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Lennox International Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 January 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter revenue fell 11%: Revenue was $1.2 billion and GAAP operating income was $196 million, against $250 million a year earlier. Source
  • Full-year revenue fell 3%: Revenue was $5.2 billion, down 3%, and operating income was $1 billion, flat, with a 20.0% operating margin, up 50 basis points. Source
  • Home Comfort revenue fell 21%: Segment revenue was $700 million, down 21%, on channel destocking and softer new construction sales. Management described the destocking as expected. Source
  • Building Climate revenue grew 8%: Segment revenue was $495 million, up 8% in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Mix and price offset lower volumes: Fourth-quarter segment margin fell 110 basis points to 17.7%. Mix and price of $84 million partly offset volume loss and $31 million of product cost. Source
  • One-step channel destock nearly complete: Management said the one-step channel destock is nearly complete as the new year begins. Source
  • Full-year cash flow fell on inventory: Full-year operating cash flow was $757 million, against $946 million, with the decline tied to inventory. Source
  • Full-year adjusted EPS up 2%: Full-year GAAP diluted EPS was $22.79; adjusted diluted EPS, after the non-GAAP adjustments, was $23.16. Source

“For the first time in its history, Lennox delivered annual margins over 20%, a particularly meaningful accomplishment driven by our cost reduction actions and mix benefits,”

CEO, Alok Maskara

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue growth Sourcefull year 2026approximately 6% to 7%New
Revenue growth from completed acquisitions Sourcefull year 2026approximately 4%New
Adjusted diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$23.50 to $25.00New
Capital expenditures Sourcefull year 2026approximately $250 millionNew
Free cash flow Sourcefull year 2026$750 million to $850 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 guidance was provided for revenue, adjusted EPS, capital expenditures and free cash flow. Source
  • New: Accounting method changed from LIFO to FIFO effective fourth quarter 2025, and the 2024 amounts were adjusted. Source

Fourth-quarter and full-year results

  • Fourth-quarter revenue fell 11%: Revenue was $1.2 billion and GAAP operating income was $196 million, against $250 million a year earlier. Source
  • Fourth-quarter net income and EPS: Net income was $143 million, or $4.07 per diluted share, against $202 million, or $5.64, a year earlier. Source
  • Full-year revenue fell 3%: Revenue was $5.2 billion, down 3%, and operating income was $1 billion, flat, with a 20.0% operating margin, up 50 basis points. Source
  • Full-year segment profit rose 2%: Segment profit was $1.1 billion, up 2%, with a 20.4% segment margin, up 90 basis points, after mix and price gains. Source

Home Comfort Solutions segment

  • Home Comfort revenue fell 21%: Segment revenue was $700 million, down 21%, on channel destocking and softer new construction sales. Management described the destocking as expected. Source
  • Home Comfort profit down 29%: Segment profit was $137 million, down 29%, with margin at 19.6%, down 220 basis points. Other costs improved $19 million, including selling expense net of freight. Source
  • Volume and cost drove profit decline: A $102 million volume contraction and $29 million of product cost inflation and lower absorption were partly offset by $56 million of mix and price. Source
  • Full-year Home Comfort revenue down 7%: Full-year segment revenue was $3.3 billion, down 7%, with a 21.8% margin, up 50 basis points, on $256 million of mix and price. Source

“We are pleased with our performance in 2025 given industry headwinds.”

