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Vertiv Holdings Co.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 11 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 12 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 23% in the quarter: Fourth quarter net sales were $2,880.0 million, up 23% from $2,346.4 million, with organic sales growth of 19%. Full-year net sales were $10,229.9 million, up 28%. Source
  • Americas sales up 50%, margin 30.1%: Americas net sales were $1,886.3 million, up 50.2% (organic 46.2%). Its adjusted operating margin was 30.1%, against 25.6% a year earlier. Americas accounted for the full net sales increase. Source
  • Organic orders up about 252%: Fourth quarter organic orders rose about 252% from a year earlier and about 117% sequentially. Trailing twelve-month organic orders grew about 81%. Source
  • Backlog reached $15.0 billion: Fourth quarter book-to-bill was about 2.9x, and backlog rose to $15.0 billion, up 109% from a year earlier. The prior release gave third quarter backlog as $9.5 billion. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin rose to 23.2%: Adjusted operating margin was 23.2%, up 170 basis points. Management attributed the gain to volume leverage, productivity and favorable price-cost, with a tariff impact offsetting part of it. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow $910 million: Adjusted free cash flow was $909.9 million in the quarter and $1,887.4 million for the year, up 66%. Management cited working capital efficiency, including project-related advanced payments, and lower cash interest. Source

“Significant growth in orders, sales, margins and cash reflects our ability to scale while maintaining a sharp focus on operational execution.”

Giordano Albertazzi, Vertiv's Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales Sourcefirst quarter 2026$2,500M - $2,700MNew
Organic net sales growth Sourcefirst quarter 202618% - 26%New
Adjusted operating profit Sourcefirst quarter 2026$475M - $515MNew
Adjusted operating margin Sourcefirst quarter 202618.5% - 19.5%New
Adjusted diluted EPS Sourcefirst quarter 2026$0.95 - $1.01New
Net sales Sourcefull year 2026$13,250 to $13,750 millionNew
Organic net sales growth Sourcefull year 202627% - 29%New
Diluted EPS (GAAP) Sourcefull year 2026$5.27 to $5.37New
Adjusted operating profit Sourcefull year 2026$2,980M - $3,100MNew
Adjusted operating margin Sourcefull year 202622.0% - 23.0%New
Adjusted diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$5.97 - $6.07New
Adjusted free cash flow Sourcefull year 2026$2,100M - $2,300MNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 guidance was given for net sales, organic growth, adjusted operating profit, margin, EPS and adjusted free cash flow. The prior release gave guidance only for fourth quarter and full-year 2025. Source
  • New guidance: First-quarter 2026 guidance was given for net sales, organic growth, adjusted operating profit, margin and adjusted EPS. Source
  • New: The company deployed about $1 billion on strategic growth acquisitions during the quarter, funded from strong cash generation. Source
  • New: Organic net sales growth is now defined as excluding acquisition sales as well as foreign currency impact. The prior release excluded only foreign currency impact. Source
  • New: Adjusted operating profit now also excludes contingent consideration and merger and acquisition costs. The prior release excluded only amortization of intangibles and restructuring costs. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales rose 23% in the quarter: Fourth quarter net sales were $2,880.0 million, up 23% from $2,346.4 million, with organic sales growth of 19%. Full-year net sales were $10,229.9 million, up 28%. Source
  • Adjusted operating profit up 33%: Operating profit was $579.9 million, up 27%. Adjusted operating profit was $668.1 million, up 33%, an increase of $163.8 million over the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose on the prior-year warrant charge: Fourth quarter diluted EPS was $1.14 against $0.38, and adjusted diluted EPS was $1.36 against $0.99. The prior-year quarter included a $180.0 million change in fair value of warrant liabilities. Source
  • Full-year organic growth 26%: Full-year organic sales growth was 26%. Full-year diluted EPS was $3.41, up 166%, and adjusted diluted EPS was $4.20, up 47%. Source

Segments and regions

  • Americas sales up 50%, margin 30.1%: Americas net sales were $1,886.3 million, up 50.2% (organic 46.2%). Its adjusted operating margin was 30.1%, against 25.6% a year earlier. Americas accounted for the full net sales increase. Source
  • Asia Pacific sales down 10%: Asia Pacific net sales were $492.0 million, down 9.6% (organic down 9.3%). Adjusted operating margin was 9.9%, against 12.6% a year earlier. Source
  • EMEA sales down 8%, organic down 14%: EMEA net sales were $501.7 million, down 8.2% (organic down 14.1%). Adjusted operating margin was 22.1%, against 26.6%. Full-year EMEA net sales rose 1.7%. Source
  • Full-year Americas sales up 42%: Full-year net sales were $6,386.3 million for Americas, up 41.9%, $2,019.2 million for Asia Pacific, up 17.5%, and $1,824.4 million for EMEA, up 1.7%. Source

“Our record backlog provides clear visibility into what we expect to be another year of significant growth.”

