Astec Industries (NASDAQ:ASTE) Reaches New 1-Year High on Strong Earnings

Astec Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTE) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The company traded as high as $64.35 and last traded at $56.3620, with a volume of 75689 shares. The stock had previously closed at $58.50.

The industrial products company reported $1.06 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.32. The firm had revenue of $400.60 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $374.21 million. Astec Industries had a net margin of 3.50% and a return on equity of 11.93%.

Astec Industries Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Investors of record on Monday, March 9th will be given a dividend of $0.13 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 9th. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.8%. Astec Industries’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 25.00%.

Key Stories Impacting Astec Industries

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat consensus — adjusted EPS of $1.06 topped estimates (~$0.74) and revenue rose to a record $400.6M, signalling better-than-expected top‑line momentum. Astec Beats Q4 Estimates (Zacks)
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised medium‑term profitability targets — Astec is targeting $170M–$190M of adjusted EBITDA for 2026, driven by backlog and acquisitions, which supports upside to margins and cash flow. Guidance: $170–$190M Adjusted EBITDA (Seeking Alpha)
• Positive Sentiment: Backlog and segment strength — backlog grew 22.5% to $514.1M and Materials Solutions sales jumped ~60% year‑over‑year, showing durable demand and inorganic growth contribution. Record Sales & Backlog (GlobeNewswire)
• Positive Sentiment: Cash flow and liquidity profile — operating cash flow improved (Q4 operating cash flow $36.1M; total liquidity ~$314.7M), giving the company flexibility to fund growth and service debt. Cash Flow & Liquidity (Quiver)
• Neutral Sentiment: Dividend declared — board approved a $0.13 quarterly dividend (ex-dividend March 9), a mild yield that supports shareholder return but is not a major driver. Dividend Announcement (MarketBeat)
• Neutral Sentiment: Trading halt and short interest notes — a temporary LULD halt occurred intraday and short‑interest data in feeds appears inconsistent (0 shares reported), neither of which point to a sustained fundamental change. Trading Halt / Volume (Investing.com)
• Negative Sentiment: Margins and segment weakness — Infrastructure Solutions sales declined ~10% in Q4 and adjusted operating margin contracted versus prior year; Q4 net income and GAAP diluted EPS were lower year‑over‑year, highlighting margin pressure and mix risk. Margin & Segment Details (GlobeNewswire)
• Negative Sentiment: Acquisition funding raised leverage — the company used significant cash for acquisitions (cash used in investing and higher long‑term debt on the balance sheet), increasing leverage and interest expense risk if execution stalls. Acquisitions & Debt (Quiver)

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Astec Industries in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Wall Street Zen lowered Astec Industries from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 7th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Astec Industries has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $41.00.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Astec Industries

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of ASTE. Teacher Retirement System of Texas boosted its holdings in Astec Industries by 190.4% in the third quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 14,234 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $685,000 after purchasing an additional 9,332 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Astec Industries by 2.0% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 578,228 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $24,109,000 after purchasing an additional 11,365 shares in the last quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Astec Industries by 8.3% during the 2nd quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 122,749 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $5,117,000 after buying an additional 9,456 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Astec Industries by 49.4% in the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 539,935 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $22,510,000 after buying an additional 178,545 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS acquired a new position in shares of Astec Industries in the 2nd quarter valued at $245,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 93.16% of the company’s stock.

Astec Industries Price Performance

The stock’s 50-day moving average is $50.69 and its 200 day moving average is $47.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 2.58. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.40 billion, a PE ratio of 29.48, a P/E/G ratio of 2.53 and a beta of 1.45.

Astec Industries Company Profile

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.