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Aaon Inc (AAON)
NASDAQ:AAON

Aaon (AAON) AI Stock Analysis

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AAON

Aaon

(NASDAQ:AAON)

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Neutral 58 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:58Neutral
Price Target:
$96.00
â–²(14.42% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:03/06/26
The score is held back primarily by the sharp 2025 cash flow deterioration and margin pressure, despite strong multi-year growth and an otherwise solid balance-sheet history. Guidance and backlog signal a potential 2026 rebound, but valuation is demanding and technicals are neutral, keeping the overall outlook moderate.
Positive Factors
Large, growing backlog and Basics demand
A >2x book-to-bill and a $1.3B backlog provide durable revenue visibility across multi-phase data center and commercial programs. This sustained demand supports multi-quarter production planning, justifies capacity investment, and underpins revenue/margin recovery as throughput improves.
Historically conservative balance sheet
A historically conservative balance-sheet and equity growth provide financial flexibility to fund capex and working capital during ramps. This resilience lowers default and refinancing risk, enabling the company to execute capacity expansion and backlog conversion over the medium term.
Capacity expansion with clear 2026 guidance
Material footprint expansion plus explicit 2026 targets signal management confidence that higher utilization will lift incremental margins. If execution matches guidance, the added capacity and clearer operating plan should sustainably increase throughput and improve long-term margin structure.
Negative Factors
Sharp deterioration in operating cash flow
A collapse in operating cash flow and steep negative free cash flow indicates weaker earnings quality and heightened working-capital or investment demands. Persisting cash conversion issues would strain liquidity, raise funding costs, and limit the firm's ability to self-fund capex or absorb shocks.
Extremely low year-end cash and elevated debt
Very low cash balances combined with meaningful debt and near-term higher interest expense reduce the firm's liquidity buffer. This structural tightness raises refinancing and interest-rate risk, making execution of capacity ramps and backlog conversion more contingent on access to credit and working-capital management.
Operational disruptions and ERP/plant ramp frictions
ERP rollout problems, plant shutdowns and under-absorbed fixed costs create structural execution risk: they lengthen lead times, depress margins, and can delay backlog conversion. Repeated operational frictions could persistently impair margin recovery despite strong demand.

Aaon (AAON) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Aaon Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionAAON, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in engineering, manufacturing, marketing, and selling air conditioning and heating equipment in the United States and Canada. The company operates through three segments: AAON Oklahoma, AAON Coil Products, and BasX. It offers rooftop units, data center cooling solutions, cleanroom systems, chillers, packaged outdoor mechanical rooms, air handling units, makeup air units, energy recovery units, condensing units, geothermal/water-source heat pumps, coils, and controls. The company markets and sells its products to retail, manufacturing, educational, lodging, supermarket, data centers, medical and pharmaceutical, and other commercial industries. It sells its products through a network of independent manufacturer representative organizations and internal sales force. The company was incorporated in 1987 and is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
How the Company Makes MoneyAaon generates revenue primarily through the sale of its HVAC equipment, which includes chillers, rooftop units, and air handlers. The company has a diverse customer base that includes contractors, wholesalers, and property owners in various sectors such as healthcare, education, and manufacturing. Key revenue streams are derived from direct sales, as well as aftermarket services, which include maintenance and replacement parts. Additionally, partnerships with contractors and distributors enhance market reach and facilitate project-based sales. The company's focus on energy-efficient products aligns with growing regulatory demands and customer preferences for sustainable solutions, further bolstering its earnings potential.

