Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of identifying and sustaining trends in short-term investing to maximize profits [1][2] - A unique screening strategy, "Recent Price Strength," is highlighted as a tool to identify stocks with strong fundamentals that can maintain upward momentum [3] Company Analysis: Strattec Security (STRT) - STRT has shown a solid price increase of 11.7% over the past 12 weeks, indicating investor confidence in its potential upside [4] - The stock has also increased by 10.5% in the last four weeks, suggesting that the upward trend is still intact [5] - STRT is currently trading at 81.7% of its 52-week high-low range, indicating a potential breakout opportunity [5] - The stock holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), placing it in the top 5% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimate revisions and EPS surprises [6] - STRT has an Average Broker Recommendation of 1 (Strong Buy), reflecting high optimism from the brokerage community regarding its near-term price performance [7] Investment Strategy - The article suggests that STRT may continue its upward price trend, making it a candidate for trend-focused investors [8] - In addition to STRT, there are other stocks that meet the criteria of the "Recent Price Strength" screen, providing additional investment opportunities [8]

Group 1: Holley Inc. (NYSE:HLLY) - Holley Inc. is trading at $3.62 with a target price of $2.20, indicating a potential downside of 39.35% [1][5] - The stock is excluded from coverage due to a pessimistic outlook from investment analysts [1] Group 2: Strattec Security Corporation (STRT) - Strattec Security Corporation is trading at $67.11 with a target price of $81.90, suggesting a growth potential of 22.03% [2][4][5] - The company has a market cap of $280.87 million and a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 13.42, indicating financial stability [2] Group 3: MasterCraft Boat Holdings, Inc. (MCFT) - MasterCraft Boat Holdings is currently priced at $20.13 with a target price of $14.42, facing a potential downside of 28.39% [3][5] - The company has a market cap of $328.85 million, but its P/E ratio of 43.41 suggests it may be overvalued [3] - The earnings per share (EPS) of $0.81 indicates limited profitability compared to peers [3]

Core Viewpoint - Strattec Security (STRT) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), indicating a positive outlook driven by an upward trend in earnings estimates [1][2]. Earnings Estimates and Stock Price Movement - The Zacks rating system emphasizes the correlation between changes in earnings estimates and stock price movements, making it a valuable tool for investors [2][3]. - Institutional investors often react to earnings estimate changes, which can lead to significant stock price movements due to their large transactions [3]. Company Performance and Outlook - The upgrade reflects an improvement in Strattec Security's underlying business, suggesting that investors may respond positively by driving the stock price higher [4]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Strattec Security has increased by 10.3% over the past three months, with expected earnings of $5.24 per share for the fiscal year ending June 2026, indicating no year-over-year change [7]. Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with Zacks Rank 1 stocks historically generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [6]. - Only the top 5% of Zacks-covered stocks receive a "Strong Buy" rating, positioning Strattec Security among the best in terms of earnings estimate revisions [8][9].

Core Insights - Investors in the Automotive - Original Equipment sector may consider Strattec Security (STRT) and AB Volvo (VLVLY) for potential value investments [1] - STRT has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), indicating a stronger earnings outlook compared to VLVLY, which has a Zacks Rank of 5 (Strong Sell) [3] Valuation Metrics - STRT has a forward P/E ratio of 11.95, while VLVLY has a forward P/E of 14.19, suggesting STRT may be undervalued [5] - The PEG ratio for STRT is 1.19, compared to VLVLY's PEG ratio of 7.28, indicating STRT's earnings growth is more favorable relative to its valuation [5] - STRT's P/B ratio is 1.02, significantly lower than VLVLY's P/B of 3.02, further supporting STRT's valuation attractiveness [6] Overall Assessment - STRT's improving earnings outlook and favorable valuation metrics position it as a superior value option compared to VLVLY [7]

Group 1 - The core investment strategy focuses on long-only investment, evaluating companies from an operational and buy-and-hold perspective, rather than market-driven dynamics [1] - The articles emphasize understanding the long-term earnings power of companies and the competitive dynamics within their industries [1] - Most recommendations will be holds, indicating a cautious approach to investment, with only a small fraction of companies deemed suitable for buying at any given time [1] Group 2 - The articles aim to provide important information for future investors and introduce a healthy skepticism towards a generally bullish market [1] - There is a clear distinction made between the author's opinions and professional investment advice, emphasizing the need for readers to conduct their own due diligence [2][3]

