greeksoup/ stock research

Select Water Solutions, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 6 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 6% sequentially: Consolidated revenue was $366.0 million, up from $346.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 and down from $374.4 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose $13.5 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $77.6 million, up from $64.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 and $64.0 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Water Infrastructure revenue reached a record: Water Infrastructure revenue was $96.7 million, up 19.2% sequentially, on higher recycling and disposal volumes, mainly from the integrated New Mexico system. Source
  • Gross margin before D&A widened: Gross margin before D&A was 30.3%, up from 27.9% in the fourth quarter of 2025 and 25.2% in the first quarter of 2025. Total gross margin after D&A was 17.8%, up from 13.1%. Source
  • Operating cash flow fell on receivables: Operating cash flow was $10.2 million, down from $65.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, after a $61.7 million rise in net working capital. Source
  • Free cash flow was negative: Free cash flow was ($67.1) million in the first quarter, compared with ($4.6) million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Northern Delaware acquisitions for $28.6 million: Acquisitions closed in early May 2026 add about 4,000 acres, 30,000 barrels per day of disposal capacity, 1,800-acre feet of annual water rights and 500,000 barrels of storage. Source

“The first quarter represented a strong start to the year for Select.”

John Schmitz, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Water Infrastructure revenue growth Sourcefull year 202625 - 30%Raised from 20 - 25%
Net capital expenditures Sourcefull year 2026$200 - $250 millionRaised from $175 - $225 million
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcesecond quarter 2026$77 - $80 millionNew
Water Services revenue Sourcesecond quarter 2026decrease low single-digit percentagesNew
Water Services gross margin before D&A Sourcesecond quarter 202620% - 22%New
Chemical Technologies revenue Sourcesecond quarter 2026increase 10% - 15%New
Chemical Technologies gross margin before D&A Sourcesecond quarter 202620% - 21%New
Capital expenditures for new projects and acquisitions Source2026$32 million - $35 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Water Infrastructure full-year 2026 growth guidance raised to 25 - 30%, from 20 - 25% in the prior release. Source
  • Guidance raised: Net capital expenditures for 2026 raised to $200 - $250 million, from $175 - $225 million. Source
  • New guidance: First quoted second-quarter consolidated Adjusted EBITDA range of $77 - $80 million; the prior release gave only a first-quarter range. Source
  • New: Northern Delaware Basin acquisitions totaling $28.6 million, closed in early May 2026, after quarter end. Source
  • New: Twelve-year pipeline construction agreement with a Northern Delaware operator signed in the first quarter. Source
  • New: Black River Ranch in Eddy County, New Mexico acquired after quarter end, about 70% funded by an agricultural loan. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 6% sequentially: Consolidated revenue was $366.0 million, up from $346.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 and down from $374.4 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose $13.5 million: Adjusted EBITDA was $77.6 million, up from $64.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 and $64.0 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Net income turned positive: Net income was $9.4 million, compared with a net loss of $2.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 and net income of $9.6 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source

Segments and regions

  • Water Infrastructure revenue reached a record: Water Infrastructure revenue was $96.7 million, up 19.2% sequentially, on higher recycling and disposal volumes, mainly from the integrated New Mexico system. Source
  • Water Services revenue grew 7.2%: Water Services revenue was $191.2 million, up from $178.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 and down from $225.6 million in the first quarter of 2025. Gross margin before D&A was 21.8%. Source
  • Chemical Technologies revenue fell sequentially: Chemical Technologies revenue was $78.0 million, down from $87.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 and up from $76.3 million in the first quarter of 2025. Gross margin before D&A was 19.1%, down from 20.3%. Source

“Supported by the strong outperformance during the first quarter, our Water Infrastructure segment is well on track to exceed the high end of our previously guided range of 20 - 25% year-over-year growth.”

