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Richelieu Hardware (TSE:RCH)
TSX:RCH

Richelieu Hardware (RCH) AI Stock Analysis

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TSE:RCH

Richelieu Hardware

(TSX:RCH)

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Outperform 70 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:70Outperform
Price Target:
C$47.00
▲(14.72% Upside)
The score is driven primarily by solid financial footing (strong balance sheet and improving cash generation) and constructive price momentum. This is tempered by pressured profitability versus historical levels and a valuation that screens expensive for the current growth profile, while the latest earnings call was moderately supportive due to improving margin/cash-flow outlook despite retail and tariff risks.
Positive Factors
Balance sheet strength
Sustained low-to-moderate leverage and expanding equity provide durable financial flexibility. This balance-sheet strength supports the company's buy-and-build strategy, funds working capital needs, and reduces refinancing risk, enabling stable operations and M&A over the next several quarters.
Cash flow generation & inventory optimization
Improved operating cash flow and meaningful inventory reductions materially free working capital and strengthen self-funding. Durable cash conversion supports dividends, targeted ~$100M annual M&A and maintenance CapEx, lowering reliance on external financing over the medium term.
Acquisition-led growth and U.S. expansion
A repeatable M&A cadence and expanding U.S. footprint deepen distribution, broaden SKUs, and create cross-sell opportunities. Structural scale benefits (purchasing, logistics, distribution centers) can sustain revenue growth and incrementally improve margins if integration is executed.
Negative Factors
Margin compression
Persistently lower gross and net margins reduce earnings durability and limit reinvestment capacity. Structural margin compression makes profitability more sensitive to input cost swings, tariff moves, and acquisition mix, raising the bar for operational improvements to restore past returns.
Acquisition integration risk
While M&A drives scale, integration challenges can persist for multiple quarters, creating margin drag and execution risk. Repeated acquisitions demand consistent processes and capital; failure to capture synergies would impair the long-term case for growth through buy-and-build activity.
Tariff and retail-channel exposure
Persistent tariff uncertainty and retail demand variability are structural risks for a distributor reliant on imported components and renovation retailers. Tariffs can raise customer costs, compress margins, and disrupt cross-border customers for multiple quarters, limiting earnings visibility.

Richelieu Hardware (RCH) vs. iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC)

Richelieu Hardware Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionRichelieu Hardware Ltd. manufactures, imports, and distributes specialty hardware and complementary products in North America. The company's principal product categories include furniture, glass and building decorative and functional hardware, lighting systems, finishing and decorating products, ergonomic workstation components, kitchen and closet storage solutions, sliding door systems, decorative and functional panels, high-pressure laminates, railing and balusters, and floor protection products, as well as accessories for power tools. It also manufactures veneer sheets and edge banding products; and various decorative moldings and components for the window and door industry. The company serves kitchen and bathroom cabinet, storage and closet, home furnishing, and office furniture manufacturers; door and window manufacturers; residential and commercial woodworkers; and hardware retailers, such as renovation superstores. The company was incorporated in 1968 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.
How the Company Makes MoneyRichelieu Hardware generates revenue primarily through the sale of specialty hardware products and related services. The company's revenue model is based on a wholesale distribution approach, where it purchases products from manufacturers and sells them to retailers, contractors, and industrial clients at a markup. Key revenue streams include direct sales from its extensive product catalog, custom orders, and value-added services such as product sourcing and technical support. Additionally, Richelieu's strategic partnerships with leading manufacturers enable it to maintain a diverse product offering, while its robust logistics network ensures timely delivery, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. The company's focus on innovation and expanding its product line further contributes to its earnings by attracting new customers and retaining existing ones.

