L'intérêt à découvert pour HireQuest donne aux investisseurs une idée du degré auquel les investisseurs parient sur la baisse de l'action de HireQuest. Les données sur l'intérêt à découvert sont mises à jour toutes les deux semaines.

HireQuest (NASDAQ:HQI) Stock, Rapport sur les intérêts à découvert

HireQuest

HireQuest Inc is a nationwide franchisor of offices providing direct-dispatch, executive search, and commercial staffing solutions in the light industrial and blue-collar segments of the staffing industry and traditional commercial staffing. The company's franchisees provide various types of temporary personnel through two business models operating under the trade names HireQuest Direct, HireQuest, Snelling, DriverQuest, HireQuest Health, Northbound Executive Search, and MRI. The company's primary source of revenue is royalty fees based on the operation of its franchised offices.

HireQuest Inc

Truist Securities analyst Michael Swartz maintains Winnebago Industries (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WGO#NYSE">WGO</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $38 to $40.

News

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

Truist Securities Maintains Buy on Winnebago Industries, Raises Price Target to $40

DA Davidson analyst Linda Bolton Weiser maintains Natures Sunshine Products (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NATR#NASDAQ">NATR</a>) with a Buy and maintains $19 price target.

NATR

DA Davidson Maintains Buy on Natures Sunshine Products, Maintains $19 Price Target

Truist Securities analyst Michael Lewis maintains Vornado Realty (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VNO#NYSE">VNO</a>) with a Hold and raises the price target from $37 to $38.

Truist Securities Maintains Hold on Vornado Realty, Raises Price Target to $38

Stephens &amp; Co. analyst Terry McEvoy reiterates Regions Finl (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RF#NYSE">RF</a>) with a Overweight and maintains $24 price target.

Reiteration

Stephens & Co. Reiterates Overweight on Regions Finl, Maintains $24 Price Target

DA Davidson analyst Gil Luria maintains Pegasystems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEGA#NASDAQ">PEGA</a>) with a Neutral and raises the price target from $90 to $95.

PEGA

DA Davidson Maintains Neutral on Pegasystems, Raises Price Target to $95

Citi Trends, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTRN#NASDAQ">CTRN</a>)&nbsp;stock gained on Tuesday after the company reported <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/06/b45741625/citi-trends-announces-first-quarter-fiscal-2025-results" rel="noreferrer noopener">first-quarter earnings</a>.
The company reported a&nbsp;quarterly sales growth of 8.3% year-on-year to $201.7 million, topping the analyst consensus estimate of $183.6 million.
Comparable store sales increased 9.9% compared to Q1 2024 fueled by increases in traffic, basket and conversion, reflecting the continued impact of improved product style and value, addition of off-price extreme value and better product allocation methods, the company said in a press release.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/06/45746739/signet-cfo-says-current-tariffs-factored-into-raised-fy26-guidance-stock-soars" rel="noreferrer noopener">Signet CFO Says Current Tariffs Factored Into Raised FY26 Guidance, Stock Soars</a>
Adjusted EPS of 17 cents topped the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus loss estimate</a> of 92 cents.
The gross margin of 39.6% expanded 90 basis points Y/Y due to a higher initial markup, lower shrink, and lower freight expense, partially offset by planned in-season markdowns.
Merchandise inventory decreased by 7.6% year-over-year to $109.9 million. Average in-store inventory decreased 4.9% vs. the same period last year while supporting 9.9% comparable store sales growth. The company said inventory is significantly fresher, with a 45% decrease in aged product.
The company reported adjusted EBITDA of $5.4 million compared to a loss of $0.8 million a year ago. Citi Trends held $41.6 million in cash and equivalents as of May 3, 2025.
In the first quarter of fiscal 2025, the company repurchased 250,555 shares of its common stock, spending a total of $6.3 million.&nbsp;
At the end of the quarter, $40.0 million remained available under the company&#8217;s share repurchase program.
CEO Ken Seipel expressed his satisfaction with the strong Q1 results, highlighting that positive trends were evident across all retail metrics, encompassing both apparel and non-apparel categories, all climate zones, and all store volumes.
He noted that this sales momentum has carried into the second quarter of fiscal 2025, with quarter-to-date comparable store sales trending in the mid-to-upper-single digits.
While acknowledging macro-economic uncertainties, particularly concerning tariffs, Seipel said, &#8220;Our approach is to be aggressive to drive growth and remain flexible to react and adjust as needed.&#8221;
&#8220;For the foreseeable future, our teams have successfully held net product costs flat in the aggregate, finding alternative goods when needed and taking advantage of off-price opportunities created by the disrupted environment. As a result, we have mitigated near-term margin pressure, and we remain optimistic about our ability to control our business results,&#8221; he added.
Citi Trends now expects <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">comparable store sales</a> growth of mid-single digits (up from prior low-to-mid-single digits). The company&nbsp;expects adjusted EBITDA of $6 million-$10 million (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/03/44377404/citi-trends-stock-jumps-despite-q4-miss-bets-big-on-off-price-model" rel="noreferrer noopener">up from prior</a> $5 million-$9 million).
The company reiterated plans to open up to 5 new stores, remodel approximately 50 stores, and close up to 5 locations.
Price Action: CTRN shares are trading higher by 13.1% to $30.55 at last check Tuesday.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/06/45746307/dollar-general-boosts-annual-outlook-despite-ongoing-tariff-uncertainty" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dollar General Boosts Annual Outlook Despite Ongoing Tariff Uncertainty</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by Bruce VanLoon via Shutterstock

