Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at Badger Meter (NYSE: BMI) and the best and worst performers in the inspection instruments industry.

Measurement and inspection instrument companies may enjoy more steady demand because products such as water meters are non-discretionary and mandated for replacement at predictable intervals. In the last decade, digitization and data collection have driven innovation in the space, leading to incremental sales. But like the broader industrials sector, measurement and inspection instrument companies are at the whim of economic cycles. Interest rates, for example, can greatly impact civil, commercial, and residential construction projects that drive demand.

The 5 inspection instruments stocks we track reported a very strong Q4. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 0.9% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line.

Luckily, inspection instruments stocks have performed well with share prices up 20.6% on average since the latest earnings results.

Weakest Q4: Badger Meter (NYSE: BMI)

The developer of the world’s first frost-proof water meter in 1905, Badger Meter (NYSE: BMI) provides water control and measure equipment to various industries.

Badger Meter reported revenues of $220.7 million, up 7.6% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 4.9%. Overall, it was a slower quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ revenue and EPS estimates.

Badger Meter delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates of the whole group. Unsurprisingly, the stock is down 4.7% since reporting and currently trades at $156.75.

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

Best Q4: Keysight (NYSE: KEYS)

Spun off from Hewlett-Packard in 2014, Keysight (NYSE: KEYS) offers electronic measurement products for use in various sectors.

Keysight reported revenues of $1.6 billion, up 23.3% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 3.9%. The business had a stunning quarter with EPS guidance for next quarter exceeding analysts’ expectations and a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

Keysight scored the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 18.4% since reporting. It currently trades at $290.00.

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

Itron (NASDAQ: ITRI)

Founded by a small group of engineers who wanted to build a more efficient way to read utility meters, Itron (NASDAQ: ITRI) offers energy and water management products for the utility industry, municipalities, and industrial customers.

Itron reported revenues of $571.7 million, down 6.7% year on year, exceeding analysts’ expectations by 1.7%. It may have had the worst quarter among its peers, but its results were still good as it also locked in an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

Itron delivered the slowest revenue growth in the group. Interestingly, the stock is up 2.3% since the results and currently trades at $91.43.

Read our full analysis of Itron’s results here.

Viavi Solutions (NASDAQ: VIAV)

Once known as JDS Uniphase before its 2015 rebranding, Viavi Solutions (NASDAQ: VIAV) provides testing, monitoring and assurance solutions for telecommunications, cloud, enterprise, military, and other critical networks and infrastructure.

Viavi Solutions reported revenues of $369.3 million, up 36.4% year on year. This number surpassed analysts’ expectations by 1.1%. Overall, it was a stunning quarter as it also logged EPS guidance for next quarter exceeding analysts’ expectations and a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

Viavi Solutions delivered the fastest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is up 76.3% since reporting and currently trades at $37.08.

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

Teledyne (NYSE: TDY)

Playing a role in mapping the ocean floor as we know it today, Teledyne (NYSE: TDY) offers digital imaging and instrumentation products for various industries.

Teledyne reported revenues of $1.61 billion, up 7.3% year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 2.5%. It was a very strong quarter as it also put up a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

The stock is up 10.5% since reporting and currently trades at $625.72.

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

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

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