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RPM International Inc.: Q1 FY2027 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2027, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Record sales and adjusted EBITDA: The company reported record first-quarter sales of $2.22 billion, up 4.8%, and record adjusted EBITDA of $405.5 million, up 4.5%. Source
  • CPG adjusted EBITDA fell 9.7%: CPG sales were $859.2 million, up 0.8%, and adjusted EBITDA was $166.2 million, down 9.7%, against a 1.7% organic decline. Source
  • PCG sales up 10.2%, organic 7.9%: PCG sales were $629.7 million, up 10.2%, and adjusted EBITDA rose 18.2% to $121.1 million. Source
  • Gains offset raw material inflation: Adjusted EBITDA gains from higher sales, MAP work and lower healthcare costs more than offset raw material inflation, a European warranty expense and customer-bankruptcy bad debt. Source
  • CPG sales delayed by healthcare, education: CPG sales growth was lower than expected because of delayed sales from a slowdown in the healthcare and education markets. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose on working capital: Operating cash flow was $263.9 million, up from $237.5 million, with working capital efficiency as the driver. Source
  • Latin American businesses moved to PCG: Latin American businesses with about $143 million of annual revenue, previously in CPG and Consumer, now report in PCG; prior periods were recast. Source

“The resilience of our associates and business model was on full display in the first quarter as we generated another quarter of record sales and adjusted EBITDA.”

Frank C. Sullivan, RPM Chairman and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Consolidated sales SourceFiscal 2027 second quarterlow- to mid-single-digit rangeNew
CPG sales SourceFiscal 2027 second quarterlow-single-digit rangeNew
PCG sales SourceFiscal 2027 second quartermid- to high-single-digit rangeNew
Consumer Group sales SourceFiscal 2027 second quarterlow- to mid-single-digit rangeNew
Consolidated adjusted EBITDA SourceFiscal 2027 second quarterlow- to mid-single-digit rangeNew
Consolidated sales SourceFiscal 2027 full yearmid-single-digit range
Consolidated adjusted EBITDA SourceFiscal 2027 full yearmid-single-digit range

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Certain Latin American businesses moved into PCG from CPG and Consumer Group effective June 1, 2026, with prior periods recast and no consolidated effect. Source
  • New: Volteco, an Italy-based below-grade waterproofing supplier, acquired for the Construction Products Group. Source
  • New: Primary profit measure changed from adjusted EBIT to adjusted EBITDA starting in fiscal 2027.
  • New: A small European business is under review for closure, with related warranty expense recorded this quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Record sales and adjusted EBITDA: The company reported record first-quarter sales of $2.22 billion, up 4.8%, and record adjusted EBITDA of $405.5 million, up 4.5%. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: Net income attributable to stockholders was $256.4 million, up 12.6%, and diluted EPS was $2.01 against $1.77, up 13.6%. Source
  • Adjusted diluted EPS rose 5.3%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.98 against $1.88, which the company attributed mainly to improved adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Sales growth split by source: Sales growth was 3.1% organic, 1.6% from acquisitions net of divestitures, and 0.1% from currency translation. Source

Segments and regions

  • CPG adjusted EBITDA fell 9.7%: CPG sales were $859.2 million, up 0.8%, and adjusted EBITDA was $166.2 million, down 9.7%, against a 1.7% organic decline. Source
  • PCG sales up 10.2%, organic 7.9%: PCG sales were $629.7 million, up 10.2%, and adjusted EBITDA rose 18.2% to $121.1 million. Source
  • Consumer sales up 5.3%: Consumer Group sales were $726.7 million, up 5.3%, with 5.2% organic growth; adjusted EBITDA rose 5.5% to $146.6 million, excluding a facility-sale gain. Source
  • Emerging markets grew above 20%: All emerging market regions reported revenue increases above 20%; North American growth came from PCG and Consumer, and European growth from acquisitions. Source

“Segment trends in the second quarter are expected to be similar to those in the first with the PCG segment leading growth as it benefits from its success with expanding the Platform emerging-market operating model and good end-market demand.”

