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Crane Co.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 raised, 4 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Adjusted EPS rose 18% to $1.79: Adjusted EPS from continuing operations was $1.79 against $1.52, up 18%. GAAP EPS from continuing operations was $1.63 against $1.37. Source
  • Sales rose 25.6%, mostly from acquisitions: Net sales were $724.7 million. Acquisitions contributed 19.8 points, core sales 5.2 points and foreign exchange 0.6 points. Source
  • Aerospace sales up 31.3%: AAT sales were $339.1 million, with 13.3% core growth and 17.8 points from Druck. Foreign exchange added 0.2%. Source
  • Aerospace backlog up 11% core: AAT backlog reached $1.27 billion, up 11% year over year on a core basis. Management described demand as broad-based. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin 21.3%: Adjusted operating margin was 21.3%, up 180 basis points. GAAP operating margin was 19.9%, up 210 basis points year over year. Source
  • Free cash flow $107.7 million: Operating cash flow from continuing operations was $122.3 million and capital expenditures $14.6 million, giving free cash flow of $107.7 million. Source

“Combined with 5% core sales growth and strong operating leverage across all businesses, these results underscore the quality of our portfolio and the effectiveness of our operating model.”

Alex Alcala, Crane's President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$6.85-$7.05Raised from $6.65-$6.85
Total sales growth Sourcefull year 2026mid-20% rangeRaised from low-to-mid-20%
Core sales growth Sourcefull year 20265-6%Raised from 4-6%
Adjusted segment operating margin Sourcefull year 202623.0%+Raised from ~23.0%
Corporate cost Sourcefull year 2026approximately $80-$85 millionKept
Net non-operating expense Sourcefull year 2026approximately $58 millionKept
Adjusted tax rate Sourcefull year 2026approximately 23.0%Kept
Diluted shares Sourcefull year 2026~59 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year adjusted EPS range raised to $6.85-$7.05 from $6.65-$6.85. Source
  • Guidance raised: Total sales growth now guided to the mid-20% range, from low-to-mid-20%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Core sales growth guidance of 5-6% now at the high end of the prior 4-6% range. Source
  • Guidance raised: Adjusted segment operating margin now 23.0% or higher, from about 23.0%. Source
  • New: Adjusted measures now exclude all benefit from tariff recoveries, shown as a special item. Source
  • New: Company repaid a further $90 million of debt after June 30, 2026. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Adjusted EPS rose 18% to $1.79: Adjusted EPS from continuing operations was $1.79 against $1.52, up 18%. GAAP EPS from continuing operations was $1.63 against $1.37. Source
  • Sales rose 25.6%, mostly from acquisitions: Net sales were $724.7 million. Acquisitions contributed 19.8 points, core sales 5.2 points and foreign exchange 0.6 points. Source
  • Operating profit rose 40% to $144.3m: Operating profit was $144.3 million, a 19.9% margin against 17.8%. Adjusted operating profit was $154.3 million, up 37.3%. Source

Segment results

  • Aerospace sales up 31.3%: AAT sales were $339.1 million, with 13.3% core growth and 17.8 points from Druck. Foreign exchange added 0.2%. Source
  • Aerospace operating margin little changed: AAT operating margin was 26.2%, down 10 basis points, with favorable net price, higher volumes and tariff recoveries offset by expected Druck dilution. Source
  • Process Flow sales up 20.9%: PFT sales were $385.6 million. Acquisitions added 21.5 points and core sales fell 1.4%. Foreign exchange added 0.8%. Source
  • Process Flow margin up 80 basis points: PFT adjusted operating margin was 22.2%, up 80 basis points, with management citing productivity as the reason. Source

“As we look ahead, we remain confident in our ability to continue to drive significant shareholder value by outgrowing our markets, driving further margin expansion, and deploying capital to acquire businesses that enhance our portfolio.”

Alex Alcala, Crane's President and Chief Executive Officer

Demand and backlog

  • Aerospace backlog up 11% core: AAT backlog reached $1.27 billion, up 11% year over year on a core basis. Management described demand as broad-based. Source
  • Total core backlog up 5% sequentially: Total core backlog rose 5% sequentially, with AAT up 7% and PFT up 2% sequentially. Total backlog was $1,887.3 million at June 30, 2026. Source
  • Acquired backlog in both segments: Druck contributed $100.2 million to AAT backlog. Panametrics, Reuter-Stokes and optek-Danulat contributed $230.9 million to PFT backlog. Source

Costs and margins

  • Adjusted operating margin 21.3%: Adjusted operating margin was 21.3%, up 180 basis points. GAAP operating margin was 19.9%, up 210 basis points year over year. Source
  • Interest expense more than tripled: Interest expense was $16.6 million in the second quarter, against $4.3 million a year earlier. Interest income was $2.1 million. Source
  • Transaction costs and amortization rose: Transaction related expenses were $12.8 million and acquisition intangible amortization $16.1 million. Both are excluded from adjusted measures. Source

Cash and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow $107.7 million: Operating cash flow from continuing operations was $122.3 million and capital expenditures $14.6 million, giving free cash flow of $107.7 million. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow $116.3 million: Adjusted measure removes transaction-related and tariff refund cash items. The prior-year second quarter adjusted figure was $93.3 million. Source
  • Cash and debt at quarter end: Cash was $350.4 million and total debt $1,098.4 million at June 30, 2026. Source
  • Third-quarter dividend declared: The board declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.255 per share for the third quarter of 2026. Source

Strategy, acquisitions and people

  • Two growth platforms named: Crane describes two strategic growth platforms, Aerospace & Advanced Technologies and Process Flow Technologies, serving aerospace, defense, space and process industries. Source
  • Acquisitions ahead of expectations: Management said the acquisitions are performing ahead of expectations, with stronger growth and margin expansion. Source
  • Headcount stated at about 8,300: The company reported approximately 8,300 employees. The first-quarter release had stated approximately 9,000. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 July 2026

  • Third-quarter dividend payment date: The $0.255 dividend is payable September 9, 2026 to shareholders of record as of August 31, 2026. Source
  • Guidance detail in presentation: Further guidance details and assumptions are in a presentation that accompanies the release on the company website. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total company core backlog growth, sequential Source5%
AAT backlog Source$1.27 billion, up 11% year-over-year on a core basis
Total backlog Source$1,887.3 million

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Expected Druck dilution outweighed favorable net price and higher volumes in the AAT adjusted operating margin. Source
  • Demand: PFT core sales fell 1.4%, and lower volumes plus acquisition dilution were cited as offsets to its adjusted margin. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said all four recent acquisitions are performing ahead of plan. Source
  • Ahead: Management said the quarterly results exceeded its expectations. 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.