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Arcosa, Inc. (ACA)·Q2 2025 Earnings Summary

Executive Summary

  • Record quarter: revenues $736.9M (+11% YoY) and Adjusted EBITDA $154.2M (+37% YoY), with record Adjusted EBITDA margin of 20.9% (+390 bps YoY) .
  • Mixed vs consensus: Revenue slightly below Wall Street ($736.9M vs $754.2M*), while EPS beat ($1.27 vs $1.05*); Adjusted EBITDA exceeded consensus ($154.2M vs $151.9M*) .
  • Guidance tightened for FY2025: revenue $2.85–$2.95B (midpoint unchanged), Adjusted EBITDA $555–$585M (midpoint unchanged); tariffs expected to be immaterial .
  • Key catalysts: record backlog in Utility Structures ($450.0M) and healthy wind tower visibility ($598.6M backlog), plus $122M barge orders post-quarter, extending hopper backlog into 2026 .
  • Management emphasized portfolio transformation (Stavola accretion: +14% to consolidated revenue and +250 bps to margin) and deleveraging (Net Debt/Adj. EBITDA 2.8x, targeting 2.0–2.5x within three quarters) .

What Went Well and What Went Wrong

What Went Well

  • Construction Products delivered record performance: revenues $354.5M (+28% YoY) and Adjusted Segment EBITDA $100.4M (+44% YoY); Freight-Adjusted Segment EBITDA margin 31.0% (+300 bps YoY) .
  • Engineered Structures achieved record margin 18.7% (+350 bps YoY) on $293.0M revenue (+7% YoY), with record utility structures backlog ($450.0M) and higher wind tower volumes .
  • CEO on strategic progress: “record quarter… impact of recent strategic actions… expanded disclosures around key growth businesses” . CFO added confidence on pricing and aggregates unit profitability (ASP +8% to $17.83/ton; cash gross profit/ton +15% to $8.24) .

What Went Wrong

  • Organic Construction Products revenues declined 4% due to wet weather, lower freight revenue, and prior small divestitures; organic Adjusted Segment EBITDA down 6% .
  • Interest expense rose to $28.5M (+$17.1M YoY) from debt used to finance Stavola, pressuring GAAP EPS .
  • Wind tower backlog decreased to $598.6M (−23% from start of year) as deliveries progressed; management noted policy clarity helps inquiry activity but conversion timing remains a watch item .

Financial Results

Consolidated Results Across Periods

MetricQ2 2024Q4 2024Q1 2025Q2 2025
Revenues ($M)$664.7 $666.2 $632.0 $736.9
Diluted EPS (GAAP)$0.93 $(0.16) $0.48 $1.22
Adjusted Diluted EPS$0.91 $0.46 $0.49 $1.27
Adjusted EBITDA ($M)$112.7 $128.3 $109.9 $154.2
Adjusted EBITDA Margin (%)17.0% 19.3% 17.4% 20.9%
Cash from Operations ($M)$38.3 $248.2 $(0.7) $61.2
Free Cash Flow ($M)$(6.1) $199.2 $(29.7) $39.2

Q2 2025 Results vs Wall Street Consensus (S&P Global)

MetricConsensusActualSurprise
Revenue ($M)$754.2*$736.9 Miss ($17.3M)
Primary EPS ($)$1.05*$1.27 Beat (+$0.22)
EBITDA ($M)$151.9*$154.2 (Adj.) Beat (+$2.3M)

Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global Capital IQ. For EBITDA, company reports Adjusted EBITDA; consensus may reference EBITDA on a non-adjusted basis.

Segment Breakdown

SegmentQ2 2024 Revenue ($M)Q2 2025 Revenue ($M)Q2 2024 Adj. Segment EBITDA ($M)Q2 2025 Adj. Segment EBITDA ($M)
Construction Products$276.1 $354.5 $69.7 $100.4
Engineered Structures$274.8 $293.0 $41.7 $54.8
Transportation Products$113.8 $89.4 $16.7 $13.5

KPIs (Aggregates)

KPIQ2 2024Q2 2025
Shipments (tons, M)8.4 8.9
Freight-Adjusted ASP ($/ton)$16.45 $17.83
Adjusted Cash Gross Profit/ton ($)$7.19 $8.24

Backlog Snapshot

BusinessDec 31, 2024 ($M)Jun 30, 2025 ($M)
Utility & related structures$414.0 $450.0
Wind towers$776.8 $598.6
Inland barges$280.1 $277.0

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodPrevious GuidanceCurrent GuidanceChange
Consolidated RevenueFY2025$2.8B–$3.0B $2.85B–$2.95B Tightened range; midpoint unchanged
Adjusted EBITDAFY2025$545M–$595M $555M–$585M Tightened range; midpoint unchanged
Tariffs ImpactFY2025Expected immaterial Expected immaterial Maintained
CapExFY2025Top end reduced; prior not specified$145M–$155M Lowered top end by $10M
Net Debt/Adj. EBITDA TargetNext ~3 quarters2.0–2.5x goal 2.0–2.5x goal; tracking to achieve Maintained
DividendNext payment$0.05/share declared May 14, 2025 $0.05/share declared Sep 11, 2025 Maintained

