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Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) (Nasdaq: LECO) today reported third quarter 2026 net income of $144.3 million, or diluted earnings per share

Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO - Free Report) reported $1.22 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 15.1%. EPS of $2.98 for the same period compares to $2.47 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +3.97% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.17 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $2.81, the EPS surprise was +6.05%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Lincoln Electric performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Total Sales- The Harris Products Group: $197.09 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $175.32 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +28.6%.Total Sales- International Welding: $233.41 million compared to the $233.58 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of +1.7% year over year.Total Sales- Americas Welding: $827.22 million versus the five-analyst average estimate of $805.28 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +14.6%.Net Sales- International Welding: $226.9 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $225.06 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +3.3%.Net Sales- Americas Welding: $801.26 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $776.16 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +15.8%.Total Sales- Corporate and Elimination: $-36.44 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $-45.27 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -15.9%.Net Sales- The Harris Products Group: $193.11 million compared to the $168.3 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +28.9% year over year.Inter-segment sales- The Harris Products Group: $3.98 million compared to the $3.97 million average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +15.6% year over year.Inter-segment sales- Americas Welding: $25.96 million versus $31.66 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -13.6% change.Inter-segment sales- International Welding: $6.5 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $9.06 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -33.9%.Adjusted EBIT- Americas Welding: $166.55 million compared to the $158.15 million average estimate based on five analysts.Adjusted EBIT- International Welding: $23.97 million versus $25.2 million estimated by five analysts on average.View all Key Company Metrics for Lincoln Electric here>>>

Shares of Lincoln Electric have returned -4.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.8% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.

Investors interested in stocks from the Manufacturing - Tools & Related Products sector have probably already heard of Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) and Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO). But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now?

The market expects Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO - Free Report) to deliver a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended September 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.

The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on October 27. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis manufacturer of specialized welding products and other equipment is expected to post quarterly earnings of $2.81 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +13.8%.

Revenues are expected to be $1.17 billion, up 10.4% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.56% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that an aggregate change may not always reflect the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Lincoln Electric?For Lincoln Electric, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -1.11%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Lincoln Electric will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Lincoln Electric would post earnings of $2.81 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.93, delivering a surprise of +4.27%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.

Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Lincoln Electric doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- #LEA--Lincoln Electric increases its dividend 10% to $3.48 per share, marking the Company's 31st consecutive annual dividend increase.

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Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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Stock to Watch: Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO - Free Report) Headquartered in Cleveland, OH, Lincoln Electric has 71 manufacturing and automation system integration facilities, including operations and joint ventures across 20 countries and a worldwide network of distributors and sales offices covering more than 160 countries.

LECO is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Momentum investors should take note of this Industrial Products stock. LECO has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 3.1% over the past four weeks.

Two analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.07 to $11.18 per share. LECO boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.9%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, LECO should be on investors' short list.

MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB lowered its position in Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LECO – Free Report) by 3.7% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 79,486 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 3,021 shares during the period. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB owned 0.15% of Lincoln Electric worth $21,030,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of LECO. QRG Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Lincoln Electric by 1.7% in the second quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 5,365 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,424,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares in the last quarter. Tidal Investments LLC raised its holdings in shares of Lincoln Electric by 31.1% in the second quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 1,163 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $309,000 after buying an additional 276 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC lifted its position in Lincoln Electric by 403.4% during the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 21,388 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $5,679,000 after buying an additional 17,139 shares in the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP increased its position in Lincoln Electric by 20.1% in the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 5,565 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $1,478,000 after acquiring an additional 933 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nykredit A S bought a new position in shares of Lincoln Electric in the second quarter worth about $578,000. 79.61% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley raised shares of Lincoln Electric from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and increased their price target for the company from $257.00 to $283.00 in a research note on Monday, August 10th. UBS Group initiated coverage on Lincoln Electric in a research report on Monday, August 10th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $340.00 price objective on the stock. Wall Street Zen raised Lincoln Electric from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Sunday, September 20th. Weiss Ratings downgraded Lincoln Electric from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Monday, September 21st. Finally, DA Davidson assumed coverage on Lincoln Electric in a report on Tuesday, June 16th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $320.00 price target on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $307.22.

View Our Latest Stock Report on LECO Lincoln Electric Price Performance Shares of Lincoln Electric stock opened at $274.38 on Monday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $271.68 and a 200 day simple moving average of $263.36. The stock has a market cap of $14.96 billion, a PE ratio of 27.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. has a 12 month low of $216.22 and a 12 month high of $310.00.

