EPS for Q4 was $2.80, up 5.9% year-over-year and beating guidance by nearly 5%.
Fiscal 2025 achieved record sales, EBITDA, and EPS with full year EPS growth of 4%, exceeding high-end guidance.
Fourth quarter sales increased 5.5% year-over-year, with organic daily sales up 0.2%, reversing prior declines.
Free cash flow reached a record $465 million, up 34% year-over-year, supporting $560 million in capital deployment including acquisitions and share buybacks.
Gross margins expanded nearly 50 basis points, surpassing 30% for the first time in company history.
Net leverage ended at 0.3x EBITDA, slightly higher than prior year but stable.
Reported EBITDA margin declined 73 basis points year-over-year to 12.5%, impacted by higher AR provisioning and LIFO expense.
Service Center segment sales declined 0.4% organically, while Engineered Solutions segment sales grew 1.8% organically.
Transformation and Margin Expansion in Industrial Segment
The Industrial segment achieved a record adjusted operating margin of 25.1%, up 90 basis points from the previous year, driven by The Win Strategy.
The company expects a 700 basis point margin expansion from FY '19 through FY '26, demonstrating significant margin resilience even during negative organic growth periods.
The portfolio's shift towards longer cycle, secular trend, and aftermarket revenues is a key factor, with 67% now in these categories.
International and diversified industrial businesses are using cost reduction and efficiency tools to sustain margin growth amid market challenges.
The transformation includes acquisitions and international distribution growth, with an aim for 85% of the portfolio to be longer cycle, secular, and aftermarket by FY '29.
Dafinchi
