On Tuesday, TD Cowen maintained its Hold rating on Hexcel Corp . (NYSE:HXL) shares with a steady price target of $70.00. The decision followed Hexcel's third-quarter earnings per share (EPS) which, despite outperforming expectations by $0.01, included a $0.07 tax benefit that masked an underlying shortfall. The company's recent financial disclosure indicated a leaning toward the lower end of its previously communicated 2024 sales and EPS guidance.
Hexcel Corp., a prominent player in the aerospace materials sector, also retracted its 2026 financial objectives that were initially presented during its February investor day. The retraction was attributed to a slower than anticipated ramp-up in aerospace original equipment (OE) production. This change in guidance suggests a cautious outlook for the company's near-term financial performance.
The analyst from TD Cowen highlighted that the consensus EPS forecast for 2025, which currently stands at $2.70, is expected to undergo a significant revision. The anticipated adjustment could be a reduction greater than 15%, reflecting a more subdued expectation for Hexcel's earnings growth.
The update from Hexcel Corp. comes at a time when the aerospace industry is facing various challenges, including production ramp-up rates. Investors and market observers will likely adjust their expectations in light of the company's revised guidance and the analyst's comments on potential EPS revisions for the coming years.
As the market processes this information, Hexcel Corp.'s stock performance will continue to be monitored closely, with the company's adherence to the lower end of its 2024 sales and EPS guidance now under particular scrutiny.
In other recent news, Hexcel Corporation reported its Q3 earnings and revenue results, with adjusted earnings per share of $0.47, marginally surpassing the analyst consensus of $0.46. However, the company's revenue of $457 million for the quarter slightly missed the projected figure of $458.18 million.
Goldman Sachs has reiterated its Buy rating on Hexcel, following the company's Q3 results. The firm noted that Hexcel's earnings and revenue aligned with consensus expectations, but fell short in segment EBIT and free cash flow. Hexcel also updated its full-year 2024 guidance, indicating that revenue and adjusted EPS are anticipated to be at the lower end of its previously stated ranges.
The company expects annual revenue to fall within the range of $1.9 billion to $1.98 billion. In other developments, Hexcel's Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.15 per share. These are the recent developments for Hexcel Corporation.
InvestingPro Insights
To provide additional context to Hexcel Corp.'s (NYSE:HXL) financial outlook, recent data from InvestingPro offers valuable insights. Despite the cautious guidance and potential EPS revisions highlighted in the article, Hexcel maintains a market capitalization of $5.2 billion, reflecting its significant position in the aerospace materials sector.
InvestingPro data shows that Hexcel's revenue for the last twelve months as of Q2 2024 stood at $1.85 billion, with a growth rate of 8.42%. This growth, coupled with a quarterly revenue increase of 10.15% in Q2 2024, suggests that the company is still experiencing expansion despite the challenges mentioned in the earnings report.
An InvestingPro Tip notes that management has been aggressively buying back shares, which could be interpreted as a sign of confidence in the company's long-term prospects, even as it navigates current industry headwinds. Moreover, another InvestingPro Tip indicates that Hexcel operates with a moderate level of debt, potentially providing financial flexibility as it adjusts to slower aerospace OE production ramp-ups.
For investors seeking a more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers 5 additional tips that could provide further insights into Hexcel's financial health and market position.
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