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RBC Bearings Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 31 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 14.4% year over year: Six-month net sales were $891.3 million, up 10.8% from $804.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Operating income rose on higher sales: Adjusted operating income was $105.0 million against $86.6 million; operating margin was 23.1% adjusted and 21.5% GAAP, against 21.8% and 21.6% a year earlier. Source
  • GAAP and adjusted gross margin both rose: GAAP gross margin was 44.1% against 43.7%; adjusted gross margin was 44.9% against 43.7%, with no prior-year adjustments shown. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin rose to 31.9%: Adjusted EBITDA was $145.3 million, against $123.4 million a year earlier. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $1.90: Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.88 against $2.29; six-month diluted EPS was $4.07 against $3.55. Source
  • Free cash flow rose to $71.7 million: Free cash flow equals cash from operations less capital expenditures; conversion is free cash flow divided by net income. Source
  • Business acquisition used $275.0 million: Six-month cash paid for a business acquisition was $275.0 million, within investing outflows of $307.4 million. Source

“Our performance during the second quarter achieved a very high standard as demand from many of our core markets reached unprecedented levels.”

Dr. Michael J. Hartnett, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 2026$454.0 million to $462.0 millionNew
Net sales growth Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 202615.1% to 17.1%New
Organic net sales growth (excluding VACCO) Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 20267.4% to 9.5%New
Adjusted gross margin Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 202644.0% to 44.25%New
SG&A as a percentage of net sales Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 202617.0% to 17.25%New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Net sales guidance for the third quarter of fiscal 2026 is given in this release; the prior release gave second-quarter figures only. Source
  • New: VACCO was acquired on July 18, 2025 and contributed $24.7 million of second-quarter net sales. Source

Sales and operating income

  • Net sales rose 14.4% year over year: Six-month net sales were $891.3 million, up 10.8% from $804.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Operating income rose on higher sales: Adjusted operating income was $105.0 million against $86.6 million; operating margin was 23.1% adjusted and 21.5% GAAP, against 21.8% and 21.6% a year earlier. Source
  • Transaction and restructuring items excluded: Adjusted operating income excluded $4.2 million of transaction and related costs and $3.0 million of restructuring and consolidation costs in the quarter. Source

Segment performance

  • Aerospace/Defense sales rose 38.8%: External A&D sales were $198.8 million for the quarter against $143.2 million, and $363.4 million for six months against $292.3 million. Source
  • Industrial sales edged up 0.7%: Industrial external sales were $256.5 million against $254.7 million, and $527.9 million against $511.9 million for six months. Source
  • Aerospace/Defense share of sales rose: A&D was about 43.7% of quarter net sales, against about 36.0% a year earlier; Industrial was about 56.3%, against about 64.0%. Source

“We were well prepared to support the generational expansion taking place in these aerospace and defense markets”

Dr. Michael J. Hartnett, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Gross margin and EBITDA margin

  • GAAP and adjusted gross margin both rose: GAAP gross margin was 44.1% against 43.7%; adjusted gross margin was 44.9% against 43.7%, with no prior-year adjustments shown. Source
  • Gross margin adjustments were transaction and restructuring: The quarter's gross margin adjustments were $3.3 million of transaction and related costs and $0.4 million of restructuring and consolidation. Source
  • Gross margin dollars rose: Adjusted gross margin dollars were $204.3 million against $173.8 million, an increase of $30.5 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin rose to 31.9%: Adjusted EBITDA was $145.3 million, against $123.4 million a year earlier. Source

Operating costs and interest

  • SG&A rose in dollars, fell as share: SG&A as a share of net sales was 17.0%, against 17.5% a year earlier. Source
  • Other operating expenses rose on amortization: Other operating expenses included $20.7 million of intangible amortization, $2.6 million of restructuring, $0.9 million of acquisition costs and $1.2 million of other items. Source
  • Interest expense fell on debt reduction: Interest expense decreased on debt reduction; the $200.0 million revolver draw used to fund the VACCO acquisition partly offset that decrease. Source

“Clearly, we have entered a unique period in our business cycle and look forward to delivering a record year to our shareholders.”

Dr. Michael J. Hartnett, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Tax, net income and EPS

  • Effective tax rate rose to 28.0%: Tax expense was $23.4 million, including about $2.3 million of expense from a change in deferred taxes related to the VACCO acquisition. Source
  • Net income rose 10.7% from prior year: Adjusted net income was $91.2 million against $72.7 million; net income attributable to common stockholders was $60.0 million against $48.5 million. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $1.90: Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.88 against $2.29; six-month diluted EPS was $4.07 against $3.55. Source

Cash flow and free cash flow

  • Free cash flow rose to $71.7 million: Free cash flow equals cash from operations less capital expenditures; conversion is free cash flow divided by net income. Source
  • Six-month operating cash flow rose: Six-month operating cash flow was $208.4 million against $140.4 million, with six-month net income of $128.5 million. Source
  • Receivables released cash, inventory absorbed it: Six-month changes: receivables provided $42.0 million, inventory used $48.2 million, against $20.7 million a year earlier. Source

Balance sheet and capital spending

  • Cash rose to $91.2 million: Cash was $91.2 million at September 27, 2025, against $36.8 million at March 29, 2025. Source
  • Business acquisition used $275.0 million: Six-month cash paid for a business acquisition was $275.0 million, within investing outflows of $307.4 million. Source
  • Long-term debt rose to $1,069.3 million: Long-term debt, less current portion, was $1,069.3 million against $918.4 million at March 29, 2025; term loans repaid in six months totaled $45.0 million. Source
  • Inventory rose to $768.7 million: Inventory was $768.7 million at September 27, 2025, against $654.5 million at March 29, 2025. Source
  • Capital expenditures rose in six months: Six-month capital expenditures were $32.4 million against $25.2 million a year earlier. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Backlog Source$1.6 billion as of September 27, 2025

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.