Richelieu Hardware Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jan 15, 2026
(Q4-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Apr 09, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call highlighted solid top-line and EBITDA growth, strong U.S. performance, substantial cash flow generation and disciplined balance sheet management, supported by active M&A that added about $100 million of sales and expanded distribution. Key positives include a 7.3% Q4 sales increase, 9.1% EBITDA growth in the quarter, materially stronger operating cash flow (Q4 $68.7M; FY $202.4M), inventory reductions and a clear M&A pipeline. Headwinds include a notable Q4 pullback in retail channel sales (timing-related), modest full-year EPS growth, acquisition-related integration and margin risks, and tariff uncertainty that could hurt certain customers. On balance, the favorable operational and financial momentum and strong balance sheet outweigh the challenges.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Quarterly Revenue Growth
Fourth quarter sales increased 7.3% to $511.0 million compared with Q4 2024.
Full-Year Revenue and Manufacturer Sales Strength
Total sales for fiscal 2025 reached $1.96 billion, up 7.2% year-over-year. Sales to manufacturers for the year were $1.7 billion, up 8.0% (4.4% internal growth, 3.6% from acquisitions).
EBITDA and Margin Improvement
Fourth quarter EBITDA rose 9.1% to $59.2 million. EBITDA margin improved to 11.6% from 11.4% in the same quarter last year. Full-year EBITDA increased 6.2%.
Cash Flow and Working Capital Progress
Fourth quarter cash flow from operations reached $68.7 million (including a $30.1M reduction in inventories); adjusted cash flow from operations was $48.3 million. Full-year operating cash flow was $202.4 million versus $133.6 million prior year. Working capital finished at $622 million and the company closed the year with positive cash and almost no debt.
Earnings Per Share and Net Earnings
Fourth quarter diluted EPS was $0.46, up 4.5% from $0.44. Full-year net earnings were $86.0 million and diluted EPS was $1.55, up 1.3% year-over-year.
Strong U.S. Performance
U.S. sales: Q4 USD 164 million, up 12.3% (manufacturers USD 157M up 12.9, including 8.8% internal growth). Full-year U.S. sales USD 638 million, up 10.9% (5.0% internal growth, 5.9% acquisitions). U.S. sales represented 45% of total sales (CAD 892 million, up 13.9%).
Acquisition Activity and Strategic Expansion
Completed 9 acquisitions during the fiscal year (including Ideal Security, Finmac Lumber and Klassen Bronze) and about $100 million of incremental annualized sales from recent M&A. Subsequent acquisition increased historical total to 100 acquisitions and added Pacific Northwest distribution centers. Management targets ~ $100 million of acquisitions per year with a healthy pipeline.
Shareholder Returns and Capital Allocation
Returned $50 million to shareholders during the year: $34 million in dividends (37.5% payout ratio) and $16 million in share repurchases. Investing activities included $47.1 million for 9 acquisitions and $15.2 million in primarily maintenance CapEx.
Inventory Optimization and Lower CapEx
Achieved material inventory reduction (approximately $30.1 million reduction in Q4, $33 million over the year) and reduced CapEx to $15.2 million, described as returning CapEx to a maintenance level.
Negative Updates
Retail Channel Weakness in Q4
Sales to the hardware retailers and renovation superstores market were down 6.4% in the quarter. In Canada, retailer sales in Q4 declined 10.7% (Q4 retailers total $41 million, down 10.7%), primarily due to timing differences with one large customer not placing seasonal orders.
Modest Full-Year EPS Growth
Full-year diluted EPS increased only 1.3% to $1.55, indicating more muted bottom-line growth relative to revenue and EBITDA increases.
Acquisition-Related Short-Term Margin Drag and Integration Risk
Management noted acquisitive strategy can be a short-term drag on margins; margin improvement depends on the type of acquisitions and successful integration, implying execution risk.
Macro/Policy Headwinds: Tariff Uncertainty
Existing 25% tariffs on some furniture and cabinet imports already negatively affect certain Canadian customers who export to the U.S.; management warned that a potential additional 25% could be very damaging for exporters and create market disruption.
Seasonality and Near-Term Margin Variability
Management reiterated Q1 is usually the lowest-margin quarter due to seasonality; margin trajectory in 2026 is expected to improve but remains subject to timing and acquisition mix.
Company Guidance
Management guided to a cautious but positive start to FY26, saying Q1 shows flat sales in the retailers/renovation superstores market while sales to manufacturers are running around +5% (the U.S. a couple percentage points stronger than Canada); they expect seasonally low Q1 margins but continued improvement thereafter and are targeting a full‑year 2026 EBITDA margin “slightly north of 11%” (Q4 EBITDA was $59.2M, up 9.1%, with an 11.6% EBITDA margin), reiterated an M&A cadence of roughly $100M of acquisitions per year (pipeline healthy), highlighted a $10–12M incremental U.S. sales pickup from regained Lowe’s business by mid‑year, noted inventory optimization delivered about $30–33M reduction in FY25 and that further (smaller) reductions are expected in 2026, signaled maintenance CapEx of roughly $15M (~0.08% of sales), and said these factors should drive stronger cash‑flow generation next year.

