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Wesco International Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 July 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales reached $6.7 billion: Net sales were $6,665.1 million, up 13.0% from $5,899.6 million a year earlier. Organic sales rose 12.6%, excluding foreign exchange and workday effects. Source
  • Diluted and adjusted EPS both rose: Diluted EPS was $4.23 against $3.83. Adjusted diluted EPS was $4.57 against $3.39, up 34.8%, which the release ties to higher adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Data center sales reached $1.5 billion: Data center sales were $1.5 billion, up about 45%. The previous quarter reported $1.4 billion, up about 70%, which was 24% of total sales. Source
  • Multi-year hyperscale grid services award: The Grid Services award in the UBS business is multi-year and comes from a hyperscale data center customer. Management said it diversifies the UBS customer base. Source
  • Record backlog up about 60%: Total company backlog reached a record, up about 60% from a year earlier. The previous quarter reported backlog up 22%. Source
  • Gross margin rose 70 basis points: Gross margin was 21.8% against 21.1%, with gross profit of $1,456.0 million. Management attributed the gain to EES and CSS, partly offset by a lower UBS margin. Source
  • Operating cash flow fell: Operating cash flow was $53.7 million against $107.8 million. Management attributed the decrease to receivables growth from sales and timing of customer receipts, and to higher supplier prepayments. Source
  • Newark Engineering acquisition: Management said the Newark Engineering acquisition strengthens end-to-end capabilities and cooling solutions for data center customers. Source

“We delivered another exceptional quarter marked by continued market outperformance and accelerating business momentum.”

John Engel, Chairman, President, and CEO

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 guidance raised, following the first-quarter raise. The release gives no numeric guidance figures. Source
  • New: A multi-year Grid Services award in the UBS business from a hyperscale data center customer, described as a milestone this quarter. Source
  • New: Acquisition of Singapore-based Newark Engineering, announced before the release, to add cooling solutions for data center customers. Source
  • Ended: The 7.250% Senior Notes due 2028 were redeemed using proceeds from the 2031 and 2034 Notes issuance. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales reached $6.7 billion: Net sales were $6,665.1 million, up 13.0% from $5,899.6 million a year earlier. Organic sales rose 12.6%, excluding foreign exchange and workday effects. Source
  • Diluted and adjusted EPS both rose: Diluted EPS was $4.23 against $3.83. Adjusted diluted EPS was $4.57 against $3.39, up 34.8%, which the release ties to higher adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Operating and EBITDA margins widened: Operating margin was 5.7%, up 20 basis points. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 7.3%, up 60 basis points, both compared with the second quarter of 2025. Source
  • Net income to common stock rose: Net income attributable to common stockholders was $209.0 million against $189.2 million, up 10.5%. Diluted shares were 49.4 million in both periods. Source
  • Six-month sales and EPS rose: Over the first six months, net sales rose 13.4% to $12,745.2 million, and adjusted diluted EPS rose 41.6% to $7.93. Source
  • Volume and price drove organic growth: Management attributed organic growth to volume gains in all three segments and to favorable pricing. Source

Segment results

  • CSS organic growth 17.5%: CSS reported sales of $2,681.2 million, up 18.4%. Foreign exchange added 0.9 points, leaving organic sales up 17.5%. Source
  • EES organic growth 10.9%: EES reported sales of $2,510.7 million, up 11.2%. Foreign exchange added 0.3 points, leaving organic sales up 10.9%. Source
  • UBS organic growth 7.0%: UBS reported sales of $1,473.2 million, up 7.0%. The release shows no acquisition, foreign exchange or workday effect for UBS. Source
  • Segment EBITDA margins compared: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 9.2% for EES, 10.2% for CSS and 10.0% for UBS, against 8.1%, 8.8% and 10.4% a year earlier. Source

“We are very pleased with our second quarter results and continued positive business momentum as we enter the second half of the year.”

