cyclical

American  

[sahy-kli-kuhl, sik-li-] / ˈsaɪ klɪ kəl, ˈsɪk lɪ- /

adjective

1. cyclic.

2. of or denoting a business or stock whose income, value, or earnings fluctuate widely according to variations in the economy or the cycle of the seasons.

   Selling Christmas decorations is a cyclical business.

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noun

1. Usually cyclicals. stocks of cyclical companies.

Other Word Forms

• cyclicality noun
• cyclically adverb
• noncyclical adjective
• noncyclically adverb
• procyclical adjective

Etymology

Origin of cyclical

First recorded in 1810–20; cyclic + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Due to the cyclical and capital-intensive nature of the industry, analysts value them using a ratio of enterprise value to free cash flow.

From MarketWatch

But he does say investors should favor cyclical and value-focused sectors over growth, which is how things have played out this year.

From MarketWatch

“We are not seeing a big whoosh in the economy. We are seeing a strengthening recovery. It’s a cyclical recovery that is eating away at spare capacity from a cyclical low point,” Conway said.

From The Wall Street Journal

If investors don’t receive the rate cuts that many have come to expect this years, cyclical sectors, which have helped power the equal-weighted index’s advance, could face significant pressure.

From MarketWatch

Wingstop management has characterized the decline as cyclical rather than structural, noting that part of the weakness stemmed from lapping two years of exceptionally strong results.

From Barron's

Related Words

• periodic
• repetitive
• seasonal