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Carpenter Technology Corp.: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 7 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Record quarterly operating income: Fourth-quarter operating income was $206.9 million, up 37 percent year-over-year and 11 percent sequentially, which the company reported as a record quarterly result. Source
  • Fiscal 2026 most profitable year: Fiscal 2026 adjusted operating income was $702.0 million, up 34 percent from fiscal 2025, and the company describes it as the most profitable year in its history. Source
  • SAO record operating income and margin: Specialty Alloys Operations reported operating income of $229.7 million, up 10 percent sequentially and 38 percent year-over-year. Its adjusted margin excluding surcharge was 37.8 percent. Source
  • Aerospace and defense demand robust: Aerospace and Defense net sales excluding surcharge were $449.4 million, up 17 percent year-over-year. Management cited increasing production rates and elevated MRO activity.
  • Margin gains from productivity and pricing: Management attributed margin expansion to higher productivity, improving mix and pricing actions. Adjusted operating margin excluding surcharge reached 30.4 percent, against 24.3 percent a year earlier.
  • Quarterly cash flow lower: Operating cash flow was $240.1 million, against $258.0 million, and adjusted free cash flow was $155.0 million, against $201.3 million. The company cited working capital needs and higher capital expenditures. Source

“Carpenter Technology delivered another record quarter, generating $206.9 million of operating income in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026”

Tony R. Thene, Chairman, President and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Operating income SourceFiscal 2027$850 million to $880 millionNew
Adjusted free cash flow SourceFiscal 2027$400 million to $430 millionNew
Operating income SourceFirst quarter of fiscal 2027$195 million to $200 millionNew
Operating income, SAO segmentFirst quarter of fiscal 2027$218 million to $222 millionNew
Operating income, PEP segmentFirst quarter of fiscal 2027$6 million to $7 millionNew
Operating income target SourceFiscal 2029$1.2 billion to $1.3 billionNew
Operating income growth rateFiscal 2026 to fiscal 202920% to 23%New
Depreciation and amortizationFiscal 2027~$150 million
Capital expendituresFiscal 2027$355 - $375 million
Interest expense, netFiscal 2027$21 million to $25 million
Effective tax rateFiscal 202720% to 22%
Required pension contributions and net pension expenseFiscal 2027$25 million contributions; $6 million net pension expense

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fiscal 2027 operating income range introduced in this release, which management said it is establishing now that fiscal 2026 is complete. Source
  • New guidance: Fiscal 2027 adjusted free cash flow range introduced. Source
  • New guidance: First quarter of fiscal 2027 operating income range introduced. Source
  • New: Fiscal 2029 operating income target introduced as a medium-term target. Source

Quarter and fiscal year results

  • Record quarterly operating income: Fourth-quarter operating income was $206.9 million, up 37 percent year-over-year and 11 percent sequentially, which the company reported as a record quarterly result. Source
  • Fiscal 2026 most profitable year: Fiscal 2026 adjusted operating income was $702.0 million, up 34 percent from fiscal 2025, and the company describes it as the most profitable year in its history. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $3.23: Fourth-quarter diluted EPS was $3.23 compared with $2.21 a year earlier, and net income was $162.4 million. Fiscal 2026 diluted EPS was $10.52 against $7.42. Source
  • Net sales up 13 percent: Net sales were $851.0 million, up 13 percent, on 22 percent higher shipment volume. Net sales excluding surcharge were $679.7 million, up 9 percent. Source

Segment performance

  • SAO record operating income and margin: Specialty Alloys Operations reported operating income of $229.7 million, up 10 percent sequentially and 38 percent year-over-year. Its adjusted margin excluding surcharge was 37.8 percent. Source
  • PEP sales up, profit flat: Performance Engineered Products operating income was $7.1 million, against $11.7 million a year earlier and flat sequentially. Net sales excluding surcharge rose 8 percent sequentially.
  • PEP run as entrepreneurial units: Management said the PEP businesses are managed with an entrepreneurial structure and believes this model will ultimately drive overall revenue and profit growth. Source

“we do not see fiscal year 2029 as the peak of our earnings power.”