Earnings

Guidance

Movers

CTRN

Citi Trends CEO Asserts It Will Tackle Tariffs with 'Aggressive Growth,' Responsive Adjustments

Truist Securities analyst Michael Swartz maintains Thor Industries (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/THO#NYSE">THO</a>) with a Hold and raises the price target from $72 to $78.

Truist Securities Maintains Hold on Thor Industries, Raises Price Target to $78

TotalEnergies SE (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TTE#NYSE">TTE</a>) shares are trading lower on Tuesday after the company disclosed that it had acquired a portfolio of eight solar projects (350 MW capacity) and two battery storage projects <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/equities" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(85 MW capacity) from Low Carbon</a>.
Solar projects are already in advanced development and are targeted <a target="_blank" href="https://totalenergies.com/news/press-releases/uk-totalenergies-acquires-pipeline-solar-and-battery-projects" rel="noreferrer noopener">to </a>become operational by 2028.
These projects are expected to generate over 350 GWh per year of renewable electricity, which could power around 100,000 UK households.
Olivier Jouny, SVP of renewables at TotalEnergies said, "The acquisition of these solar and battery projects located in the south of England will complement our integrated electricity portfolio in the UK, which includes 1.1 GW of gross installed offshore wind, 1.3 GW of gross combined cycle gas turbine, and more than 600 MW of solar projects under development."
Roy Bedlow, chief executive and founder at Low Carbon, added: "Once built, these projects will make a vital contribution to the Government's Clean Power 2030 ambition and reinforce Low Carbon's track record for developing renewable assets of the highest quality, while supporting the build out of the rest of our renewables pipeline as we continue to scale as an independent power producer."
Last month, TotalEnergies&nbsp;and&nbsp;RGE JV&nbsp;disclosed that their equally-owned joint venture,&nbsp;Singa Renewables, has received a conditional license from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/large-cap/25/05/45697337/totalenergies-rge-jv-gets-green-light-to-import-renewable-power-to-singapore" rel="noreferrer noopener">Singapore's&nbsp;Energy Market Authority (EMA)</a>.
Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV FT Energy Income Partners Strategy ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EIPX#NYSE">EIPX</a>) and First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund VIII FT Energy Income Partners Enhanced Income ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EIPI#NYSE">EIPI</a>).
Price Action: TTE shares were down 0.5% at $60.17 at last check on Tuesday.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/25/05/45563987/totalenergies-new-spain-solar-field-capable-of-powering-150000-homes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TotalEnergies&#8217; New Spain Solar Field Capable Of Powering 150,000 Homes</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: ZGPhotography/Shutterstock

Large Cap

EIPI

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund IV FT Energy Income Partners Strategy ETF

EIPX

TotalEnergies To Power 100,000 UK Homes With New Solar & Battery Projects

Truist Securities analyst Anthony Hau maintains Sun Communities (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SUI#NYSE">SUI</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $135 to $137.

