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Medline Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 25 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth quarter sales rose 14.8%: Fourth quarter net sales were $7,787 million, up from $6,784 million, with Organic Sales up 14.4%. The company said growth was primarily from increased volumes. Source
  • Fourth quarter net income fell 37.7%: Net income was $180 million, down from $289 million. The company cited higher cost of goods sold from tariffs and higher operating costs, including headcount and IPO-related expenses, partly offset by higher sales. Source
  • Fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA roughly flat: Adjusted EBITDA was $805 million, down 0.6% from $810 million, with margin of 10.3% against 11.9%. Tariff costs and headcount investment offset higher net sales. Source
  • Full year sales rose 11.5%: Full year net sales were $28.4 billion, up from $25.5 billion, with Organic Sales up 10.5%. Full year net income was $1.2 billion, down 3.6%. Source
  • $2.4 billion of new customer signings: The company reported $2.4 billion of total new customer signings for 2025, measured as estimated annual contract value of new contracts, excluding renewals and extensions. Source
  • Free cash flow was $1.3 billion: Free Cash Flow was $1,297 million against $1,415 million, from operating cash flow of $1,744 million less net capital expenditures of $447 million. Source
  • Total debt and net leverage fell: Total debt was $12,755 million against $16,757 million, and net debt was $10,816 million against $16,558 million. Net Leverage was 3.1 against 4.9, with cash of $1,939 million. Source
  • IPO completed in the quarter: The company completed its initial public offering in the fourth quarter, which management called a major milestone. Source

“This performance reflects the confidence customers place in our value, service and reliability, and our unique capability to support health systems across the entire continuum of care.”

Jim Boyle, Chief Executive Officer of Medline

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Organic Sales growth Sourcefull year 20268% to 9%New
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefull year 2026$3.5 to $3.6 billionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Full year 2026 guidance was introduced, covering Organic Sales growth and Adjusted EBITDA. No earlier guidance appears in the documents. Source
  • New: The company completed its initial public offering in the quarter and its Class A common stock trades on Nasdaq under MDLN. Source
  • New: Per-share figures cover the period after the reorganization transactions and the IPO, when Class A shares became the reporting share class. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Fourth quarter sales rose 14.8%: Fourth quarter net sales were $7,787 million, up from $6,784 million, with Organic Sales up 14.4%. The company said growth was primarily from increased volumes. Source
  • Fourth quarter net income fell 37.7%: Net income was $180 million, down from $289 million. The company cited higher cost of goods sold from tariffs and higher operating costs, including headcount and IPO-related expenses, partly offset by higher sales. Source
  • Fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA roughly flat: Adjusted EBITDA was $805 million, down 0.6% from $810 million, with margin of 10.3% against 11.9%. Tariff costs and headcount investment offset higher net sales. Source
  • Full year sales rose 11.5%: Full year net sales were $28.4 billion, up from $25.5 billion, with Organic Sales up 10.5%. Full year net income was $1.2 billion, down 3.6%. Source
  • Full year Adjusted EBITDA rose 3.2%: Full year Adjusted EBITDA was $3.5 billion, up 3.2%, with margin of 12.2% against 13.2%. Higher net sales were partly offset by tariff costs and headcount investment. Source

Segment results

  • Medline Brand sales rose 11.8%: Medline Brand fourth quarter net sales were $3,723 million, up 11.8% from $3,329 million. Its Adjusted EBITDA was $793 million, down 3.8%. Source
  • Medline Brand margin lower in both periods: Medline Brand Adjusted EBITDA margin was 21.3% in the quarter against 24.8%, and 24.3% for the full year against 26.1%. Source
  • Supply Chain Solutions sales rose 17.6%: Supply Chain Solutions fourth quarter net sales were $4,064 million, up 17.6% from $3,455 million. Its Adjusted EBITDA was $217 million, up 29.2%, with margin of 5.3% against 4.9%. Source
  • Supply Chain Solutions full-year growth: Full year Supply Chain Solutions net sales were $14,712 million, up 13.2%, and Adjusted EBITDA was $805 million, up 24.4%, with margin of 5.5% against 5.0%. Source
  • Corporate expense rose in both periods: Corporate & Other expense was $205 million in the quarter, up from $182 million, and $672 million for the year, up from $555 million. Source

“Becoming a public company amplifies our voice and strengthens our foundation by enabling continued investments to drive growth and deliver greater value to customers.”

