Nicole DeBlase

Nicole DeBlase asked if Ingersoll Rand expects similar organic growth magnitudes for both PST and ITS segments in 2026, and sought an update on longer-cycle project decision-making delays.

Answer

CFO Vik Kini stated that organic growth is expected to be comparable for both PST and ITS, with PST potentially slightly healthier for the full year. Kini noted that the long-cycle project funnel remains very active with some resurgence in Q4 and a good start to 2026. He confirmed that decision-making delays persist, but projects are not being canceled, indicating continued momentum.

Nicole DeBlase asked if Vertiv expects another year-on-year increase in backlog in 2026, given the strong Q4, and inquired if the 3%-4% CapEx to sales ratio will persist for the foreseeable future due to rapid industry growth.

Answer

CEO Giordano Albertazzi indicated that based on the directional belief that orders will be up, Vertiv expects to continue building backlog. CFO Craig Chamberlin stated that while 2026 CapEx might be higher, the company aims for a normalized 2%-3% CapEx to sales ratio in the long term, deferring specific 2027 guidance.

Nicole DeBlase asked if Vertiv expects another year-on-year increase in backlog in 2026, given the strong Q4 2025 performance and pipeline. She also inquired if the 3-4% CapEx to sales ratio would be sustained for the foreseeable future due to rapid industry growth.

Answer

CEO Giordano Albertazzi indicated that, based on the directional indication of orders being up, Vertiv expects to continue building backlog in 2026. CFO Craig Chamberlin clarified that while CapEx might be higher than normal in 2026, the company aims to normalize it back to the 2-3% range in the long term, depending on future market orders.

Nicole DeBlase asked about EMEA margins, specifically if Q3 was the low watermark, the path back to mid-20s margins, and whether this can be achieved through restructuring alone or if volume growth is essential.

Answer

CFO David Fallon confirmed that Q3 was likely the low watermark for EMEA margins. He expects a combination of sales acceleration in EMEA in Q4 (up mid-teens sequentially) and addressing operational inefficiencies (including those related to tariffs) to drive significant margin improvement in Q4. He noted that many supply chain actions to mitigate tariffs were put in place to address inefficiencies in EMEA, and their impact would be seen in Q4.

Nicole DeBlase asked about trends in the power and utility sector, including order performance during the quarter, and confirmed if the Trachte and EPG acquisitions were still trending ahead of plan. She also inquired about the current M&A pipeline activity and the level of excitement for potential acquisitions in 2026.

Answer

Beth Wozniak, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, confirmed that Trachte and EPG acquisitions are performing ahead of expectations. She noted solid growth and opportunity in power utilities, particularly in T&D and substations, with synergistic potential for nVent's portfolio. While not as strong as data centers, power utility orders contributed to the overall low double-digit growth for non-data center businesses. She also stated that nVent's balance sheet is strong, and the M&A pipeline is robust, with a disciplined approach to finding synergistic acquisitions.

Nicole DeBlase from Deutsche Bank inquired about trends in the power and utility sector, specifically regarding order growth during the quarter, and confirmed if the Trachte and EPG acquisitions were still outperforming expectations. She also asked about the M&A pipeline, including the level of activity and excitement for potential acquisitions in 2026.

Answer

CEO Beth Wozniak confirmed that Trachte and EPG acquisitions are still trending ahead of expectations. She described power utilities as an area of solid growth and opportunity, with synergistic potential for nVent's portfolio, especially in integrated engineering building solutions, leading to nice long-term growth. She clarified that power utility orders were not as strong as data centers but contributed to the overall ex-data center low double-digit growth. Regarding M&A, Ms. Wozniak stated that nVent's balance sheet is strong, the pipeline is robust, and they remain disciplined, seeing opportunities for new acquisitions to build out infrastructure, though timing is not fully controllable.

Nicole DeBlase asked about the impact of paid development on revenue and EBITDA, and how that might trend throughout the year. She also inquired about the current deployment timeline for systems.

Answer

CFO Izzy Martins explained that paid development reached double-digit revenue contribution in Q1, up from high single digits, but expects it to be lumpy and potentially lower in Q2 due to resource redeployment. Regarding deployment timelines, Ms. Martins stated that the overall period from announcement to operational status remains around two years, with improvements in the installation-to-acceptance phase, now averaging ten months.

