Key Takeaways
- Strategic diversification and record backlog across energy, communication, and power infrastructure segments are providing MasTec with strong earnings visibility and potential for sustained outsized growth.
- Operational improvements, large-scale project execution, and expanding long-term contracts are positioning the company for higher margins and structurally stronger free cash flow.
- Dependence on cyclical fossil fuel projects, margin pressures, integration risks, technological disruption, and stricter ESG regulations threaten revenue consistency and long-term profitability.
Catalysts
About MasTec- An infrastructure construction company, provides engineering, building, installation, maintenance, and upgrade services for communications, energy, utility, and other infrastructure primarily in the United States and Canada.
- Robust, multi-year demand for energy infrastructure construction is being driven by the acceleration of renewable energy adoption, broad decarbonization mandates, and increasing cost competitiveness of renewables. MasTec is experiencing record backlog and rapidly rising bookings in its Clean Energy and Power Delivery segments, with double-digit revenue and margin growth projected. This wave of energy transition investment is set to materially increase both revenue and EBITDA through the rest of the decade.
- Massive investments in digital connectivity—including fiber optic build-outs, 5G wireless networks, and data center construction—are fueling secular growth in MasTec's Communication segment. The company is securing new long-term contracts with major carriers and hyperscalers, resulting in significant backlog growth and a strong multi-year pipeline for both wireline and wireless projects, which should accelerate revenue and expand margins beginning in 2025 and especially in 2026.
- The unprecedented scale and complexity of grid modernization efforts and the expansion of electrical transmission infrastructure are driving strong, sustained demand in MasTec’s Power Delivery business. The company's ability to execute large-scale, technically complex projects—such as the Greenlink transmission line—positions it to win and efficiently deliver additional mega-projects, expanding both market share and operating margins as projects ramp in coming years.
- Operational leverage from ongoing project selection discipline, workforce development, and integration of recent acquisitions is already leading to rapid non-pipeline segment EBITDA margin expansion. Management sees meaningful further opportunity to improve profitability, targeting a path to $15 billion in revenues with double-digit consolidated margins—a setup for structurally higher earnings and free cash flow.
- MasTec’s strategic focus on end-market diversification and customer mix is reducing revenue cyclicality and providing greater earnings visibility. With record backlog, significant new contract wins, and robust project activity expected across renewables, communications, and power infrastructure, there is a clear catalyst for outsized growth in revenue, EBITDA, and earnings per share over the next several years as long-term industry and company trends converge.
MasTec Future Earnings and Revenue Growth
Assumptions
How have these above catalysts been quantified?- This narrative explores a more optimistic perspective on MasTec compared to the consensus, based on a Fair Value that aligns with the bullish cohort of analysts.
- The bullish analysts are assuming MasTec's revenue will grow by 9.1% annually over the next 3 years.
- The bullish analysts assume that profit margins will increase from 1.3% today to 3.8% in 3 years time.
- The bullish analysts expect earnings to reach $606.0 million (and earnings per share of $7.65) by about April 2028, up from $162.8 million today. The analysts are largely in agreement about this estimate.
- In order for the above numbers to justify the price target of the more bullish analyst cohort, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 32.2x on those 2028 earnings, down from 54.7x today. This future PE is greater than the current PE for the US Construction industry at 21.3x.
- Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to grow by 0.34% per year for the next 3 years.
- To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 7.75%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.
MasTec Future Earnings Per Share Growth
Risks
What could happen that would invalidate this narrative?- MasTec’s significant reliance on cyclical oil and gas pipeline construction remains a long-term risk, as the segment is projected to contract in 2025 with base revenues forecast to fall due to large project completions and the ongoing broader structural decline in fossil fuel infrastructure, which threatens to reduce total company revenues and impair the utilization of current assets.
- Ongoing margin pressure from increased project complexity, weather-related project delays, and historically lumpy backlog growth could continue, especially as project sizes increase in Clean Energy, Power Delivery, and pipeline projects, potentially leading to further cost overruns and lower consistency in net earnings over time.
- The company’s aggressive organic and acquisitive growth ambitions heighten execution and integration risks—if anticipated synergies from acquisitions or organic investments fail to materialize, or if M&A multiples become stretched, this could put additional downward pressure on net margins and return on invested capital.
- Long-term adoption of automation, AI, and digitization in infrastructure construction may accelerate, with new technology-driven competitors and disruptive building methods such as modular construction or 3D printing undercutting MasTec on price and efficiency, thereby reducing market share and pressuring both revenues and profitability.
- Heightened ESG regulations and regulatory scrutiny over carbon emissions and resource use, especially with continued involvement in fossil fuel-centric projects, may result in rising compliance and operational costs, ultimately impacting net margins and limiting long-term earnings growth.
Valuation
How have all the factors above been brought together to estimate a fair value?- The assumed bullish price target for MasTec is $200.0, which is the highest price target estimate amongst analysts. This valuation is based on what can be assumed as the expectations of MasTec's future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors from analysts on the bullish end of the spectrum.
- However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of $200.0, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just $122.0.
- In order for you to agree with the bullish analysts, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be $16.0 billion, earnings will come to $606.0 million, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 32.2x, assuming you use a discount rate of 7.7%.
- Given the current share price of $114.25, the bullish analyst price target of $200.0 is 42.9% higher.
- We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.
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Disclaimer
AnalystHighTarget is an employee of Simply Wall St, but has written this narrative in their capacity as an individual investor. AnalystHighTarget holds no position in NYSE:MTZ. Simply Wall St has no position in the company(s) mentioned. Simply Wall St may provide the securities issuer or related entities with website advertising services for a fee, on an arm's length basis. These relationships have no impact on the way we conduct our business, the content we host, or how our content is served to users. This narrative is general in nature and explores scenarios and estimates created by the author. The narrative does not reflect the opinions of Simply Wall St, and the views expressed are the opinion of the author alone, acting on their own behalf. These scenarios are not indicative of the company's future performance and are exploratory in the ideas they cover. The fair value estimate's are estimations only, and does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and they do not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Note that the author's analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.