Shares of AAON Inc (NASDAQ: AAON), a leading manufacturer of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, surged 9.57% in pre-market trading on Thursday, May 1, 2025. The significant jump comes on the heels of the company's stellar first-quarter earnings report, which handily beat analyst expectations.

AAON reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.35 for Q1 2025, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $0.27 by an impressive 29.63%. While this represents a 23.91% decrease from the $0.46 per share earned in the same period last year, the better-than-expected performance clearly resonated with investors.

The company's top-line growth was equally impressive. AAON posted quarterly sales of $322.05 million, beating the analyst consensus estimate of $289.16 million by 11.38%. This figure represents a robust 22.87% increase over the $262.10 million in sales reported for the same quarter last year, demonstrating the company's ability to expand its market share in the competitive HVAC industry.

"Our first-quarter results reflect the strength of our business model and our team's ability to execute in a challenging environment," said Gary Fields, AAON's President and CEO. "The significant beats on both top and bottom lines underscore our operational efficiency and strong market position."

The company's ability to outperform expectations despite ongoing supply chain challenges and inflationary pressures has bolstered investor confidence. AAON's gross margin for the quarter stood at 26.8%, while operating income reached $35.111 million, further highlighting the company's operational prowess.

As AAON continues to navigate the dynamic HVAC market, its strong Q1 performance sets a positive tone for the rest of the fiscal year. Investors appear to be rewarding the company's resilience and growth prospects, as reflected in the substantial pre-market stock price surge.