With 2012 just beginning, now's a smart time to gauge how the stocks you're interested in are likely to do this year and beyond. By knowing what stock analysts and fellow investors expect from a stock, you'll be smarter about whether you should buy it for your portfolio -- or sell it if you already own it.
Today, let's take a look at Manitowoc
Forecasts on Manitowoc
Median Target Stock Price | $13 |
Fiscal 2011 EPS Estimate | $0.37 |
Fiscal 2012 EPS Estimate | $0.94 |
Expected Annual Earnings Growth, Next 5 Years | 57% |
Forward P/E | 10.4 |
CAPS Rating (out of 5) | **** |
Sources: Yahoo! Finance, Motley Fool CAPS.
What will 2012 look like for Manitowoc?
Analysts and investors alike have high hopes for Manitowoc in 2012. The target price for the stock represents about a gain of more than 40% from current levels, and analysts are looking for a huge boom in earnings for the company this year as well as healthy long-term growth.
To meet those expectations, Manitowoc will need to get some help. In particular, emerging markets have become increasingly important in the construction business. Despite concerns about the sustainability of China's fast growth, Manitowoc and its peers have seen healthy growth in emerging regions. Caterpillar
At the same time, food service will also play an important role. In 2010, McDonald's
Overall, Manitowoc's 2012 looks dependent on the health of emerging markets. If the U.S. economy takes off, though, shareholders could get an unexpected bonus. That makes the shares look pretty attractive after their 2011 slump.
Manitowoc isn't the only company looking to capitalize on emerging markets. Read about the Motley Fool's pick for the top stock for 2012 and its connection to the developing world. The report is free, but it won't be there forever, so check it out today.
Click here to add Manitowoc to My Watchlist, which can find all of our Foolish analysis on it and all your other stocks.