Sign in

You're signed outSign in or to get full access.

QB

Quanex Building Products CORP (NX)·Q1 2025 Earnings Summary

Executive Summary

  • Q1 FY25 revenue rose 67.3% YoY to $400.0M on the addition of Tyman; GAAP EPS was $(0.32) vs $0.19 prior-year, while Adjusted EPS was $0.19 (vs $0.25), with consolidated gross margin at 23.1% and Adjusted EBITDA of $38.5M (9.6% margin) .
  • Management reaffirmed FY25 guidance introduced at Feb 6 Investor Day: net sales ~$1.84–$1.86B and Adjusted EBITDA $270–$280M; they also guided Q2 revenue up 9–11% QoQ with 350–400 bps QoQ adjusted EBITDA margin expansion, framing seasonality and synergy capture as key drivers .
  • Tyman integration tracking to $30M run-rate synergies by end of year 2; margin cadence expected to improve as PPA inventory step-up amortization that pressured gross margin in Q4 and Q1 runs off, per call commentary .
  • Liquidity stood at $301.5M; total debt $764.3M (Net Debt/LTM Adj. EBITDA 3.6x). The company repaid ~$12M debt in Q1 (cumulative ~$65M since close) and repurchased ~150k shares for ~$3.7M (avg $24.66) .
  • Consensus (S&P Global) estimates for Q1 and prior quarters were not retrievable at time of analysis; estimate comparisons are therefore not provided (S&P Global data unavailable).

What Went Well and What Went Wrong

  • What Went Well

    • Consolidated margin expansion YoY despite soft legacy demand; Adjusted EBITDA roughly doubled YoY to $38.5M, driven by Tyman contribution and cost synergies .
    • Integration momentum: management remains “confident” in delivering $30M synergy target, with re-segmentation to Hardware Solutions, Extruded Solutions and Custom Solutions to drive scale and best-practice sharing .
    • Balance sheet flexibility preserved: liquidity $301.5M; covenant leverage 2.2x; continued debt paydown (~$65M since close) alongside buybacks, providing capital allocation optionality .
  • What Went Wrong

    • Legacy volume softness: excluding Tyman, net sales declined 6.2% YoY, with North American Fenestration down 9.2% and Cabinets profit still negative on reduced operating leverage .
    • Free cash flow seasonally negative at $(24.1)M, pressured by integration costs and working capital dynamics as Tyman’s make-to-stock model layers in .
    • Gross margin still below historical levels in Q1 (23.1%) owing in part to acquisition accounting effects; management expects improvement through the year as PPA step-up runs off .

Financial Results

Quarterly performance vs prior quarters (oldest → newest):

MetricQ3 2024Q4 2024Q1 2025
Net Sales ($M)$280.3 $492.2 $400.0
GAAP Diluted EPS$0.77 $(0.30) $(0.32)
Adjusted Diluted EPS$0.73 $0.61 $0.19
Gross Margin %25.3% 23.8% 23.1%
Adjusted EBITDA ($M)$42.0 $81.1 $38.5
Adjusted EBITDA Margin %15.0% 16.5% 9.6%
Free Cash Flow ($M)$40.1 $(8.2) $(24.1)
Vs S&P Global ConsensusN/A (unavailable)N/A (unavailable)N/A (unavailable)

Year-over-year (Q1 2025 vs Q1 2024) key figures:

MetricQ1 2024Q1 2025
Net Sales ($M)$239.2 $400.0
GAAP Diluted EPS$0.19 $(0.32)
Adjusted Diluted EPS$0.25 $0.19
Gross Margin %21.5% 23.1%
Adjusted EBITDA ($M)$19.3 $38.5

Segment breakdown (Q1 2024 → Q1 2025):

SegmentNet Sales ($M) Q1’24Net Sales ($M) Q1’25Adj. EBITDA ($M) Q1’24Adj. EBITDA ($M) Q1’25Adj. EBITDA Margin % Q1’24Adj. EBITDA Margin % Q1’25
NA Fenestration$148.0 $134.3 $13.717 $11.633 9.3% 8.7%
EU Fenestration$49.4 $48.5 $9.989 $9.913 20.2% 20.5%
NA Cabinet Components$43.1 $43.8 $(0.732) $(0.873) -1.7% -2.0%
TymanN/A$175.7 N/A$18.978 N/A10.8%
Unallocated Corp & Other$(1.4) $(2.2) $(3.700) $(1.109) N/AN/A

Balance sheet and cash flow KPIs (trend):

KPIQ4 2024Q1 2025
Total Debt ($M)$776.9 $764.3
Net Debt ($M)$679.2 $714.3
Net Debt / LTM Adj. EBITDA3.7x 3.6x
Debt Covenant Leverage Ratio2.3x 2.2x (2.1x alt calc)
Liquidity ($M)$343.3 $301.5
Cash from Ops ($M)$5.5 $(12.5)
Capex ($M)$13.7 $11.6
Share RepurchasesN/A~150k shares; ~$3.7M; $24.66 avg

Notes on non-GAAP: Adjusted metrics exclude items including PPA inventory step-up, transaction/advisory and reorg costs, restructuring/severance, intangible amortization, pension/FX items; see reconciliations in release .

