Semi truck maker Wabash National gets high ratings for its strong profit and sales growth this past year. Wabash stock rose for a sixth day in a row Tuesday and the company saw its Relative Strength Rating improve from 66 to 73.
When looking for the best stocks to buy and watch, one factor to watch closely is relative price strength. The upgraded 73 RS Rating shows that watchlist candidate Wabash tops 73% of all stocks for price performance over the past year. Its other ratings shine even brighter.
Wabash Stock A Favorite Of Big Funds
Wabash stock earns a near-best 91 Composite Rating out of 99 and a terrific 94 Earnings Per Share Rating. It boasts a best-possible A SMR Rating (sales + profit margins + return on equity) on an A-to-E scale, reflecting strong fundamentals.
Capping it off is its B Accumulation/Distribution Rating, which shows more buying than selling by professionals like mutual fund and ETF managers.
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Founded in 1985, Lafayette, Ind.-based Wabash National, north of Indianapolis, makes and sells trucks, trailers and related transportation gear. The company says on its website that it provides "advanced engineered solutions in transportation, logistics and distribution."
Wabash stock is trying to complete a consolidation with a 30.10 entry. See if the stock can clear the breakout price in volume at least 40% above average. On Tuesday Wabash closed at 25.32, just slightly above break-even.
Its stock has been relatively rangebound since February 2023, although a week ago it rose above both its 50-day and 200-day lines. On Friday it popped above its 21-day and it's continued rising this week.
Profit, Sales Cool A Bit From Blazing Growth
Wabash National reported 59% EPS growth in the latest quarter, to $1.16 per share. Although that's a beefy rise, it was down from gains of 1,000%-plus, 333% and 235% the prior three quarters. Sales dipped 3% last quarter to $632.8 million. The prior three periods its sales grew 37%, 14% and 7%. The company plans to announce fourth quarter results the morning of Feb. 1.
Wabash stock holds the No. 3 rank among its peers in the Transportation-Equipment Manufacturing industry group. Wabtech is No. 1 among the group's highest-rated stocks and Blue Bird is No. 3.
The exclusive Relative Strength Rating from Investor's Business Daily identifies share price movement with a 1 (worst) to 99 (best) score. The rating shows how a stock's price performance over the last 52 weeks holds up against all the other stocks in our database.
History reveals that the market's biggest winners typically have an RS Rating of at least 80 as they begin their largest runs. See if Wabash National can continue to show renewed price strength and clear that threshold.
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