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

TopicQ4 2024 (Two Quarters Ago)Q1 2025 (Prior Quarter)Q2 2025 (Current)Trend
Portfolio transformationStavola and Ameron accretive; divested steel components Reaffirmed 2025 guidance; margin expansion; weather headwinds in legacy Record quarter; expanded disclosures; Stavola accretive to revenue (+14%) and margin (+250 bps) Strengthening, accretion visible
Utility structures demandHealthy order activity; backlog strong Robust demand; operating improvements; backlog $1,094.1M combined Record utility backlog $450.0M; larger poles trend; converting idle wind plant to transmission structures Accelerating; capacity expansion
Wind towers policy clarityAwaiting policy; backlog extends into 2025–2028 Solid 2025 visibility; awaiting Washington D.C. clarity “One Big Beautiful Bill” clarity; inquiries up; three plants ~60% utilization; backlog through 2028 at NM facility Improving clarity; inquiries rising
Construction aggregatesPricing strong; organic volume mixed Weather impacted volumes; pricing discipline; freight-adjusted metrics disclosed Wet weather headwind; ASP +8%; GP/ton +15%; organic volumes expected to improve 2H Recovering volumes; pricing strong
Barge replacement cycleBuilding demand; backlog ~$280M Book-to-bill 1.7; backlog $333.6M Bonus depreciation tailwind; $122M orders post-Q2; backlog extends into 2026 Strengthening; visibility improving
Tariffs/macroPro-growth agenda; uncertainties noted Tariffs immaterial in guidance Tariffs expected immaterial; guidance midpoint unchanged Stable

Management Commentary

  • CEO: “This was a record quarter… highlights the impact of recent strategic actions… enhance our growth businesses, reduce our cyclicality, and expand margin.”
  • CEO on Stavola: “increased consolidated revenues by 14% and consolidated Adjusted EBITDA margin by 250 basis points… 13% increase in gross profit for our aggregates business and 15% improvement in Aggregates Adjusted Cash Gross Profit per Ton.”
  • CFO on aggregates: “freight adjusted revenues increased 15% and adjusted cash gross profit increased 21%… ASP per ton increased 8% to 17.83 and adjusted cash gross profit per ton increased 15% to $8.24.”
  • CEO on utility structures: “record second quarter backlog… load growth… significant additions to power generation capacity… needs to be connected to the grid.”
  • CEO on leverage: “Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA of 2.8x… on track to reach our target leverage range of 2.0–2.5x within the next three quarters.”

Q&A Highlights

  • Guidance composition: Management maintained midpoint; expects ~12% organic EBITDA growth with weather normalizing in 2H; outperformance in utility structures offset 1H construction softness .
  • Aggregates pricing: Year-to-date ASP up ~10%; raised guidance to high-single-digit ASP growth; broad-based pricing strength including New York/New Jersey MSA .
  • Wind tower capacity and orders: Three plants operating (~60% capacity, NM higher); inquiries up with policy clarity; working to fill 2026 capacity; one idle wind plant converting to transmission structures .
  • Barge demand and tax: Bonus depreciation tailwind; $122M orders since quarter end; hopper backlog into 2026; tank inquiries into 2027 .
  • Regional multifamily: Improvement in New Jersey and Texas; Gulf Coast weaker; NAHB mid-single-digit multifamily growth in 2026 cited by management .

Estimates Context

  • Q2 2025: Revenue missed consensus ($736.9M vs $754.2M*), driven by lower organic volumes from wet weather and reduced freight revenue, while EPS beat ($1.27 vs $1.05*) on margin expansion across Engineered Structures and Construction Products and Stavola accretion .
  • Q1 2025: Revenue beat ($632.0M vs $614.5M*) and EPS beat ($0.49 vs $0.18*), reflecting wind tower volume ramp and Ameron accretion; construction impacted by seasonality/weather .

Values marked with * retrieved from S&P Global Capital IQ.

Key Takeaways for Investors

  • Margin-led story: Portfolio shift toward Construction Materials and Utility Structures is expanding margins; record Adjusted EBITDA margin 20.9% supports EPS durability even with weather volatility .
  • Utility transmission supercycle: Record backlog, larger pole sizes, and conversion of idle plant to transmission structures point to multi-year growth and optionality .
  • Wind towers poised for order momentum: Policy clarity lifting inquiries; NM facility backlog extends to 2028; watch contract timing to shore up 2026 visibility .
  • Aggregates resilience: Pricing discipline driving unit profitability; expect 2H organic volume recovery as weather normalizes; Stavola accretive footprint in NY/NJ .
  • Barge cycle strengthening: Replacement demand and tax incentives underpin orders; backlog extending into 2026; potential capacity expansion if demand accelerates .
  • Financial discipline: Tightened guidance with unchanged midpoint, deleveraging track to 2.0–2.5x, and lower CapEx ceiling ($145–$155M) improve FCF trajectory .
  • Trading implications: Near-term upside skewed to margins and backlog-driven visibility; monitor weather normalization (Q3/Q4), wind order conversions, and ongoing pricing strength in aggregates for positive revisions.