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Hawkins Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 January 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Third quarter sales rose 8%: Sales were $244.1 million, up $17.9 million. Water Treatment, up 21%, and Industrial Solutions, up 10%, more than offset a 10% fall in Food & Health Sciences. Source
  • Water Treatment sales up 21%: Water Treatment sales were $120.5 million against $99.8 million. Acquired businesses contributed $19 million, and improved pricing on some legacy products added to the increase. Source
  • Food and Health Sciences sales down 10%: Segment sales were $70.0 million against $77.7 million. Management attributes the fall to lower volumes of food, health and nutrition, and agricultural products. Source
  • WaterSurplus costs run one more quarter: Management cites $4 to $5 million per quarter of acquisition expense in amortization, earn-out accretion and interest. One quarter of this impact remains before the comparison laps. Source
  • Operating cash flow of $35 million: Operating cash flow was $35 million in the quarter. Part of it repaid $15 million of debt and brought leverage below 1.5x Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Debt down to $264.0 million: Total debt was $264.0 million and leverage was 1.47x trailing 12-month Adjusted EBITDA. The second quarter showed $279.0 million and 1.53x; fiscal 2025 year-end leverage was 0.86x. Source

“Our third quarter performance was highlighted by another quarter of record results in revenue, gross profit, operating income and Adjusted EBITDA.”

Patrick H. Hawkins, Chief Executive Officer and President

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Full-year effective income tax rate SourceFiscal 2026 full yearapproximately 26% to 27%Kept
WaterSurplus acquisition expense SourceOne remaining quarter before the impact is lapped$4 to $5 million per quarter
Revenue growth and Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceNot statedrevenue growth of 15% or more; Adjusted EBITDA margins of 20% or better

What changed from last quarter

  • New: The company closed its sixth acquisition of fiscal 2026, Redbird Chemical, a chemical distributor in eastern Texas serving water treatment and industrial markets. Source
  • New: Adjusted EBITDA now includes a non-cash earnout related expense adjustment, which management says was added to better reflect results from operations. Source
  • Guidance kept: The full-year effective tax rate range of about 26% to 27% is carried over from the second quarter release. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Third quarter sales rose 8%: Sales were $244.1 million, up $17.9 million. Water Treatment, up 21%, and Industrial Solutions, up 10%, more than offset a 10% fall in Food & Health Sciences. Source
  • Diluted EPS down $0.03 on deal costs: Diluted EPS was $0.69 against $0.72, down 4%. Management attributes the decline mainly to about $5 million more amortization and interest from six acquisitions. Source
  • Pro forma EPS up about 10%: Management states that with WaterSurplus assumed acquired at the start of the prior year, third quarter pro forma EPS would be about 10% above the prior-year period. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 3%: Adjusted EBITDA was $34.8 million against $34.0 million a year earlier. Trailing 12-month Adjusted EBITDA was $179 million. Source
  • Nine-month diluted EPS slightly lower: For the nine months, diluted EPS was $3.17 against $3.25. Nine-month sales were $817.8 million against $729.1 million. Source

Segments and end markets

  • Water Treatment sales up 21%: Water Treatment sales were $120.5 million against $99.8 million. Acquired businesses contributed $19 million, and improved pricing on some legacy products added to the increase. Source
  • Food and Health Sciences sales down 10%: Segment sales were $70.0 million against $77.7 million. Management attributes the fall to lower volumes of food, health and nutrition, and agricultural products. Source
  • Industrial Solutions sales up 10%: Segment sales were $53.6 million against $48.7 million, driven by higher sales of certain manufactured, blended and repackaged products. Source
  • Food, Agriculture and Pharmaceutical moved segments: Food, Agriculture and Pharmaceutical businesses moved from Industrial into Food and Health Sciences. Water Treatment management is unchanged under the realigned reporting. Source

“Once again, our performance generated significant cash that we used to pay down debt, fund investments in the business, and close acquisitions as part of our growth strategy for our largest segment, Water Treatment.”

