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Hubbell Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 raised, 5 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Sales rose 11% on organic growth: Net sales were $1,516.7 million, up 11.1% from $1,365.2 million. Organic growth contributed 8.2%, foreign exchange 0.6% and acquisitions 2.3%. Source
  • Grid Infrastructure grew; Grid Automation fell: Grid Infrastructure rose about 18% while Grid Automation fell about 7%. Grid Automation volume declines were named as an offset to segment profit gains. Source
  • Utility T&D markets drove growth: Management said core utility T&D markets remain active: load growth drives transmission and substation, and aging-infrastructure resiliency investment drives distribution. Source
  • Datacenter and light industrial drove Electrical: Management attributed Electrical Solutions growth to datacenter and light industrial markets. The release gives no dollar figure for either end market. Source
  • Price and productivity offset inflation: Management said margin expansion came from volume in high-margin businesses and from price and productivity, partly offset by cost inflation and restructuring and growth investment. Source
  • Free cash flow rose to $46 million: Free cash flow was $46.0 million against $11.4 million, from operating cash flow of $86.6 million less capital expenditures of $40.6 million. Source
  • Sales growth range raised: Total sales growth is now expected at 8-11%, with organic growth at 6-9%, compared with the February ranges of 7-9% and 5-7%. Source
  • Low ends of EPS ranges raised: GAAP diluted EPS is expected at $17.45 to $18.00 and adjusted diluted EPS at $19.30 to $19.85; the high ends are unchanged from February. Source

“Hubbell delivered strong performance in the first quarter, with double digit growth in sales, operating profit and earnings per share”

Gerben Bakker, Chairman, President and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total sales growth Sourcefull year 20268-11%Raised from 7-9%
Organic sales growth Sourcefull year 20266-9%Raised from 5-7%
GAAP diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$17.45 to $18.00Raised from $17.30 to $18.00
Adjusted diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$19.30 to $19.85Raised from $19.15 to $19.85
Amortization of acquisition-related intangibles excluded from adjusted EPS Sourcefull year 2026approximately $1.70 per shareKept
Transaction, integration and separation costs excluded from adjusted EPS Sourcefull year 2026approximately $0.15 per shareKept
Adjusted tax rate Sourcefull year 2026approximately 22.5%Kept
Restructuring and related investment included in EPS ranges Sourcefull year 2026$15-20 millionKept
Free cash flow conversion on adjusted net income Sourcefull year 202690% or greaterKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year total sales growth range raised to 8-11% from 7-9%, and organic sales growth range raised to 6-9% from 5-7%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year GAAP diluted EPS range raised to $17.45-$18.00 from $17.30-$18.00, and adjusted EPS range raised to $19.30-$19.85 from $19.15-$19.85; high ends unchanged. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Sales rose 11% on organic growth: Net sales were $1,516.7 million, up 11.1% from $1,365.2 million. Organic growth contributed 8.2%, foreign exchange 0.6% and acquisitions 2.3%. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $3.41: GAAP diluted EPS was $3.41 against $3.03; adjusted diluted EPS was $3.93 against $3.38, up 16%. Net income attributable to Hubbell was $181.8 million against $163.2 million. Source
  • Adjusted operating income up 18%: Adjusted operating income was $300.7 million against $255.5 million. Adjusted operating margin was 19.8% against 18.7%; GAAP operating margin was 17.4% against 16.9%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up 17%: Adjusted EBITDA was $324.0 million against $277.3 million. Depreciation and amortization was $60.2 million against $46.9 million. Source

Segment results

  • Utility Solutions sales rose 11%: Utility Solutions net sales were $948.9 million, with organic growth of about 7%. Acquisitions added 3.5% to segment sales growth. Source
  • Grid Infrastructure grew; Grid Automation fell: Grid Infrastructure rose about 18% while Grid Automation fell about 7%. Grid Automation volume declines were named as an offset to segment profit gains. Source
  • Utility operating margin widened: Utility Solutions adjusted operating margin was 21.8% against 19.9%. Volume growth in Grid Infrastructure, acquisitions, and favorable price and productivity were the main drivers. Source
  • Electrical Solutions sales rose 12%: Electrical Solutions net sales were $567.8 million, up 12%. Organic growth was 11%, with acquisitions adding 0.3%. Source

“We are confident in our ability to deliver on our increased full year 2026 financial outlook.”

