Applied Industrial Technologies initiated with an Outperform at Raymond James

Raymond James last night initiated coverage of Applied Industrial Technologies with an Outperform rating and $225 price target. The company’s newly issued fiscal 2025 guidance has sufficiently reset Street views and should allow for continued “beat/raises,” especially relative to peers over the next few quarters, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm says Applied has a number of company-specific opportunities to enhance margins in the coming years, while peers face recurring and structural margin headwinds.