Truist Securities Maintains Buy on Sun Communities, Raises Price Target to $137

Sitio Royalties Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STR#NYSE">STR</a>) shares are trading higher by more than 12.2% on Tuesday after the company <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mergers-and-acquisitions">inked a $4.1 billion deal</a> with Viper Energy (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VNOM#NASDAQ">VNOM</a>).
The all-equity transaction includes Sitio&#8217;s net debt of about $1.1 billion as of March 31, 2025.
As per the terms, Sitio stockholders will receive 0.4855 shares of Class A common shares in a new holding company (Pro forma Viper) for each share of Sitio Class A common stock.
Similarly, for each unit of Sitio&#8217;s operating subsidiary, holders will receive 0.4855 units of Viper&#8217;s operating subsidiary, Viper Energy Partners LLC, implying a value of $19.41 per share for each Sitio stockholder, based on Viper&#8217;s closing stock price on June 2.
Viper is a subsidiary of Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FANG#NASDAQ">FANG</a>).
The boards of both companies unanimously approved the transaction, and Diamondback, as Viper&#8217;s majority stockholder, has provided its approval via written consent.
The transaction is anticipated to close in the third quarter of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.
Upon the transaction&#8217;s completion, Diamondback is projected to hold about 41% of Pro forma Viper&#8217;s outstanding common stock.
Pro forma Viper: The new holding company is expected to hold roughly 85,700 net royalty acres in the Permian Basin (about 43% operated by Diamondback) and own an average 1.8% Net Royalty Interest (NRI) across approximately 33,300 gross producing horizontal wells (or ~608 net wells).
For the fourth quarter of 2025, Pro forma is expected to witness an average production of 64 – 68 thousand barrels of oil per day (mbo/d), or 122 – 130 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (mboe/d).
The company expects 2026 average production to rise by a mid-single-digit percentage from these levels. Synergies from the deal are expected to exceed $50 million annually.
Viper dividend Boost: Along with the deal, Viper&#8217;s board approved a 10% increase to its base dividend to $1.32 per share annually (or 33 cents per share quarterly).
Viper CEO Kaes Van&#8217;t Hof says the transaction &#8220;positions&#8221; Viper to compete for capital with mid- and large-cap E&amp;Ps.
As of March 31, Viper had a cash balance of $560 million and a total <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/05/g45206131/viper-energy-inc-a-subsidiary-of-diamondback-energy-inc-reports-first-quarter-2025-financial-and-o" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">long-term debt of $830 million</a>.
Price Action: STR shares are up 8.37% at $18.77 premarket at the last check Tuesday.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45194998/saudi-arabias-oil-power-play-jolts-markets-can-diamondback-and-rivals-survive-the-squeeze" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saudi Arabia&#8217;s Oil Power Play Jolts Markets: Can Diamondback And Rivals Withstand The Pressure?</a></li>
</ul>

FANG

VNOM

Viper Energy Grabs Sitio Royalties In $4.1 Billion Deal, Boosts Dividend 10%

WIIM

ESLA

Estrella Immunopharma shares are trading higher. The company anounced an approximate $3.35 million private placement equity financing of 2,333,334 shares of its stock at $1.50 per share.

Insider Trades

ALTG

Alta Equipment Reported June 2 In Form4 Filing Director Andrew Studdert Buys ~10K Shares At Average Price Of $4.80/Share

Truist Securities analyst Tobey Sommer maintains Science Applications Intl (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SAIC#NASDAQ">SAIC</a>) with a Hold and lowers the price target from $115 to $100.

SAIC

Truist Securities Maintains Hold on Science Applications Intl, Lowers Price Target to $100

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/03015141/52TOYS.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-13765" srcset="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/03015141/52TOYS.jpeg 900w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/03015141/52TOYS-300x200.jpeg 300w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/03015141/52TOYS-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>
A maker of collectible figurines, 52Toys, is lining up to test investor enthusiasm for play-related stocks after the runaway success of Pop Mart

