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Columbus McKinnon Corp.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 9 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 10.5%: Net sales reached $258.7 million. Volume added $11.7 million, price $6.1 million and currency translation $6.7 million. U.S. sales contributed $17.7 million of the increase. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 11%: Adjusted EPS was $0.62 against $0.56, with adjusted net income of $17.8 million. GAAP net income rose 51% to $6.0 million, or $0.21 per diluted share. Source
  • EMEA order conversion remains slow: Management said it remains cautious on the EMEA macroeconomic environment, where order conversion rates have stayed slow. Source
  • Backlog up 15%: Backlog was $341.6 million, up 15% from a year earlier, down from $351.6 million at September 30, 2025 and up from $322.5 million at March 31, 2025. Source
  • Adjusted margins fell year on year: Adjusted gross margin was 35.1% against 36.8%, and adjusted operating margin 9.5% against 10.9%. Reported gross margin was 34.5%, down 60 bps. Source
  • Operating cash flow up 106%: Year-to-date operating cash flow was $20.6 million, up 106%, while acquisition-related cash outflows were $13.3 million. Source
  • Kito Crosby acquisition closed: The Kito Crosby acquisition has closed. Management said it begins executing value creation initiatives now that the transaction is complete. Source
  • Standalone fiscal 2026 guidance withdrawn: Management cited higher uncertainty in fourth-quarter results from the Kito Crosby transaction and the timing of the divestiture. Source

“Our team delivered double-digit sales, order and EPS growth in the quarter, ahead of our expectations as we executed on commercial initiatives and continued to benefit from U.S. demand stabilization”

David J. Wilson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net Leverage Ratio Sourceend of fiscal 2028below 4.0xNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance withdrawn: Standalone fiscal 2026 guidance is withdrawn, replacing the prior guidance given with the second quarter results. Source
  • New guidance: A Net Leverage Ratio target below 4.0x by the end of fiscal 2028 appears in this release and not in the previous one. Source
  • New: The Kito Crosby acquisition is now closed; the January release described it as pending. Source
  • New: A new Executive Leadership Team has been formed, bringing together leaders across the brands and applications. Source
  • New: After closing, the primary use of capital is expected to be debt reduction. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales rose 10.5%: Net sales reached $258.7 million. Volume added $11.7 million, price $6.1 million and currency translation $6.7 million. U.S. sales contributed $17.7 million of the increase. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 11%: Adjusted EPS was $0.62 against $0.56, with adjusted net income of $17.8 million. GAAP net income rose 51% to $6.0 million, or $0.21 per diluted share. Source
  • Results within January preliminary ranges: Net sales, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EPS, orders and backlog in this release fall within the ranges given on January 14, 2026, which were preliminary and subject to closing procedures.
  • Nine-month operating income fell: Nine-month net sales rose 5.5% to $755.6 million. Income from operations fell 31.8% to $33.8 million, and diluted EPS was $0.30 against a loss of $0.09. Source

Regions and sales drivers

  • U.S. sales up 13.7%: U.S. sales were $147.2 million, 57% of total, with $13.5 million of higher volume and $4.2 million of price improvement. Source
  • Non-U.S. growth mostly currency: Sales outside the U.S. rose 6.6% to $111.5 million. Currency added $6.7 million and price $1.9 million, partly offset by $1.7 million of lower volume. Source
  • EMEA order conversion remains slow: Management said it remains cautious on the EMEA macroeconomic environment, where order conversion rates have stayed slow. Source
  • Lifting, linear motion and automation: Net sales growth was described as coming from strength in lifting, linear motion and automation across North America and EMEA. Source

“we remain cautious on the macroeconomic environment in EMEA where order conversion rates have remained slow.”

