Latest news with #SnapOn
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Snap-on Stock Underperforming the Nasdaq?
Kenosha, Wisconsin-based Snap-on Incorporated (SNA) manufactures and markets tools, equipment, diagnostics, and repair information and systems solutions for professional users. Valued at a market cap of $16 billion, the company serves the aviation and aerospace, natural resources, agriculture, infrastructure construction, government and military, mining, power generation, and technical education industries. Companies worth $10 billion or more are typically classified as 'large-cap stocks,' and SNA fits the label perfectly, with its market cap exceeding this threshold, underscoring its size, influence, and dominance within the tools & accessories industry. The company is a powerhouse in professional-grade tools and equipment, renowned for its unmatched quality, innovation, and direct-to-user sales model. It sustains a premium brand reputation through rigorous innovation and robust IP, backed by over 4,000 patents and substantial R&D investments. Robotaxis, Powell and Other Key Things to Watch this Week The 7 Signs Your Stock Is A Buyout Target Looking to Gamble on Hard-Hit Solar Stocks? This Is the Top-Rated Ticker Now. Stop Missing Market Moves: Get the FREE Barchart Brief – your midday dose of stock movers, trending sectors, and actionable trade ideas, delivered right to your inbox. Sign Up Now! This tools and equipment manufacturer has slipped 18.2% from its 52-week high of $373.90, reached on Nov. 27, 2024. Shares of SNA have declined 7.3% over the past three months, lagging behind the Nasdaq Composite's ($NASX) 9.9% return during the same time frame. Moreover, on a YTD basis, shares of SNA are down 9.9%, compared to NASX's marginal gain. However, in the longer term, SNA has soared 13.8% over the past 52 weeks, outperforming NASX's 9.7% rise over the same time frame. To confirm its bearish trend, SNA has been trading below its 200-day moving average since mid-April, with minor fluctuations, and has remained below its 50-day moving average since mid-December, 2024, with slight fluctuations. On Apr. 17, shares of Snap-on plunged 8% after its weaker-than expected Q1 earnings release. The company's revenue declined 3.5% year-over-year to $1.1 billion and fell short of the consensus estimates by 5%. Moreover, its EPS of $4.51 fell 8.1% from the year-ago quarter and missed the forecasted figure by 6.2%. The disappointing performance was primarily driven by weaker results in its commercial & industrial group and tools group, with both segments reporting declines in organic sales and operating earnings. Snap-on has outperformed its rival, Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.'s (SWK) 23.2% drop over the past 52 weeks and 19.6% fall on a YTD basis. Despite SNA's recent underperformance, analysts remain moderately optimistic about its prospects. The stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy' from the 10 analysts covering it, and the mean price target of $345 suggests a 12.8% premium to its current price levels. On the date of publication, Neharika Jain did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
You May Want To Reconsider Buying These Harbor Freight Icon Tools
Harbor Freight's reputation for selling subpar tools mostly comes from the inappropriate choices of professional tool-users. In the distant past, HF's offerings weren't really suitable for constant, heavy use. But in recent years, credible pro-quality tools are among the many brands of tools Harbor Freight owns — especially the Icon brand, which is often referred to as a challenger to Snap-On's high-priced hand tool supremacy. Icon is a premium hand tool brand, parallel to Harbor Freight's popular Hercules power tool line. But the brand is not perfect, and there are a few tools you might want to steer clear of, from relatively low-stakes items like screwdrivers and work lights to heavyweight tools like swivel impact sockets. And while you can certainly buy inferior products like much of the Pittsburgh line (and weird novelties like its ¼-inch hex drive "meme" ratchet set or the gold-plated items we'll discuss below), the company is also capable of brilliance. Consider the 10-piece 10-millimeter metric essential socket set, which gives you the common 