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Woodward, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 24 November 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 10 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter sales and EPS rose: Fourth-quarter net sales were $995M, up 16%, and net earnings $138M, up 66%. Diluted EPS was $2.23, up 64%, and adjusted EPS was $2.09, up 48%. Source
  • Aerospace sales grew 20% in quarter: Aerospace fourth-quarter sales were $661M, up 19.6%, and fiscal-year sales $2,313M, up 14.0%. Segment margin was 24.4% in the quarter, up 520 bps, and 21.9% for the year. Source
  • Industrial margin fell for the year: Industrial segment earnings were $183M, or 14.6% of segment sales, against 17.7% a year earlier. Management cited lower sales volume and unfavorable mix, partly offset by price realization. Source
  • Airbus selected for A350 spoilers: Airbus selected Woodward to supply 12 of the 14 spoiler actuation systems for the A350, described as its first primary flight control system on a commercial aircraft. Source
  • Industrial inventory charge recorded: A $6.5M specific charge for excess and obsolete inventory was recorded in the fourth quarter in Industrial, tied in part to an unexpected shift in sales patterns. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose in quarter: Operating cash flow was $233M in the fourth quarter, up 65%, and $471M for the year, up 7%. Free cash flow was $181M in the quarter, up 54%, and $340M for the year, down 1%. Source
  • Share repurchases fell from prior year: Share repurchases were $49M in the quarter and $173M for the year, against $86M and $391M a year earlier. Source
  • Safran electromechanical actuation acquired: The company completed its acquisition of Safran’s North American Electromechanical Actuation business, which adds Horizontal Stabilizer Trim Actuation technology to its portfolio. Source

“Woodward delivered another year of record sales in fiscal 2025, driven by strong demand and disciplined execution that expanded earnings and strengthened our foundation for growth”

Chip Blankenship, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total company sales growth Sourcefiscal 2026up 7% - 12%New
EPS Sourcefiscal 2026$7.50 - $8.00New
Free cash flow Sourcefiscal 2026$300 - $350 millionNew
Capital expenditures Sourcefiscal 2026~$290 millionNew
Shares Sourcefiscal 2026~61 millionNew
Effective tax rate Sourcefiscal 2026~22%New
Aerospace sales growth Sourcefiscal 2026up 9% - 15%New
Aerospace segment earnings as percent of sales Sourcefiscal 202622% - 23%New
Industrial sales growth Sourcefiscal 2026up 5% - 9%New
Industrial segment earnings as percent of sales Sourcefiscal 202614.5% - 15.5%New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fiscal 2026 guidance is presented in this release. The previous release gave only fiscal 2025 guidance. Source
  • New: Acquisition of Safran’s North American Electromechanical Actuation business was completed. Source
  • Ended: Divestiture of the Industrial combustion product line was completed. Source
  • New: Board authorized a new three-year, $1.8 billion share repurchase program. Source
  • New: Airbus selected the company to supply 12 of 14 A350 spoiler actuation systems. Source
  • New: Groundbreaking took place for a new facility in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. Source
  • New: The Industrial end-market presentation was refined, and sales were reclassified for both years. Source
  • New: A German corporate tax rate reduction produced an impact that the company excluded from adjusted results. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Fourth-quarter sales and EPS rose: Fourth-quarter net sales were $995M, up 16%, and net earnings $138M, up 66%. Diluted EPS was $2.23, up 64%, and adjusted EPS was $2.09, up 48%. Source
  • Fiscal adjusted earnings compared with GAAP: Fiscal 2025 adjusted net earnings were $424M, up 12%, against GAAP net earnings of $442M, up 19%. Adjusted EPS was $6.89, up 13%, against diluted EPS of $7.19. Source
  • Product line item removed from results: Full-year adjusted results remove a $20.5M product rationalization item presented in other income. The company says it relates to elimination and divestiture of certain product lines. Source

Segments and end markets

  • Aerospace sales grew 20% in quarter: Aerospace fourth-quarter sales were $661M, up 19.6%, and fiscal-year sales $2,313M, up 14.0%. Segment margin was 24.4% in the quarter, up 520 bps, and 21.9% for the year. Source
  • Aerospace margin drivers for the year: Fiscal-year Aerospace segment earnings rose on price realization and higher volume, partly offset by manufacturing investment, unfavorable mix and inflation. Source
  • Commercial Services sales grew sharply: Commercial Services sales were $242M in the quarter, up 39.6%, and $824M for the year, up 28.5%. Source
  • Industrial sales up in quarter, down for year: Industrial fourth-quarter sales were $334M, up 10.6%, and fiscal-year sales were $1,254M, down 3.2%. Power generation rose 10.2% and oil and gas rose 13.5% for the year. Source
  • Industrial margin fell for the year: Industrial segment earnings were $183M, or 14.6% of segment sales, against 17.7% a year earlier. Management cited lower sales volume and unfavorable mix, partly offset by price realization. Source

