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Borgwarner Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 raised, 5 lowered, 8 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Sales rose on currency: Net sales of $3,648 million rose about 0.3%. Organic net sales fell 1.2% as stronger foreign currencies were offset by lower market production and Battery Energy Systems sales. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 17.4%: Adjusted EPS of $1.42 compared with $1.21. The increase reflected higher adjusted operating income and a lower share count from 2025 and 2026 repurchases. Source
  • Battery Energy Systems fell most: Battery Energy Systems sales were $100 million, organic down 39.0%. Segment adjusted operating loss narrowed to $2 million from $12 million. Source
  • Gross margin widened: Gross margin was 19.8% against 17.6% a year earlier. Gross profit was $721 million against $640 million on net sales of $3,648 million. Source
  • Cost controls cited for margin: U.S. GAAP operating margin was 10.1%, up 220 basis points. Adjusted operating margin was 11.3%, up 100 basis points, which management attributed to cost controls. Source
  • Industry production expected lower: Weighted light vehicle markets are expected to be down 3% to approximately flat in 2026. Management cited a lower industry production environment in the quarter. Source
  • Free cash flow of $492 million: Operating cash flow was $586 million and capital expenditures were $96 million, giving free cash flow of $492 million against $507 million a year earlier. Source
  • Buybacks and dividend in quarter: The company repurchased about $100 million of shares and paid a $34 million cash dividend. Six-month share repurchases total $250 million on the cash flow statement. Source

“Excluding the decline in Battery Energy Systems segment sales of approximately $60 million, the Company’s organic net sales were up modestly year-over-year.”

Borgwarner Inc., press release

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales SourceFull year 2026$14.0 billion to $14.3 billionKept
Organic net sales change SourceFull year 2026down 3.5% to down 1.5%Kept
Adjusted earnings per diluted share SourceFull year 2026$5.05 to $5.30Raised from $5.00 to $5.20
U.S. GAAP earnings per diluted share SourceFull year 2026$4.72 to $4.94Raised from $4.70 to $4.87
U.S. GAAP operating margin SourceFull year 20269.6% to 9.8%Lowered from 9.7% to 9.9%
U.S. GAAP operating income SourceFull year 2026$1,343 million to $1,398 millionLowered from $1,361 million to $1,416 million
Adjusted operating margin SourceFull year 202610.7% to 10.9%Kept
Adjusted operating income SourceFull year 2026$1,500 million to $1,565 millionKept
Operating cash flow SourceFull year 2026$1,600 million to $1,700 millionKept
Free cash flow SourceFull year 2026$900 million to $1,100 millionKept
Capital expenditures, including tooling outlays SourceFull year 2026$600 million to $700 millionKept
Share repurchase authorization SourceThrough 2029approximately $1.35 billion total authorizationRaised
Foreign currency effect on net sales SourceFull year 2026about $175 million increaseLowered from about $200 million increase
Battery Energy Systems net sales decline SourceFull year 2026about $250 million declineLowered from about $210 million decline
Weighted light vehicle market production SourceFull year 2026down 3% to approximately flatKept
Light vehicle production by region (China) SourceFull year 2026(7)% to (4)%Lowered from (4)% to (1.5)%
Restructuring expense SourceFull year 2026$90 million to $100 millionRaised from $80 million to $90 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Adjusted EPS range raised to $5.05 to $5.30 from $5.00 to $5.20. Source
  • Guidance raised: Share repurchase authorization increased by $1 billion to approximately $1.35 billion. Source
  • Guidance lowered: U.S. GAAP operating margin and operating income ranges lowered. Foreign currency and Battery Energy Systems sales expectations also changed. Source
  • New: Company plans to increase 2026 R&D spending. The prior release did not contain this statement. Source
  • New: Seven new business awards announced, compared with twelve in the prior quarter's release. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Sales rose on currency: Net sales of $3,648 million rose about 0.3%. Organic net sales fell 1.2% as stronger foreign currencies were offset by lower market production and Battery Energy Systems sales. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 17.4%: Adjusted EPS of $1.42 compared with $1.21. The increase reflected higher adjusted operating income and a lower share count from 2025 and 2026 repurchases. Source
  • GAAP EPS up 30.1%: U.S. GAAP net earnings were $1.34 per diluted share, against $1.03. Net earnings attributable to BorgWarner were $277 million, against $224 million. Source

Segments and regions

  • Battery Energy Systems fell most: Battery Energy Systems sales were $100 million, organic down 39.0%. Segment adjusted operating loss narrowed to $2 million from $12 million. Source
  • Turbos & Thermal sales declined: Turbos & Thermal Technologies sales were $1,442 million, organic down 4.3%. Segment adjusted operating income was $225 million against $227 million. Source
  • Drivetrain & Morse sales grew: Drivetrain & Morse Systems sales were $1,455 million, organic up 1.0%. Segment adjusted operating income rose to $277 million from $260 million. Source
  • PowerDrive sales up 11.7%: PowerDrive Systems sales were $665 million, organic up 11.7%. Segment adjusted operating loss narrowed to $29 million from $33 million. Source

“The Company increased its 2026 full year adjusted earnings per share guidance, while maintaining its sales, adjusted operating margin and cash flow expectations.”

