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EVP and CFO Paul Oldham reiterated that revenue from these new semi products is expected to double in 2025 to the "double-digit millions" range, with a more significant ramp in 2026. President and CEO Steve Kelley explained that for five consecutive quarters, sales out of the I&M channel have exceeded sales into it, reducing distributor inventory and creating a favorable trend for future orders.

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CEO Stephen Kelley stated that he is confident the company is poised to gain share in semiconductor power in the coming years, driven by new products like eVerest and eVoS expanding their serviceable market. For the I&M segment, he acknowledged the short-term correction but highlighted long-term strength from a record design-win pipeline. He confirmed that the fragmented I&M market is a prime area for potential acquisitions.

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CEO Stephen Kelley explained that while initial new product ramps will drive growth in the second half, significant market share gains in semiconductor will materialize over the next 3 to 5 years. Regarding I&M, CFO Paul Oldham noted the difficulty in quantifying the destocking impact but suggested the market's underlying change is much smaller than the reported revenue declines. Kelley added that M&A is being pursued in the fragmented I&M market to build critical mass, with valuation being the primary hurdle to completing a deal.

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CFO Paul Oldham explained that the sharp year-over-year decline in Industrial & Medical is primarily an inventory phenomenon, comparing against a record 2023 driven by recovery from the supply crisis, and that underlying end-market demand appears relatively stable. Regarding Data Center, he stated that while visibility is good for the 'next few quarters' due to strong order and design-in activity, predicting a full year out remains difficult.

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CFO Timothy Mammen noted that Q2 bookings were strong year-over-year and less back-loaded than in prior periods. He provided a thorough gross margin analysis, highlighting improved manufacturing absorption and lower inventory provisions as benefits, which were offset by unfavorable product mix and a 115 basis point impact from tariffs. CEO Mark Gitin characterized customer sentiment as 'cautiously optimistic,' aligning with the company's own view amid persistent market uncertainty.

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CEO Mark Gitin clarified that optimization involves moving final assembly between the company's global sites, not changing sourcing from China, as IPG does not manufacture there. CFO Timothy Mammen confirmed the margin impact is concentrated in Q2 and will decline thereafter as supply chains are reconfigured. Regarding demand, Mark Gitin acknowledged that general industrial markets remain slow but noted that IPG's business has stabilized over the last three quarters, with new bookings growth driven by strategic areas like medical and micromachining rather than the broader market.

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CFO Tim Mammen clarified that the amortization add-back is approximately $2.3 million, or just over $0.03 per share. CEO Mark Gitin and Tim Mammen stated the company will vigorously defend its cutting business (less than 15% of sales ex-China) with new products. While not providing a full-year guide, they pointed to potential late-2025 growth from new medical products and other strategic initiatives.

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CEO Beth Wozniak described the M&A strategy as an "acquisition flywheel" focused on high-growth verticals and differentiated products, rather than just "filling a box." CFO Gary Corona confirmed the company has significant M&A capacity within its target leverage range and that deals similar in size to EPG and Tracte could be managed without issuing equity.

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CFO Gary Corona attributed the Q1 margin performance to inflation and investments ramping up for H2 growth. He stated that excluding the dilutive impact of the Avail EPG deal, base business margins are expected to grow modestly in the second half. CEO Beth Wozniak described the M&A market as fragmented with many opportunities, noting the company remains disciplined but has the capital to pursue the right deals in the near term.

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CFO Sara Zawoyski did not provide a specific EPS number for Trachte but reiterated its ~$250M revenue and ~20% ROS profile, confirming it will be a meaningful contributor. She agreed the Q4 inflation number is a good baseline for 2025, with labor being the main driver. CEO Beth Wozniak stated that the timing for major projects in data solutions and Trachte is fairly stable and well understood, expressing confidence in the projected ramp-up through the year, which is also influenced by an easy Q1 comp.

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CFO Joan Hooper confirmed that the 2027 financial targets remain unchanged despite short-term uncertainty. She attributed strong gross margins to the end-of-life of lower-margin products and strong water sales in the Devices segment. Both Hooper and CEO Tom Deitrich stated that the single-digit Outcomes growth was normal quarterly fluctuation and not indicative of a structural change, pointing to strong underlying metrics like DI endpoint adoption.

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CEO Tom Deitrich declined to provide a gross tariff number, stating the net impact is the most relevant metric as the product mix constantly changes. CFO Joan Hooper clarified that the slight 20 basis point decline in Network Solutions gross margin was not due to comps but was simply immaterial noise caused by product mix.

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CFO Joan Hooper explained that quarterly operating expenses can fluctuate based on the timing of investments and outside services, but for the full year, expenses were within the company's target range of 22-23% of revenue. CEO Tom Deitrich stated 'not at all' in response to utilities rolling back spending, emphasizing that electricity demand growth is dramatic and driven by multiple factors including AI data centers and manufacturing reshoring, with utilities struggling to keep up.

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CFO Joan Hooper reiterated that the path to 2027 targets is not linear and cautioned analysts to normalize 2024 revenue for a $125 million one-time catch-up. Both she and CEO Tom Deitrich clarified the $1 billion pipeline was a timing issue for bookings within the year, not an unexpected increase in demand. Hooper anchored margin expectations to the 2027 target of 15-17% EBITDA, noting quarterly variability.

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Chairman and CEO David Zapico stated that AMETEK achieved a positive price-cost spread in the quarter and expects this to continue for the full year, with pricing actions being "selective." For the Process division, he reiterated that headwinds in the semiconductor and research markets offset positive performance in med-tech and food-related businesses.

