About Cabling Installation & Maintenance

Our mission: Bringing practical business and technical intelligence to today's structured cabling professionals

For more than 30 years, Cabling Installation & Maintenance has provided useful, practical information to professionals responsible for the specification, design, installation and management of structured cabling systems serving enterprise, data center and other environments. These professionals are challenged to stay informed of constantly evolving standards, system-design and installation approaches, product and system capabilities, technologies, as well as applications that rely on high-performance structured cabling systems. Our editors synthesize these complex issues into multiple information products. This portfolio of information products provides concrete detail that improves the efficiency of day-to-day operations, and equips cabling professionals with the perspective that enables strategic planning for networks’ optimum long-term performance.

Throughout our annual magazine, weekly email newsletters and 24/7/365 website, Cabling Installation & Maintenance digs into the essential topics our audience focuses on.

  • Design, Installation and Testing: We explain the bottom-up design of cabling systems, from case histories of actual projects to solutions for specific problems or aspects of the design process. We also look at specific installations using a case-history approach to highlight challenging problems, solutions and unique features. Additionally, we examine evolving test-and-measurement technologies and techniques designed to address the standards-governed and practical-use performance requirements of cabling systems.
  • Technology: We evaluate product innovations and technology trends as they impact a particular product class through interviews with manufacturers, installers and users, as well as contributed articles from subject-matter experts.
  • Data Center: Cabling Installation & Maintenance takes an in-depth look at design and installation workmanship issues as well as the unique technology being deployed specifically for data centers.
  • Physical Security: Focusing on the areas in which security and IT—and the infrastructure for both—interlock and overlap, we pay specific attention to Internet Protocol’s influence over the development of security applications.
  • Standards: Tracking the activities of North American and international standards-making organizations, we provide updates on specifications that are in-progress, looking forward to how they will affect cabling-system design and installation. We also produce articles explaining the practical aspects of designing and installing cabling systems in accordance with the specifications of established standards.

Cabling Installation & Maintenance is published by Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

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Q1 Earnings Highs And Lows: Quanex (NYSE:NX) Vs The Rest Of The Home Construction Materials Stocks

NX Cover Image

The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who not so much). Let’s take a look at how home construction materials stocks fared in Q1, starting with Quanex (NYSE: NX).

Traditionally, home construction materials companies have built economic moats with expertise in specialized areas, brand recognition, and strong relationships with contractors. More recently, advances to address labor availability and job site productivity have spurred innovation that is driving incremental demand. However, these companies are at the whim of residential construction volumes, which tend to be cyclical and can be impacted heavily by economic factors such as interest rates. Additionally, the costs of raw materials can be driven by a myriad of worldwide factors and greatly influence the profitability of home construction materials companies.

The 12 home construction materials stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q1. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates.

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

Quanex (NYSE: NX)

Starting in the seamless tube industry, Quanex (NYSE: NX) manufactures building products like window, door, kitchen, and bath cabinet components.

Quanex reported revenues of $452.5 million, up 70% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 3.2%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

George Wilson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “Our results for the second quarter of 2025 came in as expected and reflected normal seasonality in our business. Revenue in March was approximately 6% higher than February and revenue in April was approximately 9% higher than March. It was also encouraging to see volume growth in our European Fenestration segment during the second quarter of 2025. We continue to be pleased with the integration of Tyman, and are now confident we will deliver approximately $45 million in cost synergies over time, compared to our original target of $30 million within the first two years post-acquisition. On a run-rate basis, we see a path to achieving the original $30 million cost synergy target by early fiscal 2026. We also took advantage of our low stock price during the second quarter and spent over $23 million repurchasing our shares.

Quanex Total Revenue

Quanex achieved the fastest revenue growth and highest full-year guidance raise of the whole group. The stock is up 20.2% since reporting and currently trades at $20.56.

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

Best Q1: Simpson (NYSE: SSD)

Aiming to build safer and stronger buildings, Simpson (NYSE: SSD) designs and manufactures structural connectors, anchors, and other construction products.

Simpson reported revenues of $538.9 million, up 1.6% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 2%. The business had an exceptional quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Simpson Total Revenue

The market seems content with the results as the stock is up 2.2% since reporting. It currently trades at $156.83.

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

Weakest Q1: Masco (NYSE: MAS)

Headquartered just outside of Detroit, MI, Masco (NYSE: MAS) designs and manufactures home-building products such as glass shower doors, decorative lighting, bathtubs, and faucets.

Masco reported revenues of $1.80 billion, down 6.5% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 2%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

Interestingly, the stock is up 4.1% since the results and currently trades at $63.83.

Read our full analysis of Masco’s results here.

Builders FirstSource (NYSE: BLDR)

Headquartered in Irving, TX, Builders FirstSource (NYSE: BLDR) is a construction materials manufacturer that offers a variety of lumber and lumber-related building products.

Builders FirstSource reported revenues of $3.66 billion, down 6% year on year. This number was in line with analysts’ expectations. Zooming out, it was a slower quarter as it recorded a miss of analysts’ Windows, doors & millwork revenue estimates and full-year EBITDA guidance missing analysts’ expectations significantly.

Builders FirstSource had the weakest full-year guidance update among its peers. The stock is down 4% since reporting and currently trades at $114.55.

Read our full, actionable report on Builders FirstSource here, it’s free.

Owens Corning (NYSE: OC)

Credited with the discovery of fiberglass, Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) supplies building and construction materials to the United States and international markets.

Owens Corning reported revenues of $2.53 billion, up 25.4% year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 0.7%. More broadly, it was a slower quarter as it logged a significant miss of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.

The stock is down 2.6% since reporting and currently trades at $138.85.

Read our full, actionable report on Owens Corning here, it’s free.

Market Update

In response to the Fed’s rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been gradually trending down from its post-pandemic peak, trending closer to the Fed’s 2% target. Despite higher borrowing costs, the economy has avoided flashing recessionary signals. This is the much-desired soft landing that many investors hoped for. The recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November 2024) have bolstered the stock market, making 2024 a strong year for equities. Donald Trump’s presidential win in November sparked additional market gains, sending indices to record highs in the days following his victory. However, debates continue over possible tariffs and corporate tax adjustments, raising questions about economic stability in 2025.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our 9 Best Market-Beating Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

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