CEO, Alok Maskara

Building Climate Solutions segment

  • Building Climate revenue grew 8%: Segment revenue was $495 million, up 8% in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Building Climate margin rose 50 basis points: Segment profit was $115 million, up 11%, with mix and price adding $27 million and selling expense improving $5 million. Source
  • Factory productivity supported margins: Management credited improved factory productivity and disciplined cost control for the higher segment margin. Source
  • Emergency replacement gaining momentum: Management said the segment is gaining momentum in emergency replacement, positioning it for growth acceleration despite end markets below historical levels. Source
  • Full-year Building Climate growth: Full-year revenue was $1.9 billion, up 5%, and segment margin was 23.4%, up 60 basis points, led by $100 million of mix and price. Source
  • Corporate expenses declined: Corporate expenses were $40 million in the fourth quarter, down $4 million from the prior-year quarter. Source

Costs, mix and price

  • Mix and price offset lower volumes: Fourth-quarter segment margin fell 110 basis points to 17.7%. Mix and price of $84 million partly offset volume loss and $31 million of product cost. Source
  • Cost control responded to headwinds: Management said it responded to the volume headwinds with SG&A cost control and favorable mix and price. Source
  • SG&A and other costs improved: Fourth-quarter SG&A and other cost improvement offset part of the sales volume decline. Source
  • Full-year cost headwinds: Full-year cost pressure came from lower volumes, product inflation and higher freight and distribution expense. Source
  • Full-year mix and price gains: Other costs, including selling expense, improved $56 million for the year. Source

“we remain confident that our strategy and recent investments position us to grow revenue and profits in 2026 as the industry normalizes.”

CEO, Alok Maskara

Demand and channel inventory

  • One-step channel destock nearly complete: Management said the one-step channel destock is nearly complete as the new year begins. Source
  • Macro uncertainty deferred replacements: Management said consumer and dealer activity was tempered, and more system replacements were deferred. Source
  • Building Climate volume fell $13 million: Lower sales volume cut Building Climate profit by $13 million in the quarter, with freight, distribution and product cost adding $8 million of pressure. Source

Cash flow and working capital

  • Fourth-quarter operating cash flow rose: Operating cash flow was $406 million, against $332 million, as inventory levels normalized in the quarter. Source
  • Full-year cash flow fell on inventory: Full-year operating cash flow was $757 million, against $946 million, with the decline tied to inventory. Source
  • Full-year capex and buybacks: Full-year repurchases were $482 million, against $53.6 million in 2024, while dividends paid were $173 million. Source
  • Fourth-quarter capex and buybacks: Fourth-quarter net capital expenditures fell to $29 million, and share repurchases totaled $150 million. Source
  • Year-end cash balance declined: Cash and equivalents were $34.2 million at year-end, against $415.1 million a year earlier. Commercial paper was $226.0 million. Source

Acquisitions and balance sheet

  • Acquisitions used $545 million cash: Acquisitions, net of cash acquired, used $545.0 million in 2025, and goodwill rose to $497.2 million from $220.0 million. Source
  • Parts and accessories acquisition described: The third-quarter release described the DuroDyne and Supco acquisition as strengthening the parts and accessories portfolio.
  • Restructuring and acquisition costs recorded: Restructuring charges were $6.8 million and acquisition costs $10.3 million in the fourth quarter. Source

Adjusted earnings and free cash flow

  • Full-year adjusted EPS up 2%: Full-year GAAP diluted EPS was $22.79; adjusted diluted EPS, after the non-GAAP adjustments, was $23.16. Source
  • Fourth-quarter adjusted EPS $4.45: Fourth-quarter adjusted net income was $155.8 million, or $4.45 per diluted share, against $5.72 a year earlier. Source
  • Free cash flow for the year: Free cash flow was $377.0 million for the fourth quarter and $640.2 million for the full year, against $784.6 million in 2024. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 January 2026

  • Two-step inventories normalize by Q2: Management said two-step channel inventories are expected to normalize by the second quarter. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management said broader macro uncertainty tempered consumer and dealer activity, deferring system replacements. Source
  • Operational: Product cost rose on inflation and factory under-absorption in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Regulatory: Refrigerant transition dynamics contributed to excess inventory and weighed on operating cash flow. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Earlier release said 2025 was proving to be a transitional year, as anticipated.
  • Not stated: Earlier release said management continued to expect pricing to offset inflationary pressures.

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.