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CEO David Zapico stated they expect growth in the defense subsegment in the second half of the year. On capital allocation, he confirmed AMETEK is well-positioned with low leverage (0.7x net debt/EBITDA) and views the current environment as an opportunity to act on both M&A and opportunistic share buybacks. He noted that while good assets still command good prices, their pipeline is strong.

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CEO Stephen Shafer reiterated that the China review is about exploring a full set of alternatives, including strategic partnerships, to best position the business for future success. CFO Charles Lauber clarified that pricing is not being rolled back, as the full impact of tariffs and a 15-20% increase in steel costs are expected in the second half of the year, and the May price increase was implemented to offset these future costs.

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Chairman and CEO Kevin Wheeler responded that recent data shows proactive replacement demand remains stable and resilient at the elevated levels seen since the post-COVID period. President and COO Stephen Shafer explained that the key indicator for China is an improvement in consumer confidence, which is closely tied to the real estate market, as this drives investment in home upgrades and premium appliances.

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An executive confirmed that a 4% water heater price increase from March 2024 will have a carryover effect into 2025. In response to the follow-up, CEO Kevin Wheeler stated that the company's historical approach to managing pricing has not changed. He emphasized A.O. Smith's strong track record of offsetting inflation over time but declined to comment on hypothetical future price increases, noting the company acts based on market conditions and cost pressures as they materialize.

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CEO Kevin Wheeler attributed the China downturn to a sharp decline in consumer confidence driven by the worsening property market. CFO Charles Lauber added they were also anniversarying a kitchen product launch. On tankless, Wheeler explained the slow start is due to a phased rollout, with only one of three product lines launched, and reiterated confidence in the long-term $100 million sales goal.

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SVP & CFO Craig Lampo responded that it was a combination of factors. He highlighted that a 'meaningful piece' is organic, driven by higher-technology products and creating more value for customers. However, he also stated there is 'no doubt' that the successful acquisition program and improving the profitability of acquired companies has been a significant contributor to the margin expansion.

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CEO Adam Norwitt stated that Amphenol has a consistently successful acquisition program and does not try to time the market based on macro cycles. While acknowledging the company is a more compelling buyer than ever due to its financial strength and reputation, he did not say the pipeline has necessarily changed due to recent economic headlines, noting the company has been very active even in robust times.

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CEO R. Norwitt stated that the company's opportunity remains robust because the vast majority of its automotive business is agnostic to the drivetrain. He explained that both EVs and ICE vehicles have growing electronics content—EVs through electrification of mechanical systems and ICE vehicles through electronics that improve fuel efficiency. The core driver for Amphenol is the overall expansion of electronics in cars, not the specific type of powertrain.

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CEO R. Norwitt clarified that the company does not report on 'organic orders' as a separate metric. He explained that the reported book-to-bill ratio of 1.09:1 is a total figure that reflects the performance of all owned companies, including recent acquisitions, as their bookings are integrated upon purchase.

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CFO Robert Wrocklage clarified that a large deferred compensation expense was unique to Q2's stock performance but wouldn't be eliminated entirely. Regarding price-cost, he confirmed pricing actions only partially mitigated tariff costs in the quarter due to timing and expressed caution on forecasting future neutrality due to the fluid tariff environment.

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CEO Kenneth Bockhorst identified a potential change to the USMCA or significant, unmanageable price spikes in key materials like copper or bismuth as primary risks. Regarding order mix, he highlighted the 25% growth in the software business as a 'very positive structural change' that is becoming a meaningful part of the portfolio.

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CEO Kenneth Bockhorst described backlog deployment as having a 'normalized uneven' pattern and stated the company is not hearing any customer discussions about pausing orders due to the political climate. He confirmed the strategy is to bundle SmartCover within the broader BlueEdge portfolio. CFO Robert Wrocklage stated the acquisition is expected to be dilutive to EPS in 2025, primarily due to the opportunity cost of interest income and amortization, but will turn accretive in year two.

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Chairman, President and CEO Kenneth Bockhorst explained that the high single-digit growth target is for the strategic cycle and the company is not signaling weakness for 2025, feeling strong about its position. CFO Robert Wrocklage confirmed that the margin improvement was driven by a combination of positive product and customer mix, increased unit volumes, and favorable price-to-cost management.

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CEO John Stauch clarified that a significant price increase was actioned in April, with smaller, more modest increases planned for May and June if the tariff situation persists. He stated the forecast assumes flat new pool construction and continued break/fix demand, with any potential softness from price increases likely to appear first in the remodeling or discretionary product categories.

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President and CEO John Stauch clarified the full-year guidance remains unchanged from the prior forecast. CFO Bob Fishman corrected that the Q4 guide implies Pool sales will be slightly up. Stauch acknowledged productivity challenges in the global Water Solutions business but noted Flow had a nice ROS expansion in Q3.

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Executive Elena Rosman stated that price was 3% in the quarter and gross margins expanded 10 basis points, suggesting the spread was on par with the rest of the year. She noted that $20 million of restructuring was funded in Q4, with benefits expected to materialize gradually over 2025, contributing about $0.01 to EPS in the first quarter.

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Executive Daniel Innamorato confirmed that renewables and data centers grew at a 'strong double-digit' rate. He also clarified that the mid-single-digit demand figure was specific to distribution markets within the utility segment that are not experiencing overstocking.

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