Strattec Security Corporation FY Conference Summary Company Overview - **Company Name**: Strattec Security Corporation - **Ticker**: NasdaqGM: STRT - **Market Cap**: Approximately $280 million with about $200 million in equity cap - **Shares Outstanding**: Roughly 4 million shares - **Location**: Milwaukee, Wisconsin - **Debt**: No debt at the parent level, $90 million in net cash, and $25 million in minority interest [1][3] Industry and Product Portfolio - **Industry**: Automotive access control systems - **Core Products**: - Vehicle locks - Active tailgates and liftgates - Enhanced locks and keys - Passive entry systems - **Revenue Breakdown**: Approximately 8% of revenue from aftermarket sales [1][3][4] Strategic Initiatives - **Leadership Changes**: New CEO Jen Slater and CFO Matthew Pauli have focused on operational changes and team restructuring [2][4] - **Cultural Shift**: Emphasis on innovation, collaboration, and results-driven performance [5][6] - **Business Operating System**: Implementation of a business operating system to improve margin and cash generation [6][7] Financial Performance - **Q1 FY 2026 Revenue**: $152 million, up 10% year-over-year, outperforming North American automotive production growth of 5% [12] - **Sales Growth**: Continuous growth observed post-chip shortages, with a trailing 12-month sales figure of $578 million [13] - **Gross Profit Margin**: 17.3% for Q1 FY 2026, significantly improved due to price increases and restructuring benefits [14] - **Net Income**: $8.5 million or $2.07 per share for Q1 FY 2026, with adjusted EBITDA of $15.6 million and a 10.2% EBITDA margin [16] Cost Structure and Tariffs - **Cost Management**: Focus on cost structure improvements, with a 15% reduction in headcount year-over-year [14][15] - **Tariff Impact**: Annual tariff costs estimated at $5-7 million, largely offset by price increases [15][34] Future Outlook - **Revenue Projections**: Expected to align with North American automotive production volumes [11] - **Product Development**: Focus on modernizing product offerings, including the development of digital key fobs and power access products [10][11] - **M&A Considerations**: Future M&A opportunities are being evaluated, with a focus on organic growth and capital allocation [18][37] Operational Flexibility - **Manufacturing Footprint**: Operations in both the U.S. and Mexico, with over 90% of products compliant with USMCA [24][28] - **Adaptability**: Ability to adjust manufacturing strategies in response to tariff changes and customer needs [28][29] Key Takeaways - Strattec is undergoing a significant transformation under new leadership, focusing on operational efficiency and product innovation - Financial performance has improved markedly, with strong revenue growth and profitability metrics - The company is well-positioned to adapt to market changes and capitalize on growth opportunities in the automotive sector [18][43]

Company Overview - STRATTEC was founded in 1908 and went public in 1995, with a market capitalization of $277 million as of October 28, 2025 [5] - Institutional ownership is 76%, while insider ownership is 3.6% [5] - The company's revenue for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ending Q1 FY26 was $578.4 million [9] - The company provides highly engineered products for leading OEMs, with sales by product including Door Handles (25%), Power Access (25%), Keys & Locksets (18%), Latches (13%), Other (11%), and Aftermarket (8%) [8, 9] Financial Performance - Revenue has steadily increased from $492.9 million in FY2023 to $578.4 million in TTM Q1 FY26 [14] - Cash from operations has improved significantly, reaching $71.7 million in FY2025 and TTM Q1 FY26 [14] - Gross profit has risen from $42.2 million in FY2023 to $92.0 million in TTM Q1 FY26 [17] - Q1 FY26 net sales increased by $13.3 million, or 9.6%, to $152.4 million compared to $139.1 million in Q1 FY25 [35, 36] - Q1 FY26 gross margin expanded by 370 basis points year-over-year [44] - Net income attributable to STRATTEC was up 130% year-over-year in Q1 FY26 [49] Strategic Initiatives - The company reduced headcount by 15% in FY25, resulting in $5 million in savings [12] - The company captured $8 million in annualized pricing in FY2025 [12] - The company signed a new $40 million revolving credit facility in October 2025, extending the maturity to 2028 [61]