“Aerospace delivered substantial sales and margin expansion supported by high aircraft utilization and robust defense activity”

Chip Blankenship, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Products and customers

  • Airbus selected for A350 spoilers: Airbus selected Woodward to supply 12 of the 14 spoiler actuation systems for the A350, described as its first primary flight control system on a commercial aircraft. Source
  • Commercial OEM flat in quarter: Commercial OEM sales were $194M in the quarter, flat, and $691M for the year, down 6.4%. Source
  • Industrial end-market presentation refined: Management refined the Industrial end-market presentation and reclassified sales for both years. The company said total Industrial and consolidated results were not affected. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Industrial inventory charge recorded: A $6.5M specific charge for excess and obsolete inventory was recorded in the fourth quarter in Industrial, tied in part to an unexpected shift in sales patterns. Source
  • Cost of goods sold rose with volume: Cost of goods sold was $717.9M in the quarter, against $646.7M, and $2,610.8M for the year, against $2,447.8M. Source
  • Nonsegment expenses increased: Nonsegment expenses were $41M in the quarter, up 32.9%, and $126M for the year, up 5.4%. Adjusted nonsegment expenses for the year were $133M, up 19.1%. Source
  • Adjusted tax rate rose in quarter: The adjusted effective tax rate was 22.3% in the quarter, up 390 bps, and 17.7% for the year, down 30 bps. Source

“We remain focused on growth, operational excellence, and innovation to drive sustained performance and long-term shareholder value.”

Chip Blankenship, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Demand environment

  • Industrial growth in energy markets: Management said Industrial achieved double-digit growth in power generation and oil and gas markets during fiscal 2025. Source
  • Transportation sales fell for the year: Industrial transportation sales were $139M in the quarter, up 14.7%, and $507M for the year, down 18.8%. The release does not state the cause of the annual change. Source
  • Defense OEM sales rose 27% in quarter: Defense OEM sales were $160M in the quarter, up 27.3%, and $561M for the year, up 38.0%. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Operating cash flow rose in quarter: Operating cash flow was $233M in the fourth quarter, up 65%, and $471M for the year, up 7%. Free cash flow was $181M in the quarter, up 54%, and $340M for the year, down 1%. Source
  • Capital spending rose for the year: Capital expenditures were $52M in the quarter, up 117.5%, and $131M for the year, up 36.0%. Source
  • Share repurchases fell from prior year: Share repurchases were $49M in the quarter and $173M for the year, against $86M and $391M a year earlier. Source
  • Debt and leverage declined: Total debt was $702M at year-end, down 19.5% from $872M, and EBITDA leverage was 1.0x against 1.4x a year earlier. Source
  • Acquisition and divestiture cash flows: Business acquisition payments were $41.7M, net of cash acquired, and divestiture proceeds were $50.1M for the fiscal year. Source

Strategy, recognition and leadership

  • Safran electromechanical actuation acquired: The company completed its acquisition of Safran’s North American Electromechanical Actuation business, which adds Horizontal Stabilizer Trim Actuation technology to its portfolio. Source
  • Combustion product line divested: The company completed the divestiture of its Industrial combustion product line, which it said aligns with its portfolio optimization strategy. Source
  • Spartanburg advanced manufacturing site begun: Groundbreaking took place in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, for a highly automated, vertically integrated site intended as a model for precision aerospace manufacturing. Source
  • Workforce and manufacturing recognition: Recognition included TIME's World's Best Companies and America's Best Mid-Size Companies 2025, and a finalist position for the Manufacturing Institute's 2025 Manufacturing Leadership Award. Source

Coming up, as management said on 24 November 2025

  • Form 10-K expected to be filed: Management said it expects to file the Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2025 shortly after the release. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: An unexpected shift in sales patterns led to an excess inventory charge in the Industrial segment. Source
  • External: Inflation partly offset Aerospace fourth-quarter segment earnings growth, and was also cited in Industrial quarterly earnings. 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.