Aaon Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Mar 02, 2026
(Q4-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Apr 30, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call reflected a strong commercial performance with significant revenue growth, accelerating Basics data center momentum, a much larger backlog, product innovation, and clear 2026 guidance for sales and margin improvement. However, the company faces meaningful near-term operational and financial challenges — compressed margins in Q4, ERP and supply-chain friction, extremely low year-end cash balances, a sharp drop in operating cash flow, and elevated debt. Management communicated concrete mitigation actions (capacity ramp, supply-chain investments, phased ERP rollouts) and confident guidance for 2026, indicating these issues are expected to be temporary and recoverable.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong Quarterly Revenue Growth
Net sales in Q4 increased 42.5% year-over-year to $424.2 million, driven by robust demand across both Basics and AAON brands.
Basics Brand Acceleration and Backlog
Basics branded sales increased 143% for the year to $548 million; Q4 Basics segment sales grew 109.1% to $106.1 million. Basics backlog grew 141% year-over-year to $1.3 billion and was up 45% sequentially, with a 2.4 book-to-bill for the year.
AAON Brand Resilience and Bookings
AAON branded sales outperformed the industry (industry volumes down ~16% for the year); AAON branded sales declined only 8% on the year and Q4 AAON branded sales increased 9.5%. AAON branded bookings grew ~12% for the year, with national accounts bookings up 86%.
Segment-Level Strength — Coil Products and Basics Margins
AAON Coil Products sales increased 93.6% year-over-year (up $49.6 million) with gross margin improving to 21.3% from 16.1% prior year. Basics segment gross margin expanded to 27.1% from 18.8% a year ago.
Record Backlog and Production Momentum Entering 2026
Bookings and backlog remained strong in Q4 across brands; Tulsa production increased materially in January and February and Memphis continued to ramp, positioning the company for expected revenue and margin improvement in 2026.
Profitability Milestone at Memphis
Memphis facility achieved profitability for the first time in a quarter, supporting the company’s plan to leverage new capacity to improve operating margins.
Positive EPS and Incremental Margins
Q4 diluted EPS was $0.39, up 30% year-over-year. Combined Tulsa revenue and Memphis results showed Q4 sales growth of 31% with incremental margins of 25% on the combined operations.
Clear 2026 Guidance and Capacity Investments
Company guided 2026 sales growth of 18%–20%, gross margin of 29%–31%, SG&A ~16% of sales, D&A $95M–$100M, and planned 2026 CapEx of $190M. Manufacturing footprint expanded by more than 25% over the prior 18 months.
Product and Technology Innovation
Introduced industry-first rooftop units up to 40 tons with cold-climate heat pumps operable to -20°F and advanced custom air/liquid cooling solutions for data centers, reinforcing differentiation in high-value markets.
Negative Updates
Compression of Gross and EBITDA Margins in Q4
Q4 gross margin slipped to 25.9% from 26.1% year-over-year; non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 15.2% from 15.8% a year ago, driven primarily by unabsorbed fixed costs and lower Tulsa volumes.
Material Operating Cash Flow Decline
Cash flow from operations in 2025 was a source of $0.5 million versus $192.5 million in 2024, indicating a sharp decline in operating cash generation during the year.
Extremely Low Cash Balances and Elevated Debt
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash totaled only $1.2 million at year-end, while debt was $398.3 million; leverage ratio was 1.77 and interest expense is expected to be higher in 2026.
Near-Term Margin Pressures from New Facility Costs
AAON Oklahoma gross margin declined to 27.5% from 30.7% year-over-year due to $6.4 million of incremental overhead associated with ramping the new Memphis facility.
Operational Disruptions — Tulsa and ERP Rollout
Lower-than-expected Tulsa production (seasonality plus supply chain constraints) materially pressured Q4 margins. ERP upgrade rolled out with issues at Longview, adding complexity and requiring a revised, phased implementation (Redmond 2026, Tulsa 2027).
Extended Lead Times and Backlog Duration
Backlog is large but composed of longer-duration, multi-phase data center programs; some Oklahoma lead times for high-volume lines were described in the mid-20 weeks range, meaning only a portion of backlog will convert in 2026.
Memphis Still a Near-Term Margin Headwind Despite Profitability
While Memphis reached quarterly profitability, management noted unabsorbed fixed costs and that Memphis remained a near-term margin headwind during the ramp.
Discrete Plant Disruptions and Inventory Actions
Longview experienced a five-day plant shutdown for a wall-to-wall inventory at year-end, which partially offset margin improvements and disrupted throughput.
Pressure on SG&A and Need for Continued Execution
Management flagged SG&A pressure while investing ahead of throughput and noted SG&A was expected around 16% in 2026 with continued leverage required to meet longer-term Investor Day targets.
Company Guidance
AAON’s 2026 guidance calls for sales growth of 18–20%, a gross margin of 29–31%, SG&A of about 16% of sales, depreciation & amortization of $95–100 million, and planned CapEx of $190 million, with margin progression expected to be uneven by quarter as capacity ramps; management expects operating cash flow to improve materially in 2026. Management said the plan is backed by a $1.3 billion Basics backlog (Basics book‑to‑bill of 2.4 in 2025), strong bookings and production ramps in Tulsa and Memphis, and continued Basics momentum after 2025 (Basics sales and bookings grew strongly), while noting 2025 year‑end metrics of $398.3 million debt (leverage 1.77) and $1.2 million cash; interest expense will be higher early in the year with modest debt reduction expected in the back half. They also highlighted improving incremental margins (combined Tulsa+Memphis incremental margin was ~25% in Q4) as utilization and throughput increase.

