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Borgwarner Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 9 raised, 4 lowered, 2 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales and organic growth: Net sales were $3,591 million, up about 4.1%, and organic sales rose 2.1% excluding currency effects. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up about 14%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.24, against $1.09 a year earlier. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.73, against $1.08. Source
  • Adjusted margin rose on cost control: GAAP operating margin was 6.9%, on $248 million of operating income. Adjusted operating margin reached 10.7%, up 60 basis points from a year earlier. Source
  • Industry production expectations raised: Management linked the 2025 sales range change to higher industry production expectations and favorable foreign exchange. Source
  • Awards expected to support growth: New business awards across the portfolio are expected to support long-term profitable growth, according to the company. Source
  • Returned $136 million to stockholders: Share purchases were about $100 million and the cash dividend was $36 million, in the third quarter. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $266 million: Operating cash flow was $368 million; nine-month free cash flow was $738 million, against $190 million a year earlier. Source

“The Company’s solid conversion on higher sales and focus on cost controls allowed it to deliver strong performance despite a 60 basis point net headwind from tariffs.”

Borgwarner Inc., press release

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales SourceFY 2025$14.1 billion to $14.3 billion
Organic net sales change SourceFY 2025down 1% to approximately flat
Outgrowth above market production SourceFY 2025(0.1)% to 0.3%Lowered from 0.9% to 1.7%
Foreign exchange effect on net sales SourceFY 2025$30 million increaseNew
Adjusted operating margin SourceFY 202510.3% to 10.5%Raised from 10.1% to 10.3%
U.S. GAAP operating margin SourceFY 20257.8% to 7.9%Lowered from 8.3% to 8.5%
U.S. GAAP diluted EPS SourceFY 2025$3.52 to $3.63Lowered from $3.80 to $3.97
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFY 2025$4.60 to $4.75Raised from $4.45 to $4.65
Operating cash flow SourceFY 2025$1,434 million to $1,484 millionRaised from $1,368 million to $1,418 million
Free cash flow SourceFY 2025$850 million to $950 millionRaised from $700 million to $800 million
Capital expenditures including tooling outlays SourceFY 2025$550 million to $600 millionLowered from $625 million to $675 million
Weighted light and commercial vehicle market change SourceFY 2025down 1% to approximately flatRaised from down 2.5% to down 0.5%
Light vehicle production change, total SourceFY 20251.5% to 2.5%Raised from (0.5)% to 1.5%
Commercial vehicle production change, total SourceFY 2025~0%Raised from ~(1)%
BorgWarner-weighted production change, total SourceFY 2025(1)% to 0%Raised from (2.5)% to (0.5)%
Accelerated depreciation (non-comparable) SourceFY 2025$81 millionRaised from $21 million
Restructuring expense (non-comparable) SourceFY 2025$70 million to $80 millionKept
Legal settlement (non-comparable) SourceFY 2025$38 millionNew
Costs to exit charging business (non-comparable) SourceFY 2025$32 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Adjusted operating margin guidance raised to 10.3% to 10.5% from 10.1% to 10.3%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Adjusted diluted EPS guidance raised to $4.60 to $4.75 from $4.45 to $4.65. Source
  • Guidance raised: Free cash flow guidance raised to $850 million to $950 million from $700 million to $800 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Weighted light and commercial vehicle market guidance raised to down 1% to approximately flat from down 2.5% to down 0.5%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: U.S. GAAP operating margin guidance lowered to 7.8% to 7.9% from 8.3% to 8.5%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: U.S. GAAP diluted EPS guidance lowered to $3.52 to $3.63 from $3.80 to $3.97. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Capital expenditures guidance lowered to $550 million to $600 million from $625 million to $675 million. Source
  • New: Multiple new business awards were announced in the third quarter, including Chery, Stellantis, Great Wall Motor and a Chinese OEM. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales and organic growth: Net sales were $3,591 million, up about 4.1%, and organic sales rose 2.1% excluding currency effects. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up about 14%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.24, against $1.09 a year earlier. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.73, against $1.08. Source
  • Non-comparable items widened the gap: Non-comparable items were a $0.51 net loss per diluted share, including accelerated depreciation of $0.19 and a legal settlement of $0.18. Source
  • Adjusted margin rose on cost control: GAAP operating margin was 6.9%, on $248 million of operating income. Adjusted operating margin reached 10.7%, up 60 basis points from a year earlier. Source