Frank C. Sullivan, RPM Chairman and CEO

Products and customers

  • Engineered solutions led PCG growth: PCG growth was broad-based, led by engineered solutions for high-performance buildings, energy and infrastructure, and by food coatings and ingredients. Source
  • Platform model expands in emerging markets: The company cited continued expansion of its Platform model, which shares regional resources across markets to speed growth and efficiency. Source
  • Consumer shelf wins and launches: Consumer Group growth was aided by shelf space wins, new product introductions and pricing to offset inflation, which was higher in the quarter. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gains offset raw material inflation: Adjusted EBITDA gains from higher sales, MAP work and lower healthcare costs more than offset raw material inflation, a European warranty expense and customer-bankruptcy bad debt. Source
  • Healthcare costs fell on procurement: Healthcare expenses were lower than a year earlier, driven by procurement efforts to lower prescription drug costs. Source
  • CPG margin hit from fixed-cost absorption: CPG adjusted EBITDA declined from lower fixed-cost absorption, raw material inflation tied to supply shortages, $4.4 million higher bad debt and a $6.3 million warranty charge; SG&A actions partly offset. Source
  • MAP and 2026 restructuring charges: The 2026 restructuring action recorded $4.5 million of restructuring expense in the quarter, tied to SG&A-focused optimization actions. Source

“Continued stabilization in the Consumer Group is also anticipated, while CPG demand remains soft.”

Frank C. Sullivan, RPM Chairman and CEO

Demand and volumes

  • CPG sales delayed by healthcare, education: CPG sales growth was lower than expected because of delayed sales from a slowdown in the healthcare and education markets. Source
  • Supplier material shortages hit CPG: Supplier raw material availability issues affected certain CPG products; the Kalzip acquisition and inflation pricing offset these headwinds. Source
  • Higher volumes lifted fixed-cost leverage: Higher volumes improved fixed-cost utilization and adjusted EBITDA growth in the Consumer Group, and similarly lifted fixed-cost leverage in PCG. Source

Capital, cash and returns

  • Operating cash flow rose on working capital: Operating cash flow was $263.9 million, up from $237.5 million, with working capital efficiency as the driver. Source
  • Capital spending slightly lower: Capital expenditures were $58.5 million, against $62.5 million a year earlier. Source
  • Shareholder returns up 10.2%: The company returned $90.5 million through dividends and share repurchases, up 10.2%; the cash flow statement shows $68.1 million of dividends and $22.4 million of repurchases. Source
  • Debt reduced, liquidity higher: Total debt fell to $2.41 billion from $2.67 billion a year earlier as operating cash flow was used to reduce debt; liquidity rose to $1.21 billion from $933.4 million. Source

Strategy and portfolio changes

  • Latin American businesses moved to PCG: Latin American businesses with about $143 million of annual revenue, previously in CPG and Consumer, now report in PCG; prior periods were recast. Source
  • Volteco acquired for CPG: Volteco, an Italy-based below-grade waterproofing supplier with calendar 2025 sales of €28 million, was acquired for CPG. Source
  • Profit measure moved to adjusted EBITDA: From fiscal 2027 the primary profit measure is adjusted EBITDA rather than adjusted EBIT, to ease peer comparison and reflect acquisition-period profitability.

People and leadership

  • Headcount near 17,500: The company employs approximately 17,500 people worldwide, compared with approximately 17,800 in the prior release. Source
  • Executive departure costs recorded: Other 2026 restructuring-related expenses included higher executive departure costs, including accelerated stock compensation, recorded within SG&A. Source
  • Investor day speakers named: Scheduled investor day speakers are the Chairman and CEO, the President and COO, the Vice President and CFO, and the Performance Coatings Group President. Source

Coming up, as management said on 6 October 2026

  • Investor day on November 9: Investor day on November 9, 2026, at the Stonhard facility in New Jersey, with a public webcast expected to start around 12:00 p.m. ET. Source
  • CPG expected to return to growth: CPG is expected to return to positive organic growth by the end of the year. Source
  • Second-half benefit from MAP and pricing: Management expects second-half benefit from continued MAP improvements and pricing increases against persistent inflation and tougher comparisons. Source

Risks management discussed

  • External: Raw material inflation weighed on the quarter, and management cited it among the challenges the business absorbed. Source
  • Operational: Supplier raw material availability issues affected certain CPG products. Source
  • Demand: A slowdown in healthcare and education markets delayed CPG sales. Source
  • Financial: Bad debt expense rose from a customer bankruptcy. Source
  • Operational: A warranty charge was recorded at a small European business under review for closure. Source
  • Operational: Lower volumes reduced fixed-cost absorption in CPG. Source
  • Operational: Start-up costs at new facilities add pressure to gross margin, which management expects MAP and pricing to offset. Source
  • External: Management flagged persistent inflation and more challenging comparisons in the second half. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The Volteco acquisition, announced earlier, is described as completed. Source
  • Delayed: CPG sales growth came in lower than expected, which management attributed to delayed sales. 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.