EM
EAGLE MATERIALS INC (EXP)·Q1 2026 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Record revenue of $0.635B (+4% YoY) and diluted EPS of $3.76; revenue and EPS both beat consensus, while Adjusted EBITDA was modestly above Street; gross margin 29.2% despite weather and maintenance cost headwinds .
- Versus S&P Global consensus: revenue +4.3% beat*, EPS +2.1% beat*, and Adjusted EBITDA +1.4% beat*; Q3/Q4 FY2025 were prior misses largely on weather and fixed-cost absorption (see tables).
- Execution on capex and strategic projects: FY2026 capex guide $475–$525M; Mountain Cement modernization on-time/on-budget for late CY2026 commissioning; Duke, OK wallboard modernization commencing with equipment purchases .
- Capital returns and balance sheet: 358K shares repurchased for $79M; net leverage 1.6x; $0.25 dividend subsequently declared (payable Oct 16, 2025) .
- Near-term stock narrative catalysts: infrastructure-driven cement volumes, aggregate integration, wallboard margin resilience, and pacing of cement price actions into the fall (pricing commentary suggests medium/long-term upside) .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Record revenue $634.7M (+4% YoY) with cement volumes up 2% and aggregates volumes up 117% (acquisitions + organic +29%), demonstrating resilience across heavy materials .
- Wallboard volumes up 4% to 784 MMSF with sector operating earnings of $102.1M; margins held despite lower pricing, supported by lower input costs and operational advantages .
- Management execution and positioning: “We remain well-positioned for long-term growth… aging infrastructure continues to need renovation and expansion” — CEO Michael Haack .
What Went Wrong
- Cement operating earnings down 9% to $81.1M on higher fixed costs (due to maintenance/outage timing and lower production) and raw materials (+$7.1M and +$1.6M); JV earnings also weaker with 12% volume decline amid Texas weather .
- Wallboard pricing down 3% YoY to $232.40/MSF; sequentially range-bound; management does not expect near-term pricing strength absent a meaningful volume recovery .
- Corporate G&A up ~33% YoY (comp +$2.2M; ERP IT upgrades +$1.1M; professional services +$1.1M), a continuing headwind to consolidated EBIT .
Financial Results
Consolidated Performance vs Prior Periods and Estimates
Note: Company reports EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as non-GAAP; consensus EBITDA definitions may differ. Values with asterisks are retrieved from S&P Global.
Segment Breakdown (Q1 FY2026)
Operating KPIs (Volumes and Pricing)
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- CEO Michael Haack: “We remain well-positioned for long-term growth… our strong balance sheet, significant cashflow generation, and consistent, disciplined operational and strategic execution… provides a platform that should allow the company to continue to deliver attractive shareholder value” .
- Pricing outlook: “Shorter-term… we’ll be more pacing [cement price increases], looking at the fall… midterm and long term… more potential and upside” .
- Sustainability and strategy: early achievement of midterm cement CO2e intensity goal; Terra CO2 investment to advance low-carbon materials .
- CFO Craig Kesler: On capex and cash taxes — FY2026 capex $475–$525M; accelerated depreciation to materially reduce cash taxes when Mountain/Duke projects enter service .
Q&A Highlights
- Wallboard demand and margins: management sees affordability constraints as the key gating factor; costs (natural gas, OCC) stable; wallboard margins remain strong .
- JV and Texas weather: startup/ramp of slag facility continued to be a drag; Texas weather drove JV volumes -12% YoY; expected improvement through the year .
- Cement costs: higher fixed costs due to annual maintenance and reduced production were temporary, with energy largely flat; impact unique to the quarter .
- Aggregates profitability: strong quarter without one-off benefits; expect normal seasonality .
- Pricing cadence: pacing cement price actions near term; potential to revisit in fall; constructive medium/long-term price outlook given utilization .
Estimates Context
- The company beat Q1 FY2026 revenue and EPS vs S&P Global consensus, reversing prior quarter misses driven by adverse weather and fixed-cost absorption in cement; Adjusted EBITDA also modestly topped consensus despite cost pressures (see tables).
- With capex guidance affirmed, Mountain/Duke project timelines intact, and commentary suggesting pacing of cement price actions into the fall, Street models may modestly increase FY2026 revenue/EPS for heavy materials while keeping wallboard pricing conservative until volumes recover .
Values marked with asterisks in tables are retrieved from S&P Global.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Infrastructure award momentum and high industry utilization underpin improving cement volumes; medium/long-term pricing looks constructive as supply-demand tightens .
- Aggregates segment is inflecting: acquisitions plus 29% organic volume growth support revenue/earnings trajectory and margin normalization post acquisition accounting .
- Wallboard remains resilient with strong margins; pricing likely range-bound until affordability improves; costs (gas/OCC) benign near term .
- Near-term EPS variability tied to weather/maintenance timing in cement; Q1 shows improving cadence with temporary fixed cost headwinds .
- Capital allocation remains disciplined: FY26 capex $475–$525M, opportunistic buybacks, net leverage 1.6x; dividend declared at $0.25/share enhances return profile .
- Watch for fall cement pricing actions, Mountain commissioning late CY2026, Duke modernization execution, and updates on JV slag ramp; these are key narrative drivers for the stock .
- Estimate risk skew: modest upward bias on heavy-side volumes and EBITDA if weather normalizes and price pacing holds; wallboard estimates likely stable pending housing affordability improvement .