Lincoln Electric (NASDAQ:LECO – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.81 by $0.12. The firm had revenue of $1.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.17 billion. Lincoln Electric had a return on equity of 39.23% and a net margin of 12.35%.The company’s revenue was up 12.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.60 earnings per share. Research analysts predict that Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. will post 11.18 EPS for the current year.

Lincoln Electric Dividend Announcement The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, September 30th will be issued a $0.79 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, September 30th. This represents a $3.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. Lincoln Electric’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 31.57%.

Lincoln Electric News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Lincoln Electric this week:

Positive Sentiment: Zacks raised estimates across multiple periods. Forecasts increased for Q3 2026 EPS to $2.80 from $2.71, Q4 2026 to $2.91 from $2.81, and fiscal 2026 to $11.14 from $10.95. Estimates also rose for fiscal 2027 to $12.38 from $12.08 and fiscal 2028 to $13.45 from $12.90. Several quarterly forecasts through 2028 were raised as well, indicating stronger expected earnings momentum for the industrial-products company. Zacks Research earnings estimate revisions Positive Sentiment: The revisions reinforce Lincoln Electric’s longer-term growth outlook. Zacks now projects EPS of $13.45 in fiscal 2028, up from $12.90 previously. Although the revised fiscal 2026 estimate of $11.14 is slightly below the broader $11.16 consensus, the direction of revisions is favorable and may help explain the stock’s stronger trading performance. Neutral Sentiment: Two articles provide comparative analyses of Lincoln Electric and its competitors, but the supplied reports do not disclose specific rankings, recommendations, or financial findings that would materially change the investment case. Analyzing Lincoln Electric and Its Competitors Head-To-Head Survey: Lincoln Electric and Its Competitors (Free Report)

Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc is a Cleveland, Ohio-based manufacturer of welding, cutting and industrial automation products. The company serves manufacturers, fabricators, construction companies, maintenance and repair operations, utilities, and other industrial customers.

Its product portfolio includes arc-welding equipment, welding consumables such as electrodes and welding wire, plasma-cutting systems, welding accessories, and related safety products. Lincoln Electric also provides automated and robotic welding systems, engineered solutions, training, and technical support.

Read More Five stocks we like better than Lincoln Electric Could Nike’s Brutal Sell-Off Finally Be Running Out of Steam? The AI Buildout Needs Power It Cannot Get: 4 Energy Stocks Already Have It McDonald’s Is Undergoing a Massive New Growth Strategy. Can It Win Back Consumers? MGM Resorts Stock Sinks After Diller Deal Collapse: Overreaction or Warning? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LECO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LECO – Free Report).

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Lincoln Electric NASDAQ: LECO is seeing broad-based improvement in industrial demand, led by consumables, standard welding equipment and automation investments, while automotive remains the company’s principal weak end market, Executive Vice President, CFO and Treasurer Gabriel Bruno said during an investor discussion.

Bruno said the company entered 2026 with strong order and quoting activity in automation, along with backlog visibility that supported expectations for volume growth in the second half of the year. Lincoln Electric typically has visibility into six to nine months of automation business through its backlog, he said.

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Consumables, which account for more than half of Lincoln Electric’s business, provide an indicator of welding, fabrication and production activity across industrial markets. Bruno said consumable volumes in the Americas Welding segment rose by the mid-single digits in the second quarter, signaling that industrial activity was “holding and growing.”

“Typically, after you’ve seen some consistent production activity, then you see conviction of capital investment,” Bruno said. He added that the company has seen an inflection in standard welding equipment demand as well as continued automation investment.

Automation growth broadens beyond automotive Automation demand has been strongest outside automotive, according to Bruno. The company has seen broad growth across general industries, heavy industries and structural fabrication, while automotive activity remained down by the mid-single digits in the second quarter.

Lincoln Electric has seen significant automotive quoting activity but has not yet seen those opportunities convert into orders, Bruno said. He cited uncertainty around electric vehicles and internal-combustion vehicles, elections and other market dynamics as factors that have delayed investment and extended the life of existing vehicle platforms.

The company is watching for orders associated with vehicle programs expected to launch in 2028 and 2029. Bruno said the next several months will be important in determining whether quoting activity translates into meaningful industry investment.