Aaon Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Multi-year revenue growth and a historically conservative balance sheet support the profile, but 2025 showed clear deterioration in quality of earnings: operating cash flow fell to near zero and free cash flow turned deeply negative, alongside margin compression. This cash conversion setback is the primary financial risk despite prior-year strength.
Income Statement
71
Positive
Revenue expanded meaningfully from 2021–2024 (including a breakout year in 2022 and continued gains in 2023), and 2025 continued to grow at a solid pace. Profitability was strong in 2022–2024 (healthy gross and net margins), but 2025 saw a notable step-down in both operating profitability and net margin versus the prior two years, suggesting recent margin pressure. Net income remains positive, but the trajectory over the last year is weaker than the earlier run-rate.
Balance Sheet
86
Very Positive
The balance sheet is conservatively positioned: debt levels were modest historically and are reported at zero in 2025, resulting in very low financial leverage. Equity has grown strongly over time, and returns on equity were attractive in 2022–2024, though they cooled in 2025 alongside the earnings decline. Overall, the company appears financially flexible with limited balance-sheet risk.
Cash Flow
24
Negative
Cash generation deteriorated sharply in 2025: operating cash flow collapsed to near-zero while free cash flow turned deeply negative, which is a major red flag versus the consistently positive operating cash flow in prior years. Even in 2024, free cash flow was slightly negative despite strong profits, pointing to working-capital or investment demands. The large negative free cash flow relative to net income in 2025 indicates earnings quality concerns and higher near-term funding/volatility risk if the trend persists.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue1.44B1.20B1.17B888.79M534.52M
Gross Profit385.72M397.11M399.02M237.57M137.83M
EBITDA225.84M272.42M274.79M162.59M99.73M
Net Income107.59M168.56M177.62M100.38M58.76M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets1.69B1.18B941.44M813.90M650.18M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments13.00K14.00K287.00K5.45M2.86M
Total Debt433.38M170.96M50.55M78.25M41.58M
Total Liabilities791.52M350.65M206.21M253.19M184.01M
Stockholders Equity894.99M824.58M735.22M560.71M466.17M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-191.42M-3.13M54.60M7.29M5.82M
Operating Cash Flow-861.00K192.53M158.90M61.32M61.18M
Investing Cash Flow-192.42M-213.07M-109.31M-76.21M-158.72M
Financing Cash Flow188.00M18.03M-46.51M17.36M18.73M

Aaon Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price83.90
Price Trends
50DMA
92.83
Negative
100DMA
91.63
Negative
200DMA
87.95
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-2.04
Positive
RSI
33.65
Neutral
STOCH
11.89
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For AAON, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 83.9 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 96.54, below the 50-day MA of 92.83, and below the 200-day MA of 87.95, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -2.04 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 33.65 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 11.89 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for AAON.

