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President and CEO Jeffrey Simmons expressed high confidence in sustained U.S. Pet Health growth, attributing it to a multi-year strategy of building commercial capabilities, a dynamic sales force, and strong distributor relationships. He stated that while innovation is key, the team is also building out the entire portfolio. Simmons characterized the broader pet market as having a strong backdrop, supported by rising pet numbers, improving compliance, globalization, and the willingness of younger generations to spend, which insulates the industry from lower vet visits.

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President, CEO & Director Jag Reddy stated that channel inventories in construction and agriculture are largely aligned with end-user demand, with powersports having less than a quarter of destocking left. CFO Rachele Lehr addressed the margin question, attributing the high implied decremental margin to the significant volume decline impacting fixed cost absorption, but affirmed that margins are expected to normalize as volumes recover. Jag Reddy was not aware of a specific SKU rationalization impact and offered to follow up.

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Executive Jagadeesh Reddy reported booking $35 million to $40 million in new business by the end of April, putting the company ahead of its $100 million annual target. He reaffirmed a line of sight to the low end of the 2026 revenue range, contingent on no major recession or EPA rule changes. Regarding M&A, Reddy outlined the top priorities as: 1) end-market diversification, 2) accretive margin profiles, and 3) geographic expansion within the U.S., particularly in the Southern states.

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CEO David Dunbar attributed the 16% YoY order growth in Electronics to OEM design wins and noted a record-high application funnel supports its sustainability. He confirmed Ameren's 15-20% growth is supported by capacity adds in Houston and the new Croatia site. CFO Ademir Sarcevic explained that Scientific margins are expected to hold as pricing and productivity offset tariff pressures and mix impact from a recent acquisition. Sarcevic also stated that free cash flow conversion is expected to be 'much, much better' in FY26 as the company improves collections processes and moves past one-time transaction costs.

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CEO David Dunbar stated that the destocking in Asia has bottomed out and is now showing strength, while North America is improving and Europe remains soft. He noted automotive is now about 15% of the Electronics business. CFO Ademir Sarcevic confirmed the analyst's sizing of the NIH funding risk and said the pharmacy business is at a trough, with active conversations for replacements underway. Dunbar confirmed McStarlite is a sole-source supplier on wide-body programs for both Boeing and Airbus.

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CEO David Dunbar stated that Amran's margins have ramped from the mid-30s to the 40% range and that the business has significant capacity to expand by adding second and third shifts. CFO Ademir Sarcevic noted the company's 23% margin target is achievable through Amran's contribution and productivity in the core business. Dunbar specified the Scientific pharmacy business has troughed at about $2 million annually from a peak of over $20 million. Sarcevic provided a breakdown of the Electronics book-to-bill, with the core business at 1.0x and Amran/Narayan at 1.2x, for a blended 1.02x.

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CEO David Dunbar revealed the deal was sourced bilaterally after identifying the company as a fit for their fast-growth market strategy, highlighting its competitive edge in rapid prototyping and customer intimacy. CFO Ademir Sarcevic confirmed a strong uptick in Electronics orders supports a second-half recovery and noted that while the base business margins are expected to improve, a full outlook for the combined entity and a timeline to 25% margins will be provided next quarter.

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President & CEO Gene Lowe clarified that the Olympus VMAX is a modular product available in both dry and adiabatic configurations, with both already launched. He estimated a potential sales mix of two-thirds adiabatic to one-third dry. Lowe asserted a strong competitive position based on modular design, proprietary high-uptime mechanical equipment, and upcoming CTI performance validation.

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Chief Financial Officer Mark Carano clarified that of the 56% sequential backlog growth in D&M, 34% was organic and 22% came from the KTS acquisition. President and CEO Eugene Lowe attributed CommTech's strength to its battlefield applications, such as drone tracking, and synergies from the KTS acquisition. Mark Carano explained the D&M margin guidance adjustment, noting that Q1 benefited from an unexpectedly high-margin software project, the benefit of which will be offset by tariff impacts and the timing of lower-margin projects through the rest of the year.

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CEO Eugene Lowe described cooling demand as healthy and noted that for the Engineered Air Movement business, the primary challenge is meeting strong demand through production expansion. He confirmed the Springfield facility has ramped up rapidly with more room to grow. Executive Paul Clegg stated that hitting the low end of the HVAC margin range would be due to lower top-line growth and absorption. He also clarified that Q4 2024 was warm, but colder weather in January 2025 has led to stronger Q1 bookings for the heating business.

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CEO Eugene Lowe explained that a slower start to the heating season and normalized lead times led distributors to manage inventory more prudently. He noted the business is 80% replacement and will ramp up with colder weather, adding that Q4 guidance accounts for this delayed start. Executive Paul Clegg specified that the flatness is more pronounced in the residential replacement market, while the commercial side remains stronger.

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EVP & CFO Michael McKenney confirmed expectations for a strong third and fourth quarter, particularly in the fiber processing product line. He attributed the strength in parts and consumables to the aging installed base rather than restocking, viewing the current revenue level as largely sustainable with a potential modest seasonal dip. President & CEO Jeffrey Powell added that as economic conditions improve and new capital equipment comes online, overall operating rates typically increase, which should support continued aftermarket demand. McKenney later clarified that the full-year tariff impact remains consistent with prior guidance at around $0.32 to $0.39 per share. He guided SG&A to be around 28% of sales and noted the recent acquisitions are more weighted towards capital equipment.

