Industrials - Azzet - Business news, investments companies & executives

Sign inJoin Now

Industrials

Industrials
Caterpillar rides AI demand, flags tariff hit
Caterpillar’s latest quarterly performance reflected the crosscurrents shaping the global economy, as booming artificial intelligence-related investment boosted sales while rising tariffs cast a shadow over the year ahead. The world’s largest construction equipment maker reported fourth-quarter earnings per share (EPS) of US$5.16, ahead of expectations for $4.71. Revenue came in at $19.13 billion, also topping forecasts of $17.85 billion, as strength in key end markets supported volumes. "Our centennial year marked a significant milestone, underscored by the highest full-year sales and revenues in Caterpillar's history and a single-quarter record of $19.1 billion," said Caterpillar CEO Joe Creed. "These results demonstrate the strength of our end markets and our disciplined execution. With a record backlog, we enter the new year with strong momentum and a continued focus on delivering long-term value for our customers and shareholders." A major driver of growth was the company’s power and energy segment, which produces generators and related equipment. Quarterly sales in the division surged more than 20% as demand tied to data centres and AI infrastructure continues to reshape the industrial landscape. Like sever
Industrials
Northrop backlog hits record; sales miss estimates
Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) ended the fourth quarter with a record-breaking backlog of more than US$95 billion, according to its latest earnings report. The aerospace and defence company posted the report for Q4 2025, with sales also up by 10% year-on-year, to the tune of US$11.7 billion and guidance for this year looking to see sales land in the $43.5–$44.0 billion ballpark. However, these numbers still fell below Wall Street Estimates, which expected a forward outlook of $44.24 billion. Excluding the after-tax mark-to-market (MTM) benefit of $394 million, fourth quarter 2025 MTM-adjusted net earnings per share (EPS) came in at $7.23, versus $6.98 expected. Revenue was also up, with a total of $11.71 billion, a jump of around 10% from the same time last year and ahead of $11.62 billion expected. “We delivered outstanding results in 2025 through strong performance and a laser focus on our customers’ and stakeholders’ highest priorities,” said Kathy Warden, chair, chief executive officer and president of Northrop, in a post-earnings call. “Our record backlog supports our 2026 outlook of mid-single digit sales growth and we are confident in our ability to deliver continued strong performance.” Northrop Grumman
Industrials
RTX beats Q4 earnings estimates; share price lifts
RTX Corporation (NYSE: RTX) has reported a strong fourth quarter, coming out ahead of Wall Street estimates in its latest earnings report. Sales were up by 12% compared to 2024, to the tune of US$24.2 billion, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.6%. The Q425 earnings per share (EPS) was improved as well, landing at $1.55 and beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.46, in addition to GAAP earnings of $1.19 per share, also improved from the same time last year, when it came in at $1.10. The aerospace and tech giant's guidance for this year now expects an adjusted EPS of $6.60 to $6.80 and adjusted sales of $92.0 to $93.0 billion. Following the successful quarterly report, shares of RTX Corporation rose by 4.0% on Tuesday, EST, and at the time of reporting was trading up by 3.68% at market close. “RTX delivered strong sales, adjusted EPS and free cash flow* in 2025, enabled by our continued focus on operational performance and execution,” said RTX Chairman and CEO Chris Calio during an earning conference call. “We enter 2026 with great momentum and are well positioned to deliver our 2026 financial outlook. We remain focused on investing in new capabilities, expanding production capacity, and executing on ou
Industrials
UPS tops Q4 forecasts, plans 30,000 job cuts
United Parcel Service Inc reported stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter results, beating forecasts on both earnings and revenue, amid improved revenue quality, disciplined cost management and continued network efficiency gains. Fourth-quarter non-GAAP adjusted diluted earnings per share came in at $2.38, ahead of expectations for $2.20. Consolidated revenue totalled $24.5 billion, also exceeding the $24.01 billion analysts had anticipated. The company said operational execution across business segments and ongoing efficiency initiatives underpinned the outperformance. A key strategic milestone was the reduction of Amazon volume in UPS’s network by approximately one million packages per day. Management said network reconfiguration and efficiency programmes tied to this shift generated about $3.5 billion in savings. The results come against a challenging macroeconomic backdrop. UPS pointed to significant changes in global trade policies and rising geopolitical tensions in 2025, which weighed on shipping volumes and business confidence. The company booked total charges of $238 million in the fourth quarter, including a non-cash after-tax charge of $137 million related to the write-off of its MD-11 aircraft fleet. F
Industrials
Hanwha Ocean, Huntington Ingalls rise on ship plans
The share prices of ship builders Hanwha Ocean Co and Huntington Ingalls Industries rose after United States President Donald Trump announced plans for new battleships. Hanwha Ocean (KRX: 042660) shares closed 13,700 South Korean won (SKW) or 12.49% higher at 123,400 SKW, capitalising the South Korean company at 37.81 trillion SKW (US$25.71 billion), on Tuesday. The rise was more modest for Huntington Ingalls (NYSE: HII), which finished up US$1.00 (0.28%) on Tuesday at $354.52, implying a market value of US$13.91 billion. Earlier, Trump said the South Korean company would build frigates for the U.S. Navy. "Last week, the Navy announced a brand new class of frigate and they're going to be working with the South Korean company Hanwha," Trump was quoted in a Reuters story as saying at a press conference. Military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls rose after Trump announced plans for a new "Trump class" of battleships, which he said would be larger, faster and "100 times more powerful" than any previously built. Last week, the U.S. Navy announced the FF(X) class smaller combatant ships to complement larger, multi-mission warships and enhance operational flexibility around the globe.

