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Gates Industrial Corp. Ltd.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 1 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales up 0.4%, core sales down 2.9%: Net sales were $851.1 million, up 0.4% from a year earlier. Core sales, which exclude currency and acquisition effects, fell 2.9%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 20.8%: Adjusted EBITDA was $177.4 million, down from $187.3 million. The margin was 20.8%, against 22.1% a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EPS $0.35 against $0.36: Adjusted Net Income per diluted share was $0.35, against $0.36. Diluted EPS was $0.23, against $0.24. Net income attributable to shareholders was $59.7 million, against $62.0 million. Source
  • Fluid Power sales slipped, margin fell 140 bps: Fluid Power net sales were $317.9 million, down 0.8%, with core sales down 3.5%. Adjusted EBITDA was $65.4 million, down 7.4%, at a 20.6% margin against 22.0%. Source
  • Gross margin down a point: Gross margin was 39.7%, against 40.7%. Adjusted gross margin was 40.5%, against 40.7%, after excluding a $4.0 million inventory adjustment and $2.5 million of restructuring costs in cost of sales. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose to $30.2 million: Net cash provided by operating activities was $30.2 million, against $7.3 million in the prior-year period. Source
  • 2026 guidance kept: Full-year 2026 guidance was maintained, with the same ranges and targets introduced in February. The release gives no revised figures. Source

“We executed well in the first quarter, successfully implementing a new enterprise resource planning system in Europe and continuing to invest in strategic process and growth initiatives.”

Ivo Jurek, Gates Industrial’s Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Core sales growth Sourcefull year 20261% to 4% year-over-yearKept
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull year 2026$775 million to $835 millionKept
Adjusted earnings per share Sourcefull year 2026$1.52 to $1.68Kept
Capital expenditures Sourcefull year 2026approximately $120 millionKept
Free cash flow conversion Sourcefull year 2026exceeding 90%Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Full-year 2026 guidance was introduced in the February release and is maintained in this release with the same figures. Source
  • Ended: The fourth-quarter release named four commercial regions, including Greater China and East Asia & India. This release names three regions, including Asia Pacific. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales up 0.4%, core sales down 2.9%: Net sales were $851.1 million, up 0.4% from a year earlier. Core sales, which exclude currency and acquisition effects, fell 2.9%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 20.8%: Adjusted EBITDA was $177.4 million, down from $187.3 million. The margin was 20.8%, against 22.1% a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EPS $0.35 against $0.36: Adjusted Net Income per diluted share was $0.35, against $0.36. Diluted EPS was $0.23, against $0.24. Net income attributable to shareholders was $59.7 million, against $62.0 million. Source
  • Continuing operations net income lower: Net income from continuing operations was $66.4 million, a 7.8% margin, against $68.6 million and 8.1% a year earlier. Source

Segments and regions

  • Power Transmission sales up, margin down: Power Transmission net sales were $533.2 million, up 1.1%, with core sales down 2.5%. Adjusted EBITDA was $112.0 million, down 4.0%, at a 21.0% margin against 22.1%. Source
  • Fluid Power sales slipped, margin fell 140 bps: Fluid Power net sales were $317.9 million, down 0.8%, with core sales down 3.5%. Adjusted EBITDA was $65.4 million, down 7.4%, at a 20.6% margin against 22.0%. Source
  • Currency added $27.9 million to sales: Currency movements added $27.9 million to reported net sales: $19.2 million in Power Transmission and $8.7 million in Fluid Power. Core sales were $823.2 million. Source

“We have reiterated our financial guidance for 2026.”

Ivo Jurek, Gates Industrial’s Chief Executive Officer

Costs, margins and tax

  • Gross margin down a point: Gross margin was 39.7%, against 40.7%. Adjusted gross margin was 40.5%, against 40.7%, after excluding a $4.0 million inventory adjustment and $2.5 million of restructuring costs in cost of sales. Source
  • Selling and administrative costs rose: Selling, general and administrative expenses were $226.9 million, up from $216.2 million. Restructuring expenses were $0.7 million, against $1.6 million. Source
  • Tax expense lower, interest steady: Income tax expense was $11.5 million, against $25.2 million. Interest expense was $29.9 million, against $29.6 million. Adjusted Net Income removed a $6.3 million discrete tax item. Source

Cash flow and working capital

  • Operating cash flow rose to $30.2 million: Net cash provided by operating activities was $30.2 million, against $7.3 million in the prior-year period. Source
  • Receivables up, inventories down: Trade accounts receivable were $799.6 million, up from $744.2 million at year-end. Inventories were $685.7 million, down from $700.0 million. Source
  • Payables fell, a cash outflow: Trade accounts payable were $396.9 million, down from $433.7 million at year-end. The cash flow statement shows a $34.1 million outflow from accounts payable. Source

“I am optimistic about our core growth prospects in 2026”

Ivo Jurek, Gates Industrial’s Chief Executive Officer

Capital spending and shareholder returns

  • Capital spending lower than prior year: Purchases of property, plant and equipment were $16.7 million, against $17.5 million. Purchases of intangible assets were $4.8 million, against $8.7 million. Source
  • Share repurchases up, tax withholding down: Share repurchases were $16.6 million, against $13.0 million. Employee taxes paid from shares withheld were $8.6 million, against $11.5 million. Source
  • Cash balance declined, debt flat: Cash and cash equivalents were $785.3 million, down from $812.1 million at year-end. Debt, less current portion, was $2,197.6 million, against $2,196.3 million. Source

2026 guidance and reporting basis

  • 2026 guidance kept: Full-year 2026 guidance was maintained, with the same ranges and targets introduced in February. The release gives no revised figures. Source
  • Share metrics exclude buybacks: Share-based guidance metrics do not include the effect of any potential share repurchases. Source
  • Forward non-GAAP measures not reconciled: The company did not reconcile forward-looking non-GAAP measures, including expected Core Sales Growth, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Earnings per Share and Free Cash Flow conversion for 2026, to GAAP. Source

Strategy, investment and leadership

  • ERP system live in Europe: Management said it implemented a new enterprise resource planning system in Europe during the quarter. Source
  • Balance sheet positioned for strategy: Management said the balance sheet is well positioned to support its strategic objectives. Source
  • CEO gave the quarter's commentary: Ivo Jurek, Chief Executive Officer, provided the management commentary in the release. The release reports no change in leadership. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said it reiterated the full-year 2026 financial guidance from the prior release. Source
  • Not stated: Management described the ERP system as being successfully implemented in Europe during 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.