Astec Industries (NASDAQ:ASTE) Rating Lowered to Strong Sell at Zacks Research

Astec Industries (NASDAQ:ASTE) was downgraded by research analysts at Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report issued on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other brokerages have also commented on ASTE. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Astec Industries from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, July 4th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Astec Industries in a research report on Tuesday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy”.

Astec Industries Price Performance

NASDAQ ASTE opened at $44.25 on Thursday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $54.29 and a 200 day simple moving average of $54.75. Astec Industries has a 52-week low of $40.47 and a 52-week high of $65.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 2.52. The stock has a market cap of $1.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.06, a PEG ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 1.36.

Astec Industries (NASDAQ:ASTE) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The industrial products company reported $0.94 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.04 by ($0.10). Astec Industries had a net margin of 1.26% and a return on equity of 10.26%. The company had revenue of $408.10 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $405.50 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.72 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Astec Industries will post 3.36 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in shares of Astec Industries in the 2nd quarter valued at about $212,732,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its holdings in shares of Astec Industries by 1.6% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,433,501 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $77,176,000 after purchasing an additional 22,154 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Astec Industries by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 818,031 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $39,372,000 after purchasing an additional 9,174 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. lifted its stake in Astec Industries by 14.9% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 586,160 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $25,392,000 after purchasing an additional 75,989 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in Astec Industries by 12.3% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 431,031 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $18,672,000 after purchasing an additional 47,142 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.16% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Astec Industries

Here are the key news stories impacting Astec Industries this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Second-quarter sales exceeded expectations, backlog increased significantly, and demand in Materials Solutions and the aftermarket remained supportive. Management also highlighted growth opportunities and healthy cash flow, although shipment timing remains a risk. ASTE’s Q2 Earnings Miss Estimates on Higher Interest Expense
• Positive Sentiment: Sidoti raised its fourth-quarter 2026 EPS estimate to $1.37 from $1.29, suggesting expectations for improved results later in the year. Sidoti estimate update
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts noted that ASTE’s valuation appears inexpensive relative to its growth potential, while its rising backlog and aftermarket strength provide a longer-term support case. However, investors must weigh those positives against near-term execution risks. Is ASTE Stock a Buy Now on Cheap Valuation Despite Execution Risk?
• Negative Sentiment: Astec lowered its 2026 adjusted EBITDA outlook to $160 million-$175 million as asphalt-plant order delays shift deliveries and pressure shipment timing. Astec forecasts 2026 adjusted EBITDA amid asphalt plant delivery shifts
• Negative Sentiment: Second-quarter EPS was $0.94, below the $1.04 consensus estimate. Higher interest expense added to the earnings pressure, and the reduced outlook has weakened confidence in near-term results. ASTE’s Q2 Earnings Miss Estimates on Higher Interest Expense
• Negative Sentiment: Sidoti cut its FY2026 EPS estimate to $3.36 from $3.63 and reduced its FY2027 estimate to $3.84 from $4.06, reflecting concerns about execution and delayed orders. Sidoti estimate revisions

About Astec Industries

Astec Industries, Inc is a designer and manufacturer of specialized equipment for infrastructure-related markets. Headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the company develops, engineers and produces machinery for asphalt road-building, aggregate processing, concrete production, underground mining, landscaping and utility installation. Astec’s product portfolio includes asphalt plants, portable crushers, conveyors, screening plants, mixers, continuous miners and related support equipment.

Organized into multiple operating segments—Roadbuilding; Aggregate & Mining; Energy; and Pavement Preservation & Maintenance—Astec Industries serves contractors and municipalities that build and maintain transportation, energy and utility networks.