Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at WESCO (NYSE: WCC) and the best and worst performers in the maintenance and repair distributors industry.
Supply chain and inventory management are themes that grew in focus after COVID wreaked havoc on the global movement of raw materials and components. Maintenance and repair distributors that boast reliable selection and quickly deliver products to customers can benefit from this theme. While e-commerce hasn’t disrupted industrial distribution as much as consumer retail, it is still a real threat, forcing investment in omnichannel capabilities to serve customers everywhere. Additionally, maintenance and repair distributors are at the whim of economic cycles that impact the capital spending and construction projects that can juice demand.
The 9 maintenance and repair distributors stocks we track reported a very strong Q2. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 2%.
Luckily, maintenance and repair distributors stocks have performed well with share prices up 13.4% on average since the latest earnings results.
WESCO (NYSE: WCC)
Based in Pittsburgh, WESCO (NYSE: WCC) provides electrical, industrial, and communications products and augments them with services such as supply chain management.
WESCO reported revenues of $5.9 billion, up 7.7% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.6%. Despite the top-line beat, it was still a mixed quarter for the company with a narrow beat of analysts’ organic revenue estimates but a miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.
"We continued to build on our positive sales momentum in the first half of 2025 and outperformed the market with our leading portfolio of products, services, and solutions. " said John Engel, Chairman, President, and CEO.
Interestingly, the stock is up 6.9% since reporting and currently trades at $226.80.
Is now the time to buy WESCO? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Best Q2: Transcat (NASDAQ: TRNS)
Serving the pharmaceutical, industrial manufacturing, energy, and chemical process industries, Transcat (NASDAQ: TRNS) provides measurement instruments and supplies.
Transcat reported revenues of $76.42 million, up 14.6% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 5.7%. The business had an incredible quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.
Transcat pulled off the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 6% since reporting. It currently trades at $83.17.
Is now the time to buy Transcat? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Weakest Q2: W.W. Grainger (NYSE: GWW)
Founded as a supplier of motors, W.W. Grainger (NYSE: GWW) provides maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) supplies and services to businesses and institutions.
W.W. Grainger reported revenues of $4.55 billion, up 5.6% year on year, exceeding analysts’ expectations by 0.6%. Still, it was a slower quarter as it posted full-year EPS guidance slightly missing analysts’ expectations and a miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.
As expected, the stock is down 2.7% since the results and currently trades at $1,012.
Read our full analysis of W.W. Grainger’s results here.
VSE Corporation (NASDAQ: VSEC)
With roots dating back to 1959 and a strategic focus on extending the life of transportation assets, VSE Corporation (NASDAQ: VSEC) provides aftermarket parts distribution and maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for aircraft and vehicle fleets in commercial and government markets.
VSE Corporation reported revenues of $272.1 million, up 41.1% year on year. This number beat analysts’ expectations by 3.4%. Overall, it was an incredible quarter as it also recorded a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.
VSE Corporation scored the fastest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is up 18.2% since reporting and currently trades at $167.03.
Read our full, actionable report on VSE Corporation here, it’s free.
Global Industrial (NYSE: GIC)
Formerly known as Systemax, Global Industrial (NYSE: GIC) distributes industrial and commercial products to businesses and institutions.
Global Industrial reported revenues of $358.9 million, up 3.2% year on year. This print topped analysts’ expectations by 2%. It was a stunning quarter as it also put up a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.
The stock is up 38.3% since reporting and currently trades at $37.52.
Read our full, actionable report on Global Industrial here, it’s free.
Market Update
The Fed’s interest rate hikes throughout 2022 and 2023 have successfully cooled post-pandemic inflation, bringing it closer to the 2% target. Inflationary pressures have eased without tipping the economy into a recession, suggesting a soft landing. This stability, paired with recent rate cuts (0.5% in September 2024 and 0.25% in November 2024), fueled a strong year for the stock market in 2024. The markets surged further after Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November, with major indices reaching record highs in the days following the election. Still, questions remain about the direction of economic policy, as potential tariffs and corporate tax changes add uncertainty for 2025.
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