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Sterling Infrastructure, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 25 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 9 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Full-year revenue rose 18% GAAP: GAAP revenue rose 18% to $2.49 billion, or 32% excluding RHB. Net income was $290.2 million, or $9.38 per diluted share. Adjusted EBITDA rose 47% to $503.8 million. Source
  • Fourth-quarter revenue up 51%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $755.6 million, up 51% on a GAAP basis and 69% excluding RHB. CEC added $129.1 million. Net income was $87.6 million, or $2.81 per diluted share. Source
  • E-Infrastructure revenue more than doubled: E-Infrastructure revenue rose 123% to $521.0 million, or 69% of revenue. Adjusted operating income rose 91%, with adjusted margin at 22.2% against 25.8%. Source
  • Gross margin hit fourth-quarter record: Gross margin was 22% in the quarter, with gross profit of $164.1 million. Management attributed the margin to a shift toward higher-margin service offerings. Source
  • Backlog up 78%, 49% excluding CEC: Backlog at December 31, 2025 rose 78% from the prior year. CEC contributed $488.9 million, and excluding CEC, backlog rose 49%. Source
  • Combined backlog up 81%: Combined backlog rose 81% from the prior year. Excluding CEC's contribution, combined backlog rose 42%. Source
  • Operating cash flow of $440.0 million: Operating cash flow was $440.0 million for 2025, against $497.1 million in 2024. Source

“2025 was another outstanding year for Sterling as we grew adjusted net income by 53% to deliver adjusted diluted EPS of $10.88”

Joe Cutillo, Sterling’s Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFull year 2026$3.05 billion to $3.20 billionNew
Net income SourceFull year 2026$365 million to $384 millionNew
Diluted EPS SourceFull year 2026$11.65 to $12.25New
EBITDA SourceFull year 2026$587 million to $620 millionNew
Adjusted net income SourceFull year 2026$422 million to $441 millionNew
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFull year 2026$13.45 to $14.05New
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull year 2026$626 million to $659 millionNew
Diluted share count SourceFull year 2026approximately 31,300 thousand sharesNew
Growth at guidance midpoints Source2026 against 202525% revenue growth; 26% adjusted diluted EPS growth; 28% adjusted EBITDA growthNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 guidance initiated across revenue, net income, diluted EPS, EBITDA and adjusted measures. Source

Full-year and fourth-quarter results

  • Full-year revenue rose 18% GAAP: GAAP revenue rose 18% to $2.49 billion, or 32% excluding RHB. Net income was $290.2 million, or $9.38 per diluted share. Adjusted EBITDA rose 47% to $503.8 million. Source
  • Fourth-quarter revenue up 51%: Fourth-quarter revenue was $755.6 million, up 51% on a GAAP basis and 69% excluding RHB. CEC added $129.1 million. Net income was $87.6 million, or $2.81 per diluted share. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 78% in quarter: Adjusted net income was $96.0 million, or $3.08 per diluted share. Adjusted EBITDA was $142.1 million, up 70% from the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Prior-year RHB gain affects comparison: The prior-year fourth quarter included a one-time pre-tax RHB deconsolidation gain of $91 million, or $2.18 per diluted share post-tax. The release shows prior-year figures with and without it. Source

Segment results

  • E-Infrastructure revenue more than doubled: E-Infrastructure revenue rose 123% to $521.0 million, or 69% of revenue. Adjusted operating income rose 91%, with adjusted margin at 22.2% against 25.8%. Source
  • Electrical revenue up 21%: Electrical revenue grew 21% over the pre-acquisition fourth quarter of 2024, with margins in line with management's expectations. Source
  • Legacy site development up 67%: Legacy site development revenue rose 67%, and operating margins were flat with the prior year. Source
  • Transportation revenue and margin up: Transportation revenue rose 24% to $152.7 million, and adjusted operating income rose 103%, with adjusted margin at 12.2% against 7.4%. Management cited Rocky Mountain strength and mix. Source
  • Building Solutions revenue declined: Building Solutions revenue fell 9% to $81.9 million, and adjusted operating income fell 35%, with adjusted margin at 10.0% against 14.0%. Source

“We believe 2026 will be another excellent year for Sterling.”