Jim Boyle, Chief Executive Officer of Medline

Costs and margins

  • Cost of goods sold rose 19.1%: Fourth quarter cost of goods sold was $5,873 million, up 19.1% from $4,933 million. The company attributed the increase in part to tariffs. Source
  • Gross margin fell to 24.6%: Gross margin was 24.6% in the quarter against 27.3% a year earlier, with gross profit of $1,914 million, up 3.4%. Source
  • Selling and administrative costs rose: Selling, general and administrative expenses were $1,265 million in the quarter, up 8.7%, and $4,524 million for the year, up 10.1%. Source
  • Operating income declined in quarter: Operating income was $425 million in the quarter, down 13.6%, with operating margin of 5.5% against 7.3%. Full year operating income was $2,212 million, up 3.1%. Source
  • Net interest expense decreased: Interest expense, net was $166 million in the quarter, down 20.6%, and $812 million for the year, down 6.0%. Source

Demand and customer signings

  • $2.4 billion of new customer signings: The company reported $2.4 billion of total new customer signings for 2025, measured as estimated annual contract value of new contracts, excluding renewals and extensions. Source
  • Growth primarily from higher volumes: Management said organic growth in the fourth quarter and full year was primarily driven by increased volumes, with growth in both the Medline Brand and Supply Chain Solutions segments. Source
  • Acquisitions added to sales growth: Acquisitions added $10 million to fourth quarter net sales growth and $237 million to full year net sales growth. Source

Capital, cash and debt

  • Free cash flow was $1.3 billion: Free Cash Flow was $1,297 million against $1,415 million, from operating cash flow of $1,744 million less net capital expenditures of $447 million. Source
  • Working capital absorbed cash: Operating cash flow was $1,744 million, with net income excluding non-cash items partly offset by higher receivables and inventories, including tariff impacts. Source
  • Capital spending on automation: Net capital expenditures were $447 million against $354 million, covering distribution center enhancements and automation and kitting manufacturing investments. Source
  • Total debt and net leverage fell: Total debt was $12,755 million against $16,757 million, and net debt was $10,816 million against $16,558 million. Net Leverage was 3.1 against 4.9, with cash of $1,939 million. Source
  • Tax receivable agreement liability recorded: At year-end the tax receivable agreement liability was $3,542 million, shown separately from long-term borrowings. Source
  • Loss on debt extinguishment rose: Loss on debt extinguishment and other refinancing costs was $64 million for the year, against $56 million the prior year. Source

Strategy, listing and reporting

  • IPO completed in the quarter: The company completed its initial public offering in the fourth quarter, which management called a major milestone. Source
  • Management expects momentum to continue: Management expects its momentum to continue and believes the company is well positioned for sustainable long-term growth, citing scale, portfolio and distribution footprint. Source
  • Guidance given on non-GAAP basis: The company cannot reconcile the Adjusted EBITDA and Organic Sales guidance to GAAP with reasonable certainty, because items affecting comparability are difficult to predict. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total new customer signings (estimated annual contract value, 2025) Source$2.4 billion

Risks management discussed

  • External: Tariffs raised cost of goods sold, which the company cited as a driver of lower fourth quarter and full year net income. Source
  • Regulatory: Legal settlements in 2025 included an $(8) million adjustment for ethylene oxide litigation and $(43) million for an intellectual property dispute. Source
  • Financial: Credit loss expense on certain customer receivables was $31 million for the year, down from $38 million in the prior year. 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.