Gerben Bakker, Chairman, President and CEO

End markets and demand

  • Utility T&D markets drove growth: Management said core utility T&D markets remain active: load growth drives transmission and substation, and aging-infrastructure resiliency investment drives distribution. Source
  • Datacenter and light industrial drove Electrical: Management attributed Electrical Solutions growth to datacenter and light industrial markets. The release gives no dollar figure for either end market. Source
  • Organic growth led by two segments: Management said the 8% organic growth came mainly from Electrical Solutions and from Grid Infrastructure products within Utility Solutions. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Price and productivity offset inflation: Management said margin expansion came from volume in high-margin businesses and from price and productivity, partly offset by cost inflation and restructuring and growth investment. Source
  • Cost of goods rose with sales: Cost of goods sold was $1,011.4 million against $922.6 million. Selling and administrative expenses were $241.5 million against $212.2 million; gross profit was $505.3 million against $442.6 million. Source
  • Restructuring costs rose: Restructuring and related costs were $6.6 million against $3.5 million, reducing diluted EPS by $0.09 against $0.05 a year earlier. Source
  • Acquired intangible amortization rose: Amortization of acquisition-related intangibles was $33.4 million against $24.7 million, excluded from adjusted EPS at $0.47 per share against $0.34. Source
  • Interest expense higher: Interest expense, net was $22.0 million against $13.8 million. Other expense, net was $5.4 million against $5.3 million. Source

Cash, capital and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow rose to $46 million: Free cash flow was $46.0 million against $11.4 million, from operating cash flow of $86.6 million less capital expenditures of $40.6 million. Source
  • Receivables and inventory absorbed cash: Receivables rose to $974.4 million from $856.9 million at year-end, and inventories to $1,139.5 million from $1,083.8 million; both were cash outflows in the quarter. Source
  • Net debt rose on higher borrowings: Total debt was $2,573.0 million against $2,325.4 million at year-end. Net debt was $1,956.3 million, and net debt to total capital was 31% against 28%. Source
  • Buybacks and dividends increased: Common share repurchases were $167.5 million against $125.0 million, and dividends paid were $75.4 million against $70.7 million. Source

Acquisitions and deal costs

  • Acquisitions added 2.3% to sales: Acquisitions added $31.5 million, or 2.3%, to the 11.1% net sales growth. No divestiture effect appears in the quarter. Source
  • Acquisition cash flow turned positive: Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired, were a $2.4 million inflow, against $73.3 million paid in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Deal and integration costs higher: Transaction, integration and separation costs were $3.5 million against $0.4 million, and are excluded from adjusted results. Source

Full-year 2026 guidance

  • Sales growth range raised: Total sales growth is now expected at 8-11%, with organic growth at 6-9%, compared with the February ranges of 7-9% and 5-7%. Source
  • Low ends of EPS ranges raised: GAAP diluted EPS is expected at $17.45 to $18.00 and adjusted diluted EPS at $19.30 to $19.85; the high ends are unchanged from February. Source
  • Exclusions and tax rate unchanged: Adjusted EPS excludes about $1.70 per share of amortization and $0.15 per share of transaction costs, on an adjusted tax rate of about 22.5%. Source
  • Cash conversion target kept: Management continues to expect free cash flow conversion of 90% or greater on adjusted net income for 2026. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 April 2026

  • Full-year organic and profit growth expected: Management expects to manage the environment while achieving full-year organic and adjusted operating profit growth, citing its end-market positions and strategy execution. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Gross margin SourceNot stated as a percentage; gross profit $505.3 million against $442.6 million
Data center end-market revenue SourceNot quantified; cited as a growth driver for Electrical Solutions
Utility T&D end-market revenue SourceNot quantified; described as continuing through load growth and resiliency investment
Grid Infrastructure net sales growth Sourceapproximately 18%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Grid Automation volume declined, and management named that decline as an offset to Utility Solutions profit gains. Source
  • Operational: Higher cost inflation and investment in restructuring and growth initiatives partly offset margin expansion. Source
  • External: Tariffs were named as a cost factor in Electrical Solutions, alongside raw material costs and higher cost inflation. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management continues to expect the free cash flow conversion target that it set in February. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it is confident in delivering the increased full-year 2026 guidance. 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.