Strong Free Cash Flow and Capital Returns
Free cash flow of $451M for 2025 (down 5% YoY) enabled $443M of share repurchases (~7% of shares outstanding) and $82M in dividends; Board approved quarterly dividend of $0.36 (3% YoY increase) and maintained $2.2B total liquidity (including $914M surplus cash).
Balance Sheet Strength and M&A Capacity
No borrowings outstanding under lending agreements, $914M surplus cash, $2.2B total liquidity and stated intent to pursue meaningful M&A with an active pipeline and disciplined valuation approach.
Deckorators Product and Capacity Momentum
Surestone sales increased 44% in the quarter and wood plastic composite sales increased 35%; Selma expansion complete and Buffalo plant start-up progressing (expected online by end of Q1/early Q2) with management targeting a $100M increase in Deckorators sales in 2026, largely decking-driven.
Cost-Out and SG&A Improvements
Progress toward $60M cost-out program with annual core SG&A reduced by $21M in 2025 (surpassing a $30M SG&A target) and $7M of capacity consolidation savings achieved in 2025; company expects an additional $25M of capacity consolidation savings in 2026, likely surpassing the $30M target.
Adjusted EBITDA and Operational Resilience
Adjusted EBITDA excluding bonus expense was $124M versus $135M last year (down 8%), with management pointing to underlying structural improvements and emphasizing adjusted metrics given nonrecurring accounting items.
Stable Return on Invested Capital
Return on invested capital remained resilient at 13.2% for the year, well above the company’s weighted average cost of capital, indicating decent capital efficiency despite cyclical headwinds.
Product Innovation and New Product Sales
New product sales totaled 7.6% of total sales; introduced multiple product innovations (Surestone trim board, Class B fire-rated composite, TrueFrame Joist, Frame Forward Systems), and secured a patent for the U-Loc 200 packaging fastener.
Packaging Segment Stabilization
Packaging sales were essentially stable: $370M (down 1% YoY) with units down 1% and flat pricing; Structural Packaging volume grew 1%—the first positive YoY since 2021—and management sees above-market growth when markets recover.