<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Key Takeaways:</h4>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>52Toys has posted losses for three years and faces rising market competition&nbsp;</li>
<li>It sells 35 proprietary toy ranges and licenses another 80 designs from leading brands&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
It could be viewed as a triumph of creativity over hard reality. China's toy craze has turned one seller of cute figurines into a corporate titan with a bigger market value than some established industrial stalwarts.
After its share price rocketed over the past six months, blind-box pioneer&nbsp;Pop Mart&nbsp;(9992.HK) is now closing in on a market capitalization of HK$300 billion ($38.28 billion), exceeding the combined value of two flagship firms in the property and infrastructure empire of Hong Kong's richest man, Li Ka-shing.
Not surprisingly, other purveyors of fantasy figures have been looking to replicate the feat of Pop Mart, which made its name by selling mystery toys in sealed boxes. Toymaker&nbsp;Bloks&nbsp;(0325.HK) has seen its share price more than double from its IPO level to enjoy a market value approaching HK$40 billion.
And now Beijing-based&nbsp;52Toys, a rising star of China's market in designer toys and desirable figurines, is hoping for a bite of the cherry. Its parent company,&nbsp;52Toys Development Co. Ltd.,&nbsp;just&nbsp;<a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/app/sehk/2025/107389/documents/sehk25052301960.pdf">filed&nbsp;</a>for a Hong Kong share listing.
The company was co-founded in 2015 by two businessmen with experience in the toy and game world.&nbsp;Chen Wei was operating a toy store in Beijing's Drum Tower selling items licensed from the likes of Bandai and Hasbro, while Huang Jin was involved in producing the desktop game "War of Three Kingdoms".&nbsp;
Their&nbsp;company generates original ideas in house or sells licensed products in deals with major international franchises. By the end of last year, the firm's&nbsp;35 proprietary product lines included the cute figures of&nbsp;Nook and Sleep,&nbsp;sci-fi BeastBox toys and the&nbsp;Panda Roll&nbsp;and Modern Ancient ranges inspired by Chinese culture.
The firm's 80 licensed products cover franchises such as the Japanese manga series Crayon Shin-shan as well as creations from Disney and Warner Bros.
<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Mounting losses</h4>
Over the past three years, 52Toys reported revenues of 463 million yuan, 482 million yuan and 630 million yuan. Last year its original designs accounted for 24.5% of revenue while licensed intellectual property made up 64.5% and external procurements accounted for 10.8% of turnover. The company's gross margin hit 39.9% in 2024.&nbsp;
Still, its performance is still a pale shadow of Pop Mart's earnings power. The IPO candidate lost 1.71 million yuan in 2022, 71.93 million yuan the following year and 122 million yuan in 2024, mainly due to fair-value adjustments on financial liabilities. But even taking that hit out of the equation, 60% of 52Toys revenue was eaten up by sales costs. After spending on marketing, administration and R&amp;D, the toymaker eked out just over 30 million yuan in profits.&nbsp;
Finances aside, 52Toys is also at a scale disadvantage. Chen once vowed to make the company a leading seller of collectibles in its own right rather than aspiring to be a Pop Mart clone, but even second place to the towering toy brand would be hard to achieve.
Pop Mart posted revenues of 13.04 billion yuan for 2024, whereas 52Toys managed just 630 million yuan. Pop Mart's&nbsp;Hirono character, which ranks sixth in&nbsp;toy industry IP rankings, brought in 730 million yuan alone, exceeding the total top-line income for 52Toys.
Other competitors are in a better position to take on Pop Mart in a crowded field of toy makers. Last year, Top Toy, a&nbsp;Miniso Group&nbsp;(9896.HK) brand, netted nearly 1 billion yuan in revenues and is also planning a Hong Kong IPO. Moreover, China has more than 50,000 companies jostling for "Pop Toy" sales, with 3,100 added so far this year, according to the business information website Tianyancha. Newcomers will always be threatening to overtake 52Toys.
Franchised designs still make up a big share of revenue at 52Toys but these deals are not exclusive. Other licensees offer products such as Disney's Lotso Blind Box, as well as Top Toy and Cool Toys items, sacrificing profit to attract consumers and gain a competitive edge.&nbsp;
The company also faces a challenging economic environment as Chinese consumers weigh their spending choices more carefully. Even in a growing market, toys do not count as essential goods and could even be deemed luxuries. With weak consumer sentiment, toy companies may struggle to hit their sales targets and satisfy investors' high expectations.
<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Short-term bet?</h4>
Even with all those negatives, the enduring enthusiasm for collectible toys may still propel the company onto the Hong Kong stock market.
Indeed, Wanda Cinemas&nbsp;and&nbsp;Shanghai Ruyi Xingchen Enterprise Management gave the company a vote of confidence on May 12 when they spent&nbsp;144 million yuan to buy 7% of existing and new shares in 52Toys, a strategic investment in the potential of the goods economy.
When a sector is in vogue, a new stock that trades at a premium over its listing price can offer a handsome profit for investors even if the longer term outlook is uncertain.
In that sense, 52Toys could be a solid short-term bet if its IPO price is not pitched too high. The prognosis beyond that will depend on the company's business performance and the broader economy.

Asia

IPOs

Opinion

Game Time For Another IPO Hopeful In China's Booming Toy Market

JMP Securities analyst Patrick Walravens maintains Pegasystems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEGA#NASDAQ">PEGA</a>) with a Market Outperform and raises the price target from $110 to $125.