Segments and regions

  • Turbos and drivetrain sales grew: Turbos & Thermal Technologies reached $1,437 million, with organic sales up 0.9%. Drivetrain & Morse Systems reached $1,452 million, with organic sales up 5.1%. Source
  • PowerDrive sales rose: PowerDrive Systems sales were $582 million against $512 million a year earlier, with organic sales up 11.9%. Source
  • PowerDrive adjusted loss widened: Segment adjusted operating loss was $35 million, against $19 million; the nine-month loss was $111 million against $130 million. Source
  • Battery and charging sales declined: Battery & Charging Systems sales were $132 million against $197 million, an organic decline of 35.5%. Segment adjusted operating loss was $7 million. Source

“The Company returned $136 million to its stockholders during the third quarter.”

Borgwarner Inc., press release

Products and customers

  • Cyber shutdown hit a European customer: Downtime at one European customer from a cyber-related shutdown partly offset Q3 net sales growth, per the company's sales explanation. Source
  • HOLON Urban shuttle battery award: A battery system for the HOLON Urban, a 15-person Level 4 autonomous electric shuttle, uses the latest generation cell chemistry. Source
  • Chinese OEM drive module award: A 7-in-1 integrated drive module for a leading Chinese OEM's hybrid SUV integrates multiple functions within one compact unit. Source

Costs, margins and non-comparable items

  • Gross margin edged higher: Gross margin was 18.5% against 18.4% a year earlier; nine-month gross margin was 18.1% against 18.5%. Source
  • Accelerated depreciation more than doubled: Accelerated depreciation was $60 million, against $27 million a year earlier, and is excluded from adjusted operating income. Source
  • Legal settlement excluded from adjusted results: A $38 million legal settlement was recorded in the third quarter and excluded from adjusted operating income. Costs to exit the charging business were $32 million for nine months. Source
  • CEO transition costs excluded: CEO transition compensation was $5 million in the third quarter and $11 million for nine months, also excluded from adjusted results. Source

“The Company has increased its 2025 full year margin, EPS and free cash flow guidance, and narrowed its net sales outlook.”

Borgwarner Inc., press release

Demand and the order book

  • Industry production expectations raised: Management linked the 2025 sales range change to higher industry production expectations and favorable foreign exchange. Source
  • Awards expected to support growth: New business awards across the portfolio are expected to support long-term profitable growth, according to the company. Source
  • Third-quarter sales lifted by volumes: Management attributed third-quarter net sales growth primarily to higher market production volumes and light vehicle eProduct sales growth. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Returned $136 million to stockholders: Share purchases were about $100 million and the cash dividend was $36 million, in the third quarter. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $266 million: Operating cash flow was $368 million; nine-month free cash flow was $738 million, against $190 million a year earlier. Source
  • Lower capital spending year to date: Nine-month capital expenditures, including tooling, were $307 million against $510 million a year earlier. Source
  • Short-term debt reduced, cash higher: Short-term debt fell to $6 million from $398 million at December 31, 2024. Cash and restricted cash rose to $2,172 million. Source
  • Debt repayments and buybacks in 2025: Nine-month debt repayments were $406 million and treasury stock purchases were $210 million. Source
  • Repurchase authority raised to $1 billion: The prior release said the board raised the share repurchase program to $1 billion, allowing repurchases through 2028.

Strategy and new awards

  • Chery all-wheel drive contracts: Two contracts cover on-demand transfer cases with mechanical lock for pickups and cross wheel drive for SUVs. Source
  • Stellantis turbo and cam timing awards: The VTG turbocharger for the Hurricane 4 engine will be featured on the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee; eVCT technology is for the Jeep Cherokee engine. Source
  • Great Wall dual inverter awards: Two dual inverter program awards with Great Wall Motor cover HEV and PHEV vehicles. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 October 2025

  • Chery and HOLON production in 2027: Production is expected to begin in 2027 for the Chery all-wheel drive contracts and the HOLON Urban battery system. Source
  • Chinese OEM and Great Wall production in 2026: Production is expected to begin in 2026 for the Chinese OEM integrated drive module and the Great Wall dual inverter programs. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin Source18.5% in the third quarter 2025 (company level, not per vehicle)

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Customer production disruptions in North America and Europe partly offset the sales range increase in the 2025 guidance. Source
  • Regulatory: The prior release cited lower customer tariff cost recoveries as a partial offset to the 2025 sales range increase.
  • Demand: North American commercial vehicle production is estimated at about (21)% for 2025, per the company's regional production table. 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.