The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who not so much). Let’s take a look at how gas and liquid handling stocks fared in Q1, starting with Helios (NYSE: HLIO).

Gas and liquid handling companies possess the technical know-how and specialized equipment to handle valuable (and sometimes dangerous) substances. Lately, water conservation and carbon capture–which requires hydrogen and other gasses as well as specialized infrastructure–have been trending up, creating new demand for products such as filters, pumps, and valves. On the other hand, gas and liquid handling companies are at the whim of economic cycles. Consumer spending and interest rates, for example, can greatly impact the industrial production that drives demand for these companies’ offerings.

The 12 gas and liquid handling stocks we track reported a strong Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 0.8% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line.

Luckily, gas and liquid handling stocks have performed well with share prices up 15.2% on average since the latest earnings results.

Best Q1: Helios (NYSE: HLIO)

Founded on the principle of treating others as one wants to be treated, Helios (NYSE: HLIO) designs, manufactures, and sells motion and electronic control components for various sectors.

Helios reported revenues of $195.5 million, down 7.8% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 3.8%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ organic revenue estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

“Our first quarter results demonstrated a better-than-expected start to the year and further validates our continued execution of our financial plans to drive operating leverage, improve our cash conversion cycle, reduce debt, and strengthen our earnings power. Thanks to the global Helios team for staying focused on our controllables, our Q1 results exceeded our plan and further strengthened our balance sheet. We achieved a 23% increase in our operating income in the quarter on $16 million in incremental sales over the fourth quarter of last year, which shows the incremental operating leverage from increased volume. Through this volatile macro environment, we are pulling the levers we believe position us well for the long-term. We remain focused on investing in innovation and bringing new products to market. Our 'in the region for the region' manufacturing strategy is paying off as we navigate the tariff landscape and work to maximize what we produce locally. Finally, we have also been examining our product portfolio with a broader look at our assets while streamlining the organization in some areas, and allocating resources where they can be better utilized to grow our go-to-market initiatives this year,” said Sean Bagan, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Helios.

Helios pulled off the biggest analyst estimates beat but had the slowest revenue growth of the whole group. Unsurprisingly, the stock is up 25.4% since reporting and currently trades at $34.

Is now the time to buy Helios? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Flowserve (NYSE: FLS)

Manufacturing the largest pump ever built for nuclear power generation, Flowserve (NYSE: FLS) manufactures and sells flow control equipment for various industries.

Flowserve reported revenues of $1.14 billion, up 5.2% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 3.6%. The business had an exceptional quarter with an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 18% since reporting. It currently trades at $52.97.

Is now the time to buy Flowserve? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Parker-Hannifin (NYSE: PH)

Founded in 1917, Parker Hannifin (NYSE: PH) is a manufacturer of motion and control systems for a wide variety of mobile, industrial and aerospace markets.

Parker-Hannifin reported revenues of $4.96 billion, down 2.2% year on year, in line with analysts’ expectations. It was a slower quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates and a slight miss of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.

Interestingly, the stock is up 17.9% since the results and currently trades at $712.09.

Read our full analysis of Parker-Hannifin’s results here.

Standex (NYSE: SXI)

Holding over 500 patents globally, Standex (NYSE: SXI) is a manufacturer and distributor of industrial components for various sectors.

Standex reported revenues of $207.8 million, up 17.2% year on year. This print surpassed analysts’ expectations by 1.7%. Aside from that, it was a satisfactory quarter as it also logged a narrow beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but a slight miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

Standex scored the fastest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is up 11.4% since reporting and currently trades at $161.62.

Read our full, actionable report on Standex here, it’s free.

SPX Technologies (NYSE: SPXC)

SPX Technologies (NYSE: SPXC) is an industrial conglomerate catering to the energy, manufacturing, automotive, and aerospace sectors.

SPX Technologies reported revenues of $482.6 million, up 3.7% year on year. This number met analysts’ expectations. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter as it also produced a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

SPX Technologies pulled off the highest full-year guidance raise among its peers. The stock is up 27.8% since reporting and currently trades at $174.38.

Read our full, actionable report on SPX Technologies here, it’s free.

Market Update

Thanks to the Fed’s series of rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has cooled significantly from its post-pandemic highs, drawing closer to the 2% goal. This disinflation has occurred without severely impacting economic growth, suggesting the success of a soft landing. The stock market thrived in 2024, spurred by recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November), and a notable surge followed Donald Trump’s presidential election win in November, propelling indices to historic highs. Nonetheless, the outlook for 2025 remains clouded by potential trade policy changes and corporate tax discussions, which could impact business confidence and growth. The path forward holds both optimism and caution as new policies take shape.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 5 Quality Compounder Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

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