Consolidated Revenue Growth
Net sales of $1,231.9M in Q4, up 2.8% year‑over‑year (1.4% organic) with $15.6M favorable foreign currency translation.
Earnings Per Share and Net Income Improvement
Diluted EPS of $4.94, up $0.12 from $4.82 a year ago (+2.5%); net earnings of $260.7M versus $258.1M, a modest increase.
Dividend Increase and Capital Returns
Raised quarterly dividend by 14% in November (16th consecutive year of increases); returned capital via repurchase of 227,000 shares for $80.4M and paid $126.7M in dividends in the quarter.
Commercial & Industrial (C&I) Revenue Momentum
C&I sales of $398.1M, up $18.9M or ~5% year‑over‑year (2.8% organic + $7.9M FX), fueled by double‑digit power tools growth and improving critical industries activity; benefited from $4.5M net gain from footprint refinement actions.
Tools Group Margin Expansion and Product Success
Tools sales roughly flat at $505.0M (down 0.3% reported; -0.7% organic) while gross margin improved 150 bps to 46.1% and operating margin rose 10 bps to 21.2%; new product successes (e.g., NanoAxis cordless driver, long‑shaft impact sockets, new storage configuration) drove stronger mix and productivity.
RS&I Growth and Product Launches
RS&I sales of $467.8M, up ~2.5% reported (1% organic + $6.4M FX) — the group's fifth consecutive quarter of growth — and launched the MT 2,600 diagnostic platform to support broader diagnostic penetration.
Financial Services Performance
Financial services operating earnings of $74.4M versus $66.7M prior year (+~11.6%); loan originations of $285.1M were stable year‑over‑year; average yields on finance receivables remained strong (~17.6%).
Prudent Outlook and Ongoing Investment
Management signaled continued investments in product, brand and software R&D; guidance items include expected 2026 capex ~ $100M and a full‑year effective tax rate of ~22–23%.