E
EnerSys (ENS)·Q4 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q4 FY2025 delivered net sales of $974.8M (+7% YoY) and adjusted diluted EPS of $2.97 (+43% YoY), exceeding company guidance and modestly beating Wall Street consensus; GAAP diluted EPS was $2.41 (+63% YoY) .
- Gross margin expanded 320 bps YoY to 31.2%; gross margin ex-45X advanced manufacturing credits was 26.6% (+270 bps YoY), reflecting price/mix, Bren-Tronics contribution, and segment productivity gains .
- Segment performance was broad-based: Energy Systems net sales +8% YoY with adjusted operating margin of 8.7% (+400 bps), Motive Power adjusted operating margin 17.0% (+240 bps), and Specialty revenue +21% YoY with adjusted operating margin 8.5% (+270 bps) .
- Q1 FY2026 outlook guides net sales to $830M–$870M, adjusted EPS $2.03–$2.13 (including $35M–$40M of IRC 45X benefits), and pauses full-year quantitative guidance amid tariff uncertainty; management asserts Q1 will be the low point with margins and EPS growth (ex-45X) expected to outpace revenue for FY2026 .
- Strategic/catalyst: tariff mitigation playbook, maintenance-free conversion (29% of Motive Power), data center and A&D momentum, and DOE lithium program progress; leadership transition to Shawn O’Connell finalized May 23, 2025 .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- “We delivered 7% revenue growth, our second-highest revenue quarter ever, and achieved record adjusted diluted EPS of $1.86 per share excluding 45X benefits … and $2.97 including 45X benefits, +43%” .
- Energy Systems margin expansion and demand improvement (data centers +22% YoY, signs of U.S. communications recovery); adjusted operating earnings in ES grew for the fifth consecutive quarter .
- Motive Power mix shift: maintenance-free products reached a record 29% of segment sales; adjusted operating margin rose to 17.0% with earnings +15% YoY .
- Specialty/A&D strength and Bren-Tronics outperformance drove revenue +21% and adjusted operating margin +270 bps YoY .
What Went Wrong
- Tariff/macro uncertainty: stranded tariff costs (~$5M) expected to pressure Q1; order moderation and choppy near-term (Motive Power Americas Q4 orders -14% YoY) .
- FX headwinds impacted results intra-year; lead times in Energy Systems extend revenue conversion timing despite order growth .
- Class 8 truck OEM recovery paused; transportation order rates choppy as OEMs revise forecasts .
Financial Results
Quarterly Trend: Revenue, EPS, and Margins
Q4 YoY Comparison (vs Q4 FY2024)
Note: Prior-year gross margin ex-45X is not explicitly disclosed in Q4 FY2024; EnerSys provides YoY bps improvement ex-45X in narrative .
Segment Breakdown – Q4 FY2025
KPIs and Cash Flow
Results vs Wall Street Consensus (S&P Global)
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “We delivered 7% revenue growth … and achieved record adjusted diluted EPS of $1.86 per share excluding 45X benefits … and $2.97 including 45X benefits, +43%” — CEO David Shaffer .
- “Energy Systems saw growth in Data Center and continued signs of recovery in U.S. Communications… maintenance-free products reaching a record 29% of segment sales” — Incoming CEO Shawn O’Connell .
- “We are proactively adjusting pricing, costs, working capital, supply chain and manufacturing to protect both volumes and profitability…well-positioned to respond swiftly [to tariffs]” — Shawn O’Connell .
- “Adjusted diluted EPS…$2.97 per share…Excluding 45X, adjusted EPS was a record $1.86 per share” — CFO Andrea Funk .
- “Given the evolving policy environment…we are pausing full year quantitative guidance…we believe Q1 will mark the low point” — CFO Andrea Funk .
Q&A Highlights
- Bridge to Q1 EPS guide on flat revenue: mix/price and Bren-Tronics accretion offset FX/tariffs; normalized, EPS would be flat YoY given lower volumes and stranded tariffs .
- Full-year guidance pause rationale: awaiting clarity on reciprocal tariffs; orders normalized YTD with Q4 softness offset by Q1 rebound; Motive Power calendar YTD orders “flat” vs last year .
- IRC 45X refund status: peers received checks; ENS expects imminent IRS refund with interest; bipartisan support for 45X package progressing .
- Lithium plant outlook: DOE support intact; advancing cell development with partner; model updating for cost inputs and 45X; ready to move upon policy clarity .
- M&A and capital allocation: dry powder to act opportunistically; A&D runway and lithium synergies; no bolt-ons in current EPS guidance; buybacks remain active .
Estimates Context
- Q4 FY2025 adjusted EPS of $2.97 vs S&P Global consensus $2.782 (Beat); revenue $974.8M vs $973.5M (Beat).*
- Q3 FY2025 adjusted EPS $3.12 vs $2.868 (Beat); revenue $906.2M vs $932.7M (Miss).*
- Q2 FY2025 adjusted EPS $2.12 vs $2.07 (Beat); revenue $883.7M vs $887.8M (Miss).*
- Implication: EPS estimates likely revise up on margin quality (mix/price, Bren-Tronics, ES optimization), while near-term revenue estimates may temper for Q1 given tariffs/seasonality but supported by A&D/data center demand .
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Margin engine intact: mix (maintenance-free), ES optimization, and A&D strength drove broad-based expansion; focus on protecting profitability despite macro noise .
- Tariff risk manageable: structural buffers (“produce in region”), active task force, and pricing/supply actions; expect transient Q1 headwinds with stranded costs, then normalization .
- Secular demand drivers: AI-led data traffic upgrades (carriers upgrading macro sites/COs), warehouse electrification, and defense spending underpin multi-year growth .
- Cash/returns optionality: strong FCF ($105M in Q4) and 1.3x leverage support buybacks and selective bolt-ons like Bren-Tronics; $200M remaining authorization .
- Technology roadmap: Synova Sync charger, warehouse BESS, and domestic lithium strategy (DOE engagement) could expand TAM and pricing power over time .
- Near-term trading setup: Q1 guide frames earnings trough; watch tariff developments and IRS refund timing as sentiment catalysts; ES orders, maintenance-free mix, and A&D backlog are key trackers .
- Medium-term thesis: EPS growth ex-45X to outpace revenue; mix/innovation, footprint rationalization (Monterrey closure, Richmond consolidation) deliver structural margin gains by FY2027 .