John Schmitz, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO

Products, contracts and customers

  • New contracts added across four regions: Since the start of the year the company added three new minimum volume commitments, two acreage dedications, two right-of-first-refusal dedications and eight interruptible agreements in the Permian, Northeast, Bakken and MidCon regions. Source
  • Northeast disposal dedication with last-mile logistics: A multi-year Northeast agreement gives Select a right of first refusal on at least 50% of one operator's produced water for disposal, plus last-mile water transfer across more than 200,000 acres. Source
  • Northern Delaware pipeline agreement signed: The 12-year agreement covers about nine miles of new pipeline linking an operator's development areas to existing Northern Delaware assets, with about 2,700 acres of dedication. Source
  • Chemical product development continues: Management cited continued demand for new product development in both its core friction reducer lines and its specialty surfactant offerings. Source
  • Water Services positioned for activity uplift: Management said Water Services is positioned to benefit from any activity uplift in the market tied to the current commodity price environment. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin before D&A widened: Gross margin before D&A was 30.3%, up from 27.9% in the fourth quarter of 2025 and 25.2% in the first quarter of 2025. Total gross margin after D&A was 17.8%, up from 13.1%. Source
  • SG&A fell from fourth quarter: SG&A was $40.6 million, down from $43.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 and up from $37.4 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Non-cash items added back to EBITDA: Adjusted EBITDA excluded $6.0 million of non-cash compensation and $5.7 million of impairments and abandonments, plus smaller non-recurring items. Source

“In summary, I am pleased with our financial performance in the first quarter of 2026, and I am very excited as the ongoing evolution of our strategy continues to materialize.”

John Schmitz, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow fell on receivables: Operating cash flow was $10.2 million, down from $65.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, after a $61.7 million rise in net working capital. Source
  • Free cash flow was negative: Free cash flow was ($67.1) million in the first quarter, compared with ($4.6) million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Source
  • Net capital spending of $77.3 million: Net capital expenditures were $77.3 million, gross capital expenditures of $78.4 million less $1.1 million of asset sale proceeds. Source
  • Dividends and buybacks paid: Dividends and distributions were $8.8 million. Share repurchases of $7.6 million related to the vesting or exercise of equity awards. Source
  • Equity offering raised $191.7 million: The underwritten public offering of Class A shares provided $191.7 million of net proceeds in the quarter, drawing financing inflows of $105.2 million. Source

Balance sheet and liquidity

  • Total liquidity rose to $307.7 million: Total liquidity was $307.7 million, up from $163.6 million at December 31, 2025. Cash and cash equivalents were $56.0 million. Source
  • Revolver repaid, term loan unchanged: The term loan stayed at $250.0 million and the revolver had no balance at March 31, 2026, down from $70.0 million at year-end, after $70.0 million of debt repayments. Source
  • Borrowing base reached $271.3 million: The borrowing base was $271.3 million, with available borrowing capacity of about $251.7 million after outstanding borrowings and letters of credit. Source

Strategy and acquisitions

  • Northern Delaware acquisitions for $28.6 million: Acquisitions closed in early May 2026 add about 4,000 acres, 30,000 barrels per day of disposal capacity, 1,800-acre feet of annual water rights and 500,000 barrels of storage. Source
  • Black River Ranch added to network: The Black River Ranch acquisition includes 3,753 acres of fee land and 710 acres of federal lease land, with surface development and water-right revenue expected. Source
  • Commercialization of existing network: Management said it continues to use its system to get more value from invested capital, through increased commercialization and expanded contracted services. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 May 2026

  • New projects online by year-end: Each new project and acquisition is expected to be online by year-end 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Production volume: produced water recycled or disposed Sourceapproximately 1.4 million barrels per day
Capital expenditure Source$77.3 million net; $78.4 million gross
Shareholder returns Source$8.8 million dividends and distributions; $7.6 million share repurchases

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Water Services revenue expected to decline in the second quarter because some spot market water sales will not recur. Source
  • Operational: Near-term integration capital needs for recent acquisitions were cited as a reason for the higher capital expenditure range. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: First-quarter Chemical Technologies revenue of $78.0 million and gross margin of 19.1% fell within the prior release ranges of the high $70s to $80 million and 19% - 20%. Source
  • Ahead: Water Services revenue grew 7.2% sequentially and gross margin before D&A was 21.8%, above the 19% - 21% range in the prior release. 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.