10-millimeter socket size in every form factor you can think of. Genius. But the professional's bread and butter is performance at ordinary tasks with ordinary tools, and that's where Icon typically shines. The brand makes highly regarded torque wrenches, various ratchet styles, various wrench styles, and even knives. The kicker is that DIYers use pro tools, too, and Harbor Freight knows it. The Icon hex-bit ratchet isn't made for pros, after all, but for homeowners looking to stop assembling IKEA furniture with Allen wrenches. Now let's dig a little deeper. Read more: The 11 Best Affordable Harbor Freight Tools For Your Home (And 2 To Avoid Buying) Icon ratchets are well-known for their quality, even among mechanics who seem reluctant to admit it. But the one exception seems to be the Icon ¼-inch Drive Professional Low-Profile Ratchet, which has a couple of issues. One is that the force it takes to flip the directional switch is unusually high. And while that might not be an issue for you, the failure load — the amount of torque at which the ratchet fails — is fairly low for this ratchet. The Icon ratchet has a solid drive rather than a quick-release drive with a button to release your socket, and these are usually stronger. But in Project Farm's testing, the ¼-inch Icon fails with both the main gear stripping and the pawl breaking, suggesting the ratchet's internals aren't as strong as its drive. But the real problem with this ratchet — and the reason it has a sketchy reputation among online mechanics — is the amount of back drag it exhibits. If you've ever used a ratchet, you probably know what back drag is, even if you don't know the term. It's the amount of force it takes when reversing the ratchet for the pawl to release so that the handle moves freely without affecting the socket. High levels of back drag can make a ratchet tiring to use, but worse, it can frustratingly cause you to accidentally undo some of the progress you just made by turning the socket backward. And the Icon ¼-inch drive ratchet has an unseemly level of back drag. Other Icon ratchets also have back drag problems, but not in combination with the stiff directional switch and ease of failure. Harbor Freight offers the same ratchet and a ⅜-inch version in gold-plated special editions. The luxe versions are simply offered as pro-quality ratchets. Besides the Trump Towers vibe, the other big difference between the fold and chrome versions of these ratchets is the price: The ¼-inch drive chrome ratchet goes for $29.99, and while you shouldn't buy it, you certainly shouldn't consider the same ratchet in gold at $44.99. The ⅜-inch ratchets run $54.99 with gold and $39.99 without ... a strange upgrade, since gold plating is easily worn away even on casually worn jewelry. It's difficult to grok why anyone frugal enough to shop at Harbor Freight would bite on what is essentially a $50 gag gift. Reviewers seem to really love the gold versions, scoring both .2 stars higher than the chrome versions. Some reviewers don't seem to be aware that they're reviewing the gold-plated version, while others seem to think of it strictly as a gift, either as a novelty or a commemorative gift celebrating a retirement or similar. That would seem to be the most sensible reason for buying the special edition ratchets — to put them on a mantel and enjoy the memories of a long, knuckle-busting career. Harbor Freight wasn't the first to dream up this kind of thing. For its 75th anniversary, Craftsman issued a gold-plated ratchet in a wood display box, and it doubtless made a great gift as well. But what such a gift is not is a tool, and since that's what we're talking about here, we'll steer you in another direction for your ratchets. While we're talking about ratchets, let's share a skeptical word or two about Harbor Freight's impact-rated swivel socket sets, available in ½-inch drive and ⅜-inch drive versions. Impact-rated swivel sockets and universal joint adapters have a tough job. They're designed to transfer as much impact driver torque as possible through a wide range of angles, and typically through rather thin cross sections of steel that make up the universal joint ... and also constitute a possible point of failure. While the Icon swivel sockets are generally well-regarded by purchasers, testers have a few