Joe Cutillo, Sterling’s Chief Executive Officer

Margins and costs

  • Gross margin hit fourth-quarter record: Gross margin was 22% in the quarter, with gross profit of $164.1 million. Management attributed the margin to a shift toward higher-margin service offerings. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin passed 20%: Management said the full-year adjusted EBITDA margin was above 20% for the first time in the company's history. Source
  • G&A expense rose year over year: G&A expense was $48.6 million in the quarter, up from $32.6 million, and $154.8 million for the year, up from $118.4 million. Source

Backlog and visibility

  • Backlog up 78%, 49% excluding CEC: Backlog at December 31, 2025 rose 78% from the prior year. CEC contributed $488.9 million, and excluding CEC, backlog rose 49%. Source
  • Combined backlog up 81%: Combined backlog rose 81% from the prior year. Excluding CEC's contribution, combined backlog rose 42%. Source
  • Book-to-burn ratios in the quarter: Fourth-quarter book-to-burn was 1.64x on backlog and 0.81x on combined backlog. Source
  • Future-phase pipeline above $1 billion: Management said the high-probability future phase work pipeline continues to grow and now totals over $1 billion. Source

Cash flow and capital returns

  • Operating cash flow of $440.0 million: Operating cash flow was $440.0 million for 2025, against $497.1 million in 2024. Source
  • Year-end cash fell to $390.7 million: Cash was $390.7 million, down from $664.2 million a year earlier. Acquisitions used $482.3 million and capital expenditures $77.3 million in 2025. Source
  • Share repurchases in the quarter: Repurchases were $25.7 million in the quarter at an average of $310.09 per share. Full-year repurchases of common stock totaled $74.2 million. Source
  • Noncontrolling and withholding payments: Distributions to noncontrolling interest owners were $40.1 million in 2025, against none in 2024. Equity award withholding taxes were $21.0 million. Source

2026 guidance framing

  • Adjusted guidance reconciled to GAAP: Adjusted net income and adjusted EBITDA guidance are reconciled to GAAP guidance. Adjustments include non-cash stock-based compensation of $34 million and intangible amortization of $36 million. Source
  • Visibility pool approaching $4.5 billion: Management combined signed backlog, unsigned awards and future phase work into a pool of work approaching $4.5 billion. Source
  • RHB basis amortization in guidance: The 2026 guidance includes about $7.5 million of intangible amortization tied to the basis difference from the RHB deconsolidation. Source

Market conditions and cross-selling

  • Housing slowdown weighs on residential: Residential businesses are affected by the housing slowdown, with prospective homebuyers facing affordability challenges. Source
  • Soft conditions expected near term: Management expects soft market conditions to persist in the near term, while describing multi-year demand trends in key geographies as intact. Source
  • Cross-selling CEC and site development: Management said it is gaining traction on cross-selling CEC's electrical services alongside Sterling's site development services. Source

Coming up, as management said on 25 February 2026

  • Slide presentation to be posted: A slide presentation will be posted on the investor relations site to coincide with the call. Source
  • Sizable awards expected in first half: Management reported active bid activity in early 2026 and visibility into sizable awards in the first half of 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Backlog Source$3.01 billion
Combined backlog Source$3.31 billion
Unsigned awards in combined backlog Source$300.7 million
Mission-critical share of E-Infrastructure backlog Source84%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management said the housing slowdown affects residential businesses, with prospective homebuyers facing affordability challenges. Source
  • Demand: Management expects soft market conditions to persist in the near term, while describing multi-year demand trends in key geographies as intact. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said the downsizing is progressing to plan, with margin benefit expected to continue through 2026. Source
  • Ahead: Management said 2025 adjusted diluted EPS of $10.88 was above the top of the previously guided range. 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.