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ITT INC. (ITT)·Q1 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q1 2025 was resilient with revenue $913M, GAAP EPS $1.33, and adjusted EPS $1.45; adjusted margin expanded 30 bps to 17.4% despite FX and M&A amortization headwinds .
- Results modestly beat consensus: EPS $1.45 vs $1.44* and revenue $913M vs $907.5M*, aided by productivity and pricing; GAAP EPS declined YoY on higher interest and tax .
- Management maintained full-year adjusted guidance (organic growth 3–5%, adj. operating margin 18.1–19.0%, adj. EPS $6.10–$6.50, FCF $450–$500M) while lowering GAAP EPS ($5.80–$6.20) and GAAP margin (17.5–18.4%) to reflect tariff and tax effects .
- Catalysts: record orders >$1.0B (book-to-bill 1.15) and backlog $1.8B, $400M buybacks through April, and launch of VIDAR smart motor opening a $6B TAM; near-term watch items include tariff headwinds of $50–$60M and aerospace destocking .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Orders hit a record >$1.0B; backlog rose to $1.8B (+21% YoY, +10% seq.), with book-to-bill 1.15, supported by kSARIA and Svanehøj .
- Margin execution: adjusted operating margin expanded to 17.4% and segment-level pricing/productivity offset FX and cost inflation; adjusted EPS grew 7% excluding the Wolverine divestiture .
- Strategic momentum: VIDAR launch enters $6B industrial motor TAM; CEO: “VIDAR is a game-changing industrial motor… the only industrial motor of its kind on the market” .
What Went Wrong
- GAAP EPS fell 1% YoY on higher interest and tax; GAAP operating margin flat YoY; aerospace demand weaker in CCT .
- CCT reported margin compression (15.3%, -240 bps YoY) from M&A dilution and higher materials/overhead; aerospace inventory normalization persists .
- Tariff headwind estimated at $50–$60M for the remaining 9 months of 2025, with potential margin/cash timing impact even if largely offset by price/sourcing actions .
Financial Results
Consolidated performance vs prior quarters
Segment breakdown
KPIs
Versus Wall Street consensus (S&P Global)
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “We surpassed $1 billion of orders in a quarter for the first time and entered Q2 with a $1.8 billion backlog, a 21% increase versus last year and up 10% sequentially… we expanded adjusted margin 30 basis points” – Luca Savi .
- “We repurchased $300 million of ITT shares in April in addition to the $100 million we did in Q1, lowering our share count by 4% for the year… and still, our capacity to execute M&A remains” – Luca Savi .
- “VIDAR is truly a game changer… a drop-in replacement… energy use decreased by 50%… entering a $6 billion addressable market” – Luca Savi .
- “Our actions will offset the impact [of tariffs] from an operating income perspective… there may, however, be some impact on margin and timing that could affect cash flow” – Emmanuel Caprais .
- “IP backlog is at $1 billion, a record… gives us confidence in our revenue number and our growth in 2025” – Emmanuel Caprais .
Q&A Highlights
- Orders strength driven by multi-year project awards (IP up 47%) and acquisition contributions; not pre-buy ahead of price increases .
- Buyback rationale: reaffirm confidence; M&A pipeline healthy with $500–$700M targeted in 2025 while net leverage remains low .
- Guidance bridge: FX and share count tailwinds; higher tax/cost inflation; slower 2H macro; IP ~5% growth, MT ~flat; CCT just shy of 18% margin due to kSARIA amortization .
- Tariffs: $50–$60M gross headwind in remaining nine months; largely offset via pricing and sourcing; largest exposure in CCT/IP; minimal in MT with USMCA compliance/regional production .
- Aerospace: recovery expected sequentially through 2H; inventory excess at Tier 1s and airframers being addressed .
- MT outlook: European/North American production weak in Q1; expect 400–500 bps OEM outperformance for full-year based on platform wins .
Estimates Context
- Q1 2025 beat: EPS $1.45 vs $1.44*, revenue $913M vs $907.5M*, driven by pricing, productivity and defense/rail strength; GAAP EPS impacted by higher interest/tax .
- Q4 2024 also modest beat: EPS $1.50 vs $1.47*, revenue $929M vs $927.0* .
- Implications: 2Q guide implies adjusted EPS growth ~8% at midpoint and margin expansion; estimates may need to reflect Boeing ramp in CCT and IP project shipments, while embedding tariff pass-through and 2H macro caution .
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Underlying execution solid: adjusted margin +30 bps and adjusted EPS +2% YoY, with stronger underlying +7% excluding Wolverine divestiture .
- Order book/backlog strength de-risks near-term revenue (backlog $1.8B, IP backlog $1B), supporting 2Q mid-single-digit growth and margin expansion .
- GAAP guidance trimmed (EPS and margin) due to tariffs/tax, but adjusted guide maintained; focus on price realization and productivity to defend margins .
- CCT mix headwind (aerospace destocking, M&A amortization) is transitory; defense connectors growth and pricing renegotiations should improve margins sequentially .
- VIDAR is a potential multi-year growth vector with clear customer ROI and energy savings; first shipments expected Q3 2025; watch Capital Markets Day for revenue targets .
- Capital allocation is supportive: $400M buybacks through April and continued M&A capacity provide EPS and strategic upside .
- Monitor tariff implementation and macro in 2H: management expects OI offset, but margin/cash timing could be volatile; pricing power strongest in distribution-heavy CCT/IP .