problems with these specific demands. YouTube's rigorous Torque Test Channel included an Icon swivel socket set in its evaluation of 14 brands, and it was the only one that actually broke during usability testing. At impact wrench speeds, jagged metal shrapnel is no joke. Torque Test also found the sockets had below-average torque transfer ... the second lowest in its testing. Other reviewers found that the sockets wear unusually quickly and several noted that the Icon socket sets tend to skip sizes or have a narrow range of sizes included in its sets, unlike the inexpensive GearWrench sets that are more complete. The Icon sockets are chrome molybdenum steel ... weaker than chrome vanadium, but not uncommon. The Icons also have thinner walls than a comparable Tekton set. But while that can indicate weakness, it's also considered an asset for sockets since some counterbores are not much larger than the bolt heads themselves. On the whole, all of this might add up to a negative for frequent or pro users of Icon's universal-joint sockets. At first glance, the Icon Slim Bar Work Light with its knurled aluminum base looks like it might be a more durable alternative to cheap plastic work lights ... and, at $39.99, the Icon isn't exactly cheap. But this work light suffers from all manner of ways that such a tool can have sub-par specs. According to Motor City Metal, it has more plastic and less flexibility than its swiveling Braun sibling at HF. The rechargeable battery in the Icon is not user-replaceable, which might turn out to not matter. That's because the work light might not last nearly as long as its battery. And possibly not as long as the battery's runtime, which is advertised as 3 hours at 800 lumens and comes reasonably close to that. The real problem with the Icon's longevity is its build quality, which YouTube's Torque Test Channel found to be comical. The Icon failed the channel's drop test on its first drop, something the tester had never seen before, which earned the work light an unprecedented 0 of 10 stars. Nothing is more fundamental to most mechanical work than the common screwdriver. But the common screwdriver is so, well, common that they seem to have become something of a commodity, with cheap, reasonably good screwdrivers available everywhere at very low costs. And this is exactly where the Icon Professional Mechanics Screwdriver Set bites itself on the shank. The infinitely fun YouTube car channel Donut did a comprehensive (and occasionally dangerous) series of tests on screwdriver sets, including sets from HF brands' Pittsburgh ($8 per set), Doyle ($25), and Icon ($50), alongside comparable sets from Husky ($22), Klein Tools ($50), and Snap-On ($200). The tests proved both that screwdrivers aren't (yet) commodities and that you don't necessarily get what you pay for. HF's Doyle screwdrivers outperformed the field overall and did better than Icon's offering in coating quality, driving screws, and torque testing. Doyle matched Icon in a prying test. And, speaking of screwdriver misuse, hammering the butt of a screwdriver isn't a good idea. But you do it anyway, so Donut does it too. And Icon beat the Doyle here, matching Snap-On and being bested by Klein Tools. In all, the Icon set performed admirably ... but the Doyle set from HF did better than any set overall, at half the price of the Icons and ⅛ the price of the Snap-Ons. So you might reasonably choose an Icon set, but the cheaper Doyle set would be a wiser choice. Enjoyed this article? Get expert home tips, DIY guides, and design inspiration by signing up to the House Digest newsletter! Read the original article on House Digest.
Bloomberg
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- Bloomberg
Trump's Tariff Chaos Threatens His Push for Rust Belt Revival
President Donald Trump's signature trade policy is threatening to backfire by upending other top priorities: the revival of US manufacturing and the American Rust Belt. In Illinois, Trump's tariffs prompted a compressor maker to delay a key equipment purchase after an ambitious factory revamp. Rockwell Automation Inc., a Wisconsin-based producer of factory tools, says some manufacturers are putting projects on hold because of uncertainty over costs and future demand. Snap-on Inc. is seeing similar hesitancy among car mechanics.
