Baird downgrades industrial and building distributors as cyclical risks rise. As previously reported, Baird analyst David Manthey downgraded several industrial supply distributors and building products distributors based on elevated later-cycle risks. The analyst thinks the cycle and individual company results could remain solid for quarters or years to come, but he believes the cycle is in its later stages, thereby elevating risks to gross margins, rising labor costs, and earnings deceleration in 2019. Manthey downgraded Watsco (WSO), SiteOne Landscape (SITE), Pool (POOL), Fastenal (FAST), BMC Stock Holdings (BMCH), Grainger (GWW) and GMS (GMS), all to Neutral from Outperform. He lowered his price target on Grainger to $318 from $327 and also lowered his price target on Beacon Roofing (BECN) to $59 from $68. However, Manthey said Beacon, on which he kept an Outperform rating, remains a Fresh Pick and his top tactical idea.