Automotive now represents about 40% of Lincoln Electric’s automation business, down from nearly half after the company acquired Fori Automation, which had been entirely automotive-focused. Bruno said Lincoln Electric would prefer a more balanced automation mix, with roughly one-third tied to general industry, one-third to heavy industry and structural fabrication, and one-third to automotive.

The company views automation as a long-term growth driver rather than solely a cyclical capital-spending exposure. Bruno said Lincoln Electric expects high-single-digit organic growth in automation and believes industrial adoption remains in its early stages.

Lincoln Electric expects long-term organic growth in the mid- to high-single digits. Automation is expected to grow at a high-single-digit rate. The company’s RISE strategy includes targets through 2030. Physical AI offering planned for FABTECH launch Bruno said Lincoln Electric plans to introduce its first Physical AI offering at the FABTECH trade show in October and expects to begin taking orders in the fourth quarter. The offering combines vision technology, welding-process intelligence and collaborative robot, or cobot, capabilities.

The company acquired Inrotech to add vision-system technology, which Bruno said has been important to developing its Physical AI capabilities. The technology is intended to enable a cobot to identify and respond to unstructured welding conditions, rather than operate only along a preprogrammed path.

Bruno said Lincoln Electric has been prototyping the technology with customers. While he did not quantify expected revenue from the product, he said the initiative supports the company’s confidence in automation’s long-term growth opportunity and its ability to expand adoption among smaller and midsize fabricators.

Pricing actions target fourth-quarter neutrality Lincoln Electric has taken pricing actions to address persistent inflation in freight, fuel and other costs. Bruno said the company’s operating strategy is to remain price-cost neutral over time, though it expected to fall short of that objective in the third quarter.

The company announced price increases in August for both its Americas Welding and International Welding businesses. The Americas increases began in September, while International Welding increases were scheduled to take effect later in the month. Bruno said the benefits would not fully mature until the fourth quarter.

“We expect price cost neutral in the fourth quarter,” Bruno said.

He said the third-quarter dynamic would reduce incremental margins to the low 20% range from the mid-20% range, but described the dollar impact as not significant. Lincoln Electric continues to target high-20% incremental margins under its RISE strategy and aims to improve average operating margin by 300 basis points over time.

For its Harris brazing business, Bruno said silver and copper are the primary commodities affecting pricing. Harris adjusts prices monthly based on movements in those metals, he said. Silver had exceeded $110 per troy ounce earlier in the year before declining into the $60 range, according to Bruno.

Asia remains strong as Europe faces pressure Internationally, Lincoln Electric is seeing growth in Asia, including India, China and Southeast Asia, while Europe remains challenging. Bruno said the company has not yet seen an expected increase in European aerospace, defense or industrial investment translate into incremental demand.

Lincoln Electric’s International Welding business is about 70% Europe, the Middle East and Africa and 30% Asia, Bruno said. The company is targeting International Welding EBIT margins of 12% to 15%, compared with a current range of roughly 10% to 11%.

The Middle East conflict has created a headwind, including effects on both International Welding and Americas Welding export activity. Bruno said Lincoln Electric has discussed a quarterly headwind of $67 million related to the region, but remains optimistic about its long-term positioning in Middle Eastern energy markets.

Looking ahead, Bruno said Lincoln Electric plans to continue increasing internal investment and pursue bolt-on acquisitions. The company targets 300 to 400 basis points of annual growth from mergers and acquisitions and has completed 10 bolt-on transactions over the past five years, split between automation and welding-related businesses.

About Lincoln Electric (NASDAQ:LECO)Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc NASDAQ: LECO is a Cleveland, Ohio-based manufacturer of welding, cutting and automation products. Founded in 1895 by John C. Lincoln, the company serves industrial, construction, energy, transportation and other end markets that use fabrication and joining technologies.

Its product portfolio includes arc-welding machines, welding consumables such as electrodes and wire, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment, robotic welding systems, and related automation solutions.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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Investors seek growth stocks to capitalize on above-average growth in financials that help these securities grab the market's attention and produce exceptional returns. But finding a growth stock that can live up to its true potential can be a tough task.

That's because, these stocks usually carry above-average risk and volatility. In fact, betting on a stock for which the growth story is actually over or nearing its end could lead to significant loss.

However, it's pretty easy to find cutting-edge growth stocks with the help of the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects.

Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO - Free Report) is on the list of such stocks currently recommended by our proprietary system. In addition to a favorable Growth Score, it carries a top Zacks Rank.

Studies have shown that stocks with the best growth features consistently outperform the market. And returns are even better for stocks that possess the combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy).

While there are numerous reasons why the stock of this manufacturer of specialized welding products and other equipment is a great growth pick right now, we have highlighted three of the most important factors below:

Earnings GrowthEarnings growth is arguably the most important factor, as stocks exhibiting exceptionally surging profit levels tend to attract the attention of most investors. For growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is highly preferable, as it is often perceived as an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.

While the historical EPS growth rate for Lincoln Electric is 10.4%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 13% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 11.6%.

Impressive Asset Utilization RatioAsset utilization ratio -- also known as sales-to-total-assets (S/TA) ratio -- is often overlooked by investors, but it is an important indicator in growth investing. This metric shows how efficiently a firm is utilizing its assets to generate sales.

Right now, Lincoln Electric has an S/TA ratio of 1.17, which means that the company gets $1.17 in sales for each dollar in assets. Comparing this to the industry average of 0.8, it can be said that the company is more efficient.

While the level of efficiency in generating sales matters a lot, so does the sales growth of a company. And Lincoln Electric is well positioned from a sales growth perspective too. The company's sales are expected to grow 10.7% this year versus the industry average of 1.9%.

Promising Earnings Estimate RevisionsSuperiority of a stock in terms of the metrics outlined above can be further validated by looking at the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is of course favorable here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

There have been upward revisions in current-year earnings estimates for Lincoln Electric. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 0.3% over the past month.

Bottom LineWhile the overall earnings estimate revisions have made Lincoln Electric a Zacks Rank #2 stock, it has earned itself a Growth Score of B based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above.

You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

This combination indicates that Lincoln Electric is a potential outperformer and a solid choice for growth investors.

Engineers Gate Manager LP reduced its stake in Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LECO – Free Report) by 58.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 5,507 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 7,786 shares during the period. Engineers Gate Manager LP’s holdings in Lincoln Electric were worth $1,462,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in Lincoln Electric during the second quarter worth about $656,165,000. Diamant Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Lincoln Electric by 24,685.8% during the 1st quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,839,568 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $956,360,000 after buying an additional 3,824,077 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Lincoln Electric during the 4th quarter worth $415,155,000. Hsbc Holdings PLC acquired a new stake in Lincoln Electric in the second quarter valued at about $52,700,000. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Lincoln Electric by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,306,641 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $313,175,000 after buying an additional 6,070 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.61% of the company’s stock.

Lincoln Electric Stock Up 0.7% Shares of NASDAQ LECO opened at $257.00 on Friday. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $268.35 and its 200-day moving average price is $263.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a current ratio of 1.98. Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. has a 52-week low of $216.22 and a 52-week high of $310.00. The company has a market capitalization of $14.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 1.21.

Lincoln Electric (NASDAQ:LECO – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.81 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $1.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.17 billion. Lincoln Electric had a return on equity of 39.23% and a net margin of 12.35%.The firm’s revenue was up 12.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.60 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. will post 11.16 earnings per share for the current year. Lincoln Electric Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, September 30th will be paid a $0.79 dividend. This represents a $3.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, September 30th. Lincoln Electric’s payout ratio is 31.57%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research analysts have commented on LECO shares. Weiss Ratings raised Lincoln Electric from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Lincoln Electric from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and raised their target price for the company from $257.00 to $283.00 in a research report on Monday, August 10th. UBS Group began coverage on shares of Lincoln Electric in a research note on Monday, August 10th. They set a “buy” rating and a $340.00 target price on the stock. DA Davidson began coverage on Lincoln Electric in a report on Tuesday, June 16th. They set a “buy” rating and a $320.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded Lincoln Electric from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, September 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Lincoln Electric presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $307.22.

Get Our Latest Research Report on LECO

Lincoln Electric Profile (Free Report)

Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: LECO) is a Cleveland, Ohio-based manufacturer of welding, cutting and automation products. Founded in 1895 by John C. Lincoln, the company serves industrial, construction, energy, transportation and other end markets that use fabrication and joining technologies.

Its product portfolio includes arc-welding machines, welding consumables such as electrodes and wire, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment, robotic welding systems, and related automation solutions.

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Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.

