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AZZ Inc.: Q2 FY2027 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2027, from the documents filed with the SEC on 13 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 raised, 1 lowered, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Sales up 16.7% on three drivers: Sales rose 16.7% to $486.9 million. Management attributed the growth to organic sales, the Washington, Missouri ramp-up and a Pacific Northwest acquisition. Source
  • Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA rose: Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA was $110.9 million, or 22.8% of sales, against $88.7 million, or 21.3% of sales, a year earlier. Source
  • GAAP EPS down, adjusted EPS up: GAAP diluted EPS of $1.94 fell 34.2% on AVAIL JV equity in earnings. Adjusted diluted EPS of $2.00 rose 29.0%. Source
  • Metal Coatings sales up 22.9%: Metal Coatings sales rose 22.9% to $233.5 million on a higher volume of steel processed and higher average selling prices. Source
  • Precoat volume lower in HVAC and appliances: Precoat Metals volume was lower in HVAC and appliances, transportation and other end markets, partly offsetting its sales gains. Source
  • Operating cash $140.0 million year to date: Operating cash was $140.0 million for the six months. Quarterly cash flow from operations was $102.8 million, up 76.1%. Source
  • Seattle Galvanizing acquired for $57.5 million: Seattle Galvanizing, in Arlington, Washington, was acquired for $57.5 million in the Metal Coatings segment. Source
  • Raise reflects sales momentum and confidence: Management raised annual guidance citing quarterly performance, sales momentum in both segments and confidence in the rest of the fiscal year. Source

“We believe the combination of organic growth, strategic acquisitions, and operational excellence will further strengthen AZZ's market leadership and drive long-term value creation.”

Tom Ferguson, President, and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales SourceFY2027 (year ending February 28, 2027)$1.825 - $1.875 billionRaised from $1.80 - $1.85 billion
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFY2027$380 - $420 millionRaised from $375 - $415 million
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFY2027$7.00 - $7.30Raised from $6.75 - $7.15
Debt reduction SourceFY2027$100 to $140 millionLowered from $130 to $170 million
Capital expenditures SourceFY2027approximately $80 - $100 millionKept
Interest expense SourceFY2027$35 to $45 millionKept
Annualized effective tax rate SourceFY202725%Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Sales, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted diluted EPS guidance ranges were all raised for FY2027. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Debt reduction assumption lowered to $100 to $140 million from $130 to $170 million. Source
  • Guidance kept: Capital expenditure, interest expense and tax rate assumptions were kept from the prior quarter. Source
  • New: Seattle Galvanizing acquisition completed in Metal Coatings; guidance now excludes M&A beyond this deal. Source

Sales and earnings drivers

  • Sales up 16.7% on three drivers: Sales rose 16.7% to $486.9 million. Management attributed the growth to organic sales, the Washington, Missouri ramp-up and a Pacific Northwest acquisition. Source
  • Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA rose: Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA was $110.9 million, or 22.8% of sales, against $88.7 million, or 21.3% of sales, a year earlier. Source
  • GAAP EPS down, adjusted EPS up: GAAP diluted EPS of $1.94 fell 34.2% on AVAIL JV equity in earnings. Adjusted diluted EPS of $2.00 rose 29.0%. Source
  • Net income down on prior-year AVAIL gain: Net income of $58.5 million fell 34.6% against a prior year that included AVAIL equity income. Adjusted net income was $60.1 million, up 28.1%. Source

Segment results

  • Metal Coatings sales up 22.9%: Metal Coatings sales rose 22.9% to $233.5 million on a higher volume of steel processed and higher average selling prices. Source
  • Metal Coatings margin at 30.7%: Metal Coatings segment Adjusted EBITDA was $71.6 million, giving an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 30.7%. Source
  • Precoat sales up 11.5%: Precoat Metals sales rose 11.5% to $253.4 million on higher coil-coating volume and higher prices, partly offset by lower volume in other end markets. Source
  • Precoat margin up 100 basis points: Precoat Metals segment Adjusted EBITDA was $53.8 million, a 21.2% margin, 100 basis points higher than the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Infrastructure Solutions segment result: Infrastructure Solutions reported Adjusted EBITDA of $126 thousand, against a loss of $2.3 million in the prior-year quarter. The narrative gives no further detail on this segment. Source

“Most importantly, none of this would be possible without the dedication of our employees.”

