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Sherwin Williams Co.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 6.8%: Net sales reached $5,666.9 million, up from $5,305.7 million, including the Suvinil acquisition and a 1.7% favorable currency effect. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 4.4%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.35 against $2.25; diluted EPS was $2.15 against $2.00, an increase of 7.5%. Source
  • Full-year guidance reaffirmed: Full-year net sales growth and diluted and adjusted EPS guidance were reaffirmed; second-quarter net sales guidance was added. Source
  • Consumer Brands sales rose 19.2%: CBG net sales were $908.3 million, up from $762.2 million, as Suvinil and Europe offset soft North American DIY demand. Adjusted segment margin was 23.4% against 21.3%. Source
  • Price/mix guidance moved to high end: Consolidated price/mix for 2026 is now expected at the high end of the prior low-single digit range, based on targeted increases. Source
  • Little to no recovery expected: Management expects little to no recovery in most end markets this year, based on customer sentiment and the leading indicators it monitors. Source

“Our growth investments and relentless focus on new accounts and share of wallet continued to yield results, as sales exceeded guidance on a consolidated basis and in all three reportable segments.”

Heidi G. Petz, Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Diluted net income per share SourceFull year 2026$10.70 - $11.10Kept
Adjusted diluted net income per share SourceFull year 2026$11.50 - $11.90Kept
Acquisition-related amortization expense (excluded from adjusted EPS) SourceFull year 2026$0.80 per shareKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Full-year 2026 net sales, diluted EPS and adjusted diluted EPS guidance reaffirmed; no full-year figure changed. Source
  • Guidance raised: Expected full-year consolidated price/mix moved up to the high end of the prior low-single digit range. Source
  • New guidance: First guidance given for second-quarter consolidated net sales: up a mid-single digit percentage. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales rose 6.8%: Net sales reached $5,666.9 million, up from $5,305.7 million, including the Suvinil acquisition and a 1.7% favorable currency effect. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 4.4%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.35 against $2.25; diluted EPS was $2.15 against $2.00, an increase of 7.5%. Source
  • Net income and EBITDA grew: Net income was $534.7 million, or 9.4% of net sales. EBITDA rose 8.8% to $998.2 million, or 17.6% of net sales. Source
  • Full-year guidance reaffirmed: Full-year net sales growth and diluted and adjusted EPS guidance were reaffirmed; second-quarter net sales guidance was added. Source

Segments and regions

  • Paint Stores sales up 3.7%: PSG net sales were $3,049.9 million, up from $2,939.8 million, mainly on selling prices and low-single digit volume growth. Source
  • Paint Stores margin eased slightly: PSG segment profit rose to $558.8 million; reported margin was 18.3% against 18.4%, as sales-rep, marketing and new-store costs increased. Source
  • Consumer Brands sales rose 19.2%: CBG net sales were $908.3 million, up from $762.2 million, as Suvinil and Europe offset soft North American DIY demand. Adjusted segment margin was 23.4% against 21.3%. Source
  • Performance Coatings sales up 6.5%: PCG net sales were $1,705.8 million, up from $1,602.0 million; currency added 4.1 points and volume grew low-single digits. Adjusted segment margin was 16.5%, flat. Source

“Net income, adjusted earnings per share and EBITDA all increased over the prior year quarter.”

Heidi G. Petz, Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer

Products and customers

  • Protection sales grew fastest: Protective and marine rose by a double-digit percentage; residential repaint and commercial rose mid-single digits; sales rose in all but one professional end market. Source
  • Automotive, packaging and coil grew: Within PCG, Automotive Refinish rose double digits, General Industrial and Packaging rose high-single digits, and Coil rose mid-single digits. Source
  • New residential sales declined: New residential sales in PSG fell by a low-single digit percentage, as expected. Source

Costs and expenses

  • SG&A rose on growth spending: SG&A was $1,969.6 million, up from $1,793.8 million, or 34.8% of net sales against 33.8%. Source
  • Administrative costs rose on new headquarters: Administrative segment loss widened to $308.6 million from $232.8 million, with higher costs tied to the new global headquarters and technology center. Source
  • Suvinil added SG&A expense: Suvinil brought incremental SG&A expense, and employee-related and marketing costs also rose to support higher sales. Source

“We continue to expect little to no recovery in most end markets this year, given current customer sentiment and the leading indicators we monitor.”

Sherwin Williams Co., press release

Margins and pricing

  • Price/mix guidance moved to high end: Consolidated price/mix for 2026 is now expected at the high end of the prior low-single digit range, based on targeted increases. Source
  • Targeted increases across businesses: Management is continuing targeted price increases by end market and geography in all businesses, and is pursuing cost reduction to limit them for customers. Source
  • Raw material costs moderated: Pre-tax income rose 4.1% to $679.8 million; pre-tax margin was 12.0% against 12.3%, helped by moderating raw material costs. Source

Demand and the order book

  • Little to no recovery expected: Management expects little to no recovery in most end markets this year, based on customer sentiment and the leading indicators it monitors. Source
  • Geopolitical events add uncertainty: Management said geopolitical events are adding demand uncertainty, along with possible inflation in raw materials, energy, logistics and packaging. Source
  • Raw material volatility expected: Management expects continued volatility in the raw material environment as the year progresses. Source

Capital, cash and returns

  • Operating cash of $139.1 million: Net operating cash was $139.1 million, and $772.7 million was returned through dividends and repurchases of 1.6 million shares. Source
  • 28.0 million shares authorized: At March 31, 2026, 28.0 million shares remained under the open-market repurchase authorization. Source
  • Capital spending and dividends lower: Capital expenditures were $138.3 million against $189.3 million; cash dividends were $197.1 million against $200.4 million. Source
  • Borrowings higher year over year: Short-term borrowings were $2,376.6 million against $1,798.5 million a year earlier; long-term debt was $9,323.1 million against $7,827.1 million. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Strategy execution and reliability: Management said its global team continues to execute strategy, delivering reliability and consistency while focusing on what it can control. Source
  • Valspar amortization charge rose: Valspar acquisition-related amortization was a charge of $0.20 per share, against $0.19 in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Cost reduction actions accelerated: Management is accelerating meaningful and aggressive cost reduction actions to limit price increases for its customers. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 April 2026

  • Full-year guidance update in July: Management will update full-year guidance when it reports second-quarter results in July. Source
  • Further price increases possible: Management is prepared to add price increases if raw material volatility requires them. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Comparable sales (Paint Stores Group same-store sales) Source2.4% (prior year 1.2%)
Inventory Source$2,473.2 million (prior year $2,515.2 million)
Store openings and closings SourcePSG net new stores (6); CBG net new stores 1; PCG net new branches none
Gross margin Source49.1% (prior year 48.2%)

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management cited heightened global uncertainty and continued demand softness across most end markets. Source
  • External: Geopolitical events, and possible inflation in raw materials, energy, logistics and packaging, are cited as risks to demand and costs. Source
  • Financial: Interest expense rose with higher short-term borrowings and long-term debt, weighing on pre-tax income. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management reaffirmed the full-year 2026 guidance it gave with the fourth-quarter results. Source
  • Ahead: Management said consolidated sales exceeded guidance on a consolidated basis and in all three reportable segments. Source
  • Not stated: Management kept its expectation of a low-single digit percentage SG&A increase for the full year. 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.