Key Points

• Adjusted EPS surged 28% to $0.86, topping the $0.79 analyst estimate (non-GAAP) and exceeding expectations by 8.9% on a non-GAAP basis.

• Revenue (GAAP) climbed 30% to $963 million, beating consensus by 6.0% (GAAP revenue) and reflecting both organic and acquisition-driven growth.

• Operating margins and free cash flow declined from the prior year, primarily due to acquisition mix and tariff costs.

• These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires ›

nVent Electric Plc (NYSE:NVT), a global provider of electrical connection and protection solutions for infrastructure and industrial markets, published its second quarter 2025 earnings on August 1, 2025. The headline news was a significant beat on both adjusted earnings per share (EPS) (non-GAAP) and revenue (GAAP). Adjusted EPS reached $0.86, up 28% (non-GAAP), outperforming the $0.79 consensus forecast for adjusted EPS (non-GAAP). Reported revenue grew to $963 million (GAAP), outpacing the $908.38 million GAAP estimate and up 30% year-over-year. Most of this growth was driven by large acquisitions in power utilities and data centers, as well as robust product launches. Despite this, both reported and adjusted operating margins (return on sales) and free cash flow (non-GAAP) declined year-over-year. Overall, the quarter demonstrated nVent’s ability to deliver on its growth strategy, but also surfaced challenges in margin management and cash flow.

Source: Analyst estimates provided by FactSet. Management expectations based on management's guidance, as provided in Q1 2025 earnings report.

About nVent Electric Plc and Its Strategy

nVent Electric Plc designs and manufactures products that connect and protect electrical systems. Its portfolio includes enclosures, electrical connections, and engineered solutions that serve industries such as data centers, utilities, renewables, and industrial automation. The business supports the growing need for safe and reliable power across global infrastructure.

The company’s current strategy focuses on acquiring businesses that expand its reach in the rapidly growing sectors of electrical infrastructure, data centers, and renewable energy. nVent has made several large acquisitions, including ECM Industries and Trachte, to bolster these offerings. Key to success are continued innovation, reliable supply chain channels, and operational efficiency using lean principles. A strong culture of employee engagement also supports its long-term strategic aims.

Quarter Highlights: Financial and Operational Drivers

The second quarter featured standout headline growth, with reported revenue up 30%. Organic sales growth, which strips out the effects of acquired businesses and currency, was 9%. Acquisitions contributed 20.7 percentage points to the reported growth, while currency effects were negligible. This growth strategy has intentionally shifted nVent’s business mix toward longer-cycle, high-growth infrastructure domains. As a result, power utilities and data centers now make up an estimated 40% of overall company sales.

Earnings (non-GAAP) also exceeded expectations. Adjusted EPS climbed to $0.86, an 8.9% beat over consensus and a 28% year-over-year increase. Adjusted operating income also rose by 18%. These gains were supported by strong performances in newly acquired product families like control buildings, bus systems, and switchgear. These are essential systems for managing power distribution and supporting growth in sectors like data centers, power utilities, and renewables. Across product lines, the business launched 35 new offerings in Q1, aiding both organic growth and the company’s push into sustainable, electrification-focused markets.

While sales momentum was clear, profitability faced pressure. Both operating margin (GAAP) and adjusted return on sales (non-GAAP) dropped from a year earlier -- the adjusted return on sales margin (non-GAAP) fell to 20.8% from 22.9%. This reduction was attributed to margin dilution from acquisitions, additional costs from tariffs, and investments to support second-half growth. The impact was seen across both major segments. Systems Protection’s adjusted return on sales reached 21.7%, down 1.8 percentage points, while Electrical Connections adjusted return on sales fell to 28.7%, down 2.2 percentage points year-over-year.

Free cash flow (non-GAAP) was $74 million, declining from $100.6 million in Q2 2024. However, the company continued balanced capital allocation, including $253.1 million in share repurchases year-to-date as of Q1 and a dividend of $0.20 per share, which was a 5% increase from the prior year.

Business and Product Developments

Strategic acquisitions remained central to nVent’s expansion this quarter. The integration of Trachte -- a provider of control building systems -- and Avail EPG enhanced nVent’s capabilities in high-growth sectors like utilities and data centers. According to management, both acquisitions performed better than expected and contributed to growth synergies. A direct quote from leadership noted: “The Trachte and Electrical Products Group acquisitions performed better than expected, further strengthening our position in the high growth infrastructure vertical, including power utilities, data centers and renewables.”

