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Ceco Environmental (CECO)
NASDAQ:CECO

Ceco Environmental (CECO) AI Stock Analysis

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CECO

Ceco Environmental

(NASDAQ:CECO)

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Neutral 67 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:67Neutral
Price Target:
$70.00
▲(10.55% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:02/26/26
The score is driven by stronger profitability and a much improved balance sheet, supported by a very upbeat earnings call with raised guidance and record backlog. Offsetting these positives are weak TTM cash conversion, soft near-term technical momentum (below key short-term averages), and a high P/E that makes the stock less forgiving if execution or integration falters.
Positive Factors
Balance-sheet de-risking
A sharp reduction in debt and a stronger equity base materially improves financial flexibility and lowers interest burden. This durable de‑levering supports capital allocation for organic investment, bolt‑on M&A, and gives the company more resilience through industry cycles, improving long‑term solvency metrics.
Sustained revenue and margin expansion
Meaningful revenue scale-up with sizable margin expansion indicates improving operating leverage and pricing/engineering discipline. These structural improvements increase durable cash‑earning capacity and better support reinvestment, debt service and potential shareholder returns if maintained across cycles.
High backlog and large pipeline
A near‑term revenue backlog and multi‑billion pipeline provide visibility into sales conversion for multiple quarters. This lasting top‑line coverage underpins the upgraded guidance and supports sustained growth expectations tied to regulatory and energy‑transition investment demand rather than transient market swings.
Negative Factors
Weak cash conversion
Negative free cash flow and a steep drop in operating cash flow signal working‑capital timing or project‑billing gaps that can persist across quarters. This erodes financial flexibility, may force reliance on credit for growth or integration, and increases sensitivity to execution risks despite reported profitability.
Acquisition integration and leverage risk
The Thermon merger materially increases scale but raises pro‑forma leverage and requires months of integration. Unproven synergies and execution complexity can strain management bandwidth, absorb cash, and compress margins if cross‑sell or cost plans underdeliver, creating a multi‑month to multi‑year execution risk.
Added cyclicality from Thermon mix
Bringing Thermon into the group increases exposure to energy‑sector cycles, potentially amplifying revenue volatility across commodity cycles. Even with diversification benefits, legacy cyclicality can reduce predictability of orders and aftermarket cadence, challenging stable long‑term planning and cash flow visibility.

Ceco Environmental (CECO) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Ceco Environmental Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionCECO Environmental Corp. provides industrial air quality and fluid handling systems worldwide. It operates in two segments: Engineered Systems Segment and Industrial Process Solutions Segment. The company engineers, designs, builds, and installs systems that capture, clean, and destroy air- and water-borne emissions from industrial facilities as well as fluid handling, gas separation, and filtration systems. It offers dampers and diverters, selective catalytic reduction and selective non-catalytic reduction systems, cyclonic technology, thermal oxidizers, filtration systems, scrubbers, and water and fluid handling equipment, as well as plant engineering services and engineered design build fabrication. The company markets its products and services to natural gas processors, transmission and distribution companies, refineries, power generators, industrial manufacturing, engineering and construction companies, semiconductor manufacturers, compressor manufacturers, beverage can manufacturers, metals and minerals, and electric vehicle producer companies. CECO Environmental Corp. was incorporated in 1966 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
How the Company Makes MoneyCeco Environmental generates revenue through multiple channels, primarily by selling its core products, which include air pollution control systems, water treatment solutions, and waste management technologies. The company also earns income from installation services, maintenance agreements, and ongoing support for its systems. Key revenue streams include project-based contracts with industrial clients, long-term service agreements, and sales of replacement parts. Additionally, CECO has established strategic partnerships with other technology providers and engineering firms, enhancing its service offerings and expanding its market reach, which contributes to its overall earnings.

