Ferguson vs Watsco: why the prices moved differently

Weekly · monthly · quarterly news summaries, side by side in time

Ferguson Plc (FERG)

Q3 202620 Jul – 19 Sep 2026

▲4

Ferguson joins S&P 500 and raises outlook on solid results

S&P 500 inclusion drives demand for shares Ferguson was added to the S&P 500 on August 5, replacing Electronic Arts. Index funds that track the S&P 500 must now buy the stock, and the added visibility draws more investors. Shares jumped nearly 8% on the news. This is a lasting boost to who owns and follows the stock.
Index inclusion is a major, durable capital-markets event that directly lifts demand for FERG shares.
Full-year guidance raised after solid quarter Ferguson reported sales up 4.6% to $8.8 billion and raised its full-year sales outlook to mid-single-digit growth. Adjusted EPS rose 5.3% to $3.39. Management now expects more growth than before, which supports a higher stock price because future profits look stronger.
A guidance raise is a direct, fundamental signal of improving business performance that re-rates the stock.
Non-residential strength offsets soft residential US non-residential revenue jumped 8% on market share gains, while residential sales, about half of revenue, rose just 2% as new construction and repairs stayed soft. Canada sales slipped 1.9%. The strong commercial side is carrying growth, but weak housing is a real drag to watch.
This explains the mix behind the sales beat and flags the residential softness that could limit future growth.
Acquisition pipeline and buybacks support growth Ferguson closed five acquisitions in the quarter and agreed to buy FloWorks, a valves and flow-control distributor. Eight deals this year add about $1.4 billion in annual revenue. It also bought back $202 million of stock and pays a $0.89 dividend, returning cash to shareholders.
Acquisitions and buybacks are concrete capital actions that add revenue and support the share price.

August 202620 Jul – 19 Sep 2026

▲4

Ferguson joins S&P 500 and raises outlook on solid results

S&P 500 inclusion drives demand for shares Ferguson was added to the S&P 500 on August 5, replacing Electronic Arts. Index funds that track the S&P 500 must now buy the stock, and the added visibility draws more investors. Shares jumped nearly 8% on the news. This is a lasting boost to who owns and follows the stock.
Index inclusion is a major, durable capital-markets event that directly lifts demand for FERG shares.
Full-year guidance raised after solid quarter Ferguson reported sales up 4.6% to $8.8 billion and raised its full-year sales outlook to mid-single-digit growth. Adjusted EPS rose 5.3% to $3.39. Management now expects more growth than before, which supports a higher stock price because future profits look stronger.
A guidance raise is a direct, fundamental signal of improving business performance that re-rates the stock.
Non-residential strength offsets soft residential US non-residential revenue jumped 8% on market share gains, while residential sales, about half of revenue, rose just 2% as new construction and repairs stayed soft. Canada sales slipped 1.9%. The strong commercial side is carrying growth, but weak housing is a real drag to watch.
This explains the mix behind the sales beat and flags the residential softness that could limit future growth.
Acquisition pipeline and buybacks support growth Ferguson closed five acquisitions in the quarter and agreed to buy FloWorks, a valves and flow-control distributor. Eight deals this year add about $1.4 billion in annual revenue. It also bought back $202 million of stock and pays a $0.89 dividend, returning cash to shareholders.
Acquisitions and buybacks are concrete capital actions that add revenue and support the share price.

Latest20 Jul – 19 Sep 2026

▲4

Ferguson joins S&P 500 and raises outlook on solid results

S&P 500 inclusion drives demand for shares Ferguson was added to the S&P 500 on August 5, replacing Electronic Arts. Index funds that track the S&P 500 must now buy the stock, and the added visibility draws more investors. Shares jumped nearly 8% on the news. This is a lasting boost to who owns and follows the stock.
Index inclusion is a major, durable capital-markets event that directly lifts demand for FERG shares.
Full-year guidance raised after solid quarter Ferguson reported sales up 4.6% to $8.8 billion and raised its full-year sales outlook to mid-single-digit growth. Adjusted EPS rose 5.3% to $3.39. Management now expects more growth than before, which supports a higher stock price because future profits look stronger.
A guidance raise is a direct, fundamental signal of improving business performance that re-rates the stock.
Non-residential strength offsets soft residential US non-residential revenue jumped 8% on market share gains, while residential sales, about half of revenue, rose just 2% as new construction and repairs stayed soft. Canada sales slipped 1.9%. The strong commercial side is carrying growth, but weak housing is a real drag to watch.
This explains the mix behind the sales beat and flags the residential softness that could limit future growth.
Acquisition pipeline and buybacks support growth Ferguson closed five acquisitions in the quarter and agreed to buy FloWorks, a valves and flow-control distributor. Eight deals this year add about $1.4 billion in annual revenue. It also bought back $202 million of stock and pays a $0.89 dividend, returning cash to shareholders.
Acquisitions and buybacks are concrete capital actions that add revenue and support the share price.