Product innovation was another highlight. The company introduced 35 new products in the quarter, helping drive double-digit growth in orders and backlog in Q1. Many solutions were designed to meet the growing global demand for electrification, sustainability, and digital transformation. The business emphasized opportunities in data centers, renewables, and electrical grid expansion, with new products tailored for improved energy efficiency and resiliency. These launches complemented nVent’s existing portfolio of enclosures and electrical connectors, keeping it aligned with the latest industry trends.

The business relies on an extensive distribution network. Over 60% of nVent’s revenue now flows through distribution partners, providing broad market access. Management reported strong double-digit order growth, particularly in infrastructure segments for Q1. Growing backlog -- now more than a four-fold increase -- has given the company good visibility for the rest of the year.

Operational efficiency is a key part of nVent’s culture, with lean manufacturing practices dating back decades. The company called out the doubling of control building output at Trachte as the result of lean improvements. Management also noted that investments and costs related to tariffs weighed on profit margins, but it expects these to be offset over time through pricing, productivity, and integration benefits as new acquisitions are fully absorbed into operations.

Looking Ahead: Guidance and Focus Areas

nVent raised its full-year 2025 guidance based on strong results and order momentum. Management now expects reported sales growth of 24–26% and organic sales growth of 8–10%. The adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) range was also lifted to $3.22–$3.30, from $3.03–$3.13 previously. For Q3, the business projects reported sales growth of 27–29%, organic growth of 11–13%, and adjusted EPS between $0.86 and $0.88. The company cited its expanded backlog, double-digit order growth, and robust demand in its core infrastructure markets as reasons for its more optimistic full-year outlook.

Investors should keep an eye on several areas in the coming quarters. Management has highlighted a $120 million tariff headwind, with plans to offset these costs through pricing, productivity, and supply chain actions. Margin recovery is a top priority, with expectations that synergy capture and pricing actions will improve profitability in the second half of the year. Additionally, trends toward electrification and digital infrastructure are likely to sustain demand for nVent’s solutions in years ahead.

The quarterly dividend was raised 5% to $0.20 per share, payable in Q3.

Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted.

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JesterAI is a Foolish AI, based on a variety of Large Language Models (LLMs) and proprietary Motley Fool systems. All articles published by JesterAI are reviewed by our editorial team, and The Motley Fool takes ultimate responsibility for the content of this article. JesterAI cannot own stocks and so it has no positions in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Key Points

• Americans aren't saving enough for retirement.

• Here are three exchange-traded funds to build your nest egg around.

• Complement them with top-notch individual stocks, such as this AI leader, plus a cryptocurrency to protect against inflation.

• 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard S&P 500 ETF ›

Despite the remarkable U.S. economy, Americans are falling dramatically short of their retirement goals. According to research by The Motley Fool, most Americans are saving and investing in a retirement account, but just 34% believe that they're on track to hit their goals.

The study found that the median U.S. household has just $87,000 saved, with the typical household reaching a peak of around $200,000 between the ages of 65 and 74.

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If you're still working, a diversified investment portfolio can help you change your financial trajectory, even if you're starting later than you had hoped to.

Here are five incredible investments to consider for your long-term portfolio that could help move the needle for your retirement over the coming decades. Consider buying and holding them today.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. An ETF you can build your retirement around

For quick and straightforward portfolio diversification, consider exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These are collections of individual stocks that trade under a single ticker symbol. Among them, it's hard to beat the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO). This ETF tracks the S&P 500, an index of 500 prominent U.S. companies.

Investing in this ETF provides exposure to various market sectors and industries. The S&P 500 adheres to strict selection criteria that help maintain its quality. Its system works. The S&P 500 is arguably the most proven wealth-building machine of all time, making it a no-brainer to include in your retirement portfolio.

2. Casting a wider net, this ETF offers instant diversification

Diversifying your portfolio goes beyond the companies and industries you invest in. It also includes geographic markets. Therefore, you should consider an ETF such as the Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (NYSEMKT: VT), a global stock market ETF with over 9,700 individual stocks from almost every industry across various countries.

It represents an investment in the broader global economy, which is crucial because there may be times when the U.S. stock market stumbles or lags behind other countries. This ETF pairs nicely with the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF as a foundation for your nest egg that should last as long as you need it to.

3. This innovation ETF should also help grow your nest egg

Now, it's time to look to growth to help your money compound over the coming decades. Consider the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ: QQQ) a fantastic starting point.

This ETF tracks the Nasdaq-100, an index with a heavy focus on technology stocks. It provides abundant exposure to the "Magnificent Seven" stocks, which lead the way in artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, e-commerce, digital advertising, and other high-growth industries.