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President and CEO Jeffrey Powell explained that recent tariff uncertainty has caused a pause in capital project decisions, leading to delays rather than cancellations. He noted that these timing shifts could push revenue recognition into 2026. Powell emphasized that the project funnel remains strong, driven by pent-up demand from what he termed a 'capital equipment recession' over the past few years. He added that the record aftermarket parts business is a direct result of customers running older, 'tired' equipment, which will eventually necessitate new capital investments.

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Jeffrey Powell, President and CEO, stated that the destocking cycle has played out and strong parts demand is now driven by aging equipment. He confirmed the 80/20 program is a continuous effort with several new company rollouts planned for 2025. Michael McKenney, Executive, added that recent acquisitions are a key driver of the higher parts mix and that the company projects a 67% parts and consumables mix for 2025, up from 66% in 2024.

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Executive Mike Hartnett stated the defense guidance range is primarily driven by the challenge of ramping capacity. Executive Robert Moffatt identified mining, cement, and logistics as the strongest industrial end markets. Executive Robert Sullivan explained the Q1 margin guidance is compared against an exceptionally strong prior-year quarter and remains above the full-year FY25 average.

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CFO Rob Sullivan provided the segment margins, stating Aerospace was 40.5% and Industrial was an exceptional 46.5%. CEO Dr. Michael Hartnett noted that Dodge synergies are ongoing and will continue for years, and that the Dodge warehouse business grew about 7% year-over-year. He also mentioned that semiconductor orders are starting to 'trickle back' but have not yet fully recovered.

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CEO Mike Hartnett projected that new products from Dodge would contribute a few million dollars this year and $5-10 million on an annualized basis next year. He noted the warehousing business is 'coming back slowly' and that they expect to be past the current Boeing issues next year. Hartnett affirmed that Boeing will survive and that RBC has 'a lot of low hanging fruit' and major projects with both major airframers.

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President and CEO Steven Blanco confirmed strong double-digit growth in both fixed and portable detection, driven by the ACCELERATE strategy and global energy segment demand, noting that high single-digit growth for the full year is achievable. Interim CFO Elyse Brody quantified the Q1 pull-forward at just under $10 million, highlighted the tough Q2 comparison due to a $40 million backlog conversion in the prior year, and confirmed a European ballistics order will support the International segment in the second half.

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Steven Blanco, President and CEO, noted that after a slower December, the order pace in the new year has been solid, particularly in detection. He acknowledged caution around the NFPA standard change, stating that while some customers will wait for the new standard, a good base of business will not. Blanco also confirmed the large MSA+ order was a significant competitive conversion from a major energy customer in North America.

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President and CEO Steven Blanco described overall demand as healthy and noted strong market share, particularly in international fire. SVP and CFO Lee McChesney clarified that strong Q3 order growth was broad-based and excluded the Air Force order booked in Q2. Regarding 2025, Blanco reiterated commitment to long-term targets. He also stated that in international fire, many customers prioritize functionality over price. For portable detection, he noted unit volumes are significantly higher than estimated, with growth accelerating in connected platforms.

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Executive Timothy FitzGerald stated that dissynergies are expected to be minimal due to Middleby's decentralized operating model and that the tax-free spin is intended to maximize long-term shareholder value. For the remaining company, he noted M&A will focus on the ice and beverage platform and technology, balanced with share repurchases. Executive Bryan Mittelman mentioned that specific costs would be detailed in future quarters.

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CFO Carol Hibbard stated that lead times have not changed significantly recently, with current deployments averaging around 24 months, though the company sees a path to shortening this. She explained that contract types vary, but items like tariffs are typically pass-throughs. For long-term agreements, such as with Walmart and GreenBox, the contracts are already in place and not subject to change.

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CEO Richard Cohen clarified that the Georgia GreenBox is being built speculatively without an anchor tenant to serve as a multi-tenant facility, with active customer recruitment underway. He added that the recent uptick in CapEx is driven by both GreenBox infrastructure needs and continued R&D investments.

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President and CEO Paul Sternlieb responded that Enerpac, as a price leader, announced low-single-digit price increases effective in January and would consider further action if warranted by tariffs. Regarding infrastructure, he noted that while proprietary data shows favorable activity, it has not yet materialized into meaningful orders for Enerpac, but the company is well-positioned to meet future demand. CFO Darren Kozik shared his positive initial impressions after two months, highlighting the company's culture of continuous improvement, the power of the Enerpac brand, and the strength of the leadership team.

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President and CEO Paul Sternlieb explained the guidance assumes a low single-digit market decline, which Enerpac expects to outperform through commercial execution, muted but necessary pricing actions, and new product launches, with a typical second-half weighting. He clarified that without the DTA acquisition, the company would have guided for a 50 basis point margin expansion. Interim PFO Shannon Burns added that the PEP continuous improvement program will also drive productivity. Regarding cash flow, Paul Sternlieb pointed to ongoing working capital optimization and inventory management as key levers, while noting that higher one-time CapEx for the new headquarters will be a factor in fiscal 2025.

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