Tony R. Thene, Chairman, President and CEO

End-use markets and demand

  • Aerospace and defense demand robust: Aerospace and Defense net sales excluding surcharge were $449.4 million, up 17 percent year-over-year. Management cited increasing production rates and elevated MRO activity.
  • Industrial and consumer sales up: Industrial and Consumer net sales excluding surcharge were $92.8 million, up 22 percent year-over-year. Fiscal 2026 sales in this market were $320.3 million. Source
  • Medical sales down, bookings up: Medical net sales excluding surcharge were $54.1 million, down 30 percent year-over-year and up 5 percent sequentially. Management said medical sales and bookings are increasing.
  • Energy sales fell on production timing: Energy net sales excluding surcharge were $39.2 million, down 12 percent year-over-year. Management attributed the decline to production timing as industrial gas turbine builds continue.

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Margin gains from productivity and pricing: Management attributed margin expansion to higher productivity, improving mix and pricing actions. Adjusted operating margin excluding surcharge reached 30.4 percent, against 24.3 percent a year earlier.
  • Realized prices and efficiencies cited: The company attributed the year-over-year improvement to product mix, higher realized prices and expanded operating efficiencies. Source
  • SG&A held near prior year: Selling, general and administrative expenses were $62.0 million in the quarter, against $62.5 million a year earlier. Source

“We remain confident in our strategy, which has driven our transformation and positions us well to capture even greater opportunities ahead.”

Tony R. Thene, Chairman, President and CEO

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Quarterly cash flow lower: Operating cash flow was $240.1 million, against $258.0 million, and adjusted free cash flow was $155.0 million, against $201.3 million. The company cited working capital needs and higher capital expenditures. Source
  • Fiscal 2026 cash generation: Fiscal 2026 operating cash flow was $605.0 million, and adjusted free cash flow was $362.3 million. Source
  • Capital spending increased: Capital expenditures were $85.1 million in the quarter, up from $58.0 million a year earlier. Fiscal 2026 capital spending was $242.7 million, including the brownfield expansion. Source
  • Share repurchases continue: The company bought 100,000 shares for $45.2 million in the quarter. $119.0 million remains under the $400.0 million program. Source
  • Liquidity and cash position: Total liquidity was $892.4 million, including $393.3 million of cash and $499.1 million of available borrowings under the Credit Facility. Source
  • Quarterly dividend held at $0.20: The company funded its quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per share, or $10.1 million. Fiscal 2026 dividends paid were $40.3 million.

Strategy and long-term positioning

  • Specialized portfolio for critical applications: Management described an offering of a unique portfolio of specialized solutions for high value, critical applications.
  • Demand described as accelerating: Management said demand continues to accelerate, especially in the Aerospace and Defense end-use market.
  • Balanced capital allocation: Management said the balance sheet and cash generation enable a balanced approach to capital allocation.

Coming up, as management said on 30 July 2026

  • Brownfield commissioning early fiscal 2028: Management said commissioning of the brownfield capacity expansion is expected early in fiscal 2028.
  • Brownfield ramp ahead: Management said market dynamics are expected to keep strengthening alongside an ongoing ramp of the brownfield capacity expansion.

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Consolidated pounds sold ('000), Q4 FY26 vs Q4 FY25 Source59,578 vs 48,746
SAO pounds sold ('000), Q4 FY26 vs Q4 FY25 Source57,454 vs 46,872
PEP pounds sold ('000), Q4 FY26 vs Q4 FY25 Source3,256 vs 2,674

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Management noted less available effective capacity uptime because of planned maintenance, which partly offsets the demand and pricing environment.
  • Financial: Management said working capital needs and higher capital expenditures offset higher earnings in cash flow for the quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said the brownfield project is on schedule and on budget, with equipment installation ongoing.
  • Ahead: Management said the SAO segment exceeded expectations in the quarter. 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.