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Otis Worldwide Corp.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 22 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 3 lowered, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales up 6%, organic 1%: Net sales were $3.6 billion, up 6% at actual currency and 1% organically. Service net sales rose 11% and organic Service sales rose 5%. Source
  • Adjusted EPS down 3% to $0.89: Adjusted EPS was $0.89 against $0.92 a year earlier. Management cited operational performance, higher interest and higher taxes, partly offset by foreign exchange and a lower share count. Source
  • Service profit down at constant currency: Service segment operating profit was $556 million, up $19 million at actual currency and down $10 million at constant currency. Higher volume and pricing were offset by labor, material, investment and mix. Source
  • Segment profit and margin fell: New Equipment segment operating profit was $38 million, down $27 million at constant currency. Margin contracted 240 basis points to 3.3%. Source
  • Modernization orders and backlog up: Modernization orders rose 11% at constant currency. Modernization backlog rose 32% at actual currency and 30% at constant currency. Source
  • Adjusted margin down 130 basis points: Adjusted operating profit margin was 15.4%, down 130 basis points. GAAP margin was 15.1%, up 280 basis points, helped by prior-year comparison items. Source
  • Operating cash flow of $413 million: Operating cash flow was $413 million, against $190 million a year earlier. Adjusted free cash flow was $272 million, up $86 million. Source

“Otis delivered a solid quarter, with net sales up 6%. All Service lines of business grew, led by repair which grew 16% at actual currency and 10% organically.”

Judy Marks, Chair, CEO & President

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales Sourcefull year 2026$15.1 to $15.3 billionRaised from $15.0 to $15.3 billion
Organic New Equipment sales Sourcefull year 2026down low single digits to flatKept
Adjusted operating profit Sourcefull year 2026approximately $2.5 billion; up $20 to $60 million at constant currency; up $60 to $100 million at actual currencyLowered from $2.5 to $2.6 billion; up $60 to $100 million at constant currency; up $100 to $140 million at actual currency
Adjusted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$4.20 to $4.24Lowered from up mid to high single digits
Adjusted free cash flow Sourcefull year 2026$1.60 to 1.65 billionLowered from $1.6 to $1.7 billion

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: The low end of full-year net sales guidance rose from $15.0 billion to $15.1 billion; the top end stayed at $15.3 billion. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted operating profit guidance changed from $2.5 to $2.6 billion to approximately $2.5 billion, with narrower growth ranges at both constant and actual currency. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted EPS guidance moved from up mid to high single digits to $4.20 to $4.24. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted free cash flow guidance changed from $1.6 to $1.7 billion to $1.60 to 1.65 billion. Source
  • Guidance kept: Organic sales growth guidance, including the New Equipment and Service components, is unchanged from the prior release. Source
  • New: Otis announced a majority investment in WeMaintain, a digitally native and AI enabled elevator service provider. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales up 6%, organic 1%: Net sales were $3.6 billion, up 6% at actual currency and 1% organically. Service net sales rose 11% and organic Service sales rose 5%. Source
  • Adjusted EPS down 3% to $0.89: Adjusted EPS was $0.89 against $0.92 a year earlier. Management cited operational performance, higher interest and higher taxes, partly offset by foreign exchange and a lower share count. Source
  • GAAP EPS up on prior-year items: GAAP EPS was $0.87, up 43%. The prior year carried UpLift transformation costs, separation-related adjustments and other non-recurring items. Source
  • Adjusted operating profit down $10 million: Adjusted operating profit was $550 million, down $10 million at actual currency and $38 million at constant currency. Both segments were lower. Source

Service segment

  • Service sales up 11%: Service net sales were $2.4 billion, up 11% at actual currency and 5% organically. Source
  • Maintenance and modernization both grew: Organic maintenance and repair sales rose 4%, and organic modernization sales rose 6%. Source
  • Service profit down at constant currency: Service segment operating profit was $556 million, up $19 million at actual currency and down $10 million at constant currency. Higher volume and pricing were offset by labor, material, investment and mix. Source
  • Service margin down 160 basis points: Service segment operating profit margin was 23.0%, down 160 basis points from 24.6% a year earlier. Source

“While underlying demand remains solid as reflected in our order activity, we faced near‑term pressures, reflected in our Service margins, from cost headwinds and investments in growth.”

