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RBC Bearings Inc.: Q2 FY2027 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2027, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales grew 15.2% year on year: Net sales reached $524.6 million, up 15.2% from the prior-year quarter, with both segments growing at mid-teen rates. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $2.96: GAAP diluted EPS was $2.96 against $1.90 a year earlier; adjusted diluted EPS was $3.74 against $2.88. GAAP net income was $93.8 million against $60.0 million. Source
  • Organic sales up $67.3 million: Excluding $2.0 million from the PSC acquisition, organic net sales rose $67.3 million, or 14.8%. Source
  • Gross margin rose to 45.6%: Gross margin was 45.6% on both GAAP and adjusted bases, against 44.1% GAAP and 44.9% adjusted a year earlier. Source
  • Backlog reached $2.4 billion: Backlog was $2.4 billion at September 26, 2026, up from $2.3 billion at March 28, 2026 and $1.6 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Six-month operating cash flow up: Net cash from operating activities was $278.2 million for the six months against $208.4 million. Capital expenditures were $45.6 million against $32.4 million. Source
  • Term loan fully repaid: Term loan repayments were $173.0 million in the six months, and the Term Loan was fully repaid during the second quarter. Source

“RBC seems to be operating in an environment that is tailor-made for our products.”

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

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 2027$520.0 million to $525.0 millionNew
Net sales growth Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 202712.7% to 13.7%New
Gross margin (percentage of net sales) Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 202745.5% to 45.75%Kept
SG&A (percentage of net sales) Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 202716.25% to 16.5%New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Management gave third-quarter fiscal 2027 net sales and growth ranges, which the prior release did not include for that quarter. Source
  • Guidance kept: The third-quarter gross margin range is the same 45.5% to 45.75% range given for the second quarter. Source
  • New: The PSC acquisition closed on August 10, 2026 and is included in the Industrial segment. Source

Second-quarter results and growth

  • Net sales grew 15.2% year on year: Net sales reached $524.6 million, up 15.2% from the prior-year quarter, with both segments growing at mid-teen rates. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $2.96: GAAP diluted EPS was $2.96 against $1.90 a year earlier; adjusted diluted EPS was $3.74 against $2.88. GAAP net income was $93.8 million against $60.0 million. Source
  • Operating income up 34.6%: GAAP operating income was $131.6 million against $97.8 million; adjusted operating income was $132.7 million against $105.0 million. Source
  • Six-month sales and EPS higher: Six-month net sales were $1,044.1 million against $891.3 million, and six-month GAAP diluted EPS was $6.16 against $4.07. Source

Segments and organic growth

  • Industrial sales up 14.8%: Industrial segment sales were $294.4 million, up 14.8% from $256.5 million. Organic Industrial growth was 14.0%. Source
  • Aerospace and defense sales up 15.8%: Aerospace and defense segment sales were $230.2 million for the quarter, against $198.8 million a year earlier. Source
  • Organic sales up $67.3 million: Excluding $2.0 million from the PSC acquisition, organic net sales rose $67.3 million, or 14.8%. Source

“Revenues in both A&D and industrial products grew at mid-teen levels while year on year gross margins expanded. Backlog increased and considerable debt was retired.”

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

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin rose to 45.6%: Gross margin was 45.6% on both GAAP and adjusted bases, against 44.1% GAAP and 44.9% adjusted a year earlier. Source
  • Tariff refunds added $1.7 million: Management said gross margin included $1.7 million of tariff refunds for the quarter. Source
  • SG&A ratio fell to 15.9%: SG&A was $83.4 million, up $6.0 million, and 15.9% of net sales compared with 17.0% a year earlier. Source
  • Intangible amortization drove other expense: Other operating expenses were $24.0 million against $25.4 million, including $21.3 million of intangible amortization and $1.1 million of restructuring. Source
  • Net interest expense declined: Net interest expense was $9.3 million against $13.4 million a year earlier, which management attributed to debt reduction. Source
  • Effective tax rate of 23.4%: The effective tax rate was 23.4% against 28.0%, including $0.5 million of discrete stock-compensation benefits. Excluding discrete items it would have been 23.5%. Source

Backlog, cash and debt

  • Backlog reached $2.4 billion: Backlog was $2.4 billion at September 26, 2026, up from $2.3 billion at March 28, 2026 and $1.6 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Six-month operating cash flow up: Net cash from operating activities was $278.2 million for the six months against $208.4 million. Capital expenditures were $45.6 million against $32.4 million. Source
  • Term loan fully repaid: Term loan repayments were $173.0 million in the six months, and the Term Loan was fully repaid during the second quarter. Source
  • Cash balance rose to $89.3 million: Cash was $89.3 million at September 26, 2026, against $57.3 million at March 28, 2026. The current portion of long-term debt fell to $0.7 million. Source

“We are thrilled to report the next six months are positioned to show an even better second half.”

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

Acquisitions and deferred tax items

  • Acquisition payments fell sharply: Acquisition payments were $24.2 million in the six months, against $275.0 million a year earlier. Source
  • VACCO added first-quarter sales: The first-quarter release said VACCO contributed $34.4 million of that quarter's net sales. VACCO was acquired on July 18, 2025.
  • Prior-year deferred tax change on VACCO: The prior-year second-quarter tax rate included a $2.3 million change to deferred taxes tied to the VACCO acquisition. Source

Sequential change from first quarter

  • First-quarter sales up 19.2%: The first-quarter release reported net sales of $519.5 million, up 19.2%, with Aerospace & Defense up 36.9% and Industrial up 8.4%.
  • First-quarter gross margin at 47.7%: Gross margin was 47.7% in the first quarter, against 44.8% a year earlier. The second-quarter figure was 45.6%.
  • First-quarter net income of $101.5 million: First-quarter net income was $101.5 million against $68.5 million a year earlier, with diluted EPS of $3.20.
  • First-quarter backlog at $2.3 billion: Backlog was $2.3 billion at June 27, 2026, against $1.0 billion at June 28, 2025.

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Backlog Source$2.4 billion at September 26, 2026

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.