Continuous Improvement Specialist

SilverEdge cooperative. Is IDEX Corporation stock outperforming the S&P 500? Neha Panjwani Barchart 51 minutes ago Northbrook, Illinois-based IDEX Corporation (IEX) offers applied solutions globally. Valued at $16.4 billion by market cap, the company has a diverse portfolio of over 50 businesses, offering products like industrial pumps, lubrication systems, banding and clamping devices, and rescue tools. Companies worth $10 billion or more are generally described as "large-cap stocks," and IEX perfectly fits that description, with its market cap exceeding this mark, underscoring its size, influence, and dominance within the specialty industrial machinery industry. IEX derives its edge from manufacturing high-margin, mission-critical equipment with strong switching costs. Its disciplined 80/20 operating model optimizes profitability, while steady cash flows fund bolt-on acquisitions across resilient end-markets like life sciences and fire safety. Despite its notable strength, IEX slipped 8.7% from its 52-week high of $243.80, achieved on Jul. 29. Over the past three months, IEX stock declined 1.1%, underperforming the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 3.5% gains during the same time frame. In the longer term, shares of IEX rose 25.1% on a YTD basis and climbed 38.2% over the past 52 weeks, outperforming SPX's YTD gains of 13.4% and 16.5% returns over the last year. To confirm the bullish trend, IEX has been trading above its 200-day moving average since early December, 2025. However, the stock is trading below its 50-day moving average since early September. IEX outperformed on robust demand in data center, semiconductor, and space & defense, with HST leading as organic orders jumped 28% overall and 47% in HST, boosting backlog and visibility. Volume leverage, 8020 execution, and a one-time tariff refund tailwind drove margin expansion. Management is raising capex for capacity and remains focused on bolt-on M&A to sustain growth. On Jul. 29, IEX shares closed up more than 2% after reporting its Q2 results. Its adjusted EPS of $2.32 exceeded Wall Street expectations of $2.10. The company's revenue was $920.6 million, surpassing Wall Street forecasts of $902.4 million. The company expects full-year adjusted EPS in the range of $8.70 to $8.85. IEX's rival, Nordson Corporation (NDSN) has taken the lead over the stock, with a 30.7% uptick on a YTD basis and 39.7% gains over the past 52 weeks. Wall Street analysts are reasonably bullish on IEX's prospects. The stock has a consensus "Moderate Buy" rating from the 14 analysts covering it, and the mean price target of $259.14 suggests a potential upside of 16.5% from current price levels. On the date of publication, Neha Panjwani did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.

Nordson's (NDSN) New Vantage XL Addresses Increasing Advanced Semiconductor Packaging Demand Muhammad Ali Khalid