Judy Marks, Chair, CEO & President

New Equipment segment

  • New Equipment sales slightly lower: New Equipment net sales were $1.1 billion, down 1%, with organic sales down 5%. EMEA grew, while China, Asia Pacific and the Americas declined. Source
  • Segment profit and margin fell: New Equipment segment operating profit was $38 million, down $27 million at constant currency. Margin contracted 240 basis points to 3.3%. Source
  • Americas orders rose; Asia Pacific and China fell: New Equipment orders rose 1% at constant currency, with more than 20% growth in the Americas. Declines in Asia Pacific and China offset that growth. Source

Demand and the order book

  • Modernization orders and backlog up: Modernization orders rose 11% at constant currency. Modernization backlog rose 32% at actual currency and 30% at constant currency. Source
  • New Equipment backlog up 3%: New Equipment backlog rose 6% at actual currency and 3% at constant currency. Source
  • Repair sales up 16%: Repair net sales rose 16% at actual currency, with organic repair sales up approximately 10%. Source

“The combination of our increasing backlog, pricing actions, and disciplined execution give us confidence in growing momentum into the second quarter and remainder of the year.”

Judy Marks, Chair, CEO & President

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Adjusted margin down 130 basis points: Adjusted operating profit margin was 15.4%, down 130 basis points. GAAP margin was 15.1%, up 280 basis points, helped by prior-year comparison items. Source
  • Service investments accelerated this year: Management said Service investments began in the second quarter of 2025 and accelerated this year to support repair and modernization order momentum. Source
  • Tariffs weighed on prior-year comparison: Management cited an unfavorable year-over-year comparison due to tariff impacts versus the prior year. Source
  • Middle East shipment delays: Management cited shipment delays in New Equipment and modernization tied to the Middle East situation as a factor in margin performance. Source
  • Pricing and cost actions underway: Management said it is taking decisive actions on operational execution, pricing and cost efficiency to address these pressures. Source

Cash, capital and strategy

  • Operating cash flow of $413 million: Operating cash flow was $413 million, against $190 million a year earlier. Adjusted free cash flow was $272 million, up $86 million. Source
  • Cash flow change: net income, working capital: Management attributed the first-quarter cash flow change to an increase in net income and to changes in working capital. Source
  • Share repurchases of about $400 million: The company repurchased approximately $400 million of shares in the quarter, compared with $253 million of repurchases in the prior-year first quarter. Source
  • WeMaintain majority investment announced: Otis announced a majority investment in WeMaintain, a digitally native and AI enabled elevator service provider. Source

Coming up, as management said on 22 April 2026

  • German tax refunds continue through 2026: The company has started receiving German tax litigation refunds and expects the refund process to continue through 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Customer units maintained Sourceapproximately 2.5 million
Modernization orders growth Source11% at constant currency
Modernization backlog growth Source32% at actual currency; 30% at constant currency
New Equipment orders growth Source1% at constant currency
New Equipment backlog growth Source6% at actual currency; 3% at constant currency
Repair net sales growth Source16% at actual currency; organic approximately 10%

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Management named shipment delays in New Equipment and modernization, tied to the Middle East situation, as a pressure on results. Source
  • Operational: Management said near-term cost headwinds and growth investments are pressuring Service margins. Source
  • External: Tariff impacts create an unfavorable comparison against the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Demand: New Equipment orders fell more than 20% in Asia Pacific and in the low teens in China. Source
  • Financial: Management cited higher interest and higher taxes as factors reducing adjusted EPS. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The prior release said 2025 margin and EPS expansion came as anticipated, with the highest adjusted margin expansion and EPS growth of the period.
  • Not stated: Management said it continues disciplined capital allocation to drive long-term shareholder value. 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.