Industrials
FedEx beats estimates as it cuts costs, lifts forecast
FedEx beat earnings estimates last quarter as its cost-cutting efforts continue and has lifted its full-year outlook, sending shares up 2.1% in after-hours trading. Adjusted earnings per share were US$4.82, above both Zacks estimates of $4.07 and last year’s earnings of $3.03. Revenue was $23.5 billion, up from $22.0 billion year-over-year. “FedEx delivered an outstanding second quarter as we successfully executed our growth strategy and advanced our network transformation, while navigating a highly challenging external environment,” said FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam. “The progress we are making on our strategic initiatives is tangible, and we are committed to creating significant value creation in the years ahead,” said FedEx CFO John Dietrich. Operating income was $1.38 billion, rising from $1.05 billion. Net income grew to $960 million, from $740 million. FedEx’s business optimisation costs impacted adjusted earnings per share by $0.10. It expects cost reductions of $1 billion across its fiscal 2026. For the fiscal year, the company projects 5-6% growth in revenue, up from its previous forecast of 4-6%. It also predicts earnings per share of $14.80-16.00 before mark-to-market retirement plans adjustments, growing
Industrials
Looming Russia-Ukraine deal sparks defence selloff
European defence stocks slid on expectations that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are edging closer, however, the continent’s biggest arms makers are warning investors not to confuse diplomatic noise for a lasting shift in the security landscape. Shares across the sector fell overnight after United States officials signalled progress in negotiations involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and representatives linked to President Donald Trump. Zelenskyy said Kyiv was prepared to drop its NATO ambitions to secure an end to the war, prompting markets to flirt with the idea of a “peace dividend”. Investors moved fast with the Stoxx Europe Aerospace and Defence index dropping 1.8%, Sweden’s Saab down 4.8%, Germany’s Rheinmetall off 4.5% and Italy’s Leonardo losing 3.9%. German sensor specialist Hensoldt and vehicle systems maker Renk also slid sharply, despite both having more than doubled in value this year. Behind the sell-off, defence executives struck a cooler tone. Hensoldt said that while it hoped for a just peace in Ukraine, any halt in fighting would give Moscow space to rebuild its forces, leaving Europe exposed. The company stressed that its growth is anchored in long-term German and Eu
Industrials
Amazon and USPS discuss their future
Amazon.com is reportedly talking with the United States Postal Service (USPS) over the future of their delivery partnership ahead of its expiry next year. The Washington Post newspaper reported that Postmaster General David Steiner plans to hold a reverse auction in early 2026, opening access to postal facilities to the highest bidder rather than continuing to give the work to Amazon. This would make the e-commerce giant compete with national retail brands and regional shipping firms for capacity, which is considered vital to its delivery network. The Post quoted people with knowledge of the matter in this article, which was reported by other media outlets, including Reuters. Amazon is USPS’s largest customer, contributing more than $6 billion in revenue in 2025 or about 5% of the agency’s sales under a partnership that has lasted for more than 30 years, according to the Post. USPS’ first-class mail volumes have slid 80% since 1997, and it reported a $9.5 billion loss last year as digital communication accelerates and private competitors expand. “We were surprised to hear they want to run an auction after nearly a year of negotiations, so we still have a lot to work through,” Amazon said in a statement. The co
Industrials
Will Qube be the next big infra stock to leave the ASX?
Given the defensive nature of their earnings, coupled with the discounts they’ve historically traded at relative to their global peers, it’s hardly surprising that ASX-listed infrastructure stocks have been a happy hunting ground for acquirers looking to snap up good stocks on the cheap. With the likes of Sydney Airport, AusNet Services, Spark Infrastructure, Tilt Renewables, Infigen Energy and Eildon Capital Group having been taken out, either by private capital or institutional investors, over the last four years, you can now count the number of major infrastructure stocks left on the ASX on one hand. Between them, Transurban Group (ASX: TCL), Auckland International Airport Limited (ASX: AIA), Qube Holdings Limited (ASX: QUB), Atlas Arteria (ASX: ALX) and Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure Limited (ASX: DBI) have a combined market cap of around $75 billion, with Transurban alone accounting for over 60%. Assuming Macquarie Asset Management’s (MAM) current non-binding proposal is successful, Qube Holdings – which has a market cap of $8.6 billion - will be the next major infrastructure stock to kiss the ASX goodbye in the new year. MAM is no stranger to global infrastructure transport assets, with interests in Busan New Conta