What happened?
Shares of Adient PLC (ADNT 0.56%), a global leader in automotive seating operating roughly 238 manufacturing and assembly plants in 34 countries, are up more than 10% Monday afternoon, following a broader auto-parts stocks rally and analyst upgrade.
So what
Part of the driving force behind the auto-parts rally was likely SORL Auto (SORL), which posted fourth-quarter revenue of $123.2 million, a significant $18.35 million higher than analysts' estimates. Although its bottom line slightly missed estimates, its top-line growth, increased gross margin, and expanding customer base were enough to help spark a rally amid an up day for the broader markets.
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Another driving force behind Adient's gain Monday was an upgrade from Robert W. Baird, moving Adient from underperform to neutral with a price target of $13.22. This still suggests potential downside from the stock's Monday trading range of $13.46 per share to $14.57 per share (as of 3:25 p.m. EDT), despite being an "upgrade."
Now what
It's been a rough run for shareholders since Adient was spun off from Johnson Controls in late 2016. But the company has a strong position in the global seating market, with nearly 40% market share in North America and Europe, and a strong 45% share in China. There's plenty of doom and gloom going around the automotive industry at the moment, and that's weighed on the stock, but it trades at a paltry 4.4 times the consensus estimate for forward earnings. The company will likely remain important: Global automakers need suppliers that can deliver consistently on short notice to match demand.