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Stock to Watch: Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO - Free Report) Headquartered in Cleveland, OH, Lincoln Electric has 71 manufacturing and automation system integration facilities, including operations and joint ventures across 20 countries and a worldwide network of distributors and sales offices covering more than 160 countries.

LECO is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. LECO has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 13.1% for the current fiscal year.

Seven analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.33 to $11.16 per share. LECO also boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.9%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, LECO should be on investors' short list.

Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (LECO) Presents at Jefferies Global Industrials Conference 2026 Transcript

Nykredit A S bought a new stake in Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LECO – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 2,178 shares of the industrial products company’s stock, valued at approximately $578,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Headlands Technologies LLC raised its stake in shares of Lincoln Electric by 106.0% in the second quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC now owns 6,878 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $1,826,000 after buying an additional 3,539 shares during the period. Van ECK Associates Corp grew its stake in shares of Lincoln Electric by 3.4% during the 2nd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 60,051 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $15,944,000 after acquiring an additional 1,961 shares during the period. Hsbc Holdings PLC increased its holdings in Lincoln Electric by 126.9% in the 2nd quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 17,021 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $4,500,000 after acquiring an additional 9,518 shares during the last quarter. Archer Investment Corp purchased a new stake in Lincoln Electric in the 2nd quarter worth about $247,000. Finally, Glenview Trust Co bought a new stake in Lincoln Electric in the 2nd quarter valued at about $223,000. 79.61% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Lincoln Electric In other news, EVP Michael Whitehead sold 845 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $274.81, for a total transaction of $232,214.45. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 9,319 shares in the company, valued at $2,560,954.39. The trade was a 8.31% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 1.68% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Lincoln Electric Price Performance LECO stock opened at $276.44 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $268.01 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $265.13. Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. has a twelve month low of $216.22 and a twelve month high of $310.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $15.07 billion, a PE ratio of 27.62, a PEG ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. Lincoln Electric (NASDAQ:LECO – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.81 by $0.12. The firm had revenue of $1.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.17 billion. Lincoln Electric had a net margin of 12.35% and a return on equity of 39.23%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.60 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. will post 11.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Lincoln Electric Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, September 30th will be issued a $0.79 dividend. This represents a $3.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, September 30th. Lincoln Electric’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 31.57%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts have commented on LECO shares. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Lincoln Electric from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Friday, July 10th. UBS Group assumed coverage on shares of Lincoln Electric in a research report on Monday, August 10th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $340.00 price target on the stock. DA Davidson initiated coverage on shares of Lincoln Electric in a research note on Tuesday, June 16th. They set a “buy” rating and a $320.00 price target on the stock. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Lincoln Electric from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, August 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Lincoln Electric from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $257.00 to $283.00 in a research note on Monday, August 10th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Lincoln Electric currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $307.22.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Lincoln Electric

(Free Report)

Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: LECO) is a global manufacturer and distributor of welding products, robotic welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment, and surface treatment systems. The company’s portfolio encompasses welding consumables such as electrodes and wires, as well as power sources, torches, and automated welding cells. Lincoln Electric also offers software solutions and training services designed to optimize productivity and quality in fabrication and manufacturing operations.

Founded in 1895 by John C.

Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Lincoln Electric 3 Under-the-Radar Defense Stocks With Record Backlogs This Korea ETF Has Soared, But the Rally May Not Be Over Why Guidewire’s Post-Earnings Plunge May Not Last Ride-Share Reckoning: Tesla Drives Into Uber’s Lane Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LECO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LECO – Free Report).

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CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- #LEA--Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc., (Nasdaq: LECO) today announced participation in the following upcoming events with the financial community in the month of September: 2026 Jefferies Global Industrials Conference Thursday, September 10, 2026 8:50 am ET live webcast New York, NY Gabe Bruno, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Morgan Stanley 14th Annual Laguna Conference Thursday, September 17, 2026 9:15 am PT (12:15 pm ET) live webcast Dana Point, CA G.

