Robert W. Baird Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE:AIT) Stock

Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE:AIT) had its target price lifted by equities researchers at Robert W. Baird from $317.00 to $400.00 in a report released on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an “outperform” rating on the industrial products company’s stock. Robert W. Baird’s price target indicates a potential upside of 12.05% from the company’s current price.

AIT has been the subject of several other reports. Mizuho upped their price objective on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from $330.00 to $355.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. DA Davidson assumed coverage on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a research report on Tuesday, June 16th. They set a “buy” rating and a $380.00 price target on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. Oppenheimer raised their price objective on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies from $300.00 to $350.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 29th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Applied Industrial Technologies from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, May 2nd. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $355.00.

Applied Industrial Technologies Stock Up 1.3%

Shares of NYSE:AIT opened at $356.99 on Friday. Applied Industrial Technologies has a 1 year low of $238.34 and a 1 year high of $374.80. The company has a market cap of $13.19 billion, a PE ratio of 33.71, a P/E/G ratio of 3.04 and a beta of 0.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 2.95 and a quick ratio of 1.97. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $336.11 and its 200 day moving average is $302.91.

Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE:AIT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 13th. The industrial products company reported $3.17 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.92 by $0.25. Applied Industrial Technologies had a return on equity of 21.64% and a net margin of 8.34%.The business had revenue of $1.35 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.29 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.80 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. Applied Industrial Technologies has set its FY 2027 guidance at 11.650-12.150 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Applied Industrial Technologies will post 10.71 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Madhuri A. Andrews sold 3,845 shares of Applied Industrial Technologies stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $329.89, for a total transaction of $1,268,427.05. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 4,951 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,633,285.39. This trade represents a 43.71% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 1.60% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Applied Industrial Technologies

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Van Hulzen Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in Applied Industrial Technologies during the second quarter valued at $2,341,000. L2 Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in the 2nd quarter worth about $1,735,000. Whalen Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in Applied Industrial Technologies in the 2nd quarter worth about $214,000. Sanctuary Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Applied Industrial Technologies during the 2nd quarter valued at about $562,000. Finally, Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. bought a new stake in Applied Industrial Technologies during the 2nd quarter valued at about $287,000. Institutional investors own 93.52% of the company’s stock.

Key Applied Industrial Technologies News

Here are the key news stories impacting Applied Industrial Technologies this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly earnings and revenue beat forecasts: Fiscal Q4 EPS was $3.17, up from $2.80 a year earlier and above the $2.92 analyst consensus. Revenue rose approximately 10.4%–10.5% year over year to about $1.35 billion, exceeding the $1.29 billion estimate. Applied Industrial Technologies Q4 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Solid operating performance: The company reported a 21.64% return on equity and an 8.34% net margin, supporting investor confidence that growth is translating into profitability. Management also increased its intermediate financial targets, signaling continued confidence in the company’s longer-term outlook. Applied Industrial Technologies Fiscal 2026 Results and Fiscal 2027 Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Fiscal 2027 outlook supports the stock: AIT guided to EPS of $11.65–$12.15 and revenue of $5.2–$5.3 billion. The EPS midpoint is broadly consistent with the $11.82 consensus, while the revenue range is at or above the roughly $5.2 billion estimate, reducing concerns about a near-term slowdown. Applied Industrial Technologies Shares Rise as Q4 Results Beat Forecasts
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts had expected $2.92 in quarterly EPS and $1.29 billion in revenue ahead of the release; those expectations were surpassed, making the earnings event a positive catalyst rather than a source of uncertainty. Wall Street Expectations Ahead of Q4 Earnings

About Applied Industrial Technologies

Applied Industrial Technologies, listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AIT, is a leading distributor of industrial products and services. The company offers a comprehensive range of bearings, power transmission components, fluid power products, industrial rubber products, and automation solutions. Through its network of distribution centers and branch locations, Applied Industrial Technologies serves diverse end markets including manufacturing, oil and gas, mining, food and beverage, and wastewater treatment.

Founded in 1923 and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Applied Industrial Technologies has grown through a combination of organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.