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Mueller Water Products, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 1 lowered, 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Sales rose 4.6% on pricing: Net sales rose $13.9 million, or 4.6%, to $318.2 million, compared with the prior year quarter. Source
  • First-quarter records set: Management said the quarter set first-quarter records for net sales, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 16%: Adjusted net income per diluted share rose 16.0% to $0.29. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.27 against $0.22, and net income rose 22.4% to $43.2 million. Source
  • Water Flow margin rose 710 basis points: Water Flow Solutions adjusted EBITDA margin was 32.7% against 25.6%. Adjusted EBITDA rose 26.4% to $56.5 million, which management attributed to manufacturing efficiencies and higher pricing. Source
  • Water Management EBITDA fell 9.5%: Water Management Solutions net sales rose 12.0% to $145.2 million, while adjusted EBITDA fell 9.5% to $29.5 million and adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 20.3% from 25.1%. Source
  • Gross margin rose 380 basis points: Gross margin was 37.6% against 33.8%, helped by higher pricing, manufacturing efficiencies and the absence of $3.3 million of prior-year inventory write-downs. Source
  • Guidance rests on demand and pricing: Management raised fiscal 2026 guidance citing first-quarter performance and current expectations for end-market demand, orders and price realization. Source

“We are pleased with the great start to our fiscal year, with solid net sales growth and year-over-year adjusted EBITDA margin expansion.”

Martie Edmunds Zakas, Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales SourceFiscal 2026$1,470 million to $1,490 millionRaised from $1,450 million to $1,470 million
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFiscal 2026$355 million to $360 millionRaised from $345 million to $350 million
Free cash flow as a percentage of adjusted net income SourceFiscal 2026exceed 85%Kept
Total SG&A expenses SourceFiscal 2026$243 million to $247 millionKept
Net interest expense SourceFiscal 2026$5 million to $6 millionLowered from $6 million to $7 million
Effective income tax rate SourceFiscal 202625% to 27%Kept
Depreciation and amortization SourceFiscal 2026$47 million to $49 millionKept
Capital expenditures SourceFiscal 2026$60 million to $65 millionKept
Pension expense other than service SourceFiscal 2026approximately $0.1 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Fiscal 2026 net sales guidance raised to $1,470 million to $1,490 million from $1,450 million to $1,470 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Fiscal 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance raised to $355 million to $360 million from $345 million to $350 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Fiscal 2026 net interest expense guidance lowered to $5 million to $6 million from $6 million to $7 million. Source
  • Guidance kept: Free cash flow as a percentage of adjusted net income kept above 85%. SG&A, tax rate, D&A, capex and pension ranges unchanged from the prior guidance. Source
  • New: Management cited expected benefits from price actions across most product lines, described as recently announced. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Sales rose 4.6% on pricing: Net sales rose $13.9 million, or 4.6%, to $318.2 million, compared with the prior year quarter. Source
  • First-quarter records set: Management said the quarter set first-quarter records for net sales, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 16%: Adjusted net income per diluted share rose 16.0% to $0.29. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.27 against $0.22, and net income rose 22.4% to $43.2 million. Source
  • Operating income rose 19.6%: Operating income rose $9.3 million, or 19.6%, to $56.7 million. Operating margin was 17.8% against 15.6%, and net income margin was 13.6% against 11.6%. Source

Segment results

  • Water Flow margin rose 710 basis points: Water Flow Solutions adjusted EBITDA margin was 32.7% against 25.6%. Adjusted EBITDA rose 26.4% to $56.5 million, which management attributed to manufacturing efficiencies and higher pricing. Source
  • Water Flow sales slipped 0.9%: Water Flow Solutions net sales fell $1.6 million, or 0.9%, to $173.0 million, on lower service brass volumes, partly offset by pricing and specialty valve volumes. Source
  • Water Management EBITDA fell 9.5%: Water Management Solutions net sales rose 12.0% to $145.2 million, while adjusted EBITDA fell 9.5% to $29.5 million and adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 20.3% from 25.1%. Source
  • Tariffs and inefficiencies held back Water Management: Management said higher pricing and volume growth were more than offset by increased tariffs, manufacturing inefficiencies and higher SG&A expenses in this segment. Source

“We expect that our ongoing investments in our commercial and operational capabilities, together with strategic capital expenditures, will enable us to increase capacity, achieve sustained margin expansion and deliver long-term value creation”

Paul McAndrew, President and Chief Operating Officer

Products and customers

  • Hydrant volumes rose, gas products fell: Water Management Solutions benefited from higher hydrant volumes, partly offset by lower natural gas distribution and repair product volumes. Source
  • Specialty valve volumes increased: Water Flow Solutions specialty valve volumes increased, partly offsetting lower service brass volumes in the quarter. Source
  • Customer service focus cited: Management credited its focus on customer service and operational excellence for the quarter's results. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin rose 380 basis points: Gross margin was 37.6% against 33.8%, helped by higher pricing, manufacturing efficiencies and the absence of $3.3 million of prior-year inventory write-downs. Source
  • Tariffs and inflation partly offset gains: Management said increased tariffs and inflationary pressures partly offset the gross margin gains. Source
  • SG&A rose 10.9%: SG&A rose $5.9 million, or 10.9%, to $59.8 million, on higher personnel costs, inflationary pressures and unfavorable foreign currency. Source
  • Reorganization charge excluded from adjusted results: $3.3 million of strategic reorganization and other charges, mainly severance and leadership transition expenses, were excluded from adjusted results. Source

Demand and the order book

  • Guidance rests on demand and pricing: Management raised fiscal 2026 guidance citing first-quarter performance and current expectations for end-market demand, orders and price realization. Source
  • Aging infrastructure cited as driver: Management said the company is well positioned to capture benefits from investments needed to address aging North American water infrastructure. Source
  • Volumes slightly lower in quarter: Net sales growth came primarily from pricing, with volumes slightly lower for the quarter. Source

Capital, cash and returns

  • Operating cash flow rose to $61.2M: Operating cash flow was $61.2 million against $54.1 million, driven by higher net income and non-cash items, partly offset by working capital. Source
  • Free cash flow of $44.0 million: Free cash flow was $44.0 million against $42.2 million. Capital expenditures rose to $17.2 million from $11.9 million, mainly for iron foundry investments. Source
  • Liquidity of $623.3 million: Total liquidity was $623.3 million, including $163.7 million of ABL availability. Debt was $452.3 million and cash $459.6 million, with no ABL borrowings and no maturities until June 2029. Source
  • Repurchased $5.5 million of stock: The company repurchased $5.5 million of common stock during the first quarter. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Increased tariffs were cited as a cost pressure on gross margin and on Water Management Solutions. Source
  • External: Higher personnel costs, inflationary pressures and unfavorable foreign currency raised SG&A expense. Source
  • Operational: Manufacturing inefficiencies in Water Management Solutions offset part of the pricing and volume gains. Source
  • Demand: Lower service brass volumes reduced Water Flow Solutions net sales in the quarter. Source
  • Demand: Lower natural gas distribution and repair product volumes partly offset hydrant growth in Water Management Solutions. Source
  • Operational: Leadership transition brought $3.3 million of severance and related charges, excluded from adjusted results. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said the company is on track for another year of gross and adjusted EBITDA margin expansion. 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.