HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC (HON) Q2 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q2 2025 delivered solid top-line and earnings outperformance vs guidance: sales $10.35B (+8% YoY) and adjusted EPS $2.75 (+10% YoY), with segment margin 22.9% within guidance despite aero and ESS mix headwinds .
- Against Wall Street, HON beat S&P Global consensus for revenue ($10.35B vs $10.06B*) and adjusted EPS ($2.75 vs $2.66*) in Q2; Q1 also beat on EPS and revenue, while Q4 2024 beat on revenue and adjusted EPS* [GetEstimates].
- Full-year 2025 guidance raised: sales to $40.8–$41.3B (from $39.6–$40.5B), organic growth to 4–5% (from 2–5%), and adjusted EPS to $10.45–$10.65 (from $10.20–$10.50); segment margin narrowed to 23.0–23.2% (from 23.2–23.5%) .
- Portfolio catalysts continue: closed $2.2B Sundyne, announced £1.8B Johnson Matthey Catalyst Technologies acquisition, completed $1.3B PPE sale, and evaluating strategic alternatives for PSS/WWS; Solstice Advanced Materials spin targeted for Q4 2025 .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Building Automation led with 8% organic growth and 90 bps margin expansion to 26.2%, driven by volume leverage and Access Solutions integration .
- Defense & Space +13% YoY and Commercial Aftermarket +7% drove Aero organic +6% and double-digit backlog/order growth; management reiterated bullish aero outlook post supply-chain healing .
- Record backlog and healthy orders: backlog +10% organically to $36.6B and Q2 orders $10.5B, underpinning second-half visibility .
Management quote: “Honeywell delivered outstanding results… both organic growth and adjusted earnings per share exceeding guidance despite the unpredictable macroeconomic backdrop.” — Vimal Kapur, CEO .
What Went Wrong
- Aerospace margin contracted 170 bps to 25.5% on cost inflation, acquisitions (CASE), and OE destocking; pricing to offset tariffs in aero OE will lag contractual resets .
- ESS margin contracted 110 bps to 24.1% due to a customer settlement, cost inflation, and mix shift from catalysts/projects timing .
- Free cash flow fell 9% YoY to $1.02B as inventories rose amid tariff-related cost inflation and capex ramp .
Financial Results
Consolidated performance vs prior quarters
Actual vs S&P Global consensus (quarterly)
Values retrieved from S&P Global. (*)
Segment breakdown
KPIs and cash metrics
Guidance Changes
Additional color: Guidance includes Sundyne close and PPE sale; ex-Bombardier 4Q24 impact, organic growth 3–4%, segment margin −30 to −10 bps YoY, adjusted EPS +1–3% YoY .
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “Three out of four segments grew sales at better than 5%… record backlog.” — Vimal Kapur, CEO .
- “Adjusted EPS was $2.75… organic and inorganic segment profit growth, and lower tax rate, offset higher interest and lower pension income.” — Mike Stepniak, CFO .
- “Aero OE destocking is transitory… margins will improve as CASE drag normalizes and pricing catches up.” — CFO .
- “Sustainable fuels projects most impacted by timing; LNG remains very strong… two‑in‑a‑box strategy benefits ESS and Process Automation.” — CEO .
Q&A Highlights
- Aerospace: OE destocking with a North America platform; expect normalization in H2; aero margins pressured by CASE and R&D but not a new baseline .
- UOP/ESS: Strong Q2 catalysts/licensing; second-half cautious as projects shift; IRA/OB3 largely preserved longer-term .
- Pricing/tariffs: Short cycle pricing offsets; aero OE pricing lag due to contract mechanics; price now +100 bps vs prior guide .
- Building Automation margins: High incrementals; BA likely highest-margin business in 2025 .
- FCF: Inventory headwinds from aero; targeting >90% conversion in 2026 .
- PSS/WWS review: Choices aimed at pure-play automation focus; seeking clarity by year-end .
Estimates Context
- Q2 2025: Adjusted EPS $2.75 vs $2.66* consensus; revenue $10.35B vs $10.06B* — beat on both lines [GetEstimates].
- Q1 2025: Adjusted EPS $2.51 vs $2.21*; revenue $9.82B vs $9.60B* — beat [GetEstimates].
- Q4 2024: Adjusted EPS $2.47 vs $2.35*; revenue $10.09B vs $9.85B* — beat [GetEstimates].
Values retrieved from S&P Global. (*)
Where estimates may adjust:
- Likely upward revisions to BA margins and 2H sales trajectory; modestly lower segment margin expectations for aero and IA due to tariffs/mix, consistent with updated full-year margin guide .
Key Takeaways for Investors
- HON executed a clean beat-and-raise in Q2; narrative supported by backlog strength ($36.6B) and orders ($10.5B), with BA and Defense/Space leading .
- Expect aero margins to improve sequentially as OE destocking fades and pricing resets; near-term tariffs create timing, not structural, headwinds .
- ESS project timing and catalyst shipment pull-forward suggest a softer Q3 for UOP; LNG remains a durable tailwind into 2026 .
- Guidance shifts signal confidence: higher sales and EPS, cautious margin range reflecting tariff/mix; free cash flow guide maintained ($5.4–$5.8B) .
- Portfolio actions are a meaningful stock catalyst: PSS/WWS strategic alternatives, Solstice spin in Q4 2025, aero separation in 2H 2026, and recent M&A (Sundyne; JM Catalyst Technologies) .
- Near-term trading: favor strength into BA/Aero updates and spin milestones; watch Q3 ESS/IA mix and aero pricing cadence per management commentary .
- Medium-term thesis: elevated R&D and focused portfolio should accelerate organic growth and support margin resilience post-separation .
Additional relevant Q2 2025 press releases
- Strategic alternatives for PSS/WWS announced July 8, 2025 .
- Completed Sundyne acquisition (June 9, 2025) .
- Li-ion Tamer tuck-in (July 1, 2025) supports energy storage/data center exposure .
- Quarterly dividend declared July 25, 2025 .