Business Services & Supplies Stocks Q4 Recap: Benchmarking Copart (NASDAQ:CPRT)

Earnings results often indicate what direction a company will take in the months ahead. With Q4 behind us, let’s have a look at Copart (NASDAQ:CPRT) and its peers.

This is a sector that encompasses many types of business, and so it follows that a number of trends will impact the space. For industrial and environmental services companies, for example, trends around environmental compliance and increasing corporate ESG commitments matter while for safety and security services companies, the intersection of physical security, cybersecurity, and workplace safety regulations are the topics du jour. Broadly, AI and automation could be tailwinds for companies in the space that invest wisely. On the other hand, shifting regulatory frameworks could force continual changes in go-to-market and costly investments.

The 18 business services & supplies stocks we track reported a mixed Q4. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 3.1% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line.

In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady. On average, they are relatively unchanged since the latest earnings results.

Weakest Q4: Copart (NASDAQ:CPRT)

Starting as a single salvage yard in California in 1982, Copart (NASDAQ:CPRT) operates an online auction platform that connects sellers of damaged and salvage vehicles with buyers ranging from dismantlers and rebuilders to used car dealers and exporters.

Copart reported revenues of $1.12 billion, down 3.6% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 5%. Overall, it was a disappointing quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ revenue estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Copart delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates of the whole group. The market was likely pricing in the results, and the stock is flat since reporting. It currently trades at $37.94.

Is now the time to buy Copart? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q4: CoreCivic (NYSE:CXW)

Originally founded in 1983 as the first private prison company in the United States, CoreCivic (NYSE:CXW) operates correctional facilities, detention centers, and residential reentry programs for government agencies across the United States.

CoreCivic reported revenues of $604 million, up 26% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 6%. The business had an incredible quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ revenue estimates.

Although it had a fine quarter compared its peers, the market seems unhappy with the results as the stock is down 4.4% since reporting. It currently trades at $17.68.

Is now the time to buy CoreCivic? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Vestis (NYSE:VSTS)

Operating a network of more than 350 facilities with 3,300 delivery routes serving customers weekly, Vestis (NYSE:VSTS) provides uniform rentals, workplace supplies, and facility services to over 300,000 business locations across the United States and Canada.

Vestis reported revenues of $663.4 million, down 3.2% year on year, in line with analysts’ expectations. It was a softer quarter as it posted EPS in line with analysts’ estimates and revenue in line with analysts’ estimates.

Interestingly, the stock is up 7.5% since the results and currently trades at $7.87.

Read our full analysis of Vestis’s results here.

MSA Safety (NYSE:MSA)

Founded in 1914 as Mine Safety Appliances to protect coal miners from dangerous gases, MSA Safety (NYSE:MSA) designs and manufactures advanced safety products that protect workers and facilities across industries including fire service, energy, construction, and manufacturing.

MSA Safety reported revenues of $510.9 million, up 2.2% year on year. This result surpassed analysts’ expectations by 0.7%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also recorded a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and a narrow beat of analysts’ revenue estimates.

The stock is flat since reporting and currently trades at $195.34.

Read our full, actionable report on MSA Safety here, it’s free.

RB Global (NYSE:RBA)

Born from the 1958 founding of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers and rebranded in 2023, RB Global (NYSE:RBA) operates global marketplaces that connect buyers and sellers of commercial assets, vehicles, and equipment across multiple industries.

RB Global reported revenues of $1.20 billion, up 5.4% year on year. This number topped analysts’ expectations by 2.7%. It was an exceptional quarter as it also put up a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ revenue estimates.

The stock is down 4.2% since reporting and currently trades at $99.69.

Read our full, actionable report on RB Global here, it’s free.

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