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Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. (SPR)·Q1 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q1 2025 printed Revenues $1.52B and Adjusted EPS $(4.25), both materially below Street as Boeing program production remained depressed and forward-loss charges persisted; GAAP EPS was $(5.21) .
- No guidance and no earnings call due to the pending Boeing acquisition; management reiterated “substantial doubt” about going concern absent additional funding/advances, highlighting liquidity risk as a key stock narrative catalyst .
- Mix shift toward Airbus aided deliveries (429 shipsets vs 307 in Q1 2024), but margins were hit by $293M net forward losses, $116M warranty reserve tied to alleged counterfeit titanium certifications, and $47M excess capacity costs; partially offset by ~$80M gain on the FMI divestiture .
- Strategic updates: definitive agreement to divest Airbus programs (with $200M Airbus credit lines) and shareholder approval of Boeing deal; management targets Q3 2025 close, subject to regulatory approvals and transaction conditions .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Airbus program momentum and overall deliveries improved YoY (Airbus shipsets 236 vs 191; total 429 vs 307), supporting revenue mix resilience despite Boeing rate headwinds .
- Liquidity actions and portfolio optimization: ~$80.4M gain recognized from sale of Fiber Materials Inc. (FMI) completed Jan 13, 2025; management continues to pursue divestitures and advances to bridge to transaction close .
- Strategic clarity: definitive Airbus divestiture agreement plus $200M non-interest-bearing credit lines to support Airbus programs; Boeing merger tracking for targeted Q3 2025 close pending approvals .
What Went Wrong
- Material charges and weak margins: Q1 included $293M net forward losses (A350 $90M; A220 $86M; 787 $38M), $116M warranty reserve tied to titanium records issue, and $47M excess capacity costs, driving operating margin to (32.0%) .
- Liquidity pressure intensified: Cash used in operations $(420)M; FCF $(474)M; quarter-end cash $220M; management disclosed “substantial doubt” about going concern absent further funding/advances and execution on divestitures/merger .
- Commercial margins deteriorated: Commercial segment operating margin (40.0%) vs (35.8%) YoY; Defense swung to loss on KC‑46/KC‑135 forward losses; Aftermarket margin slipped on mix .
Financial Results
Consolidated Performance vs Prior Periods
Q1 2025 Actuals vs Prior Year and Consensus
Notes: Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Result: Revenue and Adjusted EPS were significant misses vs consensus; EBITDA also below expectations. Bolded misses: Revenue miss; EPS miss; EBITDA miss.
Segment Breakdown (Q1 2025 vs Q1 2024)
KPIs: Shipset Deliveries
Guidance Changes
Spirit suspended guidance during the merger process and did not hold a conference call.
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
No earnings call was held due to the merger agreement . Themes below track narrative across Q3 2024, Q4 2024, and Q1 2025 press materials.
Management Commentary
- Liquidity and going concern: “Developments in 2024 resulted in significant reductions in projected revenue and cash flows… we will need to obtain additional funding… substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern exists.” .
- Strategic execution: “Definitive agreement with Airbus… $200 million non-interest-bearing lines of credit… expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, concurrently with the Boeing acquisition.” .
- Cost/margin drivers: “Total change in estimates… net forward losses of $293M… driven by A350 ($90M), A220 ($86M), 787 ($38M)… warranty reserve of $116M… excess capacity costs $47M.” .
- From prior quarter (leadership tone): “We’ve made significant strides to improve operations… meaningful increase in both the quality and number of deliveries.” – CEO Pat Shanahan; CFO Irene Esteves on delivery improvement .
Q&A Highlights
- No conference call or Q&A was held due to the merger agreement .
Estimates Context
- Q1 2025 results were well below S&P Global consensus: Revenue $1.522B vs $1.735B*, Adjusted/Primary EPS $(4.25) vs $(1.56); EBITDA $(476)M vs $50M .
- Forward quarters embed a sharp recovery path in Street numbers; given continuing program losses and liquidity constraints, estimates likely need to be revised down or widened in dispersion.
Notes: Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Street misses were driven by program-level forward losses, warranty reserve, and excess capacity costs; while sequential losses narrowed vs Q4, margin recovery remains challenging absent pricing relief or rate normalization .
- Liquidity is the central risk: negative CFFO/FCF, low cash, and explicit going-concern language; stock narrative hinges on customer advances, divestiture proceeds, and merger timing/regulatory outcomes .
- Airbus divestiture agreement and $200M credit lines de-risk execution of the Boeing transaction and support Airbus programs near-term; monitor closing in Q3 2025 .
- Deliveries improved sharply YoY (737 and Airbus families), but unit economics remain pressured; further mix and efficiency gains are required to offset forward-loss programs .
- No guidance and no call constrain near-term visibility; expect heightened estimate dispersion and sensitivity to program updates, regulatory milestones (FTC second request), and rate plans from Boeing/Airbus .
- Actionable: Focus on liquidity catalysts (advances renegotiation, divestiture proceeds), program loss trajectory (A220/A350/787), and merger/regulatory timeline; near-term trading likely driven by transaction headlines and any quality/warranty developments .
Additional Data Points
- Cash used in ops $(420)M; FCF $(474)M; cash $220M; total debt $4.363B at quarter-end .
- Segment level: Defense swung to loss on KC‑46/KC‑135 forward losses despite higher activity on P‑8 and CH‑53K; Aftermarket margin slipped on mix .