Watsco Inc (WSO)

Q3 202618 Jul – 22 Sep 2026

▼3▲1

Watsco's profit squeeze deepens as it buys growth

Q2 earnings miss and margin squeeze Watsco's second-quarter profit fell 12% to $4.00 a share, missing forecasts, as sales rose only 2% and gross margin shrank to 27.5% from 29.3%. The prior year's tariff- and inflation-driven pricing boost faded, so the stock dropped sharply.
The earnings miss and margin decline are the core new negative force on WSO's price this period.
Weak international and soft demand backdrop Sales outside the U.S., including Canada and Latin America, came in below expectations and are under 9% of revenue. Combined with only 2% overall growth, it shows underlying HVAC demand is soft, not just a margin problem.
It explains a real counterweight: weak demand beyond the one-off margin issue, limiting the recovery case.
Granite Group acquisition adds scale Watsco agreed to buy The Granite Group, a plumbing and HVAC distributor with about $500 million in annual sales and 82 Northeast locations. It adds customers and density, funded from $464 million in cash and no debt, supporting long-term growth.
This is the main new positive catalyst, expanding Watsco's footprint and sales base.
Watsco lagged peers in a strong distributor quarter Across 24 industrial distributors, peers beat revenue estimates by 3.7% on average, while Watsco's revenue was 1.9% short with a big earnings miss and a 14.5% stock drop. It shows Watsco underperformed its industry, not just a weak market.
It frames Watsco's miss as company-specific underperformance versus peers, a negative signal for the stock.

August 202618 Jul – 22 Sep 2026

▼3▲1

Watsco's profit squeeze deepens as it buys growth

Q2 earnings miss and margin squeeze Watsco's second-quarter profit fell 12% to $4.00 a share, missing forecasts, as sales rose only 2% and gross margin shrank to 27.5% from 29.3%. The prior year's tariff- and inflation-driven pricing boost faded, so the stock dropped sharply.
The earnings miss and margin decline are the core new negative force on WSO's price this period.
Weak international and soft demand backdrop Sales outside the U.S., including Canada and Latin America, came in below expectations and are under 9% of revenue. Combined with only 2% overall growth, it shows underlying HVAC demand is soft, not just a margin problem.
It explains a real counterweight: weak demand beyond the one-off margin issue, limiting the recovery case.
Granite Group acquisition adds scale Watsco agreed to buy The Granite Group, a plumbing and HVAC distributor with about $500 million in annual sales and 82 Northeast locations. It adds customers and density, funded from $464 million in cash and no debt, supporting long-term growth.
This is the main new positive catalyst, expanding Watsco's footprint and sales base.
Watsco lagged peers in a strong distributor quarter Across 24 industrial distributors, peers beat revenue estimates by 3.7% on average, while Watsco's revenue was 1.9% short with a big earnings miss and a 14.5% stock drop. It shows Watsco underperformed its industry, not just a weak market.
It frames Watsco's miss as company-specific underperformance versus peers, a negative signal for the stock.

Latest18 Jul – 22 Sep 2026

▼3▲1

Watsco's profit squeeze deepens as it buys growth

Q2 earnings miss and margin squeeze Watsco's second-quarter profit fell 12% to $4.00 a share, missing forecasts, as sales rose only 2% and gross margin shrank to 27.5% from 29.3%. The prior year's tariff- and inflation-driven pricing boost faded, so the stock dropped sharply.
The earnings miss and margin decline are the core new negative force on WSO's price this period.
Weak international and soft demand backdrop Sales outside the U.S., including Canada and Latin America, came in below expectations and are under 9% of revenue. Combined with only 2% overall growth, it shows underlying HVAC demand is soft, not just a margin problem.
It explains a real counterweight: weak demand beyond the one-off margin issue, limiting the recovery case.
Granite Group acquisition adds scale Watsco agreed to buy The Granite Group, a plumbing and HVAC distributor with about $500 million in annual sales and 82 Northeast locations. It adds customers and density, funded from $464 million in cash and no debt, supporting long-term growth.
This is the main new positive catalyst, expanding Watsco's footprint and sales base.
Watsco lagged peers in a strong distributor quarter Across 24 industrial distributors, peers beat revenue estimates by 3.7% on average, while Watsco's revenue was 1.9% short with a big earnings miss and a 14.5% stock drop. It shows Watsco underperformed its industry, not just a weak market.
It frames Watsco's miss as company-specific underperformance versus peers, a negative signal for the stock.