This fund can be more volatile, but it has outperformed the S&P 500 over its lifetime. That may not always be the case, but the world is becoming increasingly tech driven, making the Invesco QQQ an excellent way to bet on innovation as a whole.

4. A leading AI stock that could boost your portfolio's results

It's fine to sprinkle in some individual stocks after you have built a foundation for your portfolio. AI could create trillions of dollars in economic value down the road, making it perhaps the most important growth story you can invest in right now.

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) has already established itself as an AI powerhouse. It's the dominant leader in supplying chips used to train and run AI models in data centers.

Nvidia continues to grow as companies invest billions to build data centers, and experts predict that these expenditures could amount to trillions of dollars over the coming years. Beyond that, Nvidia could also play a part in emerging AI-driven technologies, such as autonomous vehicles and humanoid robotics. Nvidia is a total package that should continue to thrive, considering the AI era is only just beginning.

5. Hedge for inflation with the flagship cryptocurrency

President Donald Trump recently signed his "One Big Beautiful Bill" into law, officially raising America's debt ceiling. It's another sign that the U.S. government figures to continue spending to support its interests, a long-standing pattern that has steadily increased the country's debt. As a result, it may be worthwhile to include some anti-inflationary investments in your portfolio.

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is the largest and most prominent cryptocurrency. Its status and capped maximum supply have resulted in staggering price appreciation that has easily outpaced the stock market for years.

Alternatively, if you're skeptical of cryptocurrencies, consider investing in gold, which remains a popular hedge against inflation to this day. Either way, having some anti-inflationary investments is yet another way to cover all your bases and mitigate risk.

Should you invest $1,000 in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF right now?

Before you buy stock in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $671,477!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,010,880!*

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Justin Pope has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Nvidia, and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

If you know you should be saving and investing for retirement, but you don't know where to start, perhaps take some advice from one of the world's greatest investors. Warren Buffett has increased the value of his company, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B), by 5,500,000% (nearly 20% annually) over 60 years. In contrast, the S&P 500 index of 500 of America's biggest companies gained about 39,000% (10.4% annually, on average).

You might want to invest in some shares of Berkshire Hathaway itself, as it has been built to last. But Buffett has recommended a different investment for most people.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »

Image source: The Motley Fool.

What does Warren Buffett recommend?

In his 2013 letter to shareholders, Buffett explained how he has directed his money to be invested for his wife, after his death. (Buffett turns 95 in August.) He wrote:

One bequest provides that cash will be delivered to a trustee for my wife's benefit. (I have to use cash for individual bequests, because all of my Berkshire shares will be fully distributed to certain philanthropic organizations over the ten years following the closing of my estate.) My advice to the trustee could not be more simple: Put 10% of the cash in short-term government bonds and 90% in a very low-cost S&P 500 index fund. (I suggest Vanguard's.) I believe the trust's long-term results from this policy will be superior to those attained by most investors -- whether pension funds, institutions or individuals -- who employ high-fee managers.

That's right: Buffett is a big fan of simple, low-fee, broad-market index funds for most investors. He knows, after all, that most of us are not skilled stock analysts with appropriate investing temperaments.

Buffett is such a strong believer in the power of broad index funds that he put his money where his mouth is, entering into a 10-year, million-dollar bet in 2008 favoring index funds over hedge funds. He won the bet, of course.

Why an S&P 500 index fund? And which one?

There are many reasons to favor index funds. For example:

• Low fees: The best index funds sport extremely low expense ratios (annual fees) -- in part because managers don't have to spend time studying the universe of investments and selecting when to buy or sell which ones. Instead, they just buy all or most of the securities in the index they track. An expense ratio of, say, 0.03% means you'll pay $3 per year for every $10,000 you have invested in the fund.
• Diversification: Buy into an S&P 500 index fund and you'll immediately have your money spread across hundreds of America's biggest and best companies.
• Ease: If you buy into an index fund in exchange-traded fund (ETF) form, you'll simply buy shares like shares of stock, typically via your brokerage or retirement account.
• Outperformance: Index funds are no slouches when it comes to performance, either. According to the folks at S&P Dow Jones Indices, over the past 15 years, the S&P 500 index outperformed a whopping 89.5% of managed large-cap mutual funds, and it outperformed 84.3% over the past decade.

The S&P 500 has averaged annual returns close to 10% (ignoring inflation) over long periods, and the past few years have featured higher-than-average returns.) So the table below shows how you might amass a fortune by investing $1,000 per month -- $12,000 per year -- over some long periods. I'm including several possible growth rates, too:

Calculations by author via moneychimp.com.

