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LKQ Corp.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 19 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 11 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter revenue rose 2.7%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $3.3 billion, up 2.7%. Foreign exchange added 3.7 points and parts and services organic revenue fell 1.7%. Source
  • Fourth-quarter adjusted EPS fell 24.4%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.59 against $0.78; reported diluted EPS was $0.29 against $0.58. The prior-year quarter included a $35 million pre-tax legal settlement. Source
  • Full-year segment margin 11.1%: Total Segment EBITDA was $1,509 million for 2025, 11.1% of revenue, against $1,687 million and 12.2% in 2024. Source
  • Restructuring plan approved: Management said the approved plan is meant to better position the cost structure for strategic markets. Charges and savings appear in the guidance section. Source
  • Board opened strategic review: On January 26, 2026 the Board began a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives aimed at enhancing shareholder value. Source
  • Full-year free cash flow $847 million: Free cash flow was $847 million, up from $810 million; operating cash flow was $1.1 billion. Self Service contributed about $50 million of free cash flow in 2025. Source
  • Guidance assumes gradual improvement: Management said 2026 guidance reflects current market conditions and assumes gradual improvement as the year progresses. Figures are in the guidance list. Source

“Throughout 2025, our team relentlessly focused on what we could control, resulting in significant free cash flow generation despite sector headwinds across our global enterprise.”

Justin Jude, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Organic revenue growth, parts and services Sourcefull year 2026(0.5%) to 1.5%New
Diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$2.35 to $2.65New
Adjusted diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$2.90 to $3.20New
Operating cash flow Sourcefull year 2026$900 to $1,100 millionNew
Free cash flow Sourcefull year 2026$700 to $850 millionNew
Purchases of property, plant and equipment Sourcefull year 2026200 to 250New
Restructuring charges Sourceunder the approved restructuring planapproximately $60 to $70 millionNew
Annualized cost savings Sourceannualized; more than half realized in 2026more than $50 millionNew
Global effective tax rate assumption Sourcefull year 202626.8%New
Foreign exchange rate assumptions Sourcefull year 2026euro $1.17; pound sterling $1.35; Canadian dollar $0.72New
Weighted average diluted shares Sourcefull year 2026255.6New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 guidance issued; the previous release covered 2025 figures only. Source
  • New: Board began a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives. Source
  • New: Process started to explore a potential sale of the Specialty segment. Source
  • New: Restructuring plan approved to better position the cost structure. Source

Fourth-quarter and full-year results

  • Fourth-quarter revenue rose 2.7%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $3.3 billion, up 2.7%. Foreign exchange added 3.7 points and parts and services organic revenue fell 1.7%. Source
  • Full-year organic parts sales fell 2.7%: Full-year revenue was $13.7 billion, down 1.3%. Parts and services organic revenue fell 2.7%, or 2.3% per day, with foreign exchange adding 1.7 points. Source
  • Fourth-quarter adjusted EPS fell 24.4%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.59 against $0.78; reported diluted EPS was $0.29 against $0.58. The prior-year quarter included a $35 million pre-tax legal settlement. Source
  • Full-year adjusted EPS $3.01: Full-year adjusted diluted EPS was $3.01, down from $3.39. Reported diluted EPS was $2.31 against $2.53. Source

Segments and regions

  • North America segment margin fell: North America segment revenue was $1,374 million. Segment EBITDA was $174 million, or 12.7% of revenue, against 16.5% a year earlier. Source
  • Europe organic revenue declined: Europe organic revenue fell 4.8% in the quarter, with currency adding 7.7 points. Segment EBITDA margin was 8.3%, against 10.1%. Source
  • Specialty organic growth 7.8%: Specialty revenue was $377 million. Segment EBITDA margin was 4.5%, against 4.1%. Management said end markets continue to improve. Source
  • Full-year segment margin 11.1%: Total Segment EBITDA was $1,509 million for 2025, 11.1% of revenue, against $1,687 million and 12.2% in 2024. Source

“The strength of our operating model and culture continues to support solid free cash flow generation”

Rick Galloway, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Costs, margins and restructuring

  • Gross margin down 1.4 points: Gross margin was 37.9% of revenue against 39.3%. Cost of goods sold rose 5.1% to $2,057 million on revenue up 2.7%. Source
  • Selling and admin costs rose 7.1%: SG&A was $948 million, 28.6% of revenue, against $885 million and 27.4% a year earlier. Source
  • Goodwill impairment recorded in quarter: Fourth-quarter results include a $52 million goodwill impairment; the prior-year quarter had none. Restructuring and transaction costs were $9 million. Source
  • Restructuring plan approved: Management said the approved plan is meant to better position the cost structure for strategic markets. Charges and savings appear in the guidance section. Source

Demand and share gains

  • North America gained share: Management said North America gained share in a soft demand environment through pricing discipline, MSO relationships and Canadian hard parts expansion. Source
  • Hard parts and calibration grew: The Bumper to Bumper hard parts business grew and the calibration services platform expanded, according to management's share-gain discussion. Source
  • Demand described as uncertain: Management described the demand environment as uncertain while its operational focus stays on simplification and productivity. Source

Strategic review and portfolio

  • Board opened strategic review: On January 26, 2026 the Board began a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives aimed at enhancing shareholder value. Source
  • Specialty sale process explored: In December the company announced a process to explore a potential sale of its Specialty segment. Completion of the Self Service sale was announced in October. Source
  • SKU review reached 85%: Management said SKU rationalization reviews covered over 85% of targeted SKUs in 2025, up from 50% in 2024. Source

Cash flow and capital returns

  • Full-year free cash flow $847 million: Free cash flow was $847 million, up from $810 million; operating cash flow was $1.1 billion. Self Service contributed about $50 million of free cash flow in 2025. Source
  • Total debt $3.7 billion: Debt was $3.7 billion at year-end and credit-facility leverage was 2.4x EBITDA, down from 2.5x at September 30. Source
  • Fourth-quarter returns $116 million: The company bought back $40 million of stock (1.3 million shares) and paid $76 million in cash dividends in the quarter. Source
  • Full-year returns $469 million: For 2025 the company repurchased shares for $159 million (4.5 million shares) and paid $310 million in dividends. Source

Guidance for 2026

  • Guidance assumes gradual improvement: Management said 2026 guidance reflects current market conditions and assumes gradual improvement as the year progresses. Figures are in the guidance list. Source
  • Tariffs and currency built in: Guidance includes tariffs in effect at February 1, 2026 and currency rates near recent averages. Management said changes in these conditions may affect achieving estimates. Source
  • Adjusted measures exclude specified items: Adjusted figures exclude restructuring and transaction costs, acquired-intangible amortization, stock-based tax items, debt extinguishment losses and impairments. Source

Coming up, as management said on 19 February 2026

  • Board dividend payable March 26: Board declared a $0.30 quarterly dividend, payable March 26, 2026, to holders of record March 12, 2026. Source
  • Repurchase authority runs to October 2026: $1.6 billion remains under the buyback program for potential repurchases through October 25, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Repairable claims (Q3 2025 vs 2024)6% decline

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Guidance reflects tariffs in effect at February 1, 2026; management ties achievement of the estimates to these conditions. Source
  • External: Management said changes in tariffs, currency and related conditions may affect achieving the guidance estimates. Source
  • Financial: Management said there can be no assurance the strategic review results in any transaction or other outcome. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Prior release said the Self Service divestiture delivered the portfolio commitment; the sale was completed September 30, 2025.
  • Not stated: Management said European leadership has taken a stronger productivity position to deliver the appropriate cost structure in 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.