David J. Wilson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Orders and backlog

  • Orders rose 11%: Orders were $247.4 million, up 11%, with growth in both short-cycle orders and project-related orders. Source
  • Backlog up 15%: Backlog was $341.6 million, up 15% from a year earlier, down from $351.6 million at September 30, 2025 and up from $322.5 million at March 31, 2025. Source
  • Longer-dated backlog share rose: Backlog expected to ship beyond three months was $209.8 million, or 61.4% of total, up from 60.4% at September 30, 2025. Source
  • Conveyance, lifting and automation led: Orders showed particular strength in U.S. precision conveyance, lifting and automation. Source

Margins and costs

  • Adjusted margins fell year on year: Adjusted gross margin was 35.1% against 36.8%, and adjusted operating margin 9.5% against 10.9%. Reported gross margin was 34.5%, down 60 bps. Source
  • Monterrey start-up costs excluded: Monterrey, Mexico new factory start-up costs of $1.5 million were excluded from adjusted gross profit, against $3.0 million a year earlier. Source
  • G&A rose 32.7%: General and administrative expenses rose 32.7% to $32.1 million, or 12.4% of net sales. Acquisition deal and integration costs of $6.3 million are excluded from adjusted operating income. Source
  • R&D down, selling expense up: Research and development fell 16.6% to $4.4 million, or 1.7% of net sales. Selling expenses rose 5.2% to $28.8 million, or 11.1% of net sales. Source

“I have never been more excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for Columbus McKinnon.”

David J. Wilson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Adjusted measures and definitions

  • Adjusted EBITDA now adds back stock pay: The updated Adjusted EBITDA definition adds back stock-based compensation and is applied to current and recast historical periods. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA lower year on year: Quarterly Adjusted EBITDA was $39.8 million against $40.3 million, a 15.4% margin against 17.2%. Nine-month Adjusted EBITDA was $112.6 million against $121.1 million. Source
  • Adjusted EPS excludes amortization: Adjusted EPS excludes amortization of intangibles, which was $7.6 million in the quarter, and applies a normalized tax rate of 25%. Source

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Operating cash flow up 106%: Year-to-date operating cash flow was $20.6 million, up 106%, while acquisition-related cash outflows were $13.3 million. Source
  • Quarterly free cash flow $16.5 million: Quarterly free cash flow was $16.5 million, from $20.3 million of operating cash flow less $3.8 million of capital expenditure, against $6.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Net debt ratio lower: Debt, net of cash, to net total capitalization was 31.0%, against 32.1% at March 31, 2025. Cash was $35.5 million, down from $53.7 million. Source
  • Inventory turns at 3.0: Inventory turns were 3.0 per year, against 3.4 at March 31, 2025. Inventories were $222.4 million at December 31, 2025. Source

Kito Crosby and divestiture

  • Kito Crosby acquisition closed: The Kito Crosby acquisition has closed. Management said it begins executing value creation initiatives now that the transaction is complete. Source
  • Synergies and debt reduction focus: Management said it remains focused on synergy realization and debt reduction to unlock value for all stakeholders. Source
  • Power chain divestiture still pending: The pending divestiture covers the U.S. power chain hoist and chain operations at Damascus, Virginia and Lexington, Tennessee, and its timing adds uncertainty to fourth-quarter results. Source
  • Free cash flow to fund strategy: Management believes that over time it will be positioned to use expected significant free cash flow to advance its Intelligent Motion strategy in the fragmented marketplace. Source

Guidance and leadership

  • Standalone fiscal 2026 guidance withdrawn: Management cited higher uncertainty in fourth-quarter results from the Kito Crosby transaction and the timing of the divestiture. Source
  • New Executive Leadership Team: A new Executive Leadership Team, which management said will ensure business continuity, has been formed. Source
  • Fourth-quarter EPS dilution expected: Transaction-related costs, purchase accounting adjustments, early integration costs and higher interest expense are expected to dilute fourth-quarter GAAP EPS. Source

Coming up, as management said on 9 February 2026

  • Fiscal 2027 guidance in late May: Fiscal 2027 financial guidance will be issued with the fourth quarter fiscal 2026 results, in late May 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Backlog Source$341.6 million
Orders Source$247.4 million
Long-term backlog as share of total backlog Source61.4%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management said EMEA order conversion has remained slow and it remains cautious on the EMEA macroeconomic environment. Source
  • Regulatory: Limits on information sharing with Kito Crosby before closing, and integration of its financial processes, add uncertainty to fourth-quarter results. Source
  • Operational: Management said realizing synergies and reducing debt after the acquisition are central to its focus. Source
  • Financial: Transaction costs, purchase accounting adjustments, early integration costs and higher interest expense are expected to dilute fourth-quarter GAAP EPS. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said it remains committed to paying down debt in the near term while continuing its consistent dividend payment. Source
  • Not stated: The January release said detailed results and GAAP reconciliations would follow in early February; this release is dated February 9, 2026.

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.