Sherwin-Williams: Share Gains Are Encouraging, But I Am Worried About H2 Margin

Jay Capital 1.53K Followers Follow Summary Sherwin-Williams maintains positive volume and share gains despite weak housing demand, supporting my hold rating. SHW's Q2 results showed 7.5% net sales growth and 9.5% adj. EPS growth, but margin risks persist due to raw material cost pressures. September's 8% price increase may not be fully realized in H2, creating timing risks for margin expansion and consensus earnings estimates. I need to see Paint Stores volume resilience and gross margin stability before upgrading SHW, as downside risk remains if pricing or volume falters. MoMo Productions/DigitalVision via Getty Images Summary Following my previous coverage on Sherwin-Williams Company ( SHW ), where I downgraded the stock because weak housing demand made the volume outlook uncertain and modest earnings growth did not justify the premium valuation, I This article was written by Jay Capital 1.53K Followers Follow I take a fundamentals-based approach to value investing.I disagree with the common misconception held by many investors that low multiple stocks must be cheap. I look for companies that offer the best long-term durability at the most affordable prices. Consequently, I have a propensity to be drawn to companies with steady long-term growth, no cyclicality, and a robust balance sheet.Nevertheless, investing in successful company is risky because one may end up paying too much (this is where valuation matters). I firmly believe this, yet there are situations where the development runway is so vast that price matters much less in the immediate future. Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.