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought a new stake in shares of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LECO – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 14,600 shares of the industrial products company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,876,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Lincoln Electric in the second quarter worth $656,165,000. Diamant Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Lincoln Electric by 24,685.8% in the first quarter. Diamant Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,839,568 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $956,360,000 after acquiring an additional 3,824,077 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Lincoln Electric in the fourth quarter worth about $415,155,000. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Lincoln Electric by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,306,641 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $313,175,000 after purchasing an additional 6,070 shares during the last quarter. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its stake in shares of Lincoln Electric by 14.1% during the 4th quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,280,116 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $306,767,000 after purchasing an additional 158,305 shares during the period. 79.61% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several research firms have recently commented on LECO. DA Davidson began coverage on shares of Lincoln Electric in a research report on Tuesday, June 16th. They set a “buy” rating and a $320.00 price target for the company. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Lincoln Electric from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 8th. UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of Lincoln Electric in a report on Monday, August 10th. They set a “buy” rating and a $340.00 target price for the company. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Lincoln Electric from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $257.00 to $283.00 in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Lincoln Electric from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $307.22.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on LECO Lincoln Electric Price Performance NASDAQ LECO opened at $284.89 on Monday. Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. has a 52 week low of $216.22 and a 52 week high of $310.00. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. The company has a market capitalization of $15.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.20. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $267.37 and its 200-day moving average price is $265.88.

Lincoln Electric (NASDAQ:LECO – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.81 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $1.22 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.17 billion. Lincoln Electric had a return on equity of 39.23% and a net margin of 12.35%.The firm’s revenue was up 12.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.60 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. will post 11.13 earnings per share for the current year.

Lincoln Electric Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, September 30th will be given a $0.79 dividend. This represents a $3.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, September 30th. Lincoln Electric’s dividend payout ratio is presently 31.57%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Lincoln Electric In other news, EVP Michael J. Whitehead sold 845 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $274.81, for a total value of $232,214.45. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 9,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,560,954.39. This represents a 8.31% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 1.68% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

(Free Report)

Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: LECO) is a global manufacturer and distributor of welding products, robotic welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment, and surface treatment systems. The company’s portfolio encompasses welding consumables such as electrodes and wires, as well as power sources, torches, and automated welding cells. Lincoln Electric also offers software solutions and training services designed to optimize productivity and quality in fabrication and manufacturing operations.

Founded in 1895 by John C.

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BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LECO – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 5,390,309 shares of the industrial products company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,431,181,000. BlackRock Inc. owned about 9.89% of Lincoln Electric as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its position in Lincoln Electric by 8.6% during the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 2,477 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $468,000 after buying an additional 197 shares in the last quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp grew its stake in shares of Lincoln Electric by 553.4% in the 1st quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 1,137 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $215,000 after purchasing an additional 963 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Lincoln Electric by 8.9% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 362,561 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $68,582,000 after buying an additional 29,505 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its holdings in shares of Lincoln Electric by 8.7% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 137,540 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $26,017,000 after buying an additional 10,961 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Lincoln Electric by 980.8% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 281 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $53,000 after buying an additional 255 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.61% of the company’s stock.

Lincoln Electric Trading Down 1.0% LECO opened at $276.88 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $265.59 and its two-hundred day moving average is $265.86. The firm has a market cap of $15.09 billion, a PE ratio of 27.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 1.20. Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. has a twelve month low of $216.22 and a twelve month high of $310.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a current ratio of 1.98.

Lincoln Electric (NASDAQ:LECO – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.93 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.81 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $1.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.17 billion. Lincoln Electric had a net margin of 12.35% and a return on equity of 39.23%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 12.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.60 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. will post 11.13 EPS for the current year. Lincoln Electric Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, September 30th will be issued a $0.79 dividend. This represents a $3.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, September 30th. Lincoln Electric’s dividend payout ratio is 31.57%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth LECO has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. DA Davidson initiated coverage on shares of Lincoln Electric in a research report on Tuesday, June 16th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $320.00 price target on the stock. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Lincoln Electric from $280.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. UBS Group initiated coverage on Lincoln Electric in a report on Monday, August 10th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $340.00 target price on the stock. Weiss Ratings upgraded Lincoln Electric from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised Lincoln Electric from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and raised their price target for the company from $257.00 to $283.00 in a report on Monday, August 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $307.22.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Lincoln Electric

Insider Activity at Lincoln Electric In other news, EVP Michael J. Whitehead sold 845 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $274.81, for a total transaction of $232,214.45. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 9,319 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,560,954.39. This trade represents a 8.31% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 1.68% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

(Free Report)

Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: LECO) is a global manufacturer and distributor of welding products, robotic welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment, and surface treatment systems. The company’s portfolio encompasses welding consumables such as electrodes and wires, as well as power sources, torches, and automated welding cells. Lincoln Electric also offers software solutions and training services designed to optimize productivity and quality in fabrication and manufacturing operations.

