We recently compiled a list of the 11 Undervalued Aerospace Stocks To Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Astronics Corporation (NASDAQ:ATRO) stands against the other undervalued aerospace stocks.
According to a new report published by risk intelligence company, Verisk Maplecroft, the number of conflict zones worldwide has increased by nearly two-thirds over the past three years, with wars and unrest intensifying. Ukraine, the Middle East, and parts of Africa have been the most affected regions, with no immediate end to most conflicts in sight.
READ ALSO: 8 Best Small Cap Defense Stocks to Buy Now and 8 Best Military Drone Stocks To Buy According to Analysts.
On November 19, Kyiv marked 1,000 days since the Russian invasion in early 2022. The Middle East is in flames, in what is being described by defense experts as the region’s worst crisis since the Arab-Israeli War in 1973, with the battle spreading from Gaza to Lebanon in continuation of Israel’s response to the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on the country.
While the human impact of these conflicts has been tragic, aerospace companies in the defense sector have profited as demand for fighter jets and autonomous aerial vehicles surged. Several notable contractors have thrived over the last two years, with substantial gains in their share price, as countries rushed to bolster their air defense. An aerospace and defense ETF issued by iShares had gained over 20% year-to-date as of the close of day on December 6.
When the war in Ukraine broke out, industry experts anticipated that Western sanctions on Russia would impact the aerospace sector. The country was the source of around 30% of the titanium used by major engine makers to power fighter jets and commercial aviation. However, the supply of this key material from Russia has largely remained unaffected.
Additionally, the commercial aerospace sector is also showing signs of resurgence as international travel returns to pre-pandemic levels. While sharing his insights on commercial aviation at the Morningstar Investment Conference in Chicago in June, Tony Bancroft from Gabelli Funds stated that he had noticed a significant growth in aircraft orders, with two major manufacturers having a 12-year backlog of orders.
He believes three reasons are driving it. The first catalyst is China, which accounts for 20% of the growth in orders to cater to the growing middle class in both China and India, who want to travel more. The second critical factor he cited was business travel returning to the 2019 pre-pandemic level. Lastly, Bancroft highlighted the rising middle class in the United States, and the world, which is increasing air travel and contributing to the economic growth in the industry.
Methodology
We sifted through screeners to identify stocks in the aerospace and defense industry with a forward price-to-earnings ratio of under 25 as of Friday, November 29, 2024, the close of the day. From there, we selected the 11 aerospace stocks with the highest number of hedge fund investors, based on Insider Monkey’s database of over 900 prominent hedge funds as of Q3 2024. The 11 undervalued aerospace stocks to buy have been ranked in ascending order based on the number of hedge funds holding stakes in them.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
A complex assembly line producing aircraft structures for aerospace applications.
Astronics Corporation (NASDAQ:ATRO)
Forward Price to Earnings Ratio: 20.06
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 22
Astronics Corporation (NASDAQ:ATRO) is an American company providing advanced technologies to global aerospace, defense, and electronics clients. Some of its offerings include lighting and safety systems, aircraft electronics integration, automated test systems, and distribution and motion systems, among other products and services.
On November 6, the company declared financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Sales grew 25% from last year to $203.7 million, the highest quarterly revenue since the first quarter of 2019. Adjusted EBITDA was posted at $27 million, representing 13% of sales. This was a 207% year-over-year increase, driven by a strong performance by the aerospace segment.
Sales increased by 24.9% for the aerospace segment, which accounts for 88% of the business, to $177.6 million, with growth fueled by commercial transport sales. Astronics Corporation (NASDAQ:ATRO) witnessed increased demand from airlines for inflight entertainment and connectivity products.
Military sales for the quarter were $21.7 million, up 30% compared to last year, driven by progress on the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program. In August 2023, Astronics Corporation (NASDAQ:ATRO) was selected by Bell to support the development of the V-280 Valor for the American Army. The company has supplied Bell with electrical power and distribution systems for the demonstrator aircraft for several years.
Astronics Corporation (NASDAQ:ATRO) is encouraged by strong demand and is entering the fourth quarter with a backlog of $612 million. This sets it up for continued improvements in financial results toward the end of the year and the beginning of 2025. Wall Street analysts anticipate a share price upside potential of 23% for ATRO. Considering its low forward P/E ratio and 22 hedge funds, amongst those tracked by Insider Monkey, having a stake in the company, it is among the best aerospace stocks to invest in.
Overall ATRO ranks 8th on our list of the undervalued aerospace stocks to buy according to hedge funds. While we acknowledge the potential of ATRO as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ATRO but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.