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Crane Co.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 26 January 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 7 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Sales up 6.8% on core growth: Fourth-quarter net sales were $581.0 million. Core sales grew 5.4%, acquisitions added 0.4% and foreign exchange added 1.0%. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 21%: EPS from continuing operations was $1.39, up 16%. Adjusted EPS from continuing operations was $1.53, up 21%. Source
  • Aerospace & Advanced Technologies sales up 14.7%: Segment sales were $271.6 million, with 14.3% core growth and a slight foreign exchange benefit. Source
  • Process Flow sales up 0.7%: Segment sales were $309.4 million. Core sales fell 1.5%, offset by a 0.6% Technifab contribution and a 1.6% foreign exchange benefit. Source
  • Core orders and backlog both grew: Core orders rose 2.4% and core backlog rose 14.6%, which management attributed to aerospace and defense end markets. Source
  • Operating profit up 18.1%: Operating profit was $101.8 million and adjusted operating profit was $111.7 million, both up from a year earlier. Source
  • Full-year adjusted cash conversion 102%: Full-year free cash flow was $341.3 million and adjusted free cash flow was $362.5 million. Conversion against adjusted net income was 102%. Source
  • Acquisition pipeline remains active: Management said it continues to pursue acquisitions across both segments. Source

“We are excited to report another outstanding quarter, highlighted by a 21% increase in adjusted EPS and 5.4% growth in core sales, reflecting our continued emphasis on technical and commercial excellence and operational discipline.”

Max Mitchell, Crane's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted EPS SourceFull year 2026$6.55-$6.75New
Total sales growth Source2026 versus 2025low- to mid-20%sNew
Adjusted segment operating margin Source202622.5%+New
Corporate cost Source2026approximately $80-$85 millionNew
Net non-operating expense Source2026approximately $58 millionNew
Adjusted tax rate Source2026approximately 23.0%New
Diluted shares Source2026~59 millionNew
Quarterly and annual dividend SourceFirst quarter 2026; 2026 annual$0.255 per share quarterly; $1.02 per share annualRaised from $0.23 per share quarterly

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: A 2026 adjusted EPS range of $6.55-$6.75 was initiated, replacing the prior practice of a 2025 range. Source
  • New: Adjusted EPS definition changed to add back non-cash, after-tax, acquisition-related intangible amortization. Source
  • New: Druck, Panametrics and Reuter-Stokes acquisition completed on January 1, 2026. Source
  • New: optek-Danulat acquisition completed on January 1, 2026; the company reported it generated $40 million of sales in 2025. Source
  • New: Segment renamed from Aerospace & Electronics to Aerospace & Advanced Technologies to reflect the Druck capabilities added. Source
  • New: Alex Alcala named President and Chief Executive Officer, effective at the April 27, 2026 annual shareholder meeting. Source
  • Ended: Max Mitchell's role as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer ends on April 27, 2026; he moves to Executive Chairman for a transitional period. Source

Fourth-quarter results and full year

  • Sales up 6.8% on core growth: Fourth-quarter net sales were $581.0 million. Core sales grew 5.4%, acquisitions added 0.4% and foreign exchange added 1.0%. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 21%: EPS from continuing operations was $1.39, up 16%. Adjusted EPS from continuing operations was $1.53, up 21%. Source
  • Hurricane insurance recovery included: GAAP and adjusted EPS both include $5.2 million, about $0.07 per share, of insurance recovery related to Hurricane Helene. Source
  • Full-year 2025 EPS up 23%: For 2025, diluted EPS rose 23% and adjusted EPS rose 24% over the prior year. Source

Segment results

  • Aerospace & Advanced Technologies sales up 14.7%: Segment sales were $271.6 million, with 14.3% core growth and a slight foreign exchange benefit. Source
  • Aerospace operating margin up 50bps: Operating margin was 22.9%, up 50 basis points. Management cited productivity, higher volumes and price, partly offset by unfavorable mix. Source
  • Process Flow sales up 0.7%: Segment sales were $309.4 million. Core sales fell 1.5%, offset by a 0.6% Technifab contribution and a 1.6% foreign exchange benefit. Source
  • Process Flow adjusted margin up 170bps: Adjusted operating margin was 22.0%, up 170 basis points, which management attributed mainly to productivity. Source

“Having closed successfully on the acquisition of Druck, Panametrics and Reuter-Stokes from Baker Hughes, we are also very excited to announce the acquisition of optek-Danulat based in Essen Germany.”