Nicole DeBlase asked about the impact of paid development on revenue and EBITDA in the first quarter, and how this impact is expected to evolve throughout the rest of the year. She also inquired about the current deployment timeline, specifically the time from installation to operational status.

Answer

CFO Izzy Martins explained that paid development reached double-digit percentage of total revenue in Q1, up from high single digits, but will be lumpy and not necessarily maintain that level in Q2. Regarding deployment timelines, Ms. Martins stated that the overall period from announcement to completion remains around two years, with the time from installation to operational status recently improving to approximately ten months.

Nicole DeBlase questioned the significant sequential stepdown in Q1 margins compared to Q4, asking if it's solely due to the Electrical Americas' capacity ramp, and sought details on non-data center vertical order trends in Electrical Americas.

Answer

CEO Paulo Ruiz confirmed that the sequential margin stepdown in Q1 is mostly related to the Electrical Americas' ramp, with the most pressure occurring in Q4 2025 and Q1 2026. For non-data center verticals, he highlighted strong momentum in the utilities business with low-teens 12-month order growth in Electrical Americas and mid-single digits in Electrical Global. Ruiz also praised the Aerospace segment's performance, with 12% sales growth and 90 basis points margin improvement, and noted encouraging 'green shoots' in short-cycle businesses like Residential and Machine OEM.

Nicole DeBlase asked about the significant sequential margin stepdown embedded in the Q1 2026 guidance compared to Q4 2025, inquiring if it was solely attributable to Electrical Americas' capacity ramp. She also requested an update on non-data center vertical order trends within Electrical Americas.

Answer

CEO Paulo Ruiz confirmed that the sequential margin stepdown is mostly related to the Electrical Americas' ramp, with the most pressure expected in Q4 2025, Q1 2026, and easing thereafter. For non-data center trends, he noted strong momentum in the utility business, with Electrical Americas orders up low teens on a 12-month basis and Electrical Global orders up mid-single digits. He also highlighted strong performance in aerospace, with top-line accelerating to 12% and margins improving 90 basis points, and mentioned encouraging 'green shoots' in short-cycle businesses like Residential, Machine OEM, and Mobility, with positive inflection in Electrical Global and anticipated inflection in Electrical Americas.

Nicole DeBlase asked for insights into the China market, specifically if the positive turn in Q4 2025 indicates a broader market recovery, and requested details on individual business performance and 2026 expectations for China. She also followed up on the M&A pipeline, asking if its current strength, including a mix of normal and larger deals, is historically stronger than usual for AMETEK.

Answer

Chairman and CEO David Zapico explained that AMETEK's strong performance in China (low double-digit growth in Q4 2025) is driven by a strong team and products suited to high-value manufacturing, automation, environmental, nuclear power, and EV testing, despite broader market deflation and real estate issues. He noted that process, power, and automation businesses were all strong in China. Regarding M&A, Mr. Zapico confirmed that while the pipeline is always strong, it currently features a better mix of normal and larger deals than in a while, emphasizing AMETEK's disciplined approach and strong M&A team and processes.

Nicole DeBlase asked about the encouraging positive turn in AMETEK's China business in Q4 2025, seeking details on specific business performance and 2026 expectations. She also inquired if the current M&A pipeline is stronger than normal compared to AMETEK's historical trends.

Answer

Chairman and CEO David Zapico confirmed China's low double-digit growth in Q4 2025, driven by process, power, and automation businesses, attributing success to a strong local team and products suited for high-value manufacturing, automation, and environmental improvements. He noted a conservative outlook for 2026 despite the positive turn. Regarding M&A, Mr. Zapico stated that while the pipeline is always strong, it currently includes a higher proportion of larger, chunky deals than in previous periods, reflecting an expanded scope for acquisitions.

Nicole DeBlase asked about short-cycle order trends during the quarter, specifically requesting details on regional performance and monthly cadence.

