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BlueLinx Holdings Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 3.1%: Net sales were $731 million, up $22 million or 3.1%, with the company attributing the growth to specialty products. Source
  • Net loss against prior-year profit: The company reported a net loss of $1.5 million, or $0.18 per diluted share, compared with net income of $2.8 million, or $0.33, a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose to $23.5 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $23.5 million, or 3.2% of net sales, compared with $19.6 million, or 2.8%, in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Specialty gross margin was 18.1%: Specialty gross profit was $93 million, up 3.1%. Gross margin was 18.1% against 18.7%, consistent with the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Structural gross margin rose to 10.9%: Structural gross profit was $23.8 million, up $2.5 million, and gross margin was 10.9% against 9.3% a year earlier. Source
  • Company gross margin rose 20 basis points: Gross profit was $116 million, up $5.3 million or 4.7%, and gross margin was 15.9% against 15.7%. Source
  • Operating cash use is seasonal: Net cash used in operating activities was $57 million against $34 million a year earlier; free cash flow was $(60) million. The company says the first quarter typically shows negative operating cash flow. Source

“We are off to a good start in 2026, delivering net sales growth while maintaining solid gross margins in a challenging macro environment,”

Shyam Reddy, President and Chief Executive Officer of BlueLinx

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Specialty product gross margin Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 202617.5% to 18.5%New
Structural product gross margin Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 20269.5% to 10.5%New
Average daily sales volumes Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026down slightly compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2025; improved sequentially versus the first quarter of fiscal 2026New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Second-quarter 2026 gross margin ranges and a volume direction were given; the prior release gave first-quarter ranges instead. Source
  • New: The company repurchased about $3.0 million of stock in the quarter, after none in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source

Results and profit measures

  • Net sales rose 3.1%: Net sales were $731 million, up $22 million or 3.1%, with the company attributing the growth to specialty products. Source
  • Net loss against prior-year profit: The company reported a net loss of $1.5 million, or $0.18 per diluted share, compared with net income of $2.8 million, or $0.33, a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose to $23.5 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $23.5 million, or 3.2% of net sales, compared with $19.6 million, or 2.8%, in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Adjusted EPS of $0.21: Adjusted net income was $1.7 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, against $2.3 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, a year earlier. Source
  • Management cited a challenging macro: The CEO said net sales grew and gross margins were maintained in a challenging macro environment. Source

Specialty and structural segments

  • Specialty sales rose 6.8%: Specialty net sales rose $32 million to $512 million, reflecting higher volumes in all product categories and the Disdero acquisition. Source
  • Specialty gross margin was 18.1%: Specialty gross profit was $93 million, up 3.1%. Gross margin was 18.1% against 18.7%, consistent with the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Structural sales fell 4.6%: Structural net sales decreased $10.5 million to $219 million compared with the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Structural gross margin rose to 10.9%: Structural gross profit was $23.8 million, up $2.5 million, and gross margin was 10.9% against 9.3% a year earlier. Source

“Adjusted EBITDA of $23 million exceeded our expectations, reflecting volume growth across our strategic product categories, including the positive impact of the Disdero acquisition, as well as disciplined margin performance,”

Kelly Wall, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of BlueLinx

Products and strategic categories

  • Strategic categories drove volume gains: Management said specialty growth came from volume gains in several key strategic categories while gross margins were maintained. No unit or customer counts were given. Source
  • Disdero added to sales and EBITDA: Management cited the Disdero acquisition as a positive factor in specialty sales and in Adjusted EBITDA. No separate Disdero sales figure was given. Source
  • Lumber volumes rose year over year: Structural sales were lower on price declines in lumber and panels, partly offset by higher lumber volumes. Source

Costs and operating expenses

  • SG&A rose on Disdero addition: SG&A was $96 million, $2.1 million higher than the prior-year quarter, mainly from adding Disdero. Depreciation and amortization was $12.0 million against $9.6 million. Source
  • Restructuring tied to digital transformation: Restructuring and other items were $1.8 million, mainly severance and professional services fees for business and digital transformation initiatives. Source
  • Interest expense rose: Net interest expense was $9.1 million against $6.6 million a year earlier. The release does not explain the change. Source

“while maintaining a highly flexible balance sheet with $659 million of liquidity and a net leverage ratio of just 0.7x, excluding real property finance lease liabilities.”

Kelly Wall, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of BlueLinx

Gross margin and pricing

  • Company gross margin rose 20 basis points: Gross profit was $116 million, up $5.3 million or 4.7%, and gross margin was 15.9% against 15.7%. Source
  • Prior-year margin included duty benefit: The prior-year quarter included a $2.4 million import duty benefit. Excluding it, first quarter 2025 gross margin would have been 15.3%. Source
  • Specialty prices declined modestly: Specialty sales growth was partly offset by modest year-over-year price declines. Source

Cash flow, liquidity and debt

  • Operating cash use is seasonal: Net cash used in operating activities was $57 million against $34 million a year earlier; free cash flow was $(60) million. The company says the first quarter typically shows negative operating cash flow. Source
  • Receivables and payables drove cash use: Receivables rose to $297 million from $218 million and payables to $195 million from $136 million between year-end and quarter-end. Source
  • Liquidity stood at $659 million: Liquidity comprised $319 million of cash and $340 million of undrawn revolver availability. Source
  • Net leverage 0.7x excluding real property leases: Net debt was $58 million, giving 0.7x net leverage on trailing Adjusted EBITDA of $86 million. The reconciliation table shows 3.4x including real property finance leases. Source
  • Senior notes and equipment leases total: Debt and finance leases, excluding real property leases, totalled $377 million: $300 million of senior secured notes due 2029 and $77 million of equipment leases. Source

Capital spending and buybacks

  • Capital spending of $2.6 million: Capital spending went to facility improvements, technology and fleet. Source
  • Share repurchases of $3.0 million: The company bought about $3.0 million of stock under the October 2023 program. It had made no repurchases in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Remaining authorization of $55.7 million: Remaining authority was $5.7 million under the October 2023 program and $50 million under the July 2025 program. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management described the macro environment as challenging. Source
  • Demand: Lower lumber and panel prices reduced structural sales in the quarter. Source
  • Financial: Working-capital movements lowered operating cash generation in the quarter. Source
  • Operational: Severance and professional fees for transformation work added costs in the quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The prior release gave first-quarter specialty margin of 17% to 18% and structural margin of 9% to 10%. The current release does not compare actual results with these ranges.

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.