So which index fund(s) should you invest in? Well, you might just choose Vanguard's S&P 500 fund, as Buffett suggested. But you might, instead of or in addition to that, opt for an even broader index. Here are three funds to consider:

Data source: Morningstar.com, as of June 18, 2025.

Here's how broad these funds are:

• Vanguard S&P 500 ETF: S&P 500 index funds encompass 500 of the biggest companies in America, which together make up around 80% of the entire U.S. market.
• Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF: This ETF includes nearly all of the U.S. stock market, spreading your money across more than 3,500 stocks, not just 500. It includes lots of small companies, too.
• Vanguard Total World Stock ETF: This ETF encompasses roughly all the stocks in the world -- more than 9,700 stocks -- all in one easy, low-fee investment.

However you go about it, be sure you have a solid retirement plan in place and that you're executing it. Know that the average monthly Social Security benefit was just $2,002 as of May, which is about $24,000 for the year. Most of us will need to set up more income than that for our futures.

Should you invest $1,000 in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF right now?

Before you buy stock in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $676,023!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $883,692!*

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*Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025

Selena Maranjian has positions in Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway, Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Could investing in a simple, low-fee S&P 500 index fund today set you up for life? You may not want to know the answer. You may prefer to hunt for exciting growth stocks instead. But I'm here to tell you that regularly plunking meaningful sums in an S&P 500 index fund can do wonders over long periods.

Even Warren Buffett has endorsed S&P 500 index funds, stipulating in his will that much of what he leaves his wife should go into one. Here's a look at why you might consider investing in an S&P 500 index fund, too.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »

Image source: Getty Images.

Meet the S&P 500 index

An S&P 500 index fund is an index fund that tracks the S&P 500 -- an index (a grouping) of 500 of the biggest companies in the U.S. The fund will hold roughly or exactly the same stocks in roughly the same proportion, aiming for roughly the same performance -- less fees. And there are some very low fees out there.

Here are the recent top 10 components in the index by weight:

Data source: Slickcharts.com, as of April 16, 2025.

It's worth noting that this index is a market-capitalization-weighted one, meaning that the biggest companies in it will move its needle the most. For example, you can see in the table above that Microsoft's weighting is about four times that of Tesla, so Microsoft's stock-price moves will make a much bigger difference in the index than will Tesla's. Of course, these are still the top 10 components. General Mills is also in the index, recently in 255th place, and with a weighting of just 0.07%. Toy company Hasbro, in 488th place, recently had a weighting of 0.02%.

Altogether, these 500 companies make up about 80% of the total value of the U.S. stock market. Thus, the S&P 500 is often used as a proxy for the market. It's mainly made up of giant, large, and medium-sized companies, though. If you want a more accurate proxy, you might opt for a broader index fund, such as the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT: VTI), which aims to include all U.S. stocks, including small and medium-sized ones, or the Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (NYSEMKT: VT), encompassing just about all the stocks in the world.

Why invest in an S&P 500 index fund?

Here's a top-notch S&P 500 index fund to consider -- the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO). Its expense ratio (annual fee) is a mere 0.03%, meaning that for every $1,000 you have invested in the fund, you'll pay an annual fee of... $3.

Why invest in such a fund? Well, because it can perform really well over time and it's way easier to just keep adding money to it than to spend time studying investing and scouring the stock market for the best investments. Instead of looking for a few needles in a haystack, buy the haystack!

Owning shares of an S&P 500 index fund means you'll quickly own (small) chunks of 500 of the biggest companies in America -- and as some companies grow and others shrink over time, the index will be adding and dropping components accordingly.

The table below shows how big a nest egg you might build over time in an S&P 500 index fund, if your money grows at 8%. For context, the S&P 500 has averaged annual gains of around 10% over many decades -- including dividends and not including the effect of inflation. So using 8% is a mite conservative.

Source: Calculations by author.

If that's not convincing enough, know that you probably can't do as well with some other, managed large-cap stock mutual fund. The S&P 500 index has actually outperformed most such funds, which tend to be run by highly trained financial professionals working hard to outperform the index. Over the past 15 years, for example, the S&P 500 bested 89.5% of all large-cap funds.

Whether you opt for a low-fee S&P 500 index fund or not, be sure to have a solid retirement plan, and to be saving and investing in order to have a comfortable financial future.

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When our analyst team has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor’s total average return is 781%* — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 149% for the S&P 500.

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*Stock Advisor returns as of April 21, 2025

John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Selena Maranjian has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Broadcom, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla, Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom and Hasbro and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.