** Shares of Generac Holdings surge 7.8% to $172.63, a 2-yr high, on Mon as Milton rapidly strengthens to category 4 hurricane as it approaches Florida

** Milton projected to make landfall on Weds on Florida's west coast, coming on heels of devastating Hurricane Helene

** GNRC, which has gained ~30% over the past 11 trading sessions, tends to rise ahead of major storms as investors wager on increased demand for its backup generators

** In Jul, co raised its annual sales growth forecast in aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, which hit Texas earlier that month

** On the flip side, Florida-focused insurers Heritage Insurance , Universal Insurance and HCI Group

slump on Mon as Milton nears

** With move on Mon, GNRC up ~33% YTD vs S&P 500 Industrials sector's 19% advance

(Lance Tupper is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own)

((lance.tupper@thomsonreuters.com lance.tupper@tr.com 1-646-279-6380))