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Reliance, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 18 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose on record tons: Fourth-quarter net sales were $3.5 billion, up 11.9% year-over-year, on tons sold up 5.8% to a fourth-quarter record. Full-year net sales were $14.3 billion, up 3.3%. Source
  • Full-year FIFO earnings grew: Reported diluted EPS was $13.98 for 2025, down 10.2%. Excluding LIFO adjustments in both years, non-GAAP diluted EPS was $15.88, up 13.5%. Fourth-quarter diluted EPS was $2.22, up 15%. Source
  • Semiconductor demand under pressure: Demand for certain semiconductor products stayed under pressure against both the fourth quarter and full year of 2024. Management expects excess supply-chain inventory to keep affecting it in the first quarter. Source
  • Full-year FIFO margin expanded: Non-GAAP FIFO gross margin expanded 0.9 points to 29.6% for the year. The reported non-GAAP margin fell to 28.8% as LIFO moved from $144 million of income to $114 million of expense. Source
  • LIFO expense above expectation: Fourth-quarter LIFO expense was $38.7 million, above management's $25 million expectation. Full-year LIFO expense was $113.7 million. Source
  • Operating cash flow declined 41.9%: Operating cash flow was $831.4 million for 2025, down from $1,429.8 million in 2024. Fourth-quarter operating cash flow was $276.1 million. Full-year free cash flow was $502.5 million. Source
  • Buybacks reduced share count: Repurchases totaled $594.1 million for 2025, reducing outstanding shares by 4%. Of that, $200.1 million was repurchased in the fourth quarter at $279.30 per share. Source

“Our commitment to smart, profitable growth drove full year shipments to a record 6.4 million tons sold, representing a significant increase in our domestic market share to about 17% from 15% in 2024.”

Karla Lewis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Reliance

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Tons sold, sequential change Sourcefirst quarter of 2026up 5% to 7%New
Average selling price per ton, sequential change Sourcefirst quarter of 2026up 3% to 5%New
Non-GAAP diluted EPS Sourcefirst quarter of 2026$4.50 to $4.70New
LIFO expense Sourcefirst quarter of 2026$25 million or $0.36 per diluted shareNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Guidance moved from the fourth quarter of 2025 to the first quarter of 2026. The previous release gave fourth-quarter guidance. Source
  • New: Quarterly dividend increased 4.2% to $1.25 per share, from $1.20 declared in October 2025. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales rose on record tons: Fourth-quarter net sales were $3.5 billion, up 11.9% year-over-year, on tons sold up 5.8% to a fourth-quarter record. Full-year net sales were $14.3 billion, up 3.3%. Source
  • Tons outpaced industry decline: Full-year tons sold reached an annual record, up 6.2%. Management said this exceeded the industry-wide decline of 1.0% reported by MSCI by more than seven percentage points. Source
  • Full-year FIFO earnings grew: Reported diluted EPS was $13.98 for 2025, down 10.2%. Excluding LIFO adjustments in both years, non-GAAP diluted EPS was $15.88, up 13.5%. Fourth-quarter diluted EPS was $2.22, up 15%. Source

Demand by end market

  • Non-residential construction improved: Non-residential construction, including infrastructure, is the largest end market by tons. Management expects healthy demand in the first quarter, citing data centers and energy projects. Source
  • Broader manufacturing improved: Gains came from military, industrial machinery, consumer products, construction machinery, rail and shipbuilding. Management anticipates demand will remain healthy in the first quarter. Source
  • Aerospace flat for the year: Aerospace demand improved on the fourth quarter of 2024 and was flat for the full year. Defense and space demand is expected to hold up in the first quarter. Source
  • Semiconductor demand under pressure: Demand for certain semiconductor products stayed under pressure against both the fourth quarter and full year of 2024. Management expects excess supply-chain inventory to keep affecting it in the first quarter. Source
  • Automotive toll processing steady: Automotive toll processing demand improved on full year 2024 and was flat in the fourth quarter. Management expects steady levels in the first quarter, and says toll operations can adapt quickly. Source

“We grew our 2025 shipments in products and markets with solid demand and increased gross profit margins, offset by transitory margin headwinds in certain other products and end markets.”

