On Thursday, Jefferies maintained a Hold rating on Honeywell International (NASDAQ:HON) with a steady price target of $220.00. The firm's analysis of Honeywell's third-quarter performance highlighted three key points from the company's 10-Q filing. Firstly, a 3-point price increase in the third quarter contributed to a 3-point organic growth, indicating that no volume acceleration is expected in the fourth quarter to achieve the full-year organic growth target of 3-4%. Secondly, Aerospace growth is expected to be up in the low double digits, consistent with the year-to-date performance, with Commercial Aftermarket projected to see double-digit growth in the fourth quarter compared to a 14% increase year-to-date. Defense is anticipated to grow 14% in the fourth quarter versus an 18% increase year-to-date.
Additionally, Honeywell's backlog grew by 7% quarter over quarter, with notable increases in Automation and Technologies (AT) and Building Technologies (BA) segments at 10% and 11%, respectively. However, the Industrial Automation (IA) segment experienced a 3% decline quarter over quarter.
The report from Jefferies provides an insight into Honeywell's recent financial performance and future expectations without any acceleration in volume for the last quarter. The steady backlog growth in most sectors, except for Industrial Automation, suggests a stable demand for Honeywell's products and services.
Honeywell International's stock performance and future projections are closely watched by investors, as the company plays a significant role in various industrial sectors. The maintained price target of $220 by Jefferies reflects the firm's current valuation of Honeywell's stock based on the detailed analysis of the company's financial reports and market performance.
In other recent news, Honeywell International Inc (NASDAQ:HON). experienced a shift in its financial outlook following the release of its third-quarter earnings report. The company's earnings exceeded expectations, with an adjusted earnings per share of $2.58, surpassing the consensus estimate of $2.50. However, Honeywell's revenue of $9.7 billion fell short of the anticipated $9.91 billion. As a result, the company adjusted its full-year 2024 revenue guidance to a range of $38.6 billion to $38.8 billion, which is below the previous analyst consensus of $39.2 billion.
In response to these developments, BofA Securities downgraded Honeywell from Buy to Neutral and adjusted the price target to $230 from the previous $250. The firm also revised its FY25 forecast for Honeywell, reflecting reduced confidence in the company's ability to achieve its long-term growth forecast of 4-7%.
In addition to these financial updates, Honeywell announced plans to spin off its Advanced Materials business and exit its personal protective equipment business as part of ongoing portfolio optimization efforts.
InvestingPro Insights
Honeywell International's recent performance aligns with several key metrics and insights from InvestingPro. The company's market capitalization stands at $137.87 billion, reflecting its significant presence in the Industrial Conglomerates industry. Honeywell's P/E ratio of 24.05 and its adjusted P/E ratio of 23.68 for the last twelve months as of Q2 2024 suggest that the stock is trading at a premium relative to its earnings, which is consistent with Jefferies' Hold rating.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that Honeywell has raised its dividend for 14 consecutive years and has maintained dividend payments for 40 consecutive years, demonstrating a strong commitment to shareholder returns. This is further supported by the company's current dividend yield of 2.05% and a robust dividend growth of 9.71% over the last twelve months.
The company's revenue growth of 3.28% over the last twelve months aligns with the organic growth target mentioned in the article. Additionally, Honeywell's operating income margin of 21.0% for the same period indicates strong profitability, which could support the steady performance noted in the Jefferies report.
For investors seeking a more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers 11 additional tips for Honeywell International, providing a deeper understanding of the company's financial health and market position.
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