Financial Performance - Net sales for the three months ended September 28, 2025, increased to $152,399 thousand, up from $139,052 thousand for the same period in 2024, representing an increase of 9.6%[13] - Gross profit rose to $26,335 thousand, compared to $18,921 thousand in the prior year, reflecting a significant increase of 39.1%[13] - Net income attributable to Strattec for the three months ended September 28, 2025, was $8,529 thousand, a substantial increase from $3,703 thousand in the same period last year, marking a growth of 130.5%[13] - Earnings per share attributable to Strattec increased to $2.10 (basic) and $2.07 (diluted), compared to $0.92 for both in the prior year[13] - Comprehensive income attributable to Strattec for the three months ended September 28, 2025, was $9,189 thousand, compared to $2,288 thousand in the same period last year, indicating a growth of 302.5%[15] - For the three months ended September 28, 2025, net income attributable to Strattec was $8.529 million, compared to $3.703 million for the same period in 2024, representing a 130.5% increase[33] - Net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 were $152.4 million, an increase of $13.3 million or 10% compared to the prior year[51] - Gross profit improved to $26.3 million with a gross margin of 17.3%, up from 13.6% in the prior year, reflecting a 370 basis point increase[52] - Net income attributable to Strattec was $8.5 million, a 130% increase from $3.7 million in the same quarter last year[50] Assets and Liabilities - Total current assets remained stable at $290,125 thousand as of September 28, 2025, compared to $290,063 thousand at June 29, 2025[16] - Cash and cash equivalents increased to $90,473 thousand at the end of the period, up from $84,579 thousand at the beginning of the period, reflecting a net increase of $5,894 thousand[17] - Total liabilities decreased to $134,278 thousand as of September 28, 2025, down from $145,023 thousand at June 29, 2025[16] - Strattec's retained earnings increased to $277,826 thousand as of September 28, 2025, compared to $269,297 thousand at June 29, 2025, reflecting a growth of 3.3%[16] - The Company had $90.5 million in cash and cash equivalents as of September 28, 2025, with no borrowings outstanding under the $40 million Strattec Credit Facility[58] Expenses and Costs - The Company reported a depreciation expense of $3,785 thousand for the three months ended September 28, 2025, compared to $3,662 thousand in the prior year[17] - Selling, administrative, and engineering expenses were $15.9 million, representing 10.4% of sales, an increase from 10.0% in the prior year[53] - Direct material costs increased by $5.8 million, while labor and overhead costs remained relatively flat, reflecting a $0.1 million increase[52] Tax and Legal Matters - The effective tax rate for the three-month period ended September 28, 2025 was 21.6%, down from 28.6% in the prior year, primarily due to the accrual of foreign income taxes[30][32] - The effective income tax rate decreased to 21.6% in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 from 28.6% in the prior year[56] - The company does not believe it is involved in any legal proceedings that would materially affect its financial statements[67] Credit Facilities and Borrowings - Outstanding borrowings under the Strattec Credit Facility were $0 as of September 28, 2025, while the ADAC-Strattec Credit Facility had outstanding borrowings of $5 million[28] - The average outstanding borrowings under the ADAC-Strattec Credit Facility for the three months ended September 28, 2025 was $6.552 million, with a weighted average interest rate of 7.4%[28] - The Company has a $40 million secured revolving credit facility with BMO Harris Bank N.A., which was amended to extend the maturity to October 2028[26][27] - A new revolving credit agreement was entered into on October 27, 2025, providing a $40 million line of credit maturing in October 2028[59] Share Repurchase and Stock Information - A total of 3,655,322 shares have been repurchased at a cost of approximately $136.4 million since the stock repurchase program began[69] - Currently, 184,073 shares remain available for repurchase under the program[69] - No shares were repurchased during the three-month period ended September 28, 2025[69] Management and Controls - The company maintains effective disclosure controls and procedures as evaluated by management[63] - There were no changes in internal control over financial reporting that materially affected the company during the last fiscal quarter[64] - The Company is currently evaluating the impact of recently issued accounting standards on its consolidated financial statements, including ASU 2023-09 and ASU 2024-03[23][24] Customer Concentration - Significant customers included General Motors (27% of net sales), Ford (22%), and Stellantis (15%), accounting for 64% of total net sales[44] Other Financial Information - The Company recognized a foreign currency transaction loss of $671,000 for the three months ended