John Engel, Chairman, President, and CEO

Data centers and customer wins

  • Data center sales reached $1.5 billion: Data center sales were $1.5 billion, up about 45%. The previous quarter reported $1.4 billion, up about 70%, which was 24% of total sales. Source
  • Multi-year hyperscale grid services award: The Grid Services award in the UBS business is multi-year and comes from a hyperscale data center customer. Management said it diversifies the UBS customer base. Source
  • Demand across other end markets: Management said demand continued across the diversified portfolio outside data centers, as customers keep investing in major infrastructure projects. Source

Demand and order book

  • Record backlog up about 60%: Total company backlog reached a record, up about 60% from a year earlier. The previous quarter reported backlog up 22%. Source
  • Backlog tied to multi-year commitments: Management attributed backlog growth to multi-year customer commitments. Source
  • Organic sales up 6.6% sequentially: Organic sales rose 6.6% from the first quarter. The release notes the second quarter had two more workdays than the first quarter. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin rose 70 basis points: Gross margin was 21.8% against 21.1%, with gross profit of $1,456.0 million. Management attributed the gain to EES and CSS, partly offset by a lower UBS margin. Source
  • Adjusted SG&A rose to 15.0%: Adjusted SG&A was 15.0% of net sales against 14.6%. Management attributed the SG&A increase to higher commissions and incentives tied to company performance, and to higher salaries and benefits. Source
  • Digital transformation costs rose: Digital transformation costs within SG&A were $23.2 million, against $8.1 million of digital transformation and restructuring costs a year earlier. Source
  • Lower tax rate on stock awards: The effective tax rate was 22.9% against 26.1%, driven by larger discrete tax benefits from stock-based award exercises and vesting. Source

Cash flow and working capital

  • Operating cash flow fell: Operating cash flow was $53.7 million against $107.8 million. Management attributed the decrease to receivables growth from sales and timing of customer receipts, and to higher supplier prepayments. Source
  • Deferred revenue offset part of decline: Changes in other current and noncurrent liabilities added $129.9 million, driven by higher deferred revenue, partly offsetting the decline. Source
  • Free cash flow $32.3 million: Free cash flow was $32.3 million against $86.5 million. Six-month free cash flow was $245.7 million against $95.9 million. Source
  • Capital expenditures rose: Capital expenditures were $28.2 million against $21.8 million. Other adjustments added $6.8 million to free cash flow. Source
  • Payables and inventory both rose: Accounts payable reached $3,740.3 million from $3,030.5 million at year-end. Inventories rose to $4,418.0 million from $4,008.8 million. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Interest expense up $17.5 million: Interest expense rose $17.5 million, mainly on higher net term debt. Lower borrowings and lower rates on the Receivables Facility and Revolving Credit Facility partly offset the increase. Source
  • Notes issued and 2028 Notes redeemed: The company issued $650 million of 2031 notes and $850 million of 2034 notes, and recorded a $10.0 million non-cash loss on extinguishment from redeeming the 2028 Notes. Source
  • Financial leverage ratio fell to 3.0: The financial leverage ratio was 3.0, against 3.4 at December 31, 2025. Cash and cash equivalents were $808.9 million at June 30, 2026. Source
  • Buybacks and dividends in first half: Six-month share repurchases were $39.9 million, against $50.0 million. Common dividends paid were $48.8 million, against $44.2 million. Source

Acquisitions and strategy

  • Newark Engineering acquisition: Management said the Newark Engineering acquisition strengthens end-to-end capabilities and cooling solutions for data center customers. Source
  • One Wesco cross-selling credited: Management linked the backlog gains to the continued effectiveness of the One Wesco cross-selling strategy. Source
  • Positioning as infrastructure provider: Management described the company's transformation into a leading infrastructure solutions provider serving communications, security, electrical, utility and power markets. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 July 2026

  • Second-half outperformance expected: Management said it expects to continue outperforming its markets and delivering superior value to customers, suppliers and shareholders in the second half of 2026 and beyond. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Backlog SourceRecord, up about 60% year over year
Data center sales Source$1.5 billion, up about 45% year over year

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said sales, backlog, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EPS increased versus the prior year and reached records above its plan. Source
  • Ahead: Management said free cash flow generation exceeded its expectations for the quarter. 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.