Zacks Research Analysts Increase Earnings Estimates for AIT

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:AIT) – Zacks Research boosted their Q1 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Applied Industrial Technologies in a report issued on Monday, March 10th. Zacks Research analyst S. Roy now expects that the industrial products company will post earnings per share of $2.47 for the quarter, up from their prior estimate of $2.46. The consensus estimate for Applied Industrial Technologies’ current full-year earnings is $9.90 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Applied Industrial Technologies’ Q2 2026 earnings at $2.58 EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at $2.76 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $2.86 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $10.67 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $2.70 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $2.73 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $11.49 EPS.

Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE:AIT) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The industrial products company reported $2.39 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.21 by $0.18. Applied Industrial Technologies had a return on equity of 22.37% and a net margin of 8.62%.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. KeyCorp lifted their target price on Applied Industrial Technologies from $275.00 to $325.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 3rd. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on Applied Industrial Technologies from $260.00 to $305.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 14th. Raymond James restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $265.00 target price (up previously from $250.00) on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Robert W. Baird lifted their target price on Applied Industrial Technologies from $250.00 to $275.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Bank of America upgraded Applied Industrial Technologies from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their target price for the company from $285.00 to $315.00 in a research report on Tuesday, November 26th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $291.43.

Applied Industrial Technologies Stock Performance

Shares of Applied Industrial Technologies stock opened at $226.84 on Wednesday. Applied Industrial Technologies has a one year low of $177.68 and a one year high of $282.98. The company has a market cap of $8.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.98, a PEG ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 2.55 and a current ratio of 3.76. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $252.10 and its 200 day moving average price is $243.03.

Institutional Trading of Applied Industrial Technologies

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of AIT. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in Applied Industrial Technologies during the 3rd quarter worth about $217,000. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 126.0% in the 3rd quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 4,396 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $981,000 after purchasing an additional 2,451 shares during the last quarter. Assetmark Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in the 3rd quarter valued at about $904,000. Atria Investments Inc lifted its holdings in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 2.6% in the 3rd quarter. Atria Investments Inc now owns 5,338 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $1,191,000 after purchasing an additional 135 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 30.2% in the 3rd quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 3,137 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $700,000 after purchasing an additional 728 shares during the last quarter. 93.52% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Applied Industrial Technologies Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 14th were issued a dividend of $0.46 per share. This represents a $1.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.81%. This is an increase from Applied Industrial Technologies’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.37. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 14th. Applied Industrial Technologies’s payout ratio is 18.64%.

About Applied Industrial Technologies

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc distributes industrial motion, power, control, and automation technology solutions in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It operates in two segments, Service Center Based Distribution, and Engineered Solutions. The company distributes bearings, power transmission products, engineered fluid power components and systems, specialty flow control solutions, advanced automation products, industrial rubber products, linear motion components, automation solutions, tools, safety products, oilfield supplies, and other industrial and maintenance supplies; and motors, belting, drives, couplings, pumps, hydraulic and pneumatic components, filtration supplies, valves, fittings, process instrumentation, actuators, and hoses, filtration supplies, as well as other related supplies for general operational needs of customers' machinery and equipment.