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Distribution Solutions Group, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose on organic growth: Revenue rose 10.7% to $573.6 million, with organic sales up 9.2% and average daily sales higher across all business units. Source
  • Operating income rose to $25.2 million: Operating income compares with $23.6 million a year earlier and $27.9 million in the second quarter. Source
  • TestEquity revenue and profit rose: TestEquity revenue was $242.3 million against $206.5 million a year earlier; its operating income was $8.3 million against $2.6 million. Source
  • Gross margin fell to 32.0%: Gross margin was 32.0% against 32.9% in the year-ago quarter; management cited customer sales mix shifts and higher tariff rates on inbound shipments, partly offset by pricing benefits. Source
  • Working capital supported quarter cash flow: Over nine months, receivables and inventory changes used cash while payables provided it; the year-earlier nine-month operating cash flow was $66.9 million. Source
  • Merger price of $35.00 per share: The $35.00 per share purchase price is $5.50 above the initial $29.50 proposal of March 14, 2026, and about 81% above the $19.31 closing price on March 13, 2026. Source

“Profitability improved year-over-year on higher sales. Adjusted EBITDA margin as a percentage of sales was 9.9%, an improvement of 50 bps year-over-year.”

Distribution Solutions Group, Inc., press release

What changed from last quarter

  • New: The company completed the acquisition of American Fasteners Corp., a South Florida distributor of fasteners, tools, construction supplies and other industrial products, in the third quarter. Source
  • New: After the quarter ended, the company closed the acquisition of GradeEight Holdings, LLC. Source

Revenue and profit results

  • Revenue rose on organic growth: Revenue rose 10.7% to $573.6 million, with organic sales up 9.2% and average daily sales higher across all business units. Source
  • American Fasteners added $3.8 million: American Fasteners, acquired in the third quarter, contributed about $3.8 million of revenue in the quarter. Source
  • Operating income rose to $25.2 million: Operating income compares with $23.6 million a year earlier and $27.9 million in the second quarter. Source
  • Adjusted operating income rose 19.7%: Adjusted operating income, which excludes non-cash and non-recurring items, was $47.9 million, against $45.2 million in the second quarter. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose to $0.58: Diluted GAAP earnings per share were $0.19 against $0.14 a year earlier; net income was $8.9 million against $6.5 million. Source

Segment results

  • TestEquity revenue and profit rose: TestEquity revenue was $242.3 million against $206.5 million a year earlier; its operating income was $8.3 million against $2.6 million. Source
  • Gexpro operating income edged lower: Gexpro Services operating income was $13.6 million against $13.9 million; Lawson Products was $5.8 million against $5.4 million; Canada Branch Division was $3.9 million against $3.5 million. Source
  • All Other operating loss widened: The All Other line, which the table does not describe, had an operating loss of $6.4 million against $1.8 million a year earlier. Source
  • Segment EBITDA margins mostly higher: Adjusted EBITDA as a percent of revenue was 13.2% for Lawson against 11.5%, 12.9% for Gexpro against 13.6%, 7.2% for TestEquity against 6.0%, and 9.7% for Canada Branch against 9.6%. Source

“The closing of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976”

Distribution Solutions Group, Inc., press release

Gross margin and costs

  • Gross margin fell to 32.0%: Gross margin was 32.0% against 32.9% in the year-ago quarter; management cited customer sales mix shifts and higher tariff rates on inbound shipments, partly offset by pricing benefits. Source
  • Gross profit and SG&A both rose: Gross profit was $183.8 million against $170.3 million; selling, general and administrative expenses were $158.6 million against $146.7 million. Source
  • Interest expense eased: Interest expense was $13.5 million against $14.0 million a year earlier; nine-month interest expense was $38.6 million against $42.4 million. Source
  • Income tax expense rose: Income tax expense was $2.4 million against $1.9 million a year earlier; nine-month income tax expense was $8.6 million against $11.0 million. Source
  • Acquisition and non-recurring costs rose: Acquisition-related costs were $4.0 million against $0.1 million; other non-recurring costs, including merger-related costs, were $4.2 million against $0.2 million. Source

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Working capital supported quarter cash flow: Over nine months, receivables and inventory changes used cash while payables provided it; the year-earlier nine-month operating cash flow was $66.9 million. Source
  • Net capital spending of $5.9 million: Nine-month purchases of property, plant and equipment were $11.2 million, and purchases of rental equipment were $18.5 million. Source
  • Liquidity of $378.0 million: Cash was $72.3 million and $305.7 million was available under the credit facility; net debt leverage was 3.4x, the same as in the second quarter release. Source
  • Long-term debt rose to $723.6 million: Long-term debt was $723.6 million at September 30, 2026, against $664.2 million at December 31, 2025; accounts receivable also rose to $343.5 million. Source
  • Stock repurchases minimal in nine months: Repurchases of common stock were $1 thousand in the first nine months of 2026, against $20.3 million a year earlier; shares held in treasury were $707 thousand against $252 thousand. Source

Acquisitions

  • Nine-month acquisitions added $7.8 million: Revenue from acquisitions closed in the first nine months of 2026 was $7.8 million of the quarter's increase, alongside organic growth. Source
  • Eastern Valve contributed to second quarter: The Eastern Valve acquisition, closed in the first quarter, contributed about $4.1 million of revenue in the second quarter, per the second-quarter release.
  • Cash paid for acquisitions $58.3 million: Nine-month business acquisitions used $58.3 million net of cash acquired, against $2.2 million a year earlier. Source

Proposed merger with LKCM Headwater

  • Merger price of $35.00 per share: The $35.00 per share purchase price is $5.50 above the initial $29.50 proposal of March 14, 2026, and about 81% above the $19.31 closing price on March 13, 2026. Source
  • Buyer already owns about 79%: Newly formed Parent and Merger Sub entities affiliated with LKCM Headwater would merge into the company, which would become wholly owned by Parent. Source
  • Chairman and CEO also leads LKCM: J. Bryan King is also Managing Partner of LKCM Headwater, which is one of the buyer entities. Source
  • Disinterested committee reviewed the proposal: The committee unanimously approved the merger, and the board approved it with certain directors recusing themselves from the vote. Source
  • Antitrust waiting period ended August 20: The HSR Act waiting period ended on August 20, 2026; the merger agreement was signed July 15, 2026, and other customary conditions remain. Source

Demand and sales trend

  • Organic growth compared with second quarter: Organic growth was 9.2% in the third quarter against 10.2% in the second quarter release.
  • Sequential organic growth of 2.2%: Organic average daily sales rose 2.8% over the second quarter. Source
  • TestEquity revenue rose from second quarter: TestEquity revenue was $242.3 million in the third quarter against $229.0 million in the second quarter.

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • Stockholder vote on the merger: The proxy statement and proxy card go to stockholders entitled to vote at a special meeting on the merger; the release gives no meeting date. Source
  • Delisting and private ownership on completion: On completion, the company would stop being listed on Nasdaq and become privately held; the release gives no closing date. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Organic sales growth, year over year Source9.2%
Organic sales growth, sequential Source2.2%
Organic average daily sales, sequential Source2.8%
Customers served Sourceover 200,000

Risks management discussed

  • External: Closing requires approval by a majority of votes cast by holders of common stock not owned by LKCM Headwater and its affiliates. Source
  • Financial: Merger financing may use revolving loan proceeds under an amended credit agreement, subject to its terms; the transaction has no financing condition. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The second-quarter release said a proxy statement would be filed; the third-quarter release states a definitive proxy statement was filed on October 28, 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.