Founded in 1895 by John C.

Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Lincoln Electric 3 Energy Stocks Raising Dividends as the Sector Surges 5 Reasons the S&P 500 Could Keep Rallying Through Year-End Walmart’s Post-Earnings Drop Could Be a Buying Opportunity The Trade Desk’s Earnings Miss Raises a Bigger Question About Its AI Future

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Algebris UK Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: LECO) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 1,271,655 shares of the industrial products company's stock, valued at approximately $44,811,000. Lincoln Electric comprises 3.0% of Algebris

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Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum traders and investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." This investing style is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Employing factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, the Momentum Style Score can indicate favorable times to build a position in high-momentum stocks.

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How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.

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Stock to Watch: Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO - Free Report) Headquartered in Cleveland, OH, Lincoln Electric has 71 manufacturing and automation system integration facilities, including operations and joint ventures across 20 countries, and a worldwide network of distributors and sales offices covering more than 160 countries.

LECO is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Momentum investors should take note of this Industrial Products stock. LECO has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 9.8% over the past four weeks.

For fiscal 2026, six analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.30 to $11.11 per share. LECO boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.9%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, LECO should be on investors' short list.

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Matthews International Corporation (NASDAQ GSM: MATW) (" Matthews " and/or the " Company ") today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Michael J. Whitehead as President and Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Joseph C.

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Stock to Watch: Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO - Free Report) Headquartered in Cleveland, OH, Lincoln Electric has 71 manufacturing and automation system integration facilities, including operations and joint ventures across 20 countries, and a worldwide network of distributors and sales offices covering more than 160 countries.

LECO is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. LECO has a Growth Style Score of B, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 12% for the current fiscal year.

For fiscal 2026, six analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.24 to $11.05 per share. LECO boasts an average earnings surprise of +3.9%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, LECO should be on investors' short list.

On August 04, 2026, Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc (LECO) shares rose 3.7%, bringing the current price to $277.64. This move comes against a backdrop of a 52-wee

Lincoln Electric NASDAQ: LECO reported second-quarter results marked by a return to volume growth after nine quarters of compression, supported by stronger demand in its Americas Welding business, higher pricing and improved capital spending by customers.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Steve Hedlund said consolidated organic sales increased 10%, with growth across equipment, automation and consumables. The company cited stronger activity in the Americas and parts of Asia-Pacific, including China, India and Vietnam, while Europe remained affected by weak industrial conditions.

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“Second quarter marked a solid inflection to volume growth in the business after nine quarters of compression,” Hedlund said. The company also reported record sales, adjusted operating income margin, adjusted earnings per share and operating cash flow for the quarter.

Quarterly Financial Results Second-quarter sales increased 12% to $1.22 billion. Chief Financial Officer Gabe Bruno said the increase reflected approximately 8% higher pricing, 2% volume growth, a 1.5% contribution from the Alloy Steel acquisition and a 40-basis-point benefit from foreign exchange translation.

Gross profit rose about 11%, though gross margin declined 50 basis points to 36.8%. Bruno attributed the margin compression to persistent inflation, unfavorable sales mix and a $4.2 million LIFO charge, which offset the benefits of pricing actions and a tariff refund. The company now expects LIFO to be a $10 million headwind for the full year.

Reported and adjusted operating income each increased 15%. Adjusted operating margin improved 50 basis points to 18.4%, with a 22% incremental margin. Diluted earnings per share rose 12.5% to $2.88, while adjusted EPS increased 13% to $2.93. Foreign exchange translation reduced EPS by $0.01, while share repurchases added $0.05, Bruno said.

Lincoln Electric generated record operating cash flow of $254 million in the quarter, resulting in cash conversion of 138%. Year-to-date cash conversion was 95%, and management said it remains on track to meet its 100% full-year target. The company spent $31 million on capital expenditures and returned $120 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. Adjusted return on invested capital reached 23%.

Americas Strength and Segment Performance Americas Welding sales rose approximately 11%, driven by 7% volume growth, about 4% pricing and favorable foreign exchange. Equipment volumes grew at a low-double-digit rate, while Americas Welding equipment organic sales growth accelerated to the high teens. Consumables in the segment grew at a high-single-digit rate.