Tom Ferguson, President, and Chief Executive Officer

Costs and pricing

  • Metal Coatings prices rose with inflation: Metal Coatings average selling prices rose in response to inflationary pressures. Precoat passed vendor price increases through to its customers. Source
  • Lower interest expense cited: Management cited lower interest expense in its guidance basis. Quarterly interest expense, net, was $10.8 million against $13.7 million a year earlier. Source

End-market demand

  • Metal Coatings volume up in construction: Metal Coatings volume increased in the construction, industrial, infrastructure and transportation end markets. Source
  • Precoat volume lower in HVAC and appliances: Precoat Metals volume was lower in HVAC and appliances, transportation and other end markets, partly offsetting its sales gains. Source
  • Missouri plant added Precoat sales: Sales from the Washington, Missouri facility also contributed to the Precoat Metals increase. Source

Cash, debt and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash $140.0 million year to date: Operating cash was $140.0 million for the six months. Quarterly cash flow from operations was $102.8 million, up 76.1%. Source
  • Debt cut $15.0 million, leverage 1.3x: Debt was reduced by $15.0 million. Net leverage fell to 1.3x trailing twelve months Adjusted EBITDA from 1.4x at the first quarter end. Source
  • Buybacks and dividends paid: The company repurchased 136,303 shares for $20.0 million. Cash dividend payments totaled $13.2 million for the six months. Source
  • Quarterly dividend raised 20%: Quarterly cash dividend was increased 20% to $0.24 per share. Source

Acquisition and capital spending

  • Seattle Galvanizing acquired for $57.5 million: Seattle Galvanizing, in Arlington, Washington, was acquired for $57.5 million in the Metal Coatings segment. Source
  • Capital spending $37.2 million in first half: Capital expenditures were $37.2 million for the six months. Full-year spending is covered by the guidance range. Source
  • Growth capital for galvanizing capacity: Planned capital includes growth spending on hot-dip galvanizing capacity and technology improvements in both segments. Source
  • Missouri plant expected accretive: Management expects the new Washington, Missouri plant to be accretive to earnings in fiscal 2027. Source

Basis for the guidance raise

  • Raise reflects sales momentum and confidence: Management raised annual guidance citing quarterly performance, sales momentum in both segments and confidence in the rest of the fiscal year. Source
  • Further M&A excluded from guidance: Guidance excludes any acquisitions beyond the Seattle Galvanizing deal already completed. Source
  • AVAIL distributions excluded from guidance: Guidance excludes potential equity income and cash distributions from AZZ's minority interest in AVAIL. Source

AVAIL joint venture effects

  • Prior-year AVAIL gains in comparatives: Prior-year figures include AVAIL gains on the Electrical Products Group sale: $61.6 million for the quarter and $227.5 million for six months. Source
  • Rig-A-Lite sale gain of $8.0 million: AVAIL sold Rig-A-Lite on May 14, 2026. The $8.0 million gain is included in the AVAIL equity line for the quarter and six months. Source
  • Refinancing write-off excluded from adjusted EPS: A $0.6 million write-off of debt financing costs from the revolver refinancing is excluded from adjusted measures. Source

Coming up, as management said on 13 October 2026

  • Continued focus on working capital and debt: Management said it will keep focusing on disciplined management of working capital, capital expenditures and debt. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Precoat Metals volume was lower in HVAC and appliances, transportation and other end markets this quarter. Source
  • Regulatory: Guidance excludes federal regulatory changes that may emerge. Source
  • Financial: Reported net income and GAAP EPS depend on AVAIL JV equity in earnings, which moved sharply year on year. Source
  • External: Management cites inflationary pressures as a reason for higher Metal Coatings average selling prices. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said it is on track to set new sales and profitability records for fiscal 2027. Source
  • Not stated: The 20% dividend increase announced in the prior quarter was paid at $0.24 during this quarter. 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.