SI
SCANSOURCE, INC. (SCSC)·Q2 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Net sales fell 15.5% year-over-year to $747.5M; gross profit rose 1.0% to $101.7M and gross margin expanded 222bp to 13.6%, driven by higher recurring revenue mix . GAAP diluted EPS was $0.70; non-GAAP diluted EPS was $0.85 (flat YoY) and adjusted EBITDA was $35.3M (4.72% margin) .
- Specialty Technology Solutions declined on large-deal weakness; Intelisys & Advisory grew 4% YoY with acquisitions contributing, and recurring revenue rose 31.2% YoY .
- Management reaffirmed FY25 guidance at Q2 (net sales $3.1–$3.5B; adj. EBITDA $140–$160M; FCF ≥$70M) , but later updated guidance at Q3 to ~$3.0B net sales and $140–$145M adj. EBITDA while keeping FCF ≥$70M .
- Narrative/catalysts: mix shift to higher-margin recurring revenue, Advantix/Resourcive integration and vendor rebates supported margins; near-term caution on hardware large deals and Brazil FX headwinds tempered top-line visibility .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Gross margin expansion and gross profit growth despite soft demand: “we delivered gross profit growth and a strong gross profit margin” and recurring revenue now 32.4% of gross profit .
- Recurring revenue momentum and higher profitability mix: recurring revenue +31.2% YoY; adjusted EBITDA margin improved to 4.72% .
- Strategic acquisitions expanding recurring revenue opportunities: “Our recent acquisitions are expanding recurring revenue opportunities… Advantix… a high margin recurring revenue add-on” .
What Went Wrong
- Large-deal weakness and demand softness led to top-line miss vs internal expectations: net sales declined 4% sequentially (QoQ) and large deals saw double-digit decline; “this was a large deal-driven miss” .
- Brazil FX headwinds and hardware visibility: STS faced FX headwinds in Brazil; visibility limited due to lack of backlog and daily shipment model .
- Free cash flow negative in the quarter due to late-quarter timing of sales/vendor payments: Q2 free cash flow was -$8.2M vs $60.7M in prior-year quarter .
Financial Results
Segment Net Sales
Revenue Type
Geography
KPIs and Mix
Estimates vs. Actuals
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “In a soft demand environment, our team delivered second quarter gross profit growth and a strong gross profit margin.” – Mike Baur, Chair & CEO .
- “With our recent acquisitions, we have expanded recurring revenue opportunities… Advantix… represents a recurring revenue opportunity for many of our VARs and a great example of a hybrid solution, combining devices and recurring revenue.” – Mike Baur .
- “Our more profitable mix translated into a higher adjusted EBITDA margin… recurring revenue represents 32% of our consolidated gross profit.” – CFO Steve Jones .
- “We ended Q2 with $111 million in cash and a net debt leverage ratio of 0.2x… Adjusted ROIC for the quarter is 13.3%.” – CFO Steve Jones .
Q&A Highlights
- Large-deal cadence and miss: December-weighted quarter did not deliver expected large deals; “double-digit decline year-over-year was the surprise… large deal-driven miss” .
- Guidance confidence vs. visibility: Reaffirmed FY25 ranges based on sentiment and recurring revenue predictability, but hardware top-line visibility is “really hard” without backlog .
- Intelisys strategy: New “channel exchange” SaaS platform to attract suppliers; partner segmentation to align value and commission splits; competitive pressures acknowledged; billings +5% YoY .
- Mix of technologies: Barcode/mobility and physical security performed; other areas challenged; expectation for broader technology recovery needed to meet annual guidance .
Estimates Context
- S&P Global consensus for Q2 FY25 revenue and EPS was unavailable at time of analysis due to API limits; company-reported results are provided without estimate comparisons [GetEstimates errors].
- Given margin outperformance and recurring revenue growth, near-term estimate revisions likely center on mix-driven margin resilience vs. cautious top-line trajectory, especially in hardware and Brazil .
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Mix-led margin strength: Gross margin up 222bp YoY to 13.6% despite top-line declines, supported by recurring revenue and vendor programs—a positive for earnings quality in a soft demand environment .
- Hardware large-deal volatility: Double-digit decline in large deals and limited visibility without backlog constrain near-term revenue confidence; monitor large-deal cadence and Brazil FX .
- Recurring revenue scaling: Recurring revenue +31.2% YoY and now 32.4% of gross profit; Intelisys billings +5% YoY and platform upgrades (channel exchange) should support margin durability .
- Free cash flow discipline: Q2 FCF negative due to timing, but YTD FCF $34.3M and CFO reiterates cash culture—watch conversion in H2 .
- Capital allocation: $24M Q2 repurchases and active M&A pipeline with target leverage 1–2x adj. EBITDA; later Q3 added $200M repurchase authorization—supportive for EPS and downside protection .
- Guidance risk skew: Reaffirmed ranges in Q2, but updated at Q3 to lower net sales and tighten EBITDA—expect cautious sell-side resets on revenue while margins hold up .
- Trading setup: Near-term stock moves likely keyed to evidence of large-deal recovery and Brazil stabilization; margin resilience and recurring momentum are offsets if top-line remains choppy .