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Cardinal Infrastructure Group Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 11 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 1 lowered. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Second-quarter revenue up 114%: Revenue was $226.9 million, up from $106.1 million in the second quarter of 2025. Source
  • Adjusted gross margin down to 15.9%: Adjusted gross margin was 15.9% against 21.3%. Management tied the fall to subcontracted labor and equipment rental in developing markets, and to a less residential-weighted mix. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 12.4%: Adjusted EBITDA was $28.1 million, a 12.4% margin against 18.6%. Management linked the decline to G&A investment in the corporate function and operations, plus gross margin. Source
  • Backlog reached $866 million: Backlog at June 30, 2026 was $866 million, up 35% from a year earlier. Source
  • Allied priced at about $120 million: Total consideration is about $120 million, with about $62 million in cash and about $58 million in Class A stock, subject to adjustments. Source
  • Corporate investment reshapes 2026 margins: Management said it is accelerating investment in corporate infrastructure, which changes the 2026 margin expectations. Source

“This was one of the strongest growth quarters in Cardinal's history,”

Jeremy Spivey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFull year 2026$880 million to $900 millionRaised from $675 million to $685 million
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFull year 202616% to 18%Lowered from 20%+

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 revenue guidance raised to $880-$900 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA margin guidance changed from 20% or more to 16% to 18%. Source
  • New: Agreement to acquire Allied Paving Contractors, Inc. of Atlanta, announced with this release. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Second-quarter revenue up 114%: Revenue was $226.9 million, up from $106.1 million in the second quarter of 2025. Source
  • Organic growth and acquisitions combined: Organic expansion of 64% and acquisitions completed in late 2025, ALGC and Piedmont Pipe drove the increase. The reconciliation puts acquisitions at 50 points of growth. Source
  • Six-month revenue up 110%: Year-to-date revenue was $394.4 million, up from $187.9 million, with 64% organic growth over the six months. Source
  • Net income rose 18%: Net income was $11.1 million for the quarter. Net income attributable to Cardinal was $4.7 million, against $7.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Diluted EPS shown in two columns: The statement of operations shows diluted EPS of $0.26 and $0.53. The extracted table does not label which period each column covers. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin fell to 10.8%: Reported gross margin was 10.8% against 13.9%, with gross profit of $24.5 million compared to $14.7 million. Source
  • Adjusted gross margin down to 15.9%: Adjusted gross margin was 15.9% against 21.3%. Management tied the fall to subcontracted labor and equipment rental in developing markets, and to a less residential-weighted mix. Source
  • Southeast weather weighed on results: Intense weather disruptions in parts of the Southeast further weighed on results in the quarter. The release does not quantify the effect. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 12.4%: Adjusted EBITDA was $28.1 million, a 12.4% margin against 18.6%. Management linked the decline to G&A investment in the corporate function and operations, plus gross margin. Source

“Keeping pace with this level of customer demand, and investing to capture the opportunity it represents, cost more than we expected this quarter, resulting in margins below plan.”

Jeremy Spivey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Demand, backlog and end markets

  • Demand remained high across footprint: Management said demand across the footprint is high, a reflection of the turnkey offering in its market. Source
  • Backlog reached $866 million: Backlog at June 30, 2026 was $866 million, up 35% from a year earlier. Source
  • Bid activity and awards lifted backlog: Management attributed the backlog expansion to bid activity and project award momentum in each market. Source
  • End-market mix broadened: Residential stayed a large contributor, with commercial, industrial, mission critical and retail projects expanding alongside it. Source

Acquisitions and strategy

  • Allied priced at about $120 million: Total consideration is about $120 million, with about $62 million in cash and about $58 million in Class A stock, subject to adjustments. Source
  • Allied adds $108 million revenue: Allied generates about $108 million of annual revenue at a 20.3% adjusted EBITDA margin. The release describes the purchase as 5.5 times adjusted EBITDA and accretive. Source
  • Paving brought in-house in Atlanta: Management said the deal brings paving in-house in Atlanta, with margin capture and shorter project timelines across the region. Source
  • Cash portion funded from cash: The cash portion is funded from cash on hand. The Class A shares issued in the deal are subject to a six-month lock-up. Source
  • Ninth acquisition since 2021: Management described Allied as the ninth acquisition since 2021, following Piedmont Pipe in Charlotte in May. Source

“The runway in front of Cardinal remains significant, and we remain focused on executing for our customers, our employees and our shareholders.”

Jeremy Spivey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance basis and investment

  • Corporate investment reshapes 2026 margins: Management said it is accelerating investment in corporate infrastructure, which changes the 2026 margin expectations. Source
  • Guidance excludes acquisitions and weather: Guidance excludes future acquisitions, significant weather events and items outside the ordinary course of business. Source
  • Guidance assumes stable Southeast economy: Guidance assumes no significant change in the overall economy or other Southeastern conditions in 2026, and includes ALGC. Source

Cash, capital and shares

  • Cash reached $339.1 million: Cash was $339.1 million at June 30, 2026, against $97.1 million at the end of the prior year. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose: Operating cash flow was $12.7 million for the quarter, up from $4.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Capital expenditures $24.7 million: Capital expenditures excluding acquisitions were $24.7 million for the quarter, against $12.2 million in 2025. Source
  • Equity offering added $319.0 million: Six-month financing cash flow included $319.0 million of net proceeds from an equity offering. No member distributions appear for the six months of 2026. Source
  • Class A shares outstanding increased: Class A shares outstanding rose to 20,238,610 at June 30, 2026, from 14,947,318 at December 31, 2025. Source

Coming up, as management said on 11 August 2026

  • Allied closing in early October: Management expects the Allied Paving acquisition to be completed in early October. Source
  • Second-half cost recovery expected: Management expects to recover part of the second-quarter subcontracting and weather costs in the second half of 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Backlog as of June 30, 2026 Source$866 million

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Weather disruption in parts of the Southeast weighed on second-quarter results. Source
  • Operational: Subcontracted labor and equipment rental costs in developing markets pressured gross margin. Source
  • Financial: Corporate investment and G&A costs lowered adjusted EBITDA margin alongside gross margin pressure. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management expects partial recovery of costs in the second half of 2026 as schedules progress. Source
  • Missed: Management said quarterly costs ran above expectations, leaving margins below plan. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it still sees a clear path to grow margins from the current level. 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.