Max Mitchell, Crane's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Orders and backlog

  • Core orders and backlog both grew: Core orders rose 2.4% and core backlog rose 14.6%, which management attributed to aerospace and defense end markets. Source
  • Process Flow backlog declined in quarter: Process Flow backlog fell from $383.0 million at September 30 to $359.9 million at year-end. Total backlog was $1,435.4 million. Source
  • Aerospace backlog rose again: Aerospace & Advanced Technologies backlog reached $1,075.5 million, up from $1,054.1 million at September 30 and $863.8 million a year earlier. Source

Operating profit and margins

  • Operating profit up 18.1%: Operating profit was $101.8 million and adjusted operating profit was $111.7 million, both up from a year earlier. Source
  • Productivity and pricing drove margins: Management attributed the increase primarily to higher productivity and favorable pricing net of inflation. Source
  • Aerospace adjusted margin up 50bps: Aerospace & Advanced Technologies adjusted operating margin was 23.6%, up 50 basis points from a year earlier. Source

“We are very pleased to have deployed a significant amount of capital acquiring businesses that strengthen our portfolio and create significant growth and margin potential in the years ahead.”

Rich Maue, Crane's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Fourth-quarter free cash flow $196.0 million: Operating cash from continuing operations was $205.8 million and capital expenditures were $9.8 million, leaving $196.0 million of free cash flow. Source
  • Full-year adjusted cash conversion 102%: Full-year free cash flow was $341.3 million and adjusted free cash flow was $362.5 million. Conversion against adjusted net income was 102%. Source
  • Year-end cash and debt: Cash was $506.5 million and total debt was $1,148.2 million. Funding for Druck was moved to escrow and sits in restricted cash. Source
  • Leverage about 1.4x after January deals: The CFO said pro forma net debt to adjusted EBITDA was 1.4x after the January acquisitions, leaving flexibility for further capital deployment. Source

Acquisitions and portfolio

  • Acquisition pipeline remains active: Management said it continues to pursue acquisitions across both segments. Source
  • Druck unit joins aerospace segment: The renamed segment will hold the Druck business unit acquired from Baker Hughes, alongside the existing aerospace unit, focused on technology-led solutions. Source
  • Optek-Danulat adds optical measurement: optek-Danulat, based in Essen, Germany, supplies inline process control optical measurement and complements the Process Flow instrumentation business. Source

Leadership succession

  • Alcala brings long Crane tenure: Alcala joined in 2013 as President of Crane Pumps & Systems and became Executive Vice President with responsibility for both segments in 2023. Source
  • Mitchell endorses successor: Mitchell said he has worked with Alcala for more than a decade and considers him best suited to continue the company's momentum. Source
  • Workforce about 8,500 associates: The company reported about 8,500 employees. The third-quarter release gave about 7,500. Source

Non-GAAP definitions and 2025 base

  • Segment margins exclude amortization: From 2026, segment and operating margins exclude pre-tax, non-cash acquisition-related intangible amortization. Source
  • 2025 base excludes hurricane recoveries: The 2025 comparable base excludes hurricane-related insurance recoveries, which added $0.16 to full-year results. Source
  • Management view of revised measures: Management said the revised measures are meant to show underlying operating performance and align with acquisitive peers. Source

Coming up, as management said on 26 January 2026

  • Alcala takes over as CEO: Alcala becomes President and Chief Executive Officer at the April 27, 2026 annual meeting, when he is also expected to join the Board. Source
  • Mitchell stays as Executive Chairman: Mitchell remains for a transitional period to advise Alcala and the team on strategic growth. Source
  • First-quarter dividend payment date: The $0.255 quarterly dividend is payable March 11, 2026 to holders of record as of February 27, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Order backlog, total Source$1,435.4 million at December 31, 2025
Aerospace & Advanced Technologies backlog Source$1,075.5 million
Process Flow Technologies backlog Source$359.9 million
Core order growth Source2.4%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management cited fourth-quarter order activity at Process Flow Technologies and set a cautious view of 2026 demand levels. Source
  • Operational: Management said the 2026 segment margin decline reflects initial, temporary dilution from the acquisitions, partly offset by core expansion. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The acquisition described as previously announced was completed on January 1, 2026. Source
  • Not stated: Management said 2026 guidance is consistent with its established investment thesis. Source
  • Not stated: Management described the succession as a well-planned, long-signaled process the Board and the CEO have had underway. Source
  • On track: Management said integration is well underway for all acquired businesses. 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.