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Cognex Corp.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 11 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter revenue rose 10%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $252 million against $230 million, up 10%, or 9% excluding currency effects. Source
  • Full-year adjusted EPS rose 38%: Full-year adjusted diluted EPS was $1.02, up 38%; GAAP diluted EPS was $0.68. Excluding the Commercial Partnership benefit, adjusted EPS was $0.97, up 31%. Source
  • First-quarter 2026 guidance issued: The company issued revenue, adjusted EBITDA margin and adjusted diluted EPS guidance for the first quarter of 2026. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded for sixth quarter: Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA margin was 22.7%, up 420 basis points. Full-year margin was 21.5%, up 440 basis points, or 20.7% excluding the Commercial Partnership. Source
  • Portfolio review led to exits: The company finished a strategic portfolio review and began exiting about $22 million of non-core, no-growth or low-margin revenue. Source
  • Full-year cash conversion strong at 207%: Full-year free cash flow was $237 million, up 77%. Conversion was 207% of net income and 138% of adjusted net income. Source
  • First 20% margin milestone reached early: Management said the first 20% adjusted EBITDA margin milestone was surpassed a full year ahead of plan, reached on full-year adjusted margin of 20.7% excluding the Commercial Partnership. Source

“2025 marked a return to profitable growth for Cognex, with constant‑currency revenue growth of 8% and adjusted EPS growth of 38%”

Matt Moschner, President and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcefirst quarter 2026$235 - $255 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA margin Sourcefirst quarter 202619.0% - 22.0%New
Adjusted earnings per share (diluted) Sourcefirst quarter 2026$0.22 - $0.26New
Annualized operating cost reductions Sourceby end of 2026additional $35 to $40 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA margin milestone Sourcerun-rate basis by end of 202625%New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: First-quarter 2026 guidance for revenue, adjusted EBITDA margin and adjusted diluted EPS was issued in this release. Source
  • New: The company completed a strategic portfolio review and began exiting non-core, no-growth or low-margin revenue. Source
  • New: An operating model optimization program was described, with additional annualized cost reductions expected by the end of 2026. Source
  • New: The board approved an increase to the existing share repurchase authorization on February 11, 2026. Source
  • New: The portfolio review was described as carried out under the company's new leadership team. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Fourth-quarter revenue rose 10%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $252 million against $230 million, up 10%, or 9% excluding currency effects. Source
  • Factory Automation and Logistics drove revenue: Management linked the quarter's increase to year-end spending across many Factory Automation end markets, while Logistics continued steady growth. Source
  • Full-year revenue growth excluding one-time benefit: Full-year revenue was $994 million, up 9%. Excluding the one-time Commercial Partnership benefit, growth was 7%. Source
  • Full-year adjusted EPS rose 38%: Full-year adjusted diluted EPS was $1.02, up 38%; GAAP diluted EPS was $0.68. Excluding the Commercial Partnership benefit, adjusted EPS was $0.97, up 31%. Source
  • First-quarter 2026 guidance issued: The company issued revenue, adjusted EBITDA margin and adjusted diluted EPS guidance for the first quarter of 2026. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Fourth-quarter adjusted gross margin up: Adjusted gross margin was 71.6%, up 220 basis points from 69.4%. GAAP gross margin was 65.7%, against 68.7% a year earlier. Source
  • Full-year adjusted gross margin declined: Full-year adjusted gross margin was 68.9%, down 40 basis points, mainly from less favorable industry mix and to a lesser extent tariffs, partly offset by the Commercial Partnership benefit. Source
  • Fourth-quarter expenses rose on incentives: Adjusted operating expenses were $128 million, up 5%. On a constant-currency basis they rose 2%, with incentive compensation offsetting cost discipline. Source
  • Full-year adjusted expenses fell 1%: Full-year adjusted operating expenses were $491 million, against $498 million, a decrease of 1%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded for sixth quarter: Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA margin was 22.7%, up 420 basis points. Full-year margin was 21.5%, up 440 basis points, or 20.7% excluding the Commercial Partnership. Source

“We believe our 2025 results again demonstrated our ability to drive profitable growth and the earnings power of our model.”

Dennis Fehr, CFO

Portfolio review and inventory

  • Portfolio review led to exits: The company finished a strategic portfolio review and began exiting about $22 million of non-core, no-growth or low-margin revenue. Source
  • Inventory charge excluded from adjusted results: A $13.1 million excess and obsolete inventory charge tied to the portfolio review was excluded from adjusted gross profit and adjusted operating income. Source
  • Operating model cost reductions planned: Management described further annualized cost reductions from its ongoing operating model optimization, expected by the end of 2026, alongside the portfolio changes. Source

Cash, capital and returns

  • Fourth-quarter free cash flow rose 47%: Fourth-quarter free cash flow was $72 million against $49 million. Operating cash flow was $75 million, up 46%. Source
  • Full-year cash conversion strong at 207%: Full-year free cash flow was $237 million, up 77%. Conversion was 207% of net income and 138% of adjusted net income. Source
  • Cash and investments, no debt: The company reported $642 million in cash and investments and no debt as of December 31, 2025. Source
  • Full-year buybacks and dividends: During 2025 the company repurchased $151 million of its stock and paid $55 million in dividends. Quarterly dividend was declared at $0.085 per share. Source
  • Repurchases to be executed opportunistically: Repurchases will be made opportunistically, subject to market conditions and other uses of capital, under the enlarged authorization. Source

“We surpassed our first execution milestone of 20% a full year ahead of plan driven by focused execution and strong cost discipline.”

Dennis Fehr, CFO

Strategy and AI investment

  • Progress on AI and customer experience: Management said the company advanced AI-enabled machine vision leadership, raised the customer experience bar and made steady progress toward its customer growth objective. Source
  • Salesforce transformation expected to help growth: The CEO said the ongoing salesforce transformation, along with these changes, is expected to help maintain growth and expand margins while funding AI investment. Source
  • Portfolio optimization and operating model: The CEO said the company is taking steps to optimize its portfolio and continuing to transform its operating model. Source

Leadership and margin milestones

  • New leadership team ran portfolio review: The inventory charge was described as arising from a portfolio review carried out under the company's new leadership team. Source
  • First 20% margin milestone reached early: Management said the first 20% adjusted EBITDA margin milestone was surpassed a full year ahead of plan, reached on full-year adjusted margin of 20.7% excluding the Commercial Partnership. Source
  • Next target is 25% margin: The next milestone is a 25% adjusted EBITDA margin on a run-rate basis, targeted by the end of 2026, building on completed actions. Source

Coming up, as management said on 11 February 2026

  • Quarterly dividend payment in March: The quarterly dividend of $0.085 per share is payable on March 12, 2026, to holders of record at the close of business on February 26, 2026. Source
  • 25% margin run-rate target: Management targets a 25% adjusted EBITDA margin on a run-rate basis by the end of 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Customers Sourcemore than 30,000

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Less favorable industry mix was the main reason adjusted gross margin declined for the full year. Source
  • External: Tariffs slightly offset the fourth-quarter adjusted gross margin improvement driven by volume and mix. Source
  • Financial: Incentive compensation was a headwind to fourth-quarter adjusted operating expenses on a constant-currency basis. Source
  • Operational: A $13.1 million inventory charge arose from the product portfolio review and is excluded from adjusted measures. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: The company reached the 20% adjusted EBITDA margin milestone a full year ahead of plan, per management. Source
  • Not stated: Management said the company is making steady progress toward its customer growth objective, without a status label. 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.