John Bean’s first quarter saw strong revenue growth and solid demand across its core end markets, but the market responded cautiously. Management pointed to robust orders in the poultry segment and healthy performance in meat, beverage, and pet food, with CEO Brian Deck emphasizing that "strength in recurring revenue and operational execution on equipment" were central to the quarter’s results. Management also highlighted the benefits of combining John Bean with Marel, which improved product offerings and expanded service capabilities. Still, external factors such as U.S. tariff policy and macroeconomic uncertainty contributed to a guarded view among investors.

Is now the time to buy JBTM? Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention.

Our Top 5 Analyst Questions John Bean’s Q1 Earnings Call

• Mirc Dobre (R.W. Baird) asked about the decision to suspend full-year guidance and whether customer behaviors had changed. CEO Brian Deck replied there was no significant shift in customer activity, but visibility remains limited due to tariff uncertainty.
• Ross Sparenblek (William Blair) inquired about the lower-than-expected backlog figure and potential cancellations. CFO Matthew Meister explained the difference was mainly due to FX and aligning backlog reporting between John Bean and Marel, with no notable cancellations.
• Sparenblek (William Blair) also questioned the sources of margin strength in the Marel segment. President Arni Sigurdsson cited restructuring actions, early cost synergies, and a favorable mix, particularly in pet food.
• Justin Ages (CJS Securities) sought an update on the fish and whitefish segment. Sigurdsson acknowledged ongoing challenges in whitefish due to quota reductions but highlighted improving conditions in salmon, which could drive future growth.
• Dobre (R.W. Baird) further probed the company’s ability to mitigate tariff costs in 2025 and beyond. Deck detailed the mitigation strategies and expressed confidence that most tariff impacts could be offset over time, especially with supply chain flexibility.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

In upcoming quarters, the StockStory team will be monitoring (1) progress on tariff cost mitigation and supply chain adjustments, (2) the pace and success of synergy capture from the Marel integration, and (3) shifts in customer demand and order flow—particularly in poultry and other protein segments. Developments in trade policy and clarity on reciprocal tariffs will also be important indicators for John Bean’s outlook.

John Bean currently trades at $119.71, up from $107.13 just before the earnings. Is there an opportunity in the stock?Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

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 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).

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-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.