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OSHKOSH CORP (OSK)·Q1 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q1 2025 was mixed: consolidated sales fell 9.1% to $2.31B and adjusted EPS was $1.92, below consensus, driven by Access softness and defense catch-up adjustments; Vocational delivered strong margin expansion and backlog growth .
- Versus estimates, OSK missed on revenue ($2.31B vs $2.41B*) and adjusted EPS ($1.92 vs $2.04*); Q4 2024 was a clear beat and Q3 2024 modestly beat both metrics (see table) .
- Management maintained confidence in the FY25 adjusted EPS trajectory of ~$11.00 absent tariffs but introduced a $1.00 per-share tariff headwind with up to $0.50 offset via cost actions; no formal guidance reset was issued .
- Key catalysts: tariff mitigation progress and clarity on Access pricing, continued strength in Vocational, and NGDV ramp to full-rate production by year-end; Investor Day (June 5) should update strategy and FY outlook .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Vocational strength: revenue +12.2% YoY to $0.87B and operating margin expanded to 13.6% (adjusted 14.9%) on improved price/cost and higher refuse volume .
- Access resilience: despite sales down 22.7% YoY, adjusted operating margin held at 11.3%; management cited strong backlog ($1.80B) and book-to-bill 1.0 .
- NGDV ramp: USPS deliveries started; management reaffirmed plan to reach full-rate production (16k–20k units annualized) by year-end, supporting H2 revenue and margin cadence .
Selected quotes:
- “Adjusted EPS of $1.92 was in line with our expectations of approximately $2.00 per share.” — CEO John Pfeifer .
- “We are on target to increase NGDV volume to full rate production by year-end.” — CFO Matt Field .
What Went Wrong
- Access volume/mix pressure: North America softness and higher sales discounts led to segment sales -22.7% and margin compression (10.8% GAAP OPM vs 16.8% prior year) .
- Defense segment breakeven: operating income fell to $0.6M (0.1% margin) on lower JLTV volumes and unfavorable cumulative catch-up adjustments (CCAs) .
- Tariff headwinds: company now expects ~$1.00 EPS headwind (direct), mostly impacting Access; cost actions may offset up to $0.50, but timing is back-half loaded and uncertain .
Financial Results
Consolidated Performance vs Prior Periods
Consensus vs Actuals (S&P Global vs Company-Reported)
Values with asterisk retrieved from S&P Global.
Segment Breakdown — Q1 2025 vs Q1 2024
Adjusted Operating Income (Q1 2025): Access $107.8 (11.3%), Vocational $128.8 (14.9%), Consolidated $191.8 (8.3%) .
KPIs and Operating Metrics
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “We are closely monitoring the international trade environment… we estimate that the direct adverse impact of tariffs… could be in the range of $1.00 per share for 2025. We anticipate that company-wide cost reduction actions will partially offset the impact… by up to $0.50 per share.” — CEO John Pfeifer .
- “We did not experience any notable order cancellations… Access backlog remains strong… we booked orders of $930 million and achieved a book-to-bill ratio of 1.0.” — CEO John Pfeifer .
- “We are on target to increase NGDV volume to full rate production by year-end… margins in defense should ramp up sequentially.” — CFO Matt Field .
- “We have pricing power… but our MO is to minimize impact to customers… tariffs are targeted and we are laser-focused on mitigation.” — CEO John Pfeifer .
Q&A Highlights
- Tariff impact and mitigation: ~$1.00 EPS headwind mostly in Access; offsets up to $0.50 via broad cost actions; limited Q2 impact as inventories work through; customer pricing power used judiciously to avoid demand elasticity .
- Defense cadence: NGDV ramp linear through year; exit at full-rate run-rate (16k–20k units); defense margins to improve sequentially; Q1 breakeven doesn’t change full-year view .
- Access outlook: telehandler decline includes loss of Cat license; management emphasized share gains and resilient margins; customer sentiment balanced with no defleeting; backlog supports H1 softness then better H2 .
- Vocational trajectory: refuse/recycling strength driven by manufacturing investments and dealer network expansion; considerable pricing in backlog to monetize as capacity increases .
Estimates Context
- Q1 2025 missed consensus: revenue $2.31B vs $2.41B* and adjusted EPS $1.92 vs $2.04*; driven by Access volume/mix and defense CCAs (see tables) .
- Prior quarters: Q4 2024 was a notable beat on revenue and adjusted EPS vs consensus; Q3 2024 modestly beat both (see tables) .
- FY 2025: Street adjusted EPS ~10.88* and revenue ~$10.33B*; management reiterated underlying ~$11.00 absent tariffs; expect back-half tariff impact and mitigation .
Values with asterisk retrieved from S&P Global.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Backdrop: Access remains soft near term but margins are resilient; Vocational strength and backlog provide multi-quarter visibility; Defense ramps with NGDV in H2, reducing program risk .
- Watch tariffs: Expect back-half EPS drag (~$1.00) largely in Access with up to $0.50 offset; monitor mitigation (resourcing, negotiation) and any pricing actions that could pressure volumes .
- Segment mix supports margins: Vocational and NGDV ramp should offset Access softness over H2, aiding consolidated margins and cash conversion as inventories normalize .
- Backlog quality: Access $1.80B and Vocational $6.34B backlogs, with pricing embedded; conversion pace depends on capacity and order cadence, not cancellations .
- Near-term trading: Expect estimate revisions lower for Access due to tariffs; setups for positive surprises include faster NGDV ramp, stronger Vocational throughput, and clearer tariff mitigation at Investor Day .
- Medium-term thesis: Leading positions, pricing power and disciplined capital allocation (buybacks, dividend) underpin earnings durability; focus on execution in Access and Defense CCAs normalization .