September 28, 2025, compared to a gain of $1.005 million in the prior year[37] - The Company’s management fee expense related to the joint venture was $2.737 million for the three months ended September 28, 2025, compared to $2.480 million in the prior year[40] - As of September 28, 2025, there was $1.7 million of unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested performance stock units (PSUs) and $3.8 million related to non-vested restricted stock awards (RSAs)[35] - Primary working capital as a percentage of net sales was 17% for both Q1 fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2025[61] - Accounts receivable, net was $103 million with a PWC % of 17% as of September 28, 2025[61] - Inventory, net decreased to $62 million, reflecting a PWC % of 10%[61] - Accounts payable decreased to $(61) million, resulting in a PWC % of (10%)[61]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue grew nearly 10% in the quarter, with gross profit margin expanding by 370 basis points to 17.3% and EBITDA margin expanding by 310 basis points to 10.2% [5][7] - Net income attributable to Strattec Security Corporation increased significantly year over year, with adjusted EBITDA at $15.6 million, representing an adjusted EBITDA margin of 10.2% [9] - Operating cash flow was $11.3 million for the quarter, similar to the first quarter of the prior year, with cash on the balance sheet exceeding $90 million [10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Gross profit increased by $7.4 million, or approximately 40%, driven by strategic pricing actions and higher production volumes [7] - Selling, administrative, and engineering expenses rose to $15.9 million, reflecting investments in business transformation [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The automotive industry faced significant disruptions due to a fire at an aluminum supplier and international trade restrictions affecting semiconductor chip supply, impacting production levels for major customers [12] - The company plans to build finished goods inventory to better serve OEM and aftermarket customers amid these disruptions [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on modernizing operations through automation and optimizing its footprint, including a sale-leaseback of the Milwaukee facility [14][15] - There is an ongoing effort to expand customer relationships with North American vehicle manufacturers, particularly in power access products and digital keys [31] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the challenges posed by the automotive industry's current environment but expressed confidence in the company's ability to manage these issues better than in the past [13] - The company is cautious about the near-term outlook due to the impact of supplier issues and chip shortages, with uncertainty regarding the full-year impact [25] Other Important Information - The company has entered into an amended and restated $40 million revolving credit facility, extending maturity until October 2028 [10] - The company is in the early stages of discussing potential M&A opportunities as part of its long-term growth strategy [11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Updates on ongoing operations review compared to fourth-quarter results - Management discussed advancements in automation and the progression of their transformation efforts [18] Question: CapEx budget for 2026 versus 2025 - The CapEx budget for 2026 is approximately $12.5 million, about 2% of sales, with automation costs having decreased over the years [19] Question: Impact of fire and semiconductor production disruption - Management indicated that the company would be modestly flat or down due to these disruptions, with too much uncertainty to quantify the full-year impact [25] Question: Expected returns on automation investments - Expected payback on automation investments is less than one year, with results anticipated in the second half of the fiscal year [30] Question: Development of relationships with other North American vehicle manufacturers - Management confirmed efforts to expand customer reach but did not provide specific details [31]

Financial Performance - Q1 FY26 revenue increased by $133 million, a 96% increase, reaching $1524 million[6, 18] - Gross margin improved to 173%, a 370 bps increase[6] - Net income increased by 130% year-over-year[31] - Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded by 310 bps year-over-year to 102%[37] Cash Flow and Capitalization - Generated $113 million in operational cash flow in Q1 FY26[6, 40] - Ended the quarter with $905 million in cash on hand[6] - Total debt reduced to $50 million[43] - A new $40 million revolving credit facility was extended to 2028[15, 43] Strategic Initiatives and Challenges - Restructuring actions in Mexico are expected to generate approximately $1 million in annualized savings starting in the latter half of Q2 FY26[7, 14] - Supply chain issues, including aluminum fire and semiconductor chip shortages, are expected to impact Q2 FY26[45, 49]