Patrick H. Hawkins, Chief Executive Officer and President

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin held at 21%: Gross profit was $50.8 million, 21% of sales, up 5%. The LIFO reserve decrease added $0.2 million, against $0.8 million in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Water Treatment gross profit up 14%: Segment gross profit rose to $29.6 million, with margin at 25% against 26% a year earlier, as acquired and legacy sales grew. Source
  • Food and Health Sciences gross profit down 15%: Segment gross profit fell to $13.8 million, 20% of sales against 21%. Management ties the decline to lower sales. Source
  • SG&A up 3% with earnout offset: SG&A was $28.3 million, 12% of sales. Acquired-business costs of $5.4 million were largely offset by a $4.6 million earnout fair value reduction. Source
  • Effective tax rate 27%: The effective tax rate was 27% against 26% a year earlier. The company notes the prior-year quarter included favorable tax provision adjustments. Source
  • Non-cash earnout line turned negative: In the Adjusted EBITDA reconciliation, non-cash earnout related expense was (3,719) in the quarter, against 342 a year earlier. Source

Acquisitions and WaterSurplus integration

  • WaterSurplus costs run one more quarter: Management cites $4 to $5 million per quarter of acquisition expense in amortization, earn-out accretion and interest. One quarter of this impact remains before the comparison laps. Source
  • WaterSurplus integration pleasing to date: Management says the integration is going well, and the WaterSurplus revenue base grew 15 to 20% in calendar 2025, as expected. Source
  • WaterSurplus accretion expected fiscal 2027: Management expects the WaterSurplus acquisition to become accretive in fiscal 2027, as the business continues to grow. Source

“Looking to the fourth quarter, we will continue to see pricing pressures within food end markets and are focused on returning our Food and Health Sciences segment to growth.”

Patrick H. Hawkins, Chief Executive Officer and President

Cash, debt and capital returns

  • Operating cash flow of $35 million: Operating cash flow was $35 million in the quarter. Part of it repaid $15 million of debt and brought leverage below 1.5x Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Debt down to $264.0 million: Total debt was $264.0 million and leverage was 1.47x trailing 12-month Adjusted EBITDA. The second quarter showed $279.0 million and 1.53x; fiscal 2025 year-end leverage was 0.86x. Source
  • Working capital up $7 million: Working capital was $7 million above the fiscal 2025 year-end, mainly from lower accounts payable, partly offset by lower trade receivables. Source
  • Dividend raised to $0.19 a share: Dividends declared were $0.19 per share in the quarter against $0.18. Nine-month dividends were $0.56 against $0.52. Source
  • No buybacks in nine months: No shares were repurchased in the nine months, against $9.1 million a year earlier. Revolving loan payments were $55.0 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 January 2026

  • WaterSurplus impact laps after one quarter: Management said one quarter of the WaterSurplus impact remains before the comparison is lapped. Source
  • WaterSurplus accretion in fiscal 2027: Management expects the WaterSurplus acquisition to be accretive in fiscal 2027. Source
  • Organic growth rates expected to return: Management expects organic revenue growth to start returning to historical rates in fiscal 2027. Source
  • Continued investing and acquisition strategy: Management said it will keep investing in higher margin businesses and acquiring accretive companies while serving customers. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Facilities Source65 facilities in 28 states

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management expects pricing pressure in food end markets to continue, and Food and Health Sciences sales fell 10% in the quarter. Source
  • Financial: Management cites higher amortization and interest expense from the six acquisitions completed in the first nine months of fiscal 2026. Source
  • Regulatory: Management notes the effective tax rate depends on projected annual taxable income, permanent items, and state taxes. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management says the revenue base grew 15 to 20% in calendar 2025, as expected. Source
  • Not stated: Management says the WaterSurplus impact on operating income and EPS was previously communicated and continues. Source
  • Not stated: Management refers to the Redbird Chemical closing reported in December, which is the sixth acquisition of fiscal 2026. 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.