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Holley Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 3.2%: Net sales rose 3.2% to $172.0 million from $166.7 million a year earlier. Core business net sales, excluding divested businesses and the rebalancing initiative, are reported separately. Source
  • Net loss against prior-year profit: The company reported a net loss of $(2.4) million, or $(0.02) per diluted share, against net income of $10.9 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, a year earlier. Source
  • SG&A rose 22.7%: Selling, general, and administrative expense rose to $40.4 million from $33.0 million, up 22.7%, against net sales growth of 3.2%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin fell: Adjusted EBITDA was $33.8 million against $36.4 million, and the margin was 19.6% against 21.9%. Source
  • Second-half momentum cited: Management cited new national retailer placements, a product innovation cadence, and launches slated for the coming months as reasons for second-half momentum. Source
  • Free cash flow rose: Free cash flow was $40.9 million against $35.7 million, with operating cash flow of $47.1 million against $40.5 million. Source
  • Restoration brands sold: The company completed the sale of its non-core Restoration brands, including Scott Drake and Brothers Trucks, in the quarter, which management said reduces complexity. Source
  • Tariff refunds excluded from Adjusted EBITDA: From this quarter, tariff refund income received is excluded from Adjusted EBITDA as a notable item, because the refunds relate to tariff costs incurred in the past. Source

“Our second quarter results reflect positive core growth and continued execution against the strategic priorities we outlined earlier this year, with three of our four business segments delivering year-over-year core growth,”

Matthew Stevenson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Holley

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales SourceFull year 2026$610 - $640 millionKept
Core business net sales growth SourceFull year 2026~2% to ~7%Kept
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull year 2026$127 - $137 millionKept
Capital expenditures SourceFull year 2026$15 - $20 millionKept
Depreciation and amortization expense SourceFull year 2026$24 - $26 millionKept
Interest expense excluding collar revaluation SourceFull year 2026$42 - $47 millionKept
Credit Agreement leverage ratio SourceYear-end 2026below 3.5x

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Tariff refund income received is excluded from Adjusted EBITDA as a notable item, starting with the second quarter of 2026. Source
  • New: The company repurchased about $2.0 million of common stock in the quarter, and no repurchase appears in the first-quarter figures. Source
  • Ended: The non-core Restoration brands, Scott Drake and Brothers Trucks, were sold and completed during the quarter. Source
  • New: Adjusted Net Income now excludes loss on sale of assets; the prior-quarter definition referred to write-downs of assets held-for-sale. Source

Quarter results and growth

  • Net sales rose 3.2%: Net sales rose 3.2% to $172.0 million from $166.7 million a year earlier. Core business net sales, excluding divested businesses and the rebalancing initiative, are reported separately. Source
  • Net loss against prior-year profit: The company reported a net loss of $(2.4) million, or $(0.02) per diluted share, against net income of $10.9 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted diluted EPS rose: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.20 against $0.09 in the prior-year quarter, and adjusted net income was $24.0 million against $10.6 million. Source
  • Six-month sales were flat: For the twenty-six weeks, net sales were $319.3 million, down 0.1%, and net income was $4.8 million against $13.7 million a year earlier. Source

Segments and core growth

  • Three of four divisions grew: Management said three of its four business segments delivered year-over-year core growth. The documents give no division-level sales figures. Source
  • Core growth excludes portfolio actions: Core growth excludes divested businesses and the portfolio rebalancing initiative, while total net sales growth includes them. Source
  • Headline cites double-digit core growth: The release headline cites double-digit core growth in three of four divisions, which the company reports alongside the segment count. Source

“The second quarter showcased our continued focus on cash generation, balance sheet improvement, and disciplined capital allocation.”

Jesse Weaver, Chief Financial Officer of Holley

Products and customers

  • Initiatives added $13.4 million revenue: Long-term strategic initiatives contributed $13.4 million of revenue and $8.3 million of cost savings in the quarter, according to the highlights. Source
  • 27 brands grew across channels: Twenty-seven brands delivered growth across direct-to-consumer (DTC) and business-to-business (B2B) channels. Source
  • Four consumer vertical groupings: The company names four consumer vertical groupings: American Performance, Modern Truck & Off-Road, Euro & Import, and Safety & Racing. Source

Costs and operating expense

  • SG&A rose 22.7%: Selling, general, and administrative expense rose to $40.4 million from $33.0 million, up 22.7%, against net sales growth of 3.2%. Source
  • Cost of goods sold rose 4.5%: Cost of goods sold rose 4.5% to $101.5 million, and gross profit rose 1.4% to $70.5 million for the quarter. Source
  • R&D spending fell 26.5%: Research and development costs fell 26.5% to $3.7 million from $5.1 million, while restructuring costs were $0.8 million against $0.4 million. Source

“We remain focused on disciplined execution and believe the actions we have taken position Holley for continued progress in the periods ahead.”