Ceco Environmental Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Feb 24, 2026
(Q4-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 05, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call presented a strong set of operational and financial achievements for CECO: record backlog, record revenues and bookings, significant adjusted EBITDA expansion, improved cash generation, a large and converting pipeline, and an accretive transformational merger with Thermon that materially enlarges scale and product mix. The primary negatives were manageable: earlier-year cash burn and one-time costs, a divestiture-related revenue headwind, pro forma leverage from the acquisition, transaction/integration execution risk, and unmodeled commercial synergies. Overall, the positive operational momentum, upgraded standalone guidance, substantial pipeline, and clear synergy roadmap for the merger outweigh the execution and leverage risks.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Record Backlog and Orders
Record backlog of $793M (approaching $800M), up ~47% year-over-year and 10% sequentially; Q4 orders $329M, up ~50% YoY; full-year bookings $1.064B, up ~60% YoY; book-to-bill ~1.5x in Q4 and ~1.4x for the full year.
Strong Revenue Growth and Record Revenue
Q4 revenue of $215M and full-year revenue of $774M (both company records); full-year revenue up ~39% YoY with ~25% of that growth organic; management also reported Q4 revenue growth around 35%.
Adjusted EBITDA Expansion and Margin Improvement
Q4 adjusted EBITDA $29.8M, up ~57% YoY with margin of 13.9% (improvement of ~180 basis points YoY); full-year adjusted EBITDA exceeded $90M, up ~44% YoY with ~40 basis points of margin expansion.
Robust Sales Pipeline and Early 2026 Momentum
Sales pipeline exceeds $6.5B; quarter-to-date (through Feb 24) bookings >$270M; already secured two large natural gas power orders exceeding ~$175M aggregate in early Q1 2026; management expects another record quarter start to 2026.
Upgraded 2026 Guidance (Standalone CECO)
Raised 2026 revenue guidance to $925M–$975M (previously $850M–$950M) and 2026 adjusted EBITDA outlook to $115M–$135M; management cites high visibility from record backlog and pipeline (implied revenue growth ~23% at midpoint and adjusted EBITDA growth ~38% at midpoint).
Cash Flow, Leverage and Liquidity Improvements
Full-year cash flow positive ~ $10M, up ~30% YoY; H2 2025 cash generation ~ $30M vs H1 consumption ~ $20M (tale of two halves); H2 cash conversion ~52%; year-end leverage ~2.2x and liquidity ~$124M; expecting incremental interest savings from covenant/loan improvements (~25–50 bps step downs, ~ $1.1M annualized benefit if gross debt stable).
Largest Ever Project Win
Booked largest-ever project ~ $135M for a large-scale natural gas power generation facility in Texas during the quarter.
Strategic Combination with Thermon
Announced transformational stock-and-cash merger with Thermon (total consideration ~ $2.2B); pro forma combined company revenues ~ $1.5B and adjusted EBITDA ~ $295M assuming ~$40M run-rate synergies (margins in the low-20s); Thermon brings ~ $520M revenue, ~85% short-cycle sales, ~45% gross margin and ~23% adjusted EBITDA margin; pro forma ownership ~ CECO 62.5% / Thermon 37.5%.
Negative Updates
Transaction and Integration Risks / Leverage
Deal funded in part by existing credit facilities with pro forma net leverage ~2.5x; transaction valuation implied ~17x adjusted EBITDA (or ~13x including synergies) and will require months of pre-integration work; commercial synergies were not assumed in the base model and integration execution poses risk.
Earlier 2025 Cash Burn and One-Time Costs
First half of 2025 consumed approximately $20M of cash (offset by H2 generation); company incurred ~$800K of costs tied to legal entity reductions and ERP migration-related activities.
Revenue Headwind from Divestiture
Full-year growth overcame an estimated ~$25M revenue headwind related to the sale of the global pump solutions business in late Q1 2025, which reduced near-term comparables and contributed to variability.
Exposure to Economic Uncertainty and Seasonality
Management noted the need to manage price and cost amid an uncertain economic backdrop; company historically shows seasonality with Q1 typically weaker and greater weighting to the second half of the year (management indicated ~55%+ expected in H2).
Thermon Historical Market Cyclicality
Thermon historically had higher exposure to oil & gas (cyclical end market) though management says Thermon has diversified; legacy cyclicality remains a risk if energy market dynamics shift.
Unrealized Commercial Synergies
Identified synergies (~$40M run-rate by year 3) are primarily cost and operational; commercial cross-sell synergies are opportunities but have not been included in the financial model and therefore remain unproven at this stage.
Company Guidance
CECO raised 2026 guidance to revenue of $925–$975 million (up from $850–$950M) and adjusted EBITDA of $115–$135 million, which implies ~23% revenue growth and ~38% adjusted-EBITDA growth at the midpoints; management pointed to a record backlog of ~$793 million (≈+47% YoY, +10% seq.), Q4 orders of $329 million (+50% YoY) and full‑year bookings of $1.064 billion (+60% YoY) with a Q4 book‑to‑bill of ~1.5x, a >$6.5 billion pipeline (quarter‑to‑date >$270M booked and two Q1 power orders >$175M), plus 2025 results of $774M revenue and >$90M adj. EBITDA (Q4 adj. EBITDA $29.8M, 13.9% margin, +57% YoY, +180 bps) and annual cash flow of ~+$10M (H1 ≈‑$20M, H2 ≈+$30M; H2 cash conversion 52%), along with net leverage of ~2.2x, liquidity of ~$124M and expected interest rate step‑downs (~50 bps total; ~$1.1M annualized savings) as the key metrics supporting the raised outlook.

