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Legence Corp.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 14 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 2 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue more than doubled: Revenue was $1.04 billion, up 105.1% from $506.0 million a year earlier. Excluding Bowers, revenue growth was 57.1%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA more than doubled: Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA was $118.1 million, up 132.4% from $50.8 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin was 11.4%, against 10.0%. Source
  • Full-year ranges raised: Management raised the full-year 2026 revenue and Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA ranges. The revised figures are listed in the guidance section. Source
  • Segment gross margin fell: Non-GAAP adjusted gross margin was 33.2%, down from 40.7%, citing subcontractor expenses, a shift toward Program & Project Management, and lower Engineering & Design margins. Source
  • Segment revenue more than doubled: Segment revenue was $872.1 million, up 141.9%. Excluding Bowers, segment revenue grew 74.4%. Source
  • Record backlog and awards: Backlog and awarded contracts totaled $5.38 billion at March 31, 2026, up 103.9% from $2.64 billion a year earlier. Source

“Revenues more than doubled year over year, from a combination of healthy organic growth in both Installation & Maintenance and Engineering & Consulting segments, alongside significant contributions from recent acquisitions, particularly The Bowers Group (“Bowers”).”

Jeff Sprau, Chief Executive Officer of Legence

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceSecond quarter 2026$1.05 billion to $1.1 billionNew
Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA SourceSecond quarter 2026$115 million to $125 millionNew
Revenue SourceFull year 2026$4.1 billion to $4.3 billionRaised from $3.7 billion to $3.9 billion
Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull year 2026$470 million to $490 millionRaised from $400 million to $430 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 revenue guidance was raised to $4.1 billion to $4.3 billion from $3.7 billion to $3.9 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA guidance was raised to $470 million to $490 million from $400 million to $430 million. Source
  • New guidance: Guidance for the second quarter of 2026 was established in this release. Source
  • New: The non-GAAP compensation adjustment is now described as legacy Series A Interests and Restricted Series C Interests, formerly called legacy profit interest units. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue more than doubled: Revenue was $1.04 billion, up 105.1% from $506.0 million a year earlier. Excluding Bowers, revenue growth was 57.1%. Source
  • Bowers revenue excluded from growth: The Bowers acquisition added about $243.3 million of first quarter revenue. The 57.1% growth rate excludes that amount. Source
  • Net income turned positive: Net income attributable to Legence was $16.1 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, against a net loss of $21.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA more than doubled: Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA was $118.1 million, up 132.4% from $50.8 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin was 11.4%, against 10.0%. Source
  • Revenue compared with March range: First-quarter revenue of $1.04 billion compares with the $925 million to $950 million range set in the March release.
  • Full-year ranges raised: Management raised the full-year 2026 revenue and Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA ranges. The revised figures are listed in the guidance section. Source

Engineering & Consulting segment

  • Segment revenue up 14.0%: Segment revenue rose to $165.8 million, driven by Program & Project Management demand from education, data centers & technology and other clients. Source
  • Engineering & Design revenue declined: Engineering & Design revenue fell 8.4% to $97.6 million, while Program & Project Management rose 75.4% to $68.2 million. Source
  • Segment gross margin fell: Non-GAAP adjusted gross margin was 33.2%, down from 40.7%, citing subcontractor expenses, a shift toward Program & Project Management, and lower Engineering & Design margins. Source
  • Segment gross profit down 15.5%: Gross profit was $50.4 million, down 15.5% from $59.7 million. Non-GAAP adjusted gross profit was $55.0 million, down 7.1%. Source

“We maintain strong visibility into our business, with record quarter-ending backlog and awarded contracts, supported by solid demand and tailwinds across the diverse end markets that we serve.”

Jeff Sprau, Chief Executive Officer of Legence

Installation & Maintenance segment

  • Segment revenue more than doubled: Segment revenue was $872.1 million, up 141.9%. Excluding Bowers, segment revenue grew 74.4%. Source
  • Installation & Fabrication drove growth: Installation & Fabrication revenue reached $758.6 million, up 161.9%, primarily from data centers & technology clients. Source
  • Maintenance and service revenue rose: Maintenance & Service revenue rose 60.3% to $113.5 million, across data centers & technology, education, life sciences & healthcare, and state & local government clients. Source
  • Segment margin rose with execution: Non-GAAP adjusted gross margin was 15.9%, up from 14.3%, attributed to project execution and economies of scale in fulfillment support costs. Source

Costs, margins and non-GAAP measures

  • Consolidated gross margin fell: Consolidated gross margin was 17.9%, down from 22.1% a year earlier. Gross profit was $186.2 million. Source
  • Legacy interest compensation excluded: Non-GAAP measures exclude compensation for legacy interests paid by entities outside Legence. Non-GAAP adjusted gross profit was $193.8 million, a margin of 18.7%. Source
  • Acquisition costs rose sharply: Acquisition-related costs were $11.4 million, against $0.2 million a year earlier. Selling, general and administrative expense rose to $116.1 million from $69.5 million. Source

“Our dedicated and skilled craftspeople and engineering professionals continue to deliver complex projects safely, efficiently, and at the highest standards for our customers.”

Jeff Sprau, Chief Executive Officer of Legence

Demand and order book

  • Record backlog and awards: Backlog and awarded contracts totaled $5.38 billion at March 31, 2026, up 103.9% from $2.64 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Bowers drove I&M backlog growth: Installation & Maintenance backlog rose 150.7% to $4.37 billion, mainly from Bowers and data center & technology demand. Engineering & Consulting backlog rose 12.9% to $1.01 billion. Source
  • Book-to-bill ratio at 1.2x: The consolidated book-to-bill ratio for the three months was 1.2x, compared with 1.4x a year earlier. Source

Capital, cash and balance sheet

  • Cash and debt at quarter end: Cash and equivalents were $244.6 million and total debt was about $1.02 billion, including a $995.3 million term loan. Source
  • Net leverage 2.1 times: Net leverage was 2.1 times, based on Legence LTM adjusted EBITDA of $366.1 million for the twelve months to March 31, 2026. Source
  • Bowers EBITDA added for leverage: Including Bowers EBITDA of $73.0 million for the nine months to December 31, 2025, combined adjusted EBITDA was $439.1 million and adjusted net leverage 1.8 times. Source
  • Acquisition payments rose: Consideration paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired, was $281.3 million, against $0.5 million a year earlier. Source
  • Capital spending and operating cash: Purchases of property and equipment were $17.8 million, against $5.4 million. Cash from operating activities was $120.1 million. Source

Coming up, as management said on 14 May 2026

  • Second-quarter guidance: The next reported period is the second quarter of 2026, for which management set revenue and Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA guidance. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Backlog and awarded contracts Source$5.38 billion
Book-to-bill ratio, three months Source1.2x

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Higher subcontractor expense was cited as a driver of lower Engineering & Consulting non-GAAP gross margin. Source
  • Demand: Lower Engineering & Design revenue from education and mixed-use clients partly offset growth in the Engineering & Consulting segment. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The release revises the full-year 2026 ranges that were set in the prior release. The release does not state whether earlier ranges were met. Source
  • Not stated: The March release set first-quarter ranges for revenue and Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA. The current release does not state whether they were met.

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.