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Acuity Inc. (De): Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 1 October 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Diluted EPS rose 56 percent: Fourth-quarter diluted EPS was $5.63, up $2.02 or 56.0 percent. Adjusted diluted EPS was $5.77, up 11.0 percent. Full-year diluted EPS was $17.05 and adjusted diluted EPS was $19.90. Source
  • Intelligent Spaces sales up 16.6 percent: AIS net sales were $297.6 million, up 16.6 percent. AIS adjusted operating profit rose 35.7 percent to $74.1 million, at a 24.9 percent adjusted margin. Full-year AIS sales were $1.1 billion, up 44.8 percent. Source
  • Adjusted gross margin rose 130 basis points: Gross profit margin was 53.8 percent, up 490 basis points. Adjusted gross profit margin, excluding $44.9 million of tariff refunds, was 50.2 percent, up 130 basis points. Source
  • Tariff refunds of $44.9 million: Fourth-quarter tariff refunds of $44.9 million are a non-GAAP adjustment: $31.8 million in ABL and $13.1 million in AIS. Full-year refunds total $51.3 million. Source
  • Operating cash flow of $825.6 million: Full-year net cash from operating activities was $825.6 million, against $601.4 million. Free cash flow was $747.9 million, up 40.3 percent. Source

“We demonstrated solid execution in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026. We grew sales and expanded our adjusted operating profit and adjusted operating profit margin.”

Neil Ashe, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Acuity Inc.

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Acuity Brands Lighting special charges of $14.7 million tied to product portfolio, supply chain and operating footprint initiatives. Source
  • New: Tariff refunds of $44.9 million were received in the fourth quarter, against $6.4 million in the third quarter. Source

Results and earnings per share

  • Diluted EPS rose 56 percent: Fourth-quarter diluted EPS was $5.63, up $2.02 or 56.0 percent. Adjusted diluted EPS was $5.77, up 11.0 percent. Full-year diluted EPS was $17.05 and adjusted diluted EPS was $19.90. Source
  • Operating profit rose 25.7 percent: GAAP operating profit was $227.0 million, at 18.2 percent of net sales. Adjusted operating profit was $232.9 million, up 3.4 percent, at 18.7 percent of net sales. Source
  • Full-year net sales rose 6.8 percent: Full-year net sales were $4.6 billion, up $296.2 million. Fourth-quarter net sales were $1.2 billion, up 2.9 percent from the prior year. Source

Segment results

  • Lighting sales down 0.4 percent: ABL net sales were $958.7 million, down $3.7 million or 0.4 percent. ABL operating profit rose 3.2 percent to $188.8 million, at 19.7 percent of net sales. Source
  • Intelligent Spaces sales up 16.6 percent: AIS net sales were $297.6 million, up 16.6 percent. AIS adjusted operating profit rose 35.7 percent to $74.1 million, at a 24.9 percent adjusted margin. Full-year AIS sales were $1.1 billion, up 44.8 percent. Source

“Throughout fiscal 2026 we strengthened Acuity Brands Lighting while continuing to scale Acuity Intelligent Spaces, building the operating and financial capacity needed to compound growth and value over time.”

Neil Ashe, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Acuity Inc.

Sales by channel

  • Independent network sales grew: ABL independent sales network sales were $729.2 million in the quarter, up 3.8 percent. Full-year independent network sales were $2,702.7 million, up 2.1 percent. Source
  • Direct network sales declined: Direct sales network sales were $79.8 million in the quarter, down 24.2 percent. For the full year they were $314.2 million, down 23.6 percent. Source
  • Corporate accounts sales rose: Corporate accounts sales were $55.2 million in the quarter, up 4.3 percent, and $182.1 million for the full year, up 16.2 percent. Source

Costs and margins

  • Adjusted gross margin rose 130 basis points: Gross profit margin was 53.8 percent, up 490 basis points. Adjusted gross profit margin, excluding $44.9 million of tariff refunds, was 50.2 percent, up 130 basis points. Source
  • Selling and administrative costs increased: Selling, distribution and administrative expenses were $425.3 million in the quarter, against $410.4 million a year earlier. Full-year expenses were $1,613.3 million, against $1,484.9 million. Source
  • Full-year adjusted margin up 20 basis points: Full-year adjusted operating profit was $828.7 million, up 7.8 percent, at 17.9 percent of net sales. Full-year adjusted EBITDA margin was 19.2 percent. Source

Tariff refunds and special charges

  • Tariff refunds of $44.9 million: Fourth-quarter tariff refunds of $44.9 million are a non-GAAP adjustment: $31.8 million in ABL and $13.1 million in AIS. Full-year refunds total $51.3 million. Source
  • Special charges of $17.8 million: Special charges were $14.7 million for ABL initiatives and $3.1 million for an AIS facility impairment. Full-year special charges were $23.7 million, against $29.7 million. Source
  • Full-year special charges totaled $23.7M: Full-year special charges were $23.7 million in the income statement, against $29.7 million in the prior year. Source

Cash flow and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow of $825.6 million: Full-year net cash from operating activities was $825.6 million, against $601.4 million. Free cash flow was $747.9 million, up 40.3 percent. Source
  • Term loan cut, shares repurchased: The company repaid $200 million of its term loan and repurchased over 940,000 shares of common stock for $287.2 million during the year. Source
  • Dividend per share raised: Dividends declared were $0.20 per share in the quarter, against $0.17. For the full year they were $0.77 per share, against $0.66. Source
  • Diluted share count lower: Diluted weighted average shares were 30.755 million in the quarter, against 31.533 million a year earlier. Full-year diluted shares were 31.151 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 1 October 2026

  • Form 10-K and audit report to follow: The auditor's report on fiscal year-end statements will not be issued until the Form 10-K is filed, including the internal control evaluation. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.