JMP Securities Maintains Market Outperform on Pegasystems, Raises Price Target to $125

DA Davidson analyst Brandon Rolle assumes Malibu Boats (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MBUU#NASDAQ">MBUU</a>) with a Neutral rating and announces Price Target of $33.

Initiation

MBUU

DA Davidson Assumes Malibu Boats at Neutral, Announces Price Target of $33

Truist Securities analyst Anthony Hau maintains Peakstone Realty Tr (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKST#NYSE">PKST</a>) with a Hold and raises the price target from $15 to $16.

PKST

Truist Securities Maintains Hold on Peakstone Realty Tr, Raises Price Target to $16

<ul>
<li>Late-breaking oral presentation will highlight new data from a trial of INCA033989, an anti-mutant calreticulin (mutCALR)-directed monoclonal antibody, in patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET)</li>
<li>Incyte to host an in-person analyst and investor event highlighting the mutCALR data at EHA on Sunday, June 15, 2025, from 6:00 - 7:30 a.m. EDT (12:00 - 1:30 p.m. CEST)</li>
</ul>
Incyte (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INCY#NASDAQ">INCY</a>) today announced that data from numerous programs in its hematology/oncology portfolio will be presented at the 2025 European Hematology Association (EHA) congress, held June 12 – 15, 2025, in Milan.
"We're looking forward to presenting new data from across our hematology/oncology portfolio at the 2025 EHA Congress, including late-breaking data for our first in class, mutCALR-directed monoclonal antibody, INCA033989," said Pablo J. Cagnoni, M.D., President and Head of Research and Development, Incyte. "We believe the data that will be presented at the late-breaking session demonstrate the impact of the novel mechanism of action of this monoclonal antibody against mutCALR-driven essential thrombocythemia (ET), and support its potential to be a disease modifying agent and thus transform the treatment of patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) like essential thrombocythemia (ET)."

INCY

Incyte To Present New Data From Across Hematology/Oncology Portfolio At 2025 EHA Congress, Including Late-Breaking Data For First In Class, Mutcalr-Directed Monoclonal Antibody, INCA033989

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/03105314/Sany.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-13782" srcset="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/03105314/Sany.jpeg 900w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/03105314/Sany-300x200.jpeg 300w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/03105314/Sany-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>
The construction equipment maker's new Hong Kong listing bid comes after it pulled the plug on previous IPO attempts in Hong Kong, Switzerland and Germany

