If you’ve been on the interstate lately (shoutout to my fellow I-75 warriors), you’ve probably unleashed a string of words that would make a sailor proud. Endless orange cones. Random lane shifts. And, of course, the one guy who seems to have a PhD in leaning on a shovel.

Yeah, it’s a mess. But believe it or not… all that construction chaos isn’t there to test your patience… it's part of a massive infrastructure overhaul. And for companies in the space, it’s a mother lode.

One stock in particular has been absolutely crushing it: Sterling Infrastructure. While you were busy dodging potholes and debating whether crypto is real money (jury’s still out) while listening to your podcast, this bad boy has soared 831% in the last five years.

For starters, the U.S. has been throwing serious money at infrastructure. The $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is already pumping cash into the system, and state transportation departments are cashing checks like lottery winners. Sterling has been quietly securing major contracts while the rest of the market worries about rate cuts and whether AI is coming for our jobs.

In fact, D.A. Davidson just upgraded Sterling from “meh, whatever” (or “neutral,” if we’re being technical) to “buy this sh*t now,” smacking a $185 price target on it. For  those who can’t do math… that’s 51% upside from its recent close of $122.16.

And they’re not the only ones hyped. StockNews.com (not us, but close) just upgraded Sterling to “buy,” and William Blair gave it an “outperform” rating earlier this year. All this to say: the smart money thinks this thing has legs.

It’s even more important to note that Sterling just secured two massive transportation projects, adding some serious muscle to its portfolio. First up is the I-15 1800 North Interchange in Utah, a $195 million contract where its subsidiary, Ralph L. Wadsworth (go ahead, try saying that five times fast), holds a 60% stake. Work kicks off in 2025 and runs through 2027, ensuring Sterling a steady revenue stream. Then there’s the I-25 North Corridor expansion in Colorado, an $86 million project where Sterling owns 51%. This one’s been in motion since 2018, and judging by the fact they keep getting more work, it looks like they’re doing something right.

That’s $281 million in new projects, which might not sound like much compared to Apple’s quarterly coffee budget, but for a company with a $3.75 billion market cap, that’s a solid chunk of business.

And it gets better. Sterling’s transportation division typically pulls 9-12% profit margins, meaning these projects will drop some serious cash to the bottom line. While most investors were chasing the next AI stock or trying to time the next crypto boom (yes, looking at you), Sterling was out building actual, physical things… you know, stuff you can touch without downloading an app. With a 20.64 P/E ratio, it’s not exactly in the TJ Maxx clearance aisle, but considering its revenue visibility and the ongoing infrastructure boom, D.A. Davidson’s 51% upside target doesn’t seem like fantasy.

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Stocks.News has positions in Sterling Infrastructure and Apple mentioned in article.