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Dauch Corp.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 8 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 4 lowered, 11 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Sales rose on Dowlais consolidation: Sales were $2.38 billion against $1.41 billion a year earlier. Management attributed the year-over-year change mainly to the Dowlais acquisition. Source
  • Net loss attributable to Dauch: Net loss attributable to Dauch was $(100.3) million, or $(0.52) per share and (4.2)% of sales, against net income of $7.1 million, or $0.06 per share, a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose in dollars and margin: Adjusted EBITDA was $308.5 million, or 13.0% of sales, against $177.7 million, or 12.6% of sales, in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Adjusted EPS of $0.34: Adjusted EPS was $0.34 against $0.22. The figure is based on 200.4 million weighted average diluted shares, against 122.6 million a year earlier. Source
  • Gross profit share of sales declined: Gross profit was $225.4 million against $173.9 million, about 9.5% of sales against about 12.3% a year earlier. Source
  • Restructuring and acquisition costs rose: Restructuring and acquisition-related costs were $98.9 million against $19.7 million. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $137.3 million against $90.9 million. Source
  • Operating cash flow was negative: Net cash used in operating activities was $(64.4) million against $55.9 million provided a year earlier. Free cash flow was $(167.1) million against $(12.8) million. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow use: Adjusted free cash flow was a use of $(40.8) million against a use of $(3.9) million. Acquisition-related cash payments were $86.7 million in the quarter. Source

“The company’s first quarter results highlighted a strong start for the new Dauch Corporation,”

David C. Dauch, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Sales SourceFull year 2026$10.3 - $10.8 billionRaised from $10.3 - $10.7 billion
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull year 2026$1.3 - $1.425 billionRaised from $1.3 - $1.4 billion
Synergy benefits within Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull year 2026; run rate by end of year one$50 - $75 million; run rate greater than $100 millionKept
Equity income from China JV SourceFull year 2026$65 - $75 millionKept
Adjusted free cash flow SourceFull year 2026$235 - $325 millionKept
Capital expenditures as share of sales SourceFull year 20264.5% to 5% of salesKept
Capital expenditures net of proceeds SourceFull year 2026(500)Kept
Net cash provided by operating activities SourceFull year 2026$385 - $410 millionKept
Restructuring cash payments SourceFull year 2026$110 - $150 millionKept
Synergy implementation cash payments SourceFull year 2026$100 - $125 millionKept
Restructuring and synergy integration costs SourceFull year 2026Restructuring costs 120; synergy integration costs 115Kept
Acquisition-related costs and cash payments SourceFull year 2026Acquisition-related costs 65; cash payments 140Kept
Production: North America Source2026 production assumption~15.0 millionKept
Production: Europe Source2026 production assumption~16.7 millionLowered from ~16.9 million
Production: China Source2026 production assumption~32.3 millionLowered from ~32.7 million
Production: Global Source2026 production assumption~91.4 millionLowered from ~92.6 million
Full-year targeted EBITDA (reconciliation line) SourceFull year 2026910 - 1,035 (millions)Lowered from 1,015 - 1,115 (millions)
Net loss (reconciliation line) SourceFull year 2026$(335) to $(180) million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Sales target top end raised from $10.7 billion to $10.8 billion; bottom end unchanged at $10.3 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Adjusted EBITDA target top end raised from $1.4 billion to $1.425 billion; bottom end unchanged at $1.3 billion. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Production assumptions lowered for Europe (from ~16.9 million to ~16.7 million), China (from ~32.7 million to ~32.3 million) and globally (from ~92.6 million to ~91.4 million). Source
  • Guidance kept: Adjusted free cash flow target of $235 - $325 million is the same as in the fourth-quarter release. Source
  • New: Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS definitions revised, with recast prior-period amounts. Source
  • New: Certain plant locations moved from the Metal Forming segment to the Driveline segment in the first quarter of 2026. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Sales rose on Dowlais consolidation: Sales were $2.38 billion against $1.41 billion a year earlier. Management attributed the year-over-year change mainly to the Dowlais acquisition. Source
  • Net loss attributable to Dauch: Net loss attributable to Dauch was $(100.3) million, or $(0.52) per share and (4.2)% of sales, against net income of $7.1 million, or $0.06 per share, a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose in dollars and margin: Adjusted EBITDA was $308.5 million, or 13.0% of sales, against $177.7 million, or 12.6% of sales, in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Adjusted EPS of $0.34: Adjusted EPS was $0.34 against $0.22. The figure is based on 200.4 million weighted average diluted shares, against 122.6 million a year earlier. Source
  • Targets rest on production estimates: The full-year targets use production estimates for key programs the company supports and the current operating environment, and assume no change to USMCA. Source