Aaon Risk Analysis

Aaon disclosed 22 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Aaon reported the most risks in the "Legal & Regulatory" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Aaon Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (63)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
78
Outperform
$93.49B29.8236.17%0.95%8.58%20.37%
77
Outperform
$13.96B18.4836.69%1.28%0.14%3.88%
70
Outperform
$79.67B36.0423.52%1.27%-10.19%100.65%
69
Neutral
$46.49B29.7010.50%1.65%-7.93%-35.00%
67
Neutral
$16.74B29.7378.89%0.96%3.77%12.46%
63
Neutral
$10.79B15.437.44%2.01%2.89%-14.66%
58
Neutral
$6.84B57.7812.63%0.53%8.77%-47.50%
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
AAON
Aaon
83.90
1.52
1.84%
CSL
Carlisle Companies
341.40
2.56
0.76%
TT
Trane Technologies
422.40
74.67
21.47%
JCI
Johnson Controls
130.16
49.88
62.12%
LII
Lennox International
480.96
-104.12
-17.80%
CARR
Carrier Global
55.65
-11.02
-16.53%

Aaon Corporate Events

Dividends
AAON Declares Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend for Shareholders
Positive
Mar 5, 2026

On March 5, 2026, AAON, Inc. announced that its board of directors declared the company’s next regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per share, equivalent to $0.40 on an annualized basis. The dividend is scheduled to be paid on March 30, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 18, 2026, underscoring AAON’s continued capital return to investors and signaling confidence in its ongoing financial performance.

The declared dividend maintains AAON’s pattern of regular quarterly distributions, which can be an important consideration for income-focused investors following the HVAC sector. By affirming its payout level, the company reinforces its shareholder-friendly stance while operating in a competitive market for high-efficiency, custom HVAC systems serving commercial, industrial and data center customers.

The most recent analyst rating on (AAON) stock is a Buy with a $117.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Aaon stock, see the AAON Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyStock BuybackFinancial Disclosures
AAON Reports Record 2025 Results and Share Repurchase Plan
Positive
Mar 2, 2026

On March 2, 2026, AAON reported record full-year 2025 results, with net sales up 20.1% to $1.44 billion but lower gross margins and EPS as the company absorbed costs tied to major capacity expansions and an ERP implementation. The company ended 2025 with a record $1.83 billion backlog, highlighted by a 141.3% surge in BASX-branded orders for data center equipment, underscoring strong demand and market-share gains despite extended lead times.

Fourth-quarter 2025 sales rose 42.5% year over year to $424.2 million, with BASX-branded revenue up 138.8% and AAON-branded revenue up 9.5%, while margins were pressured by fixed-cost under-absorption during the Memphis ramp-up. AAON also announced that its board authorized up to $100 million in open-market share repurchases and introduced a 2026 outlook calling for high-teens revenue growth and margin expansion, signaling confidence that recent investments will translate into improved profitability.

Management highlighted that production at the new Memphis facility reached profitability earlier than expected, and that ERP-related disruptions at the Longview, Texas plant have largely eased, positioning operations for better efficiency in 2026. The combination of record backlog, expanding manufacturing footprint, and disciplined capital deployment through buybacks is set to strengthen AAON’s competitive position in the HVAC and data center cooling markets while offering potential upside for shareholders.

The most recent analyst rating on (AAON) stock is a Buy with a $120.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Aaon stock, see the AAON Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyPrivate Placements and Financing
AAON Expands Revolving Credit Facility to $600 Million
Positive
Dec 29, 2025

On December 29, 2025, AAON, Inc. activated the accordion feature on its existing revolving credit facility, expanding its available borrowing capacity to $600 million to bolster financial flexibility amid strong fourth-quarter bookings and robust market-driven customer demand. The increased facility is intended to strengthen the company’s ability to fund working capital, capital expenditures and strategic projects, supporting its ongoing growth initiatives while maintaining a disciplined capital structure and reinforcing its positioning in the HVAC market.

The most recent analyst rating on (AAON) stock is a Hold with a $88.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Aaon stock, see the AAON Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Mar 06, 2026