Jacobs (J) to Support UK's Power Plant Life Extension Program

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.’s J shares moved up 1.85% on Apr 7. The company won a place on EDF’s Long-Term Operation (LTO) program along with General Electric and Westinghouse Electric Company LLC.

The trio will support the preliminary phase of life extension work performed at the Sizewell B nuclear power station in Suffolk, the U.K. The first phase will help EDF with the scope of work and associated cost benefits before a final investment decision, which is likely to be made in 2024. EDF, the operator of Sizewell B, has estimated the total value of this phase at $14 million.

The LTO program aims to extend the nuclear power station's operating lifespan by 20 years to 2055 and will continue delivering clean and independent energy supplies.

Jacobs’ Energy Security & Technology’s senior vice president, Karen Wiemelt, stated, "Jacobs has worked at the station since initial construction and, along with our partners, we bring intrinsic knowledge and experience of plant life extension to the LTO program, which will help safeguard the future of a vital part of the U.K.'s clean energy infrastructure."

Solid Project Execution to Drive Growth

Jacobs has been witnessing accelerating demand for consulting services for infrastructure, water, environment, space, broadband, cybersecurity and life sciences. Efficient project execution has a primary factor driving Jacobs’ performance over the last few quarters. The company’s solid backlog level is a testimony to this fact.

At first-quarter fiscal 2022-end, it reported a backlog of $28 billion, up 12% year over year. This reflects persistent solid demand for Jacobs' consulting services. CMS backlog rose 11.5% year over year to $10.8 billion at the fiscal first quarter-end, which provided strong visibility into the base business. The company’s overall 18-month qualified new business pipeline of more than $30 billion remains robust. The segment benefits from well-funded government programs, U.S. Department of Defense, mission-IT, space, nuclear and 5G-related projects.

People & Places Solutions or P&PS segment backlog was up 10% year over year at fiscal first quarter-end to $16.93 billion. The P&PS segment’s overall sales pipeline has increased as life sciences and electronics customers have moved forward with the previously-paused projects.

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J’s shares have gained 7.2% in the past six months compared with the Zacks Engineering - R and D Services industry’s 6.1% growth. Jacobs and other industry players are witnessing labor-related medical costs, IT-related investment costs and other investments.

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

Currently, Jacobs carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Fluor Corporation FLR — a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company — is gaining from the "Building a Better Future" initiative. The program focuses on enhancing the markets outside the traditional oil and gas sector, fair and balanced commercial deals, financial discipline and high-performing business culture. It has made significant progress toward strategic goals that comprise reducing outstanding debt by 30% and identified ways for more than $150 million in annual cost savings.

FLR’s earnings estimates have increased to $1.34 per share from $1.12 in the past 60 days. The projected figure indicates 42.6% year-over-year growth.

AECOM ACM — a Zacks Rank #2 company — is a leading solutions provider for supporting professional, technical and management solutions for diverse industries across end markets. ACM has been continuously focusing on delivering industry-leading margins and unlocking capital to promote growth as well as innovation. Also, focusing on higher-margin and lower-risk Professional Services businesses bodes well.

Over the past 60 days, AECOM’s earnings estimates for fiscal 2022 have increased from $3.30 to $3.40, indicating a 20.6% year-over-year rise.

D.R. Horton, Inc. DHI — a Zacks Rank #2 company — is a Texas-based prime homebuilder. The company continues to gain from industry-leading market share, a solid acquisition strategy, a well-stocked supply of land, lots, and homes along with affordable product offerings across multiple brands.

The consensus mark for DHI’s earnings for fiscal 2022 has increased to $15.88 from $15.80 per share over the past 30 days. The projected figure indicates a 39.2% year-over-year rise.

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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.