Richelieu Hardware Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Balance sheet strength and manageable leverage support stability, and cash flow rebounded strongly in the latest year. The main offset is margin compression versus prior peaks and some historical cash-flow volatility, which reduces earnings quality/consistency.
Income Statement
63
Positive
Revenue has grown over time (strong step-up since 2020), but the most recent year shows only modest growth versus 2024. Profitability has clearly compressed: net margin fell from ~9–10% in 2021–2022 to ~4–6% in 2023–2024, and the latest gross margin is unusually low versus prior years, which is a key red flag for earnings quality/consistency. Net income is roughly flat versus 2024 and below the 2022 peak, signaling weaker operating leverage and less resilient margins.
Balance Sheet
74
Positive
Leverage is moderate and stable, with debt-to-equity staying around ~0.23–0.32 over the period and ~0.29 in 2025, which is generally manageable. Equity and assets have expanded steadily, supporting balance-sheet durability. Returns on equity have normalized from very strong 2021–2022 levels to ~9% recently, indicating reduced profitability but not balance-sheet stress.
Cash Flow
71
Positive
Cash generation is generally solid, with free cash flow positive in most years and a strong rebound in 2025 (free cash flow up materially versus 2024). Cash flow has been more volatile than earnings—2022 was notably weak/negative on both operating and free cash flow—so consistency is the main concern. In the latest year, free cash flow is slightly below net income (still close), suggesting earnings are reasonably backed by cash, while cash flow relative to revenue improved versus 2024.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue1.96B1.83B1.79B1.80B1.44B
Gross Profit138.03M450.32M184.33M507.25M409.55M
EBITDA213.88M201.42M230.40M287.44M234.40M
Net Income85.82M85.75M111.47M168.39M141.76M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets1.44B1.39B1.31B1.28B964.18M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments45.52M41.39M46.33M21.22M58.71M
Total Debt276.91M264.60M209.29M264.13M99.49M
Total Liabilities479.24M465.13M406.81M464.04M295.24M
Stockholders Equity961.94M926.51M904.89M817.16M666.44M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow183.93M103.00M228.56M-58.75M87.35M
Operating Cash Flow199.14M133.56M270.66M-36.17M104.41M
Investing Cash Flow-62.27M-50.84M-61.79M-66.83M-66.49M
Financing Cash Flow-101.13M-117.87M-72.36M-66.64M-53.69M

Richelieu Hardware Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price40.97
Price Trends
50DMA
39.13
Positive
100DMA
37.50
Positive
200DMA
35.95
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.84
Negative
RSI
74.84
Negative
STOCH
74.44
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For TSE:RCH, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 40.97 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 40.63, above the 50-day MA of 39.13, and above the 200-day MA of 35.95, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.84 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 74.84 is Negative, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 74.44 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for TSE:RCH.

Richelieu Hardware Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
81
Outperform
C$1.96B11.1715.07%3.11%1.99%31.36%
77
Outperform
C$2.68B14.3610.45%7.11%3.19%-0.26%
74
Outperform
C$1.91B11.198.95%8.32%-2.45%44.20%
70
Outperform
C$2.35B27.639.00%1.53%6.61%-4.81%
70
Neutral
C$1.91B11.488.95%8.22%-2.45%44.20%
68
Neutral
C$1.90B24.386.75%2.40%3.71%80.35%
61
Neutral
$18.38B12.79-2.54%3.03%1.52%-15.83%
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
TSE:RCH
Richelieu Hardware
42.81
1.60
3.88%
TSE:LNF
Leon's Furniture
28.45
3.75
15.16%
TSE:TCL.A
Transcontinental
22.83
6.64
41.05%
TSE:TCL.B
Transcontinental Inc. Class B
23.42
8.26
54.45%
TSE:TOY
Spin Master
18.82
-11.98
-38.89%
TSE:WPK
Winpak
44.90
0.79
1.79%

Richelieu Hardware Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyDividendsFinancial DisclosuresM&A Transactions
Richelieu Hardware Marks 100th Acquisition on Back of Strong 2025 Results
Positive
Jan 15, 2026

Richelieu Hardware reported solid results for its fourth quarter and 2025 fiscal year, with quarterly sales up 7.3% to $510.9 million and full-year sales rising 7.2% to $1.96 billion, supported by both internal growth and acquisitions. Profitability remained robust, with EBITDA increasing to $59.2 million in the quarter and $213.9 million for the year, and net earnings edging higher to $85.8 million for 2025, while strong operating cash flows of more than $200 million and a healthy working capital position underscore the company’s financial strength. The group sustained an aggressive acquisition program, completing ten deals over thirteen months—its 100th in company history—including Ideal Security, Klassen Bronze, Finmac Lumber and three McKillican American distribution centres, adding about $100 million in annual sales and expanding its geographic footprint in Canada and the U.S. These acquisitions materially deepen Richelieu’s presence in the hardware retailers and renovation superstores segment and broaden its private-brand portfolio to ten brands, reinforcing its strategic push to act as a comprehensive supplier for customers and supporting the board’s decision to raise the quarterly dividend for early 2026.

The most recent analyst rating on (TSE:RCH) stock is a Buy with a C$43.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Richelieu Hardware stock, see the TSE:RCH 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: Jan 17, 2026