had just blown at Nordsjælland, where Aarhus’s title rivals, Midtjylland, had been held to a goalless draw. That meant Aarhus Gymnastikforeni...
Relegated three times this century, AGF are the latest surprise champions in a notable trend for Scandinavia When the buses pulled up at Brøndby Stadion on the penultimate weekend of the season, the travelling fans were already celebrating. The final whistle had just blown at Nordsjælland, where Aarhus’s title rivals, Midtjylland, had been held to a goalless draw. That meant Aarhus Gymnastikforening (or AGF for short) could secure the Danish title for the first time since 1986 with a win against Brøndby. The atmosphere was electric before kick-off, the AGF fans displaying a huge tifo with the message: “Let’s write history together.” It didn’t take long for the team to meet the moment, Henrik Dalsgaard, the former Brentford and Midtjylland defender, scoring from a corner after three minutes. The away end erupted, 40 years of hurt swept away in an outpouring of euphoria. “It was one of the greatest days of my life and I think a lot of other AGF fans would say that too,” says Jakob Emil Beikes, the chair of AGF’s fanclub. “When we were celebrating it was just everything, all the feelings coming through. I still can’t believe it, actually. It’s insane.” Continue reading...
Switzerland ’s economy grew faster than anticipated in the first quarter, weathering a spike in energy prices and a strengthening franc that each took effect at the outbreak of the Iran war. Gross domestic product adjusted for large sport events rose 0.5% from the previous three months, according to a preliminary estimate. The result is slightly above the 0.4% median prediction of economists in a ...
Switzerland ’s economy grew faster than anticipated in the first quarter, weathering a spike in energy prices and a strengthening franc that each took effect at the outbreak of the Iran war. Gross domestic product adjusted for large sport events rose 0.5% from the previous three months, according to a preliminary estimate. The result is slightly above the 0.4% median prediction of economists in a Bloomberg survey . The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs said both industry and services contributed to growth in the quarter. The reading suggests some resilience in the Swiss economy after the first attacks on Iran sent oil and gas costs soaring and stoked inflows into the haven franc that strengthened the currency. A drop back to lower levels in late March may have helped exporters toward the end of the quarter. While uncertainties persist, the economy still shows signs of weathering the Iran crisis. A purchasing managers index for manufacturing has stayed above the level indicating growth for two months, after several years below that threshold. Inflation has picked up because of higher energy costs, though it remains low compared with other economies such as the euro area. Economists don’t expect interest-rate increases by the Swiss National Bank anytime soon. A bigger question mark hanging over the economy in the longer term is a vote next month, when the Swiss electorate will be asked whether to approve a population cap of 10 million people. The population is already above 9 million. Polls predict a tight race as the proposal by a right-wing party resonates with many Swiss, who complain of high rents and crowded trains, partially driven by many immigrants attracted to the country’s large roster of blue-chip firms. The GDP report excludes data from large sport events, because they can distort the overall picture of the country’s economy. Switzerland is the home to several global sports bodies including the International Olympic Committee. The first-quarter readin...
Augury, a leader in industrial AI solutions for manufacturing today, shared its progress in developing the Industrial AI Workforce. Built on top of Augury's proven Machine Health solution, new, role-based AI agents are designed to bridge the gaps between insight to action for manufacturers. By synthesizing Augury's Machine Health data with operational context from AVEVA CONNECT and the advanced re...
Augury, a leader in industrial AI solutions for manufacturing today, shared its progress in developing the Industrial AI Workforce. Built on top of Augury's proven Machine Health solution, new, role-based AI agents are designed to bridge the gaps between insight to action for manufacturers. By synthesizing Augury's Machine Health data with operational context from AVEVA CONNECT and the advanced reasoning of Google's Gemini models, manufacturers can now build self-optimizing, adaptive production
According to the Center for Retirement Research, there has been a steady decline in the number of people claiming Social Security at 62, but it still remains the most popular age to start benefits. Age 62 is a common age to claim benefits because it is when you first become eligible to start collecting your retirement checks. If you're waiting on these benefits to retire, claiming them ASAP may be...
According to the Center for Retirement Research, there has been a steady decline in the number of people claiming Social Security at 62, but it still remains the most popular age to start benefits. Age 62 is a common age to claim benefits because it is when you first become eligible to start collecting your retirement checks. If you're waiting on these benefits to retire, claiming them ASAP may be part of your retirement plans . However, if you were considering claiming Social Security at 62, or at any of the popular claiming ages, an important report may change your mind. Here's why. Continue reading