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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.
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  • 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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5 Must-Read Analyst Questions From Astec’s Q2 Earnings Call

By: StockStory

ASTE Cover Image

Astec’s second quarter results were met with a positive market reaction, as investors focused on the company’s margin expansion and profitability improvements despite a decline in sales. Management attributed the better-than-expected non-GAAP profitability to successful cost management, pricing actions, and operational excellence initiatives, especially in the Material Solutions segment. CEO Jaco van der Merwe highlighted that the company’s OneASTEC procurement team played a significant role by mitigating the effects of tariffs and inflation, driving a notable increase in adjusted EBITDA margin. The quarter also benefited from disciplined working capital management, which supported free cash flow.

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

Astec (ASTE) Q2 CY2025 Highlights:

  • Revenue: $330.3 million vs analyst estimates of $354.2 million (4.4% year-on-year decline, 6.7% miss)
  • Adjusted EPS: $0.88 vs analyst estimates of $0.56 (58.6% beat)
  • Adjusted EBITDA: $33.7 million vs analyst estimates of $25 million (10.2% margin, 34.8% beat)
  • Operating Margin: 7.9%, up from 6.2% in the same quarter last year
  • Backlog: $380.8 million at quarter end, down 28.3% year on year
  • Market Capitalization: $1.01 billion

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 From Astec’s Q2 Earnings Call

  • Stephen Michael Ferazani (Sidoti): asked about the drivers behind margin improvement and how much came from pricing versus product mix. CEO Jaco van der Merwe credited the procurement team and operational excellence initiatives for most of the margin gains, noting proactive pricing helped offset tariff impacts.
  • Stephen Michael Ferazani (Sidoti): inquired about the effects of tariffs on earnings per share in the quarter. Van der Merwe stated that mitigation efforts were largely successful, so no significant EPS drag from tariffs was reported.
  • Stephen Michael Ferazani (Sidoti): requested clarity on diverging trends between asphalt and concrete plant demand versus mobile paving equipment. Van der Merwe explained higher dealer inventories and interest rates were constraining mobile paving, whereas asphalt plants followed more direct sales patterns.
  • Stephen Michael Ferazani (Sidoti): questioned whether backlog declines indicated weakening infrastructure funding. Van der Merwe responded that shorter lead times and normal historical order cycles explained the backlog change, not a deterioration in demand.
  • Stephen Michael Ferazani (Sidoti): asked about the sustainability of strong free cash flow and working capital management. CFO Brian Harris noted improvements in receivables and inventory management, expressing optimism for continued positive free cash flow trends.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

In the coming quarters, our team will closely track (1) execution of TerraSource integration and realization of targeted synergies, (2) the trend in aftermarket parts revenue as a key driver of recurring profitability, and (3) the pace and impact of federal and state infrastructure funding on core equipment order flow. Additionally, we will monitor how Astec manages input cost pressures and navigates ongoing external headwinds, such as tariffs and interest rates.

Astec currently trades at $43.89, up from $40.38 just before the earnings. In the wake of this quarter, is it a buy or sell? The answer lies in our full research report (it’s free).

Our Favorite Stocks Right Now

Donald Trump’s April 2025 "Liberation Day" tariffs sent markets into a tailspin, but stocks have since rebounded strongly, proving that knee-jerk reactions often create the best buying opportunities.

The smart money is already positioning for the next leg up. Don’t miss out on the recovery - check out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. 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-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.

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