Giordano Albertazzi, Vertiv's Chief Executive Officer

Products, services and customers

  • Product sales up 23%, services up 21%: Products net sales were $2,309.4 million, up 23.2% (organic 20.4%). Services and spares were $570.6 million, up 21.0% (organic 14.9%). Source
  • Americas products up 54%: Americas product sales rose 54.3% to $1,564.4 million. Asia Pacific product sales fell 13.7% and EMEA product sales fell 13.3%. Source
  • Full-year product sales up 31%: Full-year product net sales were $8,207.0 million, up 31.4%. Full-year services and spares were $2,022.9 million, up 14.5%. Source
  • Hyperscale and colocation drove orders: Management named the Americas region and hyperscale and colocation data centers as the primary drivers of order strength. Order growth was described as broad-based across regions, technologies and customers. Source

Demand and order book

  • Organic orders up about 252%: Fourth quarter organic orders rose about 252% from a year earlier and about 117% sequentially. Trailing twelve-month organic orders grew about 81%. Source
  • Backlog reached $15.0 billion: Fourth quarter book-to-bill was about 2.9x, and backlog rose to $15.0 billion, up 109% from a year earlier. The prior release gave third quarter backlog as $9.5 billion. Source
  • Pipeline growth and conversion to orders: Management said pipeline growth was strong and that conversion of pipeline to orders was significant in the fourth quarter. It described the record backlog as clear visibility into another year of significant growth. Source

“Today's results reflect years of strategic focus on technology leadership and value creation”

Dave Cote, Vertiv's Executive Chairman

Margins and costs

  • Adjusted operating margin rose to 23.2%: Adjusted operating margin was 23.2%, up 170 basis points. Management attributed the gain to volume leverage, productivity and favorable price-cost, with a tariff impact offsetting part of it. Source
  • Selling and admin costs up 28%: Selling, general and administrative expenses were $461.6 million in the quarter, up from $361.6 million. For the year they were $1,617.8 million, up from $1,374.0 million. Source
  • Restructuring excluded from adjusted profit: Restructuring costs under global programs were $18.8 million for the quarter and $49.5 million for the year, and were excluded from adjusted operating profit. Source

Cash, balance sheet and capital returns

  • Operating cash flow $1,005 million in quarter: Net cash from operating activities was $1,004.9 million in the quarter, up from $425.2 million, and $2,113.8 million for the year. Changes in working capital added $506.0 million in the quarter. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow $910 million: Adjusted free cash flow was $909.9 million in the quarter and $1,887.4 million for the year, up 66%. Management cited working capital efficiency, including project-related advanced payments, and lower cash interest. Source
  • Capital spending rose to $220 million: Capital expenditures were $93.3 million in the quarter and $220.0 million for the year, against $167.0 million in 2024. Capitalized software was $6.4 million for the year. Source
  • Liquidity $2.6 billion, leverage about 0.5x: Liquidity was $2.6 billion and net leverage was about 0.5x at year-end. Management said it continues to aim for investment grade credit ratings. Source
  • No buybacks in 2025, dividends paid: The cash flow statement shows no repurchase of common stock in 2025. Dividends paid were $24.0 million in the quarter and $66.6 million for the year, against $42.2 million in 2024. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Raising ER&D and production capacity: To capitalize on the pipeline, Vertiv is increasing ER&D investment and expanding production capacity. The prior release described the same plan. Source
  • Semiconductor collaborations and anticipating needs: Management said deep collaborations with semiconductor industry leaders, with its industry expertise and portfolio, let it anticipate customer needs and architect systems. Source
  • Technology commitment cited as driver: The Executive Chairman linked the results to technology leadership and to positioning Vertiv as the partner customers turn to for complex challenges. Source

Coming up, as management said on 11 February 2026

  • Momentum expected to continue in 2026: Management said it expects the momentum seen in the quarter to continue into 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Book-to-bill Source~2.9x
Backlog Source$15.0 billion
Organic orders growth, fourth quarter Source~252%
Trailing twelve-month organic orders growth Source~81%

Risks management discussed

  • External: Tariffs partly offset the quarter's margin gains. The documents do not quantify the tariff impact. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management refers to its continuing plan to increase ER&D investment and expand production capacity. No status against the plan is given. Source
  • Not stated: Management states a continuing commitment to obtaining and maintaining investment grade credit ratings. No status is given. 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.