Borgwarner Inc., press release

Products and customers

  • Seven new awards announced: Awards span hybrid, electric and combustion programs with European, Chinese and global OEMs, with production expected to start between 2026 and 2029. Source
  • Chinese SUV transfer case award: Torque-on-demand transfer case award with a Chinese OEM for a newly developed full-size SUV. Production is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. Source
  • Inverter awards with European OEM: Two high-volume inverter extension awards with a major European OEM for plug-in hybrid and 800V battery-electric vehicles, with production expected in 2029. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin widened: Gross margin was 19.8% against 17.6% a year earlier. Gross profit was $721 million against $640 million on net sales of $3,648 million. Source
  • Cost controls cited for margin: U.S. GAAP operating margin was 10.1%, up 220 basis points. Adjusted operating margin was 11.3%, up 100 basis points, which management attributed to cost controls. Source
  • Selling and admin costs rose: SG&A was $331 million against $317 million. Other operating income was $1 million, against $14 million of expense a year earlier. Source

“The Company’s continued focus on cost controls allowed it to deliver strong performance despite a lower industry production environment.”

Borgwarner Inc., press release

Demand and the order book

  • Industry production expected lower: Weighted light vehicle markets are expected to be down 3% to approximately flat in 2026. Management cited a lower industry production environment in the quarter. Source
  • Regional production ranges revised: Full-year ranges: North America (2.5)% to 1.5%, Europe (2)% to 1%, China (7)% to (4)%. The China range was lowered from (4)% to (1.5)%. Source
  • Battery Energy Systems decline continues: Battery Energy Systems organic sales fell $62 million in the quarter. The company expects a full-year decline of about $250 million in that segment. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow of $492 million: Operating cash flow was $586 million and capital expenditures were $96 million, giving free cash flow of $492 million against $507 million a year earlier. Source
  • Buybacks and dividend in quarter: The company repurchased about $100 million of shares and paid a $34 million cash dividend. Six-month share repurchases total $250 million on the cash flow statement. Source
  • Repurchase program runs to 2029: The expanded authorization is intended to allow management to repurchase outstanding shares through 2029. Source
  • Cash balance higher: Cash and cash equivalents were $2,448 million at June 30, 2026, against $2,313 million at December 31, 2025. Source

Strategy and investment

  • R&D spending to rise: Management plans to increase 2026 R&D spending to accelerate future growth in data center and industrial markets. Source
  • Data center and industrial readiness: The company reported progress in product readiness for data center and industrial markets across its portfolio. Source
  • Next-generation iDM award: Integrated Drive Modules award with a global OEM uses the company's next-generation iDM technology, with production expected in 2027. Source

Non-comparable items and charges

  • Non-comparable items $0.08 per share: Net non-comparable items were $0.08 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2026, against $0.18 in the second quarter of 2025. Source
  • Restructuring and depreciation charges: Restructuring expense was $21 million and accelerated depreciation was $7 million in the quarter, against $17 million and $21 million a year earlier. Source
  • CEO transition compensation in 2025: CEO transition compensation was a non-comparable item of $0.03 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2025, and none is shown for 2026. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 August 2026

  • Transfer case production starts Q4 2026: Production for the Chinese OEM full-size SUV transfer case award is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. Source
  • IDM production starts 2027: Production for the Integrated Drive Modules award with a global OEM is expected to begin in 2027. Source
  • ETurbo production starts 2029: Production for the eTurbo award with a major European OEM is expected to begin in 2029. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Battery Energy Systems sales are expected to decline about $250 million in 2026, which the company cites as a headwind to organic growth. Source
  • Demand: Management cited declining market production volumes and lower Battery Energy Systems sales as partial offsets to currency gains in the quarter. Source
  • Operational: Restructuring expense range for 2026 was raised to $90 million to $100 million from $80 million to $90 million. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Full-year sales, adjusted operating margin and cash flow expectations were kept when adjusted EPS guidance was raised. 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.