Karla Lewis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Reliance

Products, customers and order profile

  • Carbon steel tons and sales rose: Full-year carbon steel tons rose 6.7% to 5,249.8 thousand. Carbon steel sales rose 4.3% to $7,903.2 million, about 53% of full-year sales. Source
  • Aluminum and copper sales grew: Fourth-quarter aluminum sales were $624.5 million, up 16.9% year-over-year. Copper and brass sales were $93.5 million, up 32.6%. Source
  • Stainless steel sales declined: Fourth-quarter stainless steel sales were $467.1 million, down 1.3% year-over-year. Full-year stainless steel sales fell 5.8%. Alloy sales rose 8.7% in the quarter. Source
  • Small orders with quick delivery: Average order size was $3,120 in 2025, and about 40% of orders were delivered within 24 hours. The company focuses on small orders with quick turnaround. Source

Margins, LIFO and pricing

  • Average selling price rose on aluminum: Average selling price per ton was $2,292 in the fourth quarter, up 0.9% sequentially and 5.6% year-over-year, partly on higher aluminum pricing. The full-year average was $2,244, down 2.6%. Source
  • Gross margin narrowed year over year: Fourth-quarter gross profit margin was 27.3%, down 1.0 point year-over-year. Non-GAAP FIFO gross margin was 28.5%, down 0.3 point from 28.8%. Source
  • Full-year FIFO margin expanded: Non-GAAP FIFO gross margin expanded 0.9 points to 29.6% for the year. The reported non-GAAP margin fell to 28.8% as LIFO moved from $144 million of income to $114 million of expense. Source
  • LIFO expense above expectation: Fourth-quarter LIFO expense was $38.7 million, above management's $25 million expectation. Full-year LIFO expense was $113.7 million. Source
  • Year-end true-up reduced EPS: Fourth-quarter non-GAAP diluted EPS of $2.40 included a $0.25 per share reduction from year-end LIFO and income tax true-up items. Source

“Entering 2026, we are operating in a healthy demand and strong pricing environment, with increasing customer optimism.”

Karla Lewis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Reliance

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Operating cash flow declined 41.9%: Operating cash flow was $831.4 million for 2025, down from $1,429.8 million in 2024. Fourth-quarter operating cash flow was $276.1 million. Full-year free cash flow was $502.5 million. Source
  • Working capital absorbed cash: The cash flow statement shows receivables absorbed $195.4 million and inventories $154.8 million in 2025, against releases of $167.4 million and $116.8 million in 2024. Source
  • Debt rose to $1.43 billion: Total debt was $1.43 billion at December 31, 2025, against cash of $216.6 million. Net debt-to-EBITDA was 0.9x, up from 0.6x a year earlier. Source
  • Capital expenditures declined: Capital expenditures totaled $328.9 million for 2025, down from $430.6 million in 2024. Fourth-quarter capital expenditures were $73.2 million. Source

Shareholder returns

  • Buybacks reduced share count: Repurchases totaled $594.1 million for 2025, reducing outstanding shares by 4%. Of that, $200.1 million was repurchased in the fourth quarter at $279.30 per share. Source
  • Repurchase authorization remaining: $763.5 million remained under the repurchase program at year-end. The program was replenished to $1.5 billion on October 22, 2024. Source
  • Dividends paid for 66 years: Dividends paid were $254.7 million in 2025. The company has increased its dividend 33 times since its 1994 IPO. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Share gains credited to service: Management credited exceptional customer service and ongoing strategic investments for new market opportunities, and said operating expenses were leveraged over higher volumes. Source
  • Diversified model offsets pressure: Management said the diversified model and scale help offset pressure in particular markets and support stable results through economic cycles. Source
  • Large-project participation expanding: Management said the company can keep growing its small-order core and take part in large projects, including infrastructure, data center, energy and defense. Source

Coming up, as management said on 18 February 2026

  • Dividend payment date set: The $1.25 quarterly dividend is payable March 20, 2026, to holders of record on March 6, 2026. Source
  • Commercial aerospace build rates rising: Management expects commercial aerospace demand to be consistent in the first quarter, with build-rate increases supporting improvement through the year. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Tons sold (thousands): fourth quarter 2025 and full year 2025 Source1,528.7 (Q4 2025); 6,388.1 (2025)
Locations Sourceapproximately 310
Customers Sourcemore than 125,000

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Demand expectations for the first quarter are subject to ongoing domestic and international trade policy uncertainty. Source
  • Financial: Higher aluminum costs were the main driver of fourth-quarter LIFO expense above management's expectation. Source
  • Regulatory: Automotive toll processing demand expectations depend on developments in North American trade policy. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said fourth-quarter tons sold declined in line with seasonal patterns and its guidance. Source
  • Ahead: Average selling price rose 0.9% sequentially, which management said exceeded its expectation of relatively flat pricing. Source
  • Not stated: Management said normalizing for LIFO and tax items would have put fourth-quarter non-GAAP EPS within its guidance, at $2.65. 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.