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodPrevious GuidanceCurrent GuidanceChange
Net SalesFY 2025~$1.84–$1.86B (issued Feb 6, 2025 Investor Day) ~$1.84–$1.86B (reaffirmed Mar 10, 2025) Maintained
Adjusted EBITDAFY 2025$270–$280M (issued Feb 6, 2025 Investor Day) $270–$280M (reaffirmed Mar 10, 2025) Maintained
Revenue cadenceQ2 2025 vs Q1 2025N/AUp ~9–11% QoQ New intra-year color
Adj. EBITDA margin cadenceQ2 2025 vs Q1 2025N/A+350–400 bps QoQ New intra-year color
Synergy targetRun-rate by end of year 2$30M target $30M target (on track) Maintained
DividendQuarterly$0.08 declared Dec 2024 $0.08 declared Feb 27, 2025 (payable Mar 31) Maintained

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

TopicQ3 2024 (Prior-2)Q4 2024 (Prior-1)Q1 2025 (Current)Trend
Tyman integration & synergiesAcquisition closed Aug 1; integration underway; accretive in first full year Integration ahead of schedule; margin expansion; debt repayment Confidence in $30M synergies; identifying additional opportunities Steady progress; increasing visibility
Seasonality & demandSoft demand YoY; expect pent-up demand as rates ease Expect softness until spring; improvement 2H on seasonality Q2 revenue +9–11% QoQ; business highly seasonal Seasonal uplift emphasized
Gross margin driversLower YoY on volume/operating leverage PPA step-up impacted Q4 GM; consolidated GM 23.8% PPA step-up ran off in Q1; margins to rise through FY25 Improving as PPA impact fades
Tariffs & supply chainNot highlightedNot highlightedTariffs fluid; localized supply reduces exposure; pricing mechanisms mitigate Risk managed; ongoing monitoring
Capital allocationStrong FCF Q3; no Tyman yet Repaid $53.75M in Q4 Preference for buybacks at current levels; continued debt paydown More weighted to buybacks near-term
ResegmentationNot highlightedInvestor Day preview (revamped structure) Moving to Hardware, Extruded, Custom Solutions; reporting later this year Structural shift underway

Management Commentary

  • Strategic focus: “Our primary objectives are to achieve or exceed the expected financial synergies from the [Tyman] transaction and to establish an organizational structure…to provide a scalable platform for future growth.”
  • Integration update: “We remain confident in our ability to deliver on the $30 million cost synergy target…results…were again lifted by the contribution from the Tyman acquisition and we achieved margin expansion.”
  • Outlook tone: “Despite the soft macro backdrop, we continue to expect an improvement in demand as we enter the spring selling season…[and] benefit from the unwinding of pent-up demand as consumer confidence improves.”
  • Capital allocation: “We will focus on paying down debt and repurchasing our stock in an opportunistic manner.”

Q&A Highlights

  • Margin cadence and PPA effects: Management attributed a significant step-up in gross margin later in FY25 to the PPA inventory step-up running off after Q1, supporting the path to full-year targets .
  • Demand drivers by segment: Winter weather disproportionately pressured window/door in North America; cabinets acted as a leading indicator and performed comparatively better on volume in Q1 .
  • Confidence in guidance: FY25 reaffirmation is based on seasonality plus synergy execution; management positioned their December stance as conservative versus peers .
  • Capital allocation tilt: Given valuation, buybacks could take priority over debt repayment during open windows, evaluated weekly; no 10b program in place .
  • Tariff sensitivity: Potential tariff impacts would be most direct in Hardware (aluminum), mitigated by index pricing/surcharges and localization .
  • Capacity/expansion: Jackson, GA facility enhances Southeast service, adds mixing/compounding capacity to support adjacent growth (e.g., flashing tapes, solar) .

Estimates Context

  • Attempts to retrieve S&P Global consensus for revenue and EPS for Q1 FY25 and prior quarters failed due to access limits; therefore, vs-consensus comparisons are not included (S&P Global data unavailable at time of analysis).
  • Given the reaffirmed FY25 guide and Q2 cadence, Street models may need to reflect: (a) sequential Q2 revenue +9–11% QoQ, (b) 350–400 bps QoQ expansion in adjusted EBITDA margin, and (c) higher 2H weight consistent with seasonality .

Key Takeaways for Investors

  • Reaffirmed FY25 guide ($1.84–$1.86B revenue; $270–$280M Adj. EBITDA) and explicit Q2 cadence (+9–11% revenue QoQ; +350–400 bps margin) provide near-term visibility despite macro/tariff noise .
  • Margin trajectory should improve through FY25 as PPA inventory step-up effects abate, with synergy capture supporting EBITDA conversion .
  • Integration execution remains the primary narrative: $30M run-rate synergies targeted by end of year 2, with resegmentation to enhance scale and best-practice sharing .
  • Balance sheet manageable: liquidity $301.5M; covenant leverage 2.2x; continued debt reduction alongside opportunistic buybacks (~$3.7M in Q1) .
  • Legacy demand remains soft near-term (NA Fenestration down 9.2% YoY), but seasonal Q2/Q3/Q4 uplift and potential pent-up demand underpin the back-half setup .
  • FCF negative in Q1 is typical seasonality exacerbated by integration/working capital; watch cash generation inflect in 2H per historical seasonality discussed by management .
  • Risk watchlist: tariff outcomes (hardware exposure), consumer confidence, and execution on resegmentation/reporting transition; mitigants include localized sourcing and pricing mechanisms .

Additional Detail: Selected Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Reconciliations are included in the company’s Q1 FY25 8‑K/press release (non-GAAP definitions and reconciliations provided) .