Answer

Mike Stepniak, SVP and CFO, reported that short-cycle orders performed well in the US, Middle East, and India throughout the year and in Q4. However, Europe and China, particularly for Industrial Automation, were 'just okay.' He anticipates high single-digit overall short-cycle orders for Q1, with mid-single digits for Building Automation and Aerospace, while Industrial Automation and Process Automation and Technology will continue to be monitored. Nicole DeBlase then asked about Industrial Automation margins, specifically the magnitude of expected year-on-year expansion in 2026. Mike Stepniak stated that Industrial Automation is expected to see close to 100 basis points of margin expansion, citing significant opportunities from productivity, pricing, and volume leverage.

Nicole DeBlase asked about short-cycle order trends during the quarter, specifically their regional performance and monthly cadence. She also inquired about industrial automation margins, particularly the magnitude of expected year-on-year expansion, given it's projected to be the greatest among all segments in 2026.

Answer

CFO Mike Stepniak noted that short-cycle orders performed well in the US, Middle East, and India throughout Q4, while Europe and China (specifically for industrial automation) were 'just okay.' For Q1, orders are expected to be high single digits generally, with mid-single digits for Building Automation and Aerospace, and continued monitoring for Industrial Automation and Process Automation & Technology due to slow catalyst conversions. Regarding industrial automation margins, Mike Stepniak stated that the segment is expected to achieve close to 100 basis points of expansion, driven by opportunities in productivity, pricing, and volume/demand leverage.

Nicole DeBlaise with Deutsche Bank asked how short-cycle industrial trends shaped up throughout Q3, specifically if they remained stable compared to the exit of Q2, or if there were any notable trends.

Answer

Chairman and CEO Vimal Kapur stated that short-cycle trends were better in Q3 compared to Q2, and similar trends are expected in the Q4 guide, indicating very similar dynamics in end markets between Q3 and Q4.

Nicole DeBlaise inquired about how short-cycle industrial trends developed throughout Q3, asking if they remained stable compared to the exit of Q2 or if there were any notable changes.

Answer

Vimal Kapur, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated that short-cycle trends were actually better in Q3 compared to Q4 (referring to prior expectations for Q4), and similar dynamics are expected between Q3 and Q4, with no substantial quarter-on-quarter changes anticipated.

Nicole DeBlase from Deutsche Bank asked about the quarterly cadence of EPS, specifically if the first half to second half revenue split is directly reflected in EPS or if it's more pronounced due to Q1 under-absorption. She also inquired about the competitive landscape regarding pricing, particularly in the new construction channel, and whether competitors are aiming for similar price increases for 2026.

Answer

CFO Michael Quenzer confirmed that Q1 will be tougher for EPS due to absorption, but Q2 will see more cost productivity to mitigate this. He reiterated that revenue is the main driver of margins, with 35% decrementals/incrementals offset by productivity/absorption. CEO Alok Maskara stated that competitors appear to be targeting similar price increases for 2026. He acknowledged some increased competitiveness in low-end residential new construction but emphasized that Lennox focuses on its core dealer network and competes on technology, availability, and service, maintaining industry discipline.

Nicole DeBlase asked about the quarterly cadence of EPS, specifically if the first half to second half revenue split is directly reflected in EPS or if it's more pronounced due to under-absorption in the first quarter. She also inquired about the competitive landscape regarding pricing, asking what competitors are aiming for in terms of price increases for 2026, given some noise about competitiveness in the new construction channel.

Answer

Michael Quenzer, CFO, confirmed that Q1 will be tougher for EPS due to absorption, but Q2 will see increased cost productivity to mitigate this. He reiterated that revenue is the primary driver for margins, with 35% decrementals offset by productivity and absorption. Alok Maskara, CEO, stated that based on current observations, competitors appear to be targeting similar price increases. He acknowledged some increased competitiveness in the low-end residential new construction (RNC) business, but emphasized that Lennox focuses on its core dealer network and competes on technology, availability, and service, noting that the industry remains disciplined overall.

Nicole DeBlase sought higher-level thoughts on Trump's recent announcement pushing for an emergency power auction and its potential impact on gas power demand, the U.S. market, and GE Vernova.