Nordson Test & Inspection to unveil revolutionary SonoFlex acoustic inspection system at SEMICON West 2026. The system incorporates advanced pulser and transducer technologies that enable scanning speeds up to twice as fast as conventional solutions while maintaining high-resolution imaging performance. MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - September 18th 2026 - Nordson Test & Inspection, a global leader in inspection, metrology, and testing solutions, will showcase its comprehensive portfolio of industry-leading optical, X-ray, acoustic inspection, and metrology technologies powered by the Nordson Intelligence(TM) Ecosystem at SEMICON West 2026, October 13-15, in Booth 5844 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. More headlines. Articles. Highlighting the exhibition will be the worldwide debut of the new SonoFlex(TM) Acoustic Microscopy Inspection (AMI) System, an innovative platform designed to redefine acoustic inspection performance for back-end advanced semiconductor manufacturing.Combining breakthrough ThruScan imaging technology with intelligent AI-powered analytics, SonoFlex delivers exceptional image quality, highly accurate defect detection, and significantly increased throughput for small-panel applications. The system incorporates advanced pulser and transducer technologies that enable scanning speeds up to twice as fast as conventional solutions while maintaining high-resolution imaging performance. Its modular architecture simplifies maintenance and serviceability while enabling scalable multi-system configurations capable of increasing throughput by up to eight times. Powered by FlexCore(TM) software and Nordson's N-Intelligence Multi-Gate Image Analysis (MGIA) technology, SonoFlex automatically identifies defects, isolates true void counts, and supports complex device and process analysis. The result is improved product quality, greater manufacturing efficiency, and deeper process insight through advanced acoustic inspection and imaging capabilities. In addition to SonoFlex, Nordson will showcase a broad range of advanced inspection and metrology solutions designed to enhance yield, process control, and productivity across front-end, mid-end, and back-end semiconductor manufacturing operations. Semiconductor Back-End Solutions Demonstrated The SQ7000+(TM) delivers high-speed, high-accuracy inspection and metrology with an ultra-high-resolution Multi-Reflection Suppression (MRS(R) sensor technology, which effectively eliminates reflections from shiny and highly specular surfaces. Combined with an advanced coordinate measurement software suite, and AI-powered capabilities, the platform is ideally suited for advanced packaging and other applications requiring the highest levels of precision and quality assurance. Designed specifically for microelectronics applications, including wire bond inspection, the SQ3000 M2 provides exceptional accuracy and resolution. Leveraging Focus Variation Metrology (FVM) technology and high-resolution telecentric optics, the system delivers industry-leading defect coverage and comprehensive metrology capabilities for increasingly complex semiconductor devices. Nordson will also feature Dynamic Planar CT, the next generation of 3D Planar X-ray technology for Nordson's automated X-ray inspection (AXI) systems. Utilizing a new reconstruction algorithm, Dynamic Planar CT delivers superior image quality, enhanced layer separation, and exceptional defect visibility. The technology provides a larger field of view and up to twice the image acquisition speed of conventional Planar CT solutions, improving throughput while reducing radiation exposure. It is particularly effective for semiconductor applications such as flip-chip and micro-bump inspection. The Quadra(R) 7 Pro establishes a new benchmark for 2D and 3D manual X-ray inspection in semiconductor back-end manufacturing. Equipped with Nordson's industry-leading Onyx(R) detector and Dual Mode Quadra NT4(R) X-ray tube, the system enables seamless switching between brightness and high-resolution imaging modes, providing operators with unmatched flexibility and image clarity across a wide range of inspection applications. Powered by industry-proven C-SAM(R) technology, the Gen7(TM) AMI system provides fast, highly accurate detection of delamination, voids, cracks, and other internal defects. The platform is ideally suited for laboratory analysis, failure investigation, and high-resolution applications requiring the most advanced acoustic microscopy performance. Semiconductor Mid-End Solutions Featured The SpinSAM(TM) AMI system sets a new benchmark in the industry with its high throughput and superior sensitivity, enabling precise defect detection for Wafer-Level and Advanced Packaging applications including bonded wafers, Chip-on-Wafer, stacked wafers, MEMS, and over-molded wafers. Using an innovative spin-scanning method, the system scans up to four 300mm wafers simultaneously, achieving an impressive speed of 41 wafers per hour. This breakthrough scanning capability, combined with superior defect capture and image quality, enhances both productivity and accuracy in semiconductor inspection. The XM8000Pro redefines high-performance 3D X-ray metrology for advanced semiconductor manufacturing. Built specifically to handle demanding advanced Wafer-Level and Panel-Level Packaging, the delivers sub-micron 3D reconstruction with unprecedented imaging fidelity and production-speed throughput. The Bond Test 4800 Integra Plus system is the next generation automated bond test solution designed to meet the dynamic Wafer-Level Packaging environment. Semiconductor Front-End Solutions Demonstrated Nordson will also demonstrate its WaferSense(R) AGS2 and ACS wireless metrology sensors designed for capturing and analyzing real-time data for effective semiconductor tool set-up and maintenance. The ACS "sees" inside equipment to capture dimensional offset data (x,y and z) to quickly center wafer transfer positions. The AGS2 speeds non-contact gap measurements and parallelism adjustments under vacuum, improving uniformity, tool availability and repeatability in a thinner and lighter form-factor. AI Across Semiconductor Landscape As part of its expanding Nordson Intelligence(TM) Ecosystem, Nordson continues to advance the application of machine learning, deep learning, and artificial intelligence across inspection and metrology platforms. Visitors will experience how these intelligent technologies are helping manufacturers accelerate process optimization, improve defect classification, and drive higher production yields. Visit Nordson Test & Inspection in Booth 5844 to experience live demonstrations and discover how Nordson's innovative inspection, metrology, and test solutions are helping semiconductor manufacturers improve yields, optimize processes, and increase productivity across the industry.