Segments and regions

  • Segment sales both higher: Driveline sales were $1,769.1 million against $987.0 million. Metal Forming sales were $726.2 million against $525.5 million, before intersegment sales of $(116.4) million. Source
  • Segment Adjusted EBITDA by segment: Driveline segment Adjusted EBITDA was $238.8 million against $132.7 million. Metal Forming was $69.7 million against $45.0 million. Source
  • Plants moved between segments: Certain plants moved from Metal Forming to Driveline this quarter to align product and process technologies. Year-earlier segment amounts were recast. Source

“As we begin to capture integration synergies and leverage our combined operational strengths, we are excited about the compelling value and long‑term strategic benefits of this transformational acquisition.”

David C. Dauch, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross profit share of sales declined: Gross profit was $225.4 million against $173.9 million, about 9.5% of sales against about 12.3% a year earlier. Source
  • Restructuring and acquisition costs rose: Restructuring and acquisition-related costs were $98.9 million against $19.7 million. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $137.3 million against $90.9 million. Source
  • Inventory fair value adjustment excluded: A $37.7 million acquisition-related fair value inventory adjustment is listed as a non-recurring item and excluded from Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Interest expense more than doubled: Interest expense was $89.6 million against $42.9 million. Interest income was $12.1 million against $5.6 million. Source
  • Pre-tax loss with tax benefit: The pre-tax loss was $(119.6) million, with an income tax benefit of $19.6 million, against pre-tax income of $21.1 million and tax expense of $14.0 million. Source

Capital, cash and debt

  • Operating cash flow was negative: Net cash used in operating activities was $(64.4) million against $55.9 million provided a year earlier. Free cash flow was $(167.1) million against $(12.8) million. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow use: Adjusted free cash flow was a use of $(40.8) million against a use of $(3.9) million. Acquisition-related cash payments were $86.7 million in the quarter. Source
  • Acquisition cash outflow and debt activity: Acquisition of business, net of cash acquired, was $(331.6) million. Net debt activity was $(761.3) million, and cash and cash equivalents ended at $1,008.2 million. Source
  • Long-term debt rose; restricted cash cleared: Long-term debt, net was $5,156.7 million at March 31, 2026, against $4,039.1 million at December 31, 2025. Restricted cash was nil against $1,496.6 million. Source

Strategy and integration

  • Dowlais consolidated from February 3: The Business Combination with Dowlais completed February 3, 2026. Dowlais results are consolidated in Driveline and Metal Forming from that date. Source
  • Synergy integration cash payments began: Cash payments for synergy integration costs were $8.4 million in the quarter, against none a year earlier. Source
  • Equity-method income increased: Income from equity-method affiliates was $10.3 million against $0.1 million a year earlier. Source
  • Powertrain-agnostic portfolio described: The company describes itself as a Driveline and Metal Forming supplier with a portfolio covering electric, hybrid and internal combustion vehicles, across 24 countries. Source

Non-GAAP definitions and recast amounts

  • Adjusted EBITDA definition revised: Adjusted EBITDA excludes unrealized FX on acquired notes, derivative mark-to-market, PP&E disposal gains and losses, and SDS intangible amortization, based in part on the Business Combination. Source
  • Prior-period amounts recast: Amounts are presented under the revised definitions, and amounts reported under the previous definition have been recast. Source
  • Acquired-intangible amortization excluded from EPS: Adjusted EPS now excludes amortization of intangible assets from acquisitions, at $0.11 per share in the quarter and $0.17 in the first quarter of 2025. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Units Source2026 production assumptions (million): North America ~15.0; Europe ~16.7; China ~32.3; Global ~91.4

Risks management discussed

  • External: Full-year targets assume no change to USMCA and mitigation of most incremental tariff costs. Source
  • Financial: Unrealized FX loss of $10.9 million and derivative mark-to-market of $15.6 million on Dowlais-related items were excluded from Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Operational: Operating loss of $(33.7) million compared with operating income of $42.7 million a year earlier, after restructuring and acquisition-related costs. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The updated full-year 2026 targets include Dowlais from the February 3, 2026 close. Source
  • Not stated: The targets are based on the stated 2026 assumptions for production and key programs. 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.