Matthew Stevenson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Holley

Margins and profitability

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin fell: Adjusted EBITDA was $33.8 million against $36.4 million, and the margin was 19.6% against 21.9%. Source
  • Prior-year tariff benefit did not recur: The prior-year quarter included a one-time, non-cash benefit from capitalized tariff costs that did not repeat. The company said adjusting for it leaves Adjusted EBITDA approximately flat. Source
  • Other operating income rose: Other operating income was $8.9 million, against $0.3 million of expense a year earlier. The company excludes this line when it calculates Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Six-month margin slightly lower: For the twenty-six weeks, the Adjusted EBITDA margin was 19.1% against 19.9% a year earlier. Source

Demand and launch pipeline

  • Second-half momentum cited: Management cited new national retailer placements, a product innovation cadence, and launches slated for the coming months as reasons for second-half momentum. Source
  • Marketing calendar reinvigorated: The company said it reinvigorated its marketing calendar, with a greater focus on brand activation and enthusiast engagement across the portfolio. Source
  • Inventory below year-end level: Inventory was $180.2 million at June 28, 2026, against $205.7 million at December 31, 2025, according to the balance sheet. Source

Cash, debt and leverage

  • Free cash flow rose: Free cash flow was $40.9 million against $35.7 million, with operating cash flow of $47.1 million against $40.5 million. Source
  • Debt reduced after quarter-end: A $15.0 million voluntary prepayment was made after quarter-end. The company said debt has been reduced by $115.0 million through voluntary prepayments since September 2023. Source
  • Leverage ratio edged lower: The Credit Agreement Total Leverage Ratio was 3.74x at June 28, 2026, against 3.75x at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Cash balance rose: Cash and cash equivalents were $69.0 million at June 28, 2026, against $37.2 million at December 31, 2025. Source

Capital returns and financing

  • Share repurchase of about $2.0 million: The company repurchased about $2.0 million of its common stock in the quarter, which it said reflects confidence in the long-term value of the business. Source
  • Financing outflows in quarter: Net cash used in financing activities was $15.1 million for the quarter, reflecting an $11.6 million net reduction in debt and $2.0 million of share repurchases. Source
  • Treasury shares held: Treasury stock stood at $2.0 million, covering 707,113 shares held at June 28, 2026, against zero at December 31, 2025. Source

Portfolio and strategy

  • Restoration brands sold: The company completed the sale of its non-core Restoration brands, including Scott Drake and Brothers Trucks, in the quarter, which management said reduces complexity. Source
  • Asset disposal proceeds recorded: Proceeds from the disposal of assets were $10.0 million in the quarter, as shown in the cash flow statement. Source
  • Rebalancing framed around focus: The company framed the portfolio rebalancing initiative as enhancing focus, simplifying operations, and supporting second-half 2026 performance. Source

Reporting and definition changes

  • Tariff refunds excluded from Adjusted EBITDA: From this quarter, tariff refund income received is excluded from Adjusted EBITDA as a notable item, because the refunds relate to tariff costs incurred in the past. Source
  • Adjusted Net Income definition changed: Adjusted Net Income now excludes loss on sale of assets, where the prior-quarter definition referred to write-downs of assets held-for-sale. Source
  • Leverage ratio label changed: The leverage measure is now defined as Net Debt over Credit Agreement EBITDA; the first-quarter release labelled it the Bank-adjusted EBITDA Leverage Ratio. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 August 2026

  • Launches slated for coming months: Management said several important launches are slated for the coming months. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Leverage of 3.74x remains above the 3.5x year-end target that management has set. Source
  • Financial: A $28.3 million loss on sale of non-core assets, tied to the rebalancing initiative, is included in the quarter's net loss. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said it remains on track for year-end leverage below 3.5x, after generating $40.9 million of free cash flow. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it continued executing against the strategic priorities it outlined earlier in the year. 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.