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Howmet Aerospace Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 raised, 4 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue up 24 percent year over year: Revenue was $2,547 million, with organic growth of 21% excluding net acquisitions; six-month revenue was $4,860 million, up 22%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up 39 percent: Adjusted EBITDA was $817 million at a 32.1% margin, about 340 basis points higher; growth was attributed to commercial aerospace, defense and gas turbines. Source
  • Engine Products drove segment growth: Engine Products third-party sales were $1,373 million, up 32%; segment adjusted EBITDA margin was 37.7%, up about 470 basis points. Source
  • Commercial aerospace grew 28 percent: Revenue growth by market: commercial aerospace 28%, defense aerospace 11%, gas turbines 38%. Source
  • Gas turbine customers raising demand expectations: Management said gas turbine customers are revisiting and adding to their demand expectations. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $479 million: Free cash flow was up 39% from cash from operations of $583 million, less $104 million of capital expenditures. Source
  • CAM acquisition closed in April: CAM was bought from Stanley Black & Decker on April 6, 2026, for approximately $1.8 billion; it adds precision fasteners and fluid fittings. Source

“The Howmet team delivered a strong set of results, with revenue, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, and adjusted earnings per share all exceeding the high end of guidance.”

John Plant, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceThird quarter 2026$2,565 to $2,585 million; baseline $2,575 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA SourceThird quarter 2026$825 to $835 million; baseline $830 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceThird quarter 202632.2% to 32.3%; baseline 32.2%New
Adjusted EPS SourceThird quarter 2026$1.34 to $1.36; baseline $1.35New
Revenue SourceFull year 2026$10,000 to $10,100 million; baseline $10,050 millionRaised from $9,575 to $9,725 million; baseline $9,650 million
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull year 2026$3,210 to $3,250 million; baseline $3,230 millionRaised from $3,025 to $3,095 million; baseline $3,060 million
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFull year 202632.1% to 32.2%; baseline 32.1%Raised from 31.6% to 31.8%; baseline 31.7%
Adjusted EPS SourceFull year 2026$5.23 to $5.31; baseline $5.27Raised from $4.88 to $5.00; baseline $4.94
Free cash flow SourceFull year 2026$1,850 to $1,950 million; baseline $1,900 millionRaised from $1,700 to $1,800 million; baseline $1,750 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 baselines raised for revenue, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EPS and free cash flow. Source
  • New: Quarterly dividend raised 17% to $0.14 per share from $0.12. Source
  • New: Yen term loan repaid and a $300 million cross-currency swap entered, cutting annualized interest expense by $12 million. Source
  • New guidance: Third-quarter 2026 guidance given for revenue, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin and adjusted EPS. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue up 24 percent year over year: Revenue was $2,547 million, with organic growth of 21% excluding net acquisitions; six-month revenue was $4,860 million, up 22%. Source
  • Operating income rose 36 percent: GAAP operating income was $711 million at a 27.9% margin, against 25.4%; the first quarter included a $93 million restructuring and other credit. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up 39 percent: Adjusted EBITDA was $817 million at a 32.1% margin, about 340 basis points higher; growth was attributed to commercial aerospace, defense and gas turbines. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 46 percent: Adjusted EPS was $1.33 against $0.91; GAAP diluted EPS was $1.33 against $1.00; six-month adjusted EPS was $2.56. Source

Segment results

  • Engine Products drove segment growth: Engine Products third-party sales were $1,373 million, up 32%; segment adjusted EBITDA margin was 37.7%, up about 470 basis points. Source
  • Fastening Systems up 37 percent: Fastening Systems revenue was $589 million, up 37%, including CAM and Brunner; segment adjusted EBITDA was $177 million at a 30.1% margin. Source
  • Engineered Structures sales declined: Engineered Structures revenue was $269 million, down 13%, on the Savannah disk forging divestiture and product rationalization; segment margin rose to 23.8%. Source
  • Forged Wheels profit rose on cost cuts: Forged Wheels revenue was $316 million, with aluminum and inflationary pass-through offsetting lower commercial transportation volumes; margin was 27.8%. Source

“More robust build rates for commercial aircraft are supported by record backlogs, while engine spares needs continue to increase.”

John Plant, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Demand and end markets

  • Commercial aerospace grew 28 percent: Revenue growth by market: commercial aerospace 28%, defense aerospace 11%, gas turbines 38%. Source
  • Defense and missiles expected to grow: Management said defense markets continue, with missiles, drones and collaborative combat aircraft expected to grow over the medium term. Source
  • Gas turbine customers raising demand expectations: Management said gas turbine customers are revisiting and adding to their demand expectations. Source

Costs, interest and tax

  • Engine Products added about 485 headcount: Engine Products absorbed about 485 net headcount in the quarter to support expected revenue increases. Source
  • Net interest expense rose year over year: Net interest expense was $51 million against $38 million a year earlier; other expense, net was $11 million. Source
  • Acquisition costs excluded from adjusted results: Acquisition and acquisition-related costs of $22 million were treated as a special item and excluded from adjusted operating income. Source
  • Tax rate as reported and adjusted: Quarterly tax rate was 17.7% as reported and 20.4% on an operational basis; six-month rates were 17.9% and 20.5%. Source

“Continued healthy cash generation will allow us to achieve pre-CAM leverage levels in short order, with the Company well positioned to consider all paths of capital deployment optionality going forward.”

Howmet Aerospace Inc., press release

Cash, capital and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow reached $479 million: Free cash flow was up 39% from cash from operations of $583 million, less $104 million of capital expenditures. Source
  • $800 million of buybacks year to date: $300 million was repurchased in the second quarter and $200 million in July; the year-to-date average price through July was $248.29. Source
  • Remaining repurchase authorization: Repurchase authorization available at August 6 was $697 million. Source
  • Cash and debt at June 30: Cash was $563 million, with long-term debt of $4,050 million and short-term borrowings of $450 million. Source

Strategy, acquisitions and investment

  • CAM acquisition closed in April: CAM was bought from Stanley Black & Decker on April 6, 2026, for approximately $1.8 billion; it adds precision fasteners and fluid fittings. Source
  • Organic growth excludes portfolio changes: Organic revenue was $2,447 million, excluding net acquisitions and divestitures of $100 million in the quarter. Source
  • Goodwill and intangibles rose on deals: Goodwill rose to $5,084 million from $4,022 million at year-end; intangibles, net rose to $869 million from $457 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 6 August 2026

  • Capital spending to rise again in 2027: Management said it already sees the need to increase capital expenditure further in 2027 to support aerospace and gas turbine growth. Source
  • Dividend payable August 25: The $0.14 per share dividend declared July 27 is to be paid August 25 to holders of record August 7. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Commercial transportation volumes (Forged Wheels), year over year Source8% lower
Commercial transportation volumes (Forged Wheels), sequential Source7% higher

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said the CAM integration is on track following the April closing. Source
  • Met: Management said the commercial transportation market has begun to recover, as it had anticipated. 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.