Americas Welding adjusted EBIT increased 15% to $158 million, and its adjusted EBIT margin improved 110 basis points to 19.7%. Lincoln Electric expects the segment to operate within a 19% to 20% EBIT margin range for the remainder of 2026.

Management said industrial gas distribution demand remained strong, while direct original equipment manufacturer and rental customers increased capital spending. On a consolidated basis, general fabrication sales grew more than 30%, aided by improved U.S. industrial production and commercial HVAC demand at Harris Products Group. Heavy industries and non-residential structural steel each grew at mid-single-digit rates, while energy demand held up well, including nearly 30% growth in oil and gas sales within Americas Welding.

Transportation sales continued to decline at a mid-single-digit rate, although management said declines narrowed as equipment systems demand improved. The company expects transportation to improve during the remainder of the year as automation projects advance and customers invest in new lightweight vehicle platforms.

International and Harris Trends International Welding sales increased 4.5%, supported by the Alloy Steel acquisition, pricing and favorable currency translation. However, volumes declined about 5% as demand slowed in Europe following first-quarter customer buy-ahead activity and continued weak industrial production.

International Welding adjusted EBIT fell 13% to $27 million, with margin declining 210 basis points to 10.6%. Lincoln Electric expects the segment’s full-year EBIT margin to be in a 10% to 11% range as European demand and operating efficiency remain challenged.

The company said the Middle East created a $2 million to $3 million consolidated sales headwind in the second quarter during a ceasefire. With fighting resuming, management expects the conflict to create a $6 million to $7 million quarterly sales headwind in International Welding, an improvement from its prior expectation of an $8 million to $10 million impact.

Harris Products Group sales increased 27%, led by 34% higher pricing. Adjusted EBIT rose about 33% to $42 million, and adjusted EBIT margin improved 100 basis points to 20.4%, aided by SG&A leverage and a tariff refund. Management expects Harris to operate at an 18% to 19% margin in the second half at current metal prices.

Raised Sales Outlook Lincoln Electric raised its full-year net sales growth outlook to a low-double-digit percentage rate. Organic sales are now expected to grow at a high-single-digit to low-double-digit rate, composed of roughly one-third volume growth and two-thirds price and mix.

Bruno said the company expects to achieve a neutral price-cost position in the second half after reporting a 10-basis-point price-cost headwind in the second quarter. Lincoln Electric expects higher adjusted operating margin than in the prior year and a mid-20% incremental margin through the balance of 2026.

Hedlund said six consecutive months of favorable macroeconomic data in the Americas, strong order rates and a record automation backlog support management’s confidence in an industrial recovery. He added that customers are showing greater willingness to invest in productivity, capacity and automation, particularly in general industries.

Management identified commodity-cost volatility, trade-policy changes and the duration of the Middle East conflict as risks to its outlook.

About Lincoln Electric (NASDAQ:LECO)Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc NASDAQ: LECO is a global manufacturer and distributor of welding products, robotic welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment, and surface treatment systems. The company's portfolio encompasses welding consumables such as electrodes and wires, as well as power sources, torches, and automated welding cells. Lincoln Electric also offers software solutions and training services designed to optimize productivity and quality in fabrication and manufacturing operations.

Founded in 1895 by John C.

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Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO - Free Report) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.93 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.81 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.6 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.

This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +4.27%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this manufacturer of specialized welding products and other equipment would post earnings of $2.42 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.5, delivering a surprise of +3.31%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times.

Lincoln Electric, which belongs to the Zacks Manufacturing - Tools & Related Products industry, posted revenues of $1.22 billion for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.45%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $1.09 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters.

The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.

Lincoln Electric shares have added about 7.7% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 6.9%.

What's Next for Lincoln Electric?While Lincoln Electric has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?

There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.

Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.

Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Lincoln Electric was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $2.75 on $1.14 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $10.85 on $4.58 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.

Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Manufacturing - Tools & Related Products is currently in the bottom 16% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

One other stock from the same industry, Kennametal (KMT - Free Report) , is yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 5.

This engineered products maker is expected to post quarterly earnings of $2.31 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +579.4%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 153.3% higher over the last 30 days to the current level.

Kennametal's revenues are expected to be $719.89 million, up 39.4% from the year-ago quarter.

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- #LEA--Lincoln Electric (NASDAQ: LECO) reports record second quarter 2026 results, including record sales, profitability, earnings, and cash flows.