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Knowles Corp.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 23 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 16% year over year: Revenue from continuing operations was $153.1 million, against $132.2 million a year earlier and $162.2 million in the fourth quarter. Management said growth exceeded its five-year annual organic growth target. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS rose 50% year over year: Non-GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations was $0.27, against $0.18 a year earlier and $0.36 in the fourth quarter. Source
  • New design wins ramping: Management said numerous new design wins are ramping across multiple end markets. Source
  • Backlog described as very healthy: Management described its backlog of existing orders as very healthy. Source
  • Non-GAAP gross margin 45.5%: Non-GAAP gross profit was $69.7 million, or 45.5% of revenues, against 41.6% a year earlier and 45.3% in the fourth quarter. GAAP gross margin was 43.8%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin 23.1%: Adjusted EBITDA was $35.3 million, or 23.1% of revenues, against $26.7 million (20.2%) a year earlier and $41.3 million (25.5%) in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Operating cash flow negative this quarter: Net cash used in operating activities was $0.7 million, against $47.2 million provided in the fourth quarter. Adjusted free cash flow was negative $3.1 million, or negative 2.0% of revenues. Source

“We are executing on our strategy, continuing to leverage our unique technologies”

Jeffrey Niew, President and CEO of Knowles

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue from continuing operations SourceQ2 2026 (quarter ending June 30, 2026)$152 to $162 millionNew
Diluted EPS from continuing operations SourceQ2 2026 (quarter ending June 30, 2026)GAAP $0.18 to $0.22; non-GAAP $0.28 to $0.32New
Net cash provided by operating activities SourceQ2 2026 (quarter ending June 30, 2026)$20 to $30 millionNew
Stock-based compensation expense per share (GAAP) SourceQ2 2026approximately $0.06 per shareNew
Intangibles amortization expense per share (GAAP) SourceQ2 2026$0.04 per shareNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Second-quarter 2026 guidance given for revenue, diluted EPS and operating cash flow on a continuing operations basis. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 16% year over year: Revenue from continuing operations was $153.1 million, against $132.2 million a year earlier and $162.2 million in the fourth quarter. Management said growth exceeded its five-year annual organic growth target. Source
  • Non-GAAP EPS rose 50% year over year: Non-GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations was $0.27, against $0.18 a year earlier and $0.36 in the fourth quarter. Source
  • GAAP EPS below fourth quarter: GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations was $0.13, against $0.29 in the fourth quarter and nil a year earlier. Net earnings were $9.7 million. Source
  • Discontinued operations loss smaller: Loss from discontinued operations, net was $1.6 million, against $4.5 million in the fourth quarter. It was also $1.6 million a year earlier. Source

Products and end markets

  • New design wins ramping: Management said numerous new design wins are ramping across multiple end markets. Source
  • End markets cited for secular growth: Management named Medtech, Defense, Industrial and Electrification as end markets it said are benefiting from secular growth trends. Source
  • Product lines listed in release: The company lists high-performance capacitors, RF microwave filters, advanced medtech microphones and balanced armature speakers as its product lines. Source

“our revenue grew 16% on a year-over-year basis in the first quarter, exceeding our five-year annual organic growth target.”

Jeffrey Niew, President and CEO of Knowles

Demand and order book

  • Backlog described as very healthy: Management described its backlog of existing orders as very healthy. Source
  • Design wins moved from expected to ramping: The fourth-quarter release described new design wins as expected to go into full production. This release describes them as ramping.
  • Inventories and receivables increased: Inventories were $136.2 million, up from $124.6 million at December 31, 2025. Receivables were $109.2 million, up from $102.8 million. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Non-GAAP gross margin 45.5%: Non-GAAP gross profit was $69.7 million, or 45.5% of revenues, against 41.6% a year earlier and 45.3% in the fourth quarter. GAAP gross margin was 43.8%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin 23.1%: Adjusted EBITDA was $35.3 million, or 23.1% of revenues, against $26.7 million (20.2%) a year earlier and $41.3 million (25.5%) in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Operating expenses increased: Operating expenses were $51.2 million, against $46.7 million in the fourth quarter. Research and development rose to $11.7 million and selling and administrative expenses to $39.4 million. Source

“Our revenue growth was complemented by substantial gross margin expansion resulting in significant year-over-year EPS growth.”

Jeffrey Niew, President and CEO of Knowles

Cash flow, debt and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow negative this quarter: Net cash used in operating activities was $0.7 million, against $47.2 million provided in the fourth quarter. Adjusted free cash flow was negative $3.1 million, or negative 2.0% of revenues. Source
  • Capital expenditures rose: Capital expenditures were $10.8 million, against $4.0 million a year earlier and $15.3 million in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Revolver borrowings lifted debt: Revolving credit borrowings were $60.0 million and repayments were $43.0 million. Long-term debt rose to $131.0 million from $114.0 million at December 31, 2025. Cash ended at $41.0 million. Source
  • Share repurchases of $7.5 million: The company repurchased $7.5 million of common stock, against $5.0 million a year earlier. Proceeds from stock option exercises were $3.0 million. Source
  • Taxes on equity vesting paid: Taxes on restricted stock and performance share unit vesting and stock option exercises were $14.2 million, against $6.7 million a year earlier. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Custom products scaled into production: Management said the company is executing on its strategy by leveraging unique technologies, creating custom products through customer application intimacy, and scaling into production. Source
  • Results exclude divested microphone business: All figures are for continuing operations, which exclude the Consumer MEMS Microphones business divested in December 2024. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said Q1 non-GAAP diluted EPS was at or above the high end of the guided range. 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.