The Drive
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Watch a 100-Year-Old Snap-On Embarrass Modern Socket Wrenches
The latest car news, reviews, and features. We like vintage tools and stress testing around here, so this entry from YouTube garage guru Project Farm is 100% up our alley. This YouTuber got his hands on some classic socket wrenches (including one Snap-On that appears to be 100 years old), and since he was curious how they'd compare to their modern equivalents, he put all six of them through a series of tests to see how they stack up—and in the case of the vintage tools, how well they've held up over the years. He starts off with a swing arc test to see just how much rotation you get from each crank of the wrench. The expensive modern Snap-On is the winner, requiring just a hair over 20 clicks to complete a full rotation; the SATA and 1980s SK brought up the rear with 24 clicks each, with the GearWrench falling to 4th at 23.9. Based on the host's comments, it seems that particular GearWrench has lost a step or two since he first purchased it. Better wrenches not only get you more rotation for each tick, but are tight enough that they should predictably grab teeth with every swing of the handle. Increased slop in the GearWrench and vintage SK Tools held both back in this test. From there, it's on to the 'back drag' test. If you've ever been using a socket wrench on a loose fastener and had the socket rotate backwards while you were winding it up, you're familiar with the concept. The less back drag, the better. And sure enough, the vintage Snap-On leads off with an excellent result, with only half as much back drag as its brand-new equivalent, and the SK Tools wrench that was so badly kicked around in the first test rose to second here. The sloppy modern GearWrench finished dead last. The next test measures how easily the wrench's rotation direction can be flipped, measured by the force required to toggle the gearbox switch. A lower force is a better result here, though from experience, I'll caution that this cuts both ways when you're working in tight spaces and the toggle is easily nudged. The finishing order here is similar to the back drag test, with the vintage Snap-On leading the pack and the GearWrench trailing by a good margin. After that, we get a dimensional comparison that rewards the sockets with shallower head designs capable of fitting into tighter spaces. The modern wrenches have a decent showing here, benefiting from decades of design innovation, but the vintage Snap-On still comes in second to its modern counterpart, and only barely. With all of that out of the way, it's time for a little bit of carnage. Yep, next comes failure load testing. If mechanical gore makes you squeamish, you may want to stick with our summary below, because the survival rate for this next section is a big, fat goose egg. To test the failure load, he fixes each wrench to a strain gauge and hauls on them with a breaker bar. I'm not going to lie; it's rough to see those old wrenches pushed beyond their limits, and the aftermath photos (above) show how dramatically some of the wrenches failed. Not all of them sent parts flying, mind you. This is another test that favors modern engineering; all of the newer wrenches vastly outperformed their vintage equivalents. Seriously, it wasn't even close. If this taste of vintage tool testing hasn't quite sated your thirst, there's plenty more where this came from. The video continues with evaluations of some vintage adjustable wrenches against their modern counterparts (using a different testing regimen, naturally), and Project Farm has tested everything from cable ties to budget automotive floor jacks. Chances are, if you might need it in your garage, there's a test somewhere on that channel.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
3 Low-Volatility Stocks Walking a Fine Line
Low-volatility stocks may offer stability, but that often comes at the cost of slower growth and the upside potential of more dynamic companies. Choosing the wrong investments can cause you to fall behind, which is why we started StockStory - to separate the winners from the losers. Keeping that in mind, here are three low-volatility stocks that don't make the cut and some better opportunities instead. Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.79 Founded in 1920, Snap-on (NYSE:SNA) is a global provider of tools, equipment, and diagnostics for various industries such as vehicle repair, aerospace, and the military. Why Do We Think Twice About SNA? Absence of organic revenue growth over the past two years suggests it may have to lean into acquisitions to drive its expansion 6.3 percentage point decline in its free cash flow margin over the last five years reflects the company's increased investments to defend its market position Diminishing returns on capital suggest its earlier profit pools are drying up At $322.12 per share, Snap-on trades at 16.1x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with SNA, check out our full research report (it's free). Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.61 With a network of 161 specialized facilities across 37 states and Puerto Rico, Encompass Health (NYSE:EHC) operates inpatient rehabilitation hospitals that help patients recover from strokes, hip fractures, and other debilitating conditions. Why Is EHC Not Exciting? Expenses have increased as a percentage of revenue over the last two years as its adjusted operating margin fell by 4 percentage points Capital intensity has ramped up over the last five years as its free cash flow margin decreased by 2.2 percentage points Encompass Health's stock price of $119.01 implies a valuation ratio of 24.4x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why EHC doesn't pass our bar. Rolling One-Year Beta: 0.91 With over 2,500 research experts guiding organizations through complex technology landscapes, Gartner (NYSE:IT) provides research, advisory services, and conferences that help executives make better decisions about technology and other business priorities. Why Are We Hesitant About IT? Earnings growth over the last two years fell short of the peer group average as its EPS only increased by 9.3% annually Gartner is trading at $442.91 per share, or 35.7x forward P/E. If you're considering IT for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more. Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump's presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth. While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we're leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data
