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Transcat Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 3 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 25.6% to $83.9 million: Gross profit rose 28.3% to $25.3 million, and gross margin was 30.1% against 29.5%. Growth came from both the service and distribution segments. Source
  • Operating income fell to $88 thousand: Operating income was $88 thousand against $2.1 million a year earlier, and operating margin was 0.1% against 3.1%. Net loss was $1.1 million, against net income of $2.4 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 27.2%: Adjusted EBITDA was $10.1 million, a 12.0% margin against 11.9%. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.26 against $0.45 a year earlier. Source
  • Service revenue up 29.1% on acquisitions: Service revenue was $53.7 million, with $9.0 million of incremental revenue from acquisitions. Acquired revenue in the prior-year quarter was $0.2 million. Source
  • Service gross margin and operating result declined: Service gross margin was 28.8% against 29.7%. The segment reported an operating loss of $2.1 million against operating income of $1.4 million; adjusted operating margin was 9.5% against 11.8%. Source
  • Distribution gross margin rose 330 basis points: Distribution gross margin was 32.4% against 29.1%. Segment operating income was $2.1 million against $0.7 million; adjusted operating margin was 16.4% against 11.9%. Source
  • Operating expenses rose 43.2%: Operating expenses were $25.2 million, up $7.6 million, mainly from acquired businesses, intangible amortization, stock compensation, transition costs and sales-based incentives. Source
  • Leverage ratio fell to 2.00: The leverage ratio, as defined in the credit agreement, was 2.00, against 2.26 at September 27, 2025 and 0.78 at March 29, 2025. Source

“Our talented team’s execution paired with robust revenue growth enabled us to deliver 27% adjusted EBITDA* growth.”

Lee D. Rudow, President and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Service organic revenue growth Sourcefourth quarter of fiscal 2026high single-digitKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: The fourth-quarter service organic growth expectation matches the second-half expectation in the prior release, and management reaffirmed fiscal 2026 service revenue expectations. Source
  • New: Executive transition costs of $771 thousand appear this quarter as a cost item and reconciling adjustment; the prior release reconciliation showed none. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 25.6% to $83.9 million: Gross profit rose 28.3% to $25.3 million, and gross margin was 30.1% against 29.5%. Growth came from both the service and distribution segments. Source
  • Operating income fell to $88 thousand: Operating income was $88 thousand against $2.1 million a year earlier, and operating margin was 0.1% against 3.1%. Net loss was $1.1 million, against net income of $2.4 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 27.2%: Adjusted EBITDA was $10.1 million, a 12.0% margin against 11.9%. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.26 against $0.45 a year earlier. Source

Service segment results

  • Service revenue up 29.1% on acquisitions: Service revenue was $53.7 million, with $9.0 million of incremental revenue from acquisitions. Acquired revenue in the prior-year quarter was $0.2 million. Source
  • Service gross margin and operating result declined: Service gross margin was 28.8% against 29.7%. The segment reported an operating loss of $2.1 million against operating income of $1.4 million; adjusted operating margin was 9.5% against 11.8%. Source
  • Organic service growth back to historic levels: Service organic revenue grew 7% to $43.9 million. Management said this returned to more historic levels of growth, as expected. Source

“Overall, we are encouraged by our total gross margin profile versus prior year”

Lee D. Rudow, President and CEO

Distribution segment results

  • Distribution revenue up 19.8%: Distribution revenue was $30.2 million, up $5.0 million or 19.8%, which management linked to higher-margin rentals. Source
  • Distribution gross margin rose 330 basis points: Distribution gross margin was 32.4% against 29.1%. Segment operating income was $2.1 million against $0.7 million; adjusted operating margin was 16.4% against 11.9%. Source

Operating expenses and cost items

  • Operating expenses rose 43.2%: Operating expenses were $25.2 million, up $7.6 million, mainly from acquired businesses, intangible amortization, stock compensation, transition costs and sales-based incentives. Source
  • Executive transition costs excluded from adjusted measures: Executive transition costs of $771 thousand in the quarter are one of the items excluded from Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income. Source
  • Non-cash stock compensation increased: Non-cash stock compensation was $2.1 million in the quarter against $0.5 million a year earlier, and $5.0 million for the nine months. Source

“We believe we are well-positioned to grow both organically and through acquisition.”

Tom Barbato, Transcat’s Chief Financial Officer

Demand and customer activity

  • Service momentum from retention and wins: Management cited retention, higher customer activity and new business wins as drivers of service momentum building in the segment. Source
  • Demand steady in regulated end markets: Management described demand as consistent in highly regulated end markets, naming life sciences, aerospace and defense, and energy. Source

Cash, debt and leverage

  • Leverage ratio fell to 2.00: The leverage ratio, as defined in the credit agreement, was 2.00, against 2.26 at September 27, 2025 and 0.78 at March 29, 2025. Source
  • Operating cash flow broadly flat: Nine-month operating cash flow was $28.6 million against $28.4 million. Operating free cash flow was $16.9 million against $17.9 million, with capital expenditures of $11.7 million. Source
  • Total debt lower than September quarter: Total debt was $99.9 million, down from $111.9 million at September 27, 2025 and up from $32.7 million at March 29, 2025. A July 2025 five-year $150 million facility replaced the prior $80 million facility. Source
  • Cash and revolver availability: Cash was $3.5 million at quarter end, with $50.1 million available for borrowing under the secured revolving credit facility, subject to covenant restrictions. Source

Share count and capital deployment

  • Repurchases were $97 thousand: Repurchases of common stock were $97 thousand for the nine months, against $3.2 million a year earlier. Net cash provided by financing activities was $67.0 million. Source
  • Acquisition spending for nine months: Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired, were $82.5 million for the nine months, against $86.1 million a year earlier. Source
  • Shares outstanding rose slightly: Shares issued and outstanding were 9,331,181 at December 27, 2025, up from 9,315,840 at March 29, 2025. Source

Strategy and acquired capabilities

  • Acquisitions expand service footprint: Management cited recent acquisitions of service calibration companies that expand the geographic footprint as a basis for long-term shareholder value. Source
  • Organic growth plus acquisitions: The stated strategy is organic sales growth from the service and distribution platform, plus acquisitions and capability investment to expand the calibration market. Source
  • Combined offering as customer value proposition: Management says the combined service and distribution offering, with its experience, technical expertise and integrity, forms the company's value proposition to customers. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Service organic revenue growth Source7%

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Service gross margin lagged because of start-up costs for onboarding new customers, which management expects to normalize. Source
  • Demand: The fourth-quarter service growth expectation is conditional on no increase in economic uncertainty. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The prior release expected this return; third-quarter service organic growth was 7%, which management described as expected.
  • Not stated: The prior release expected lower leverage as adjusted EBITDA margin expanded; the ratio fell to 2.00 from 2.26, and management said it continued a sequential reduction.

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.