Record Consolidated Sales
Consolidated sales increased 3.5% year-over-year to a record in fiscal Q2 2026, driven by acquisitions and engineered solutions for high-performance buildings; all three segments reported positive sales growth and both Construction Products Group and Performance Coatings Group achieved record sales.
Strong Operating Cash Flow and Capital Returns
Cash flow from operations increased by $66.3 million in the quarter (second-highest Q2 in company history); the company paid down $127 million of debt in the first half, returned $169 million to shareholders (dividends and share repurchases), spent $162 million on acquisitions, and increased the dividend for the 52nd consecutive year; liquidity remains strong at $1.1 billion.
SG&A Optimization Plan Targeting $100 Million Annual Benefit
Management announced optimization actions expected to yield approximately $100 million of annual benefit once fully implemented (plan composed of roughly $70 million in personnel-related reductions and $30 million in discretionary cuts). Management realized $5 million of benefits in Q3, expects an incremental $20 million in Q4 and the remaining ~$75 million in fiscal 2027; full run-rate benefits expected to begin flowing in Q1 fiscal 2027.
Active M&A Pipeline and Strategic Acquisition (Kalzip)
Agreement to acquire Kalzip (German metal roofing/facades specialist with ~EUR 75 million calendar 2024 sales) to strengthen building envelope systems offering; acquisitions contributed to Europe being the fastest-growing region and are expected to expand capabilities and margins over time.
Backlogs and Segment Strength
Construction Products Group backlog continues to grow and Performance Coatings backlog is stable; North America sales grew approximately 2% in the quarter; December outperformance showed sales +12.1% and unit volumes +7%, indicating pockets of improving demand and conversion of delayed projects.
Focused Investments in Innovation and Business Intelligence
Continued investment in innovation (examples: AlphaGuard PUMA waterproofing, EucoTilt WB bond breaker) and business intelligence initiatives (leveraging The Pink Stuff data expertise and post-ERP integrations) to support targeted growth in high-performance buildings and improve pricing/marketing/operations.