Key Takeaways:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Sany Heavy has applied to list in Hong Kong, hoping to sell investors on its status as the world's biggest seller of excavators</li>
<li>The heavy construction equipment maker's overseas business has been outpacing its domestic sales, accounting for over 60% of its revenue last year</li>
</ul>
After a long winter, the Hong Kong IPO market has suddenly erupted as a hot fundraising portal for domestically listed Chinese companies looking to expand their investor bases into the global marketplace. In the last two weeks alone, two such companies, leading electric vehicle battery maker CATL, and Hengrui Pharma, a leader in China's drug sector, have collectively raised nearly $6 billion in two of the year's biggest new listings.
Now, another leader, the world's third-biggest construction machinery maker and largest maker of excavators,&nbsp;Sany Heavy Industry Co. Ltd.&nbsp;(600031.SH), is hoping to cash in on the fever, submitting its own&nbsp;<a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/app/sehk/2025/107388/documents/sehk25052200528.pdf">listing application</a>&nbsp;for a Hong Kong IPO late last month.
The company's history dates back to 1989, when it was founded as the Hunan Lianyuan Welding Material Factory by Liang Wengen, Tang Xiuguo, Mao Zhongwu and Yuan Jinhua in China's earliest days experimenting with privately owned and managed companies. The factory was restructured into a Chinese enterprise focused on construction equipment in 1994, and further reorganized as a limited liability company in 2000.
It went public in 2003 on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. It passed a major milestone a decade later in 2013 when its overseas revenue passed the 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) mark. Another decade on, it passed yet another important milestone as its overseas revenue overtook its domestic sales in 2023.
The company currently counts the similarly named Sany Group as its biggest shareholder with about 30% of the total shares. Liang Wengen, one of its original founders, is Sany Group's majority shareholder with 56.74% of its stock. Liang was also once China's richest man at the height of its building boom in the 1990s and first part of the 21st&nbsp;century.
This isn't the first time for Sany to test the Hong Kong market. The company planned to list in the city as early as in 2011, and in 2022 and 2023 it also flirted with potential listings on stock exchanges in Switzerland and Frankfurt, respectively. But the company ended up pulling the plug all three times due to unsuitable market conditions, making the current foray a sort of Hong Kong homecoming after a long global journey.
<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Growing excavator demand</h4>
The global market for construction machinery is vast, mainly driven by demand for infrastructure investment to meet growing energy needs, digital transformation and technological upgrades of mining and extraction operations. The global construction machinery market was worth $213.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $296.1 billion by 2030, growing at 5.6% annually over that time, according to third-party data in Sany's listing document. As the world's third biggest construction machinery maker based on 2024 sales, Sany is well positioned to capitalize on that demand.
Construction machinery covers a wide range of products, including loaders and machinery for excavation, hoisting, road-building, concrete-handling and piling. Excavators are one of the biggest product categories, worth $63.2 billion in sales last year, accounting for 29.6% of the total construction machinery market. The excavator segment is expected to outpace the overall market in terms of growth over the next few years, reaching $92.8 billion, or 31.3% of total construction equipment sales, by 2030.
Excavators are heavy engineering vehicles used for infrastructure construction, mining and extraction, as well as urban development. The rapid adoption of intelligent and energy-saving, environmentally friendly technologies in recent years has improved construction efficiency and equipment durability. That, coupled with the growing number of mining and other large-scale infrastructure projects under development around the world, is driving demand for new, higher-tech excavators and also replacements of older ones.
Sany is king of the global excavator market, commanding 11.3% of worldwide sales between 2020 and 2024, and about a quarter of all sales in China. It has been China's leading seller in that segment since 2011.
<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Climbing gross margins</h4>
As Sany's biggest breadwinner, excavators generated 30.37 billion yuan of the company's revenue last year, up 9.9% year-on-year, bringing in gross profits of 9.67 billion yuan, up 13.4%. The segment accounted for 38.8% of the company's total revenue for the year, and for 46.2% of its total gross profit.
Sany's overall revenue rose 5.9% last year to 78.38 billion yuan, spurred by growing global demand for its mid- to large-sized excavators, and also by a rebound in demand in China for small ones. Its net profit for the year rose 32% to 5.98 billion yuan.
The company's gross margin has also been rising steadily, growing from 22.6% in 2022 to 26.7% last year. Part of that owes to declining steel prices, which account for 20% to 35% of construction equipment costs. It also owes to the company's growing self-sufficiency in component sourcing. Sany now self-produces 60% of its overall components, and the number is an even higher 90% for excavator components.
As we've previously noted, Sany's overseas revenue has outperformed its domestic business in recent years. Such sales accounted for 45.5% of the company's revenue in 2022, and rose to 62.3% last year. Asia, Australia and the Middle East are its biggest overseas markets, accounting for 42.6% of its international sales.
Sany has also been generous to its shareholders, distributing 29.3 billion yuan in dividends since its Shanghai listing in 2003, equal to payout ratios of 30.6%, 40.4% and 49.8% of its net profit in 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Potential investors should also note that construction equipment sales are highly seasonal. Business usually slumps during winter due to falling demand as the cold weather and Lunar New Year lead to slower construction activity and projects get temporarily put on hold. But as spring arrives, construction tends to pick up and new projects also get started, translating to rising sales.
<h4 class="wp-block-heading">ROE underperformer</h4>
Despite its sold positioning, Sany is less stellar when it comes to return on equity (ROE), delivering at a rate of just 8.5% last year. That makes it a relative laggard compared with global peers like&nbsp;Caterpillar&nbsp;(CAT.US), with an ROE of 55.3%, and&nbsp;Komatsu&nbsp;(6301.J), with a ratio of 14.1%. But Sany's Shanghai-listed shares outperform its peers in terms of price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios, trading at 23 times, compared to 16.7 for Caterpillar and 9.2 for Komatsu.
That said, Sany may need to focus on boosting its ROE through better performance or perhaps via share buybacks. A double-digit ROE to complement its market-leading position in the global construction machinery market could support its overall valuation as it rumbles closer to finally achieving its goal of an offshore listing.

Global

Sany Constructs New IPO Bid, As Low ROE Threatens To Undermine Its Valuation

Truist Securities analyst Michael Swartz maintains Patrick Industries (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PATK#NASDAQ">PATK</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $100 to $105.

Comments

HireQuest

Intérêt court

HireQuest (NASDAQ:HQI) Stock, Rapport sur les intérêts à découvert

Les gens regardent aussi

Notizie

PARTENAIRE / CONTRIBUTEUR

BENZINGA MONDIAL