Answer

CEO Scott Strazik acknowledged the clear need to evolve market mechanisms to encourage new firm power generation capacity. He emphasized that the market is already moving regardless, as evidenced by GE Vernova's growing orders, but noted it's early for policy changes to happen overnight.

Nicole DeBlase asked for Scott Strazik's higher-level thoughts on the recent announcement from Trump pushing for an emergency power auction, and its potential impact on gas power demand, the U.S. market, and GE Vernova.

Answer

CEO Scott Strazik acknowledged the clear need to evolve market mechanisms to encourage new firm power generation capacity in the U.S. He noted that while the market is already moving (from 46 GW to 83 GW on contract in 2025, targeting 100 GW in 2026), GE Vernova is motivated to iterate with the administration for even faster growth, but emphasized that changing policy takes time.

Nicole DeBlase asked about the cadence of cost synergy realization for the Prolec GE acquisition, what drives faster savings, and the impact of industry capacity expansion on pricing within the Prolec GE business.

Answer

CFO Ken Parks stated that cost synergies ($60-$120 million by 2028) would start flowing relatively soon after the acquisition closes in H1 2026, driven by G&A and design leveraging, without requiring large investments. CEO Scott Strazik added that Prolec GE's 25% EBITDA margins indicate it's already well-run, and some synergies might be 'reverse synergies' from learning Prolec GE's best practices. He expects synergies to cut in during 2027 and beyond, focusing on accelerating fulfillment and quality.

Nicole DeBlase asked about the cadence of cost synergy realization for the Prolec GE acquisition and the impact of industry-wide capacity expansion on pricing within the Prolec business.

Answer

CFO Ken Parks stated that cost synergies, estimated at $60 million-$120 million by 2028, are not expected to be a 'huge hockey stick' but will start flowing relatively soon after the anticipated H1 2026 closing, focusing on G&A, design, and leveraging best practices. CEO Scott Strazik added that Prolec GE is already a well-run business with 25% EBITDA margins, suggesting 'reverse synergies' from Prolec's practices. He expects synergies to materialize from 2027 onwards.

Nicole DeBlase inquired about the drivers behind the acceleration in order growth, particularly from a vertical perspective within Applied, and any color on data center order growth magnitude. She also asked about the quarterly cadence of organic growth for fiscal 2026, noting a projected deceleration in Q1 and how it progresses to mid-single digits for the full year.

Answer

CEO Joakim Weidemanis highlighted data centers, pharmaceutical/biologics manufacturing, large research campuses, and advanced manufacturing as key healthy growth verticals driving the record $15 billion backlog. He explained that the Q1 organic growth deceleration is primarily a 'compares issue,' with the first half expected to be lower than the second half, but the backlog and recurring service business provide good predictability for the full year's mid-single-digit growth.

Nicole DeBlase asked about the significant increase in CST orders, questioning if it signals a market rebound or easier prior-year comps. She also inquired about the performance of Europe commercial, which was down mid-single digits in Q3, and the reasons behind it.

Answer

CEO David Gitlin highlighted the tremendous performance of the container business, which was up 50% in Q3 and projected up 30% for the year, driven by share gains and new products. He noted North American truck trailer was flattish but expected good Q4 growth, though it's too early to call a strong rebound. For Europe commercial, Mr. Gitlin attributed the Q3 decline primarily to timing issues, expecting double-digit growth in Q4 and strong backlog for next year. He also mentioned that the rentals business was down due to year-over-year comparisons with the Olympics in Paris.

Nicole DeBlase of Deutsche Bank asked about the significant increase in CST orders, questioning if it signals a market rebound or easier prior-year comps, and sought details on container versus truck/trailer performance. She also inquired about Europe commercial's mid-single-digit decline in Q3, asking if it was a timing issue and about data center pursuits in the region.

Answer

CEO David Gitlin highlighted tremendous performance in the container business, up 50% in the quarter and projected up 30% for the year due to share gains from new products. He noted North America truck trailer was flat but moving in the right direction, while European truck trailer was down a few percent. For Europe commercial, he attributed the Q3 decline to a timing issue, expecting double-digit growth in Q4 and strong backlog for next year, driven by robust data center pursuits.