Ceco Environmental Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Income statement and balance sheet are strong (material margin expansion and sharply reduced debt), but TTM cash generation is a clear weakness with operating cash flow down and free cash flow negative, raising near-term cash-conversion risk.
Income Statement
82
Very Positive
Profitability and growth have improved materially. Revenue accelerated strongly in recent years, reaching $774.4M in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) (+7.8%), versus ~$316.0M in 2020, and margins expanded meaningfully: net margin rose to ~7.2% in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) from ~2.3% in 2023 and ~0.4% in 2021. Operating profitability also strengthened, with EBIT margin up to ~13.5% in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) versus ~5.5% in 2024. The main weakness is historical volatility—earlier years showed thinner profitability—and the recent margin step-up should be monitored for durability.
Balance Sheet
90
Very Positive
The balance sheet shows a sharp de-risking and stronger returns. Total debt dropped dramatically to $24.8M in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) from $249.9M in 2024, pushing debt relative to equity down to ~0.08 from ~1.01. Equity is solid at $317.5M on $893.8M of assets, and return on equity improved to ~18.2% in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) (up from ~5.2% in 2024). A key watch item is the large year-over-year change in leverage, which raises questions about one-time actions (e.g., refinancing, asset sale, or capital actions) even though the end state is clearly stronger.
Cash Flow
42
Neutral
Cash generation weakened sharply in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months). Operating cash flow fell to $5.9M and free cash flow turned negative (-$2.8M), a notable reversal from positive free cash flow in 2022–2024 (including $36.3M in 2023). Cash flow also lagged reported profitability in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months), with free cash flow negative relative to net income, suggesting working-capital or investment outflows are pressuring near-term cash conversion. The positive is that the company has demonstrated the ability to generate solid cash flow in prior years, but the current trajectory is a clear weakness.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue774.38M557.93M544.85M422.63M324.14M
Gross Profit253.06M196.15M171.02M128.22M100.92M
EBITDA76.59M45.23M47.45M38.33M21.89M
Net Income50.05M12.96M12.91M17.42M1.43M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets893.77M759.70M600.29M504.72M416.20M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments33.14M37.83M54.78M45.52M29.90M
Total Debt24.84M249.92M155.48M123.53M75.56M
Total Liabilities570.59M507.81M362.80M286.57M210.24M
Stockholders Equity317.53M247.69M232.64M213.22M204.55M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-5.48M7.46M36.26M26.27M10.68M
Operating Cash Flow5.86M24.83M44.65M29.65M13.30M
Investing Cash Flow-1.08M-105.31M-56.49M-48.26M-2.08M
Financing Cash Flow-11.56M65.91M21.14M38.18M-15.56M

Ceco Environmental Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Neutral
Last Price63.32
Price Trends
50DMA
66.71
Negative
100DMA
59.33
Positive
200DMA
48.44
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.50
Positive
RSI
39.67
Neutral
STOCH
15.72
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CECO, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 63.32 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 72.18, below the 50-day MA of 66.71, and above the 200-day MA of 48.44, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.50 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 39.67 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 15.72 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for CECO.

Ceco Environmental Risk Analysis

Ceco Environmental disclosed 41 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Ceco Environmental reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Ceco Environmental Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (63)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
71
Outperform
$851.26M47.379.41%0.10%1.50%
67
Neutral
$2.14B47.5817.71%29.86%331.33%
63
Neutral
$10.79B15.437.44%2.01%2.89%-14.66%
54
Neutral
$41.33M-14.49-7.10%-5.66%-397.46%
48
Neutral
$31.50M-4.95-53.13%-49.70%-2.72%
48
Neutral
$44.85M-2.27-232.63%
48
Neutral
$1.54B-6.16-147.56%12.57%
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
CECO
Ceco Environmental
63.32
38.44
154.50%
ERII
Energy Recovery
10.43
-4.53
-30.28%
FTEK
Fuel Tech
1.40
0.41
41.41%
CLIR
ClearSign Combustion
0.56
-0.20
-25.99%
SCWO
374Water
2.74
-0.69
-20.12%
PCT
PureCycle Technologies
8.12
-2.18
-21.17%

Ceco Environmental Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board ChangesM&A Transactions
Ceco Environmental to Acquire Thermon in Strategic Merger
Positive
Feb 24, 2026

On February 23, 2026, CECO Environmental signed a definitive agreement to acquire Thermon Group Holdings in a cash-and-stock deal valuing Thermon at about $2.2 billion, creating a combined industrial platform focused on environmental and thermal solutions. The transaction, unanimously approved by both boards and expected to close in mid-2026, will see Thermon shareholders receive a mix of cash and CECO stock at a premium, with Thermon investors owning roughly 37.5% of the enlarged group.

The combination is designed to extend CECO’s reach into industrial process heating, heat tracing and thermal management, broadening its portfolio in mission-critical applications tied to energy transition, decarbonization and infrastructure spending. CECO expects about $40 million of annual cost synergies within 36 months, a more diversified revenue mix with greater aftermarket exposure, and an enhanced growth and financial profile, while governance will be reshaped to add two Thermon directors to CECO’s expanded board.

The most recent analyst rating on (CECO) stock is a Buy with a $73.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Ceco Environmental stock, see the CECO Stock Forecast page.

Regulatory Filings and Compliance
Ceco Environmental Reports New Direct Financial Obligation Filing
Neutral
Feb 4, 2026

The filing from Ceco Environmental contains only a procedural reference indicating that information previously disclosed in another section is being incorporated by reference, without providing any new details about the company, its operations, or specific events. As a result, no substantive information about transactions, strategic initiatives, financial performance, or impacts on stakeholders can be derived from this release alone.

The most recent analyst rating on (CECO) stock is a Buy with a $74.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Ceco Environmental stock, see the CECO Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Feb 26, 2026