Core Insights - Wesco International has been included in the 2025 Fortune 500 list, ranking 199 overall, highlighting its ongoing value and ingenuity in the business-to-business distribution and logistics sector [1] - The company has been part of the Fortune 500 list since 1998, indicating a long-standing presence and performance in the industry [1] - Wesco's CEO, John Engel, expressed confidence in the company's ability to outperform market trends driven by AI, electrification, automation, and reshoring [1] Company Overview - Wesco International reported approximately $22 billion in annual sales for 2024, positioning itself as a leading provider of distribution, logistics services, and supply chain solutions [3] - The company employs around 20,000 people and operates over 700 sites across approximately 50 countries, providing a robust local and global presence [3] - Wesco offers a diverse portfolio that includes Electrical and Electronic Solutions, Communications and Security Solutions, and Utility and Broadband Solutions, catering to various sectors including commercial, industrial, and government [3] Recent Recognitions - In addition to its Fortune 500 inclusion, Wesco has been recognized on the Fortune World's Most Admired list and The Wall Street Journal's Top 250 Best-Managed Companies list [1] - The company has also been certified as a Great Place to Work in the U.S., reflecting its commitment to employee satisfaction and corporate culture [1]

Wesco's management team was rated positively by employee survey respondents for treating employees fairly. Post this This year, 83% of employees who responded to the survey said Wesco is a great place to work. This marks a significant improvement of 10 percentage points from Wesco's 2024 score of 73%, and it also exceeds the average rating across U.S. companies of 57%. "This recognition highlights the special workplace culture we've cultivated here at Wesco," says Chris Wolf, Executive Vice President and C ...

Core Points - Wesco International's Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.45375 per share, payable on June 30, 2025, to shareholders of record as of June 13, 2025 [1] Company Overview - Wesco International is a FORTUNE 500® company headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with approximately $22 billion in annual sales for 2024 [2] - The company specializes in business-to-business distribution, logistics services, and supply chain solutions, offering a diverse portfolio that includes Electrical and Electronic Solutions, Communications and Security Solutions, and Utility and Broadband Solutions [2] - Wesco employs around 20,000 people and operates over 700 sites, including distribution centers and sales offices in approximately 50 countries, providing a local presence and a global network for its customers [2]

WESCO International (WCC) reported first-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings of $2.21 per share, down 3.9% year over year. The bottom line missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.90%.Net sales were $5.34 billion, down 0.1% year over year due to continued weakness in the utility business. However, the figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.10%. Organic sales increased 5.6% year over year.Following the release, WCC shares rose 0.97% in the pre-market trading as investors responded positively to robust orga ...

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Financial Performance - Net sales for Q1 2025 were $5,343.7 million, a slight decrease of 0.1% compared to $5,350.0 million in Q1 2024, with organic sales growth of 5.6%[112] - Income from operations decreased by 8.4% to $240.9 million in Q1 2025 compared to $263.0 million in Q1 2024[118] - Net income attributable to common stockholders was $104.0 million in Q1 2025, with earnings per diluted share of $2.10, compared to $101.4 million and $1.95 in Q1 2024[123] - Adjusted earnings per diluted share for Q1 2025 were $2.21, down from $2.30 in Q1 2024, a decrease of 3.9%[139] Expenses and Costs - The cost of goods sold increased by 0.1% to $4,218.1 million in Q1 2025, resulting in a cost of goods sold as a percentage of net sales of 78.9%[114] - Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses rose to $836.3 million in Q1 2025, an increase of 0.8% from $829.4 million in Q1 2024[115] - Adjusted selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses for Q1 2025 were $829.0 million, up from $810.5 million in Q1 2024, reflecting a 2.8% increase[137] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2025 was $310.7 million, down $29.7 million or 8.7% year-over-year, primarily due to a $6.3 million decrease in net sales and a $6.9 million increase in SG&A expenses[125] Segment Performance - EES reported net sales of $2,065.3 million for Q1 2025, a slight increase of $1.0 million from Q1 2024, with organic sales growth of 3.4% driven by price changes[127] - CSS net sales increased by $295.5 million or 17.3% year-over-year to $2,000.3 million, with organic sales growth of 18.1% driven by volume growth in data center solutions[129] - UBS reported net sales of $1,278.1 million for Q1 2025, a decrease of $302.8 million or 19.2%, with organic sales declining by 4.9% due to customer destocking[131] Debt and Financing - The company issued $800 million in senior notes to support the redemption of its Series A Preferred Stock, expected to create substantial net income and cash flow benefits[108] - The financial leverage ratio increased to 3.1x as of March 31, 2025, compared to 2.9x as of December 31, 2024[146] - Approximately 74% of the company's debt portfolio consisted of fixed-rate debt as of March 31, 2025[144] Cash Flow and Liquidity - Net cash provided by operating activities for Q1 2025 was $28.0 million, significantly lower than $746.3 million in Q1 2024[155] - As of March 31, 2025, the company had approximately $2.4 billion in liquidity, consisting of $1.7 billion in available borrowing capacity and $404.8 million in cash[140] - Cash used in investing activities for the first three months of 2025 was $54.4 million, which included $35.2 million paid to acquire Industrial Software Solutions[161] Shareholder Actions - The company repurchased $25.0 million of common stock in the first three months of 2025[162] - The company plans to direct excess liquidity towards share repurchases, dividends, debt reduction, and digital transformation initiatives[145] Taxation - The provision for income taxes increased to $36.1 million in Q1 2025, resulting in an effective tax rate of 23.4% compared to 21.0% in Q1 2024[122] Other Financial Metrics - Adjusted income from operations decreased to $248.2 million in Q1 2025 from $281.9 million in Q1 2024, representing a decline of 11.9%[139] - The total adjusted EBITDA margin for the company was 7.9% for CSS, 10.8% for UBS, and 6.9% for EES in Q1 2025[133]

Core Insights - Wesco International reported $5.34 billion in revenue for Q1 2025, a slight year-over-year decline of 0.1% and an EPS of $2.21, down from $2.30 a year ago [1] - The revenue exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.23 billion by 2.10%, while the EPS fell short of the consensus estimate of $2.23 by 0.90% [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Net Sales for Electrical & Electronic Solutions (EES) were $2.07 billion, matching the four-analyst average estimate, with a year-over-year decline of 1.6% [4] - Net Sales for Utility & Broadband Solutions (UBS) were $1.28 billion, below the four-analyst average estimate of $1.36 billion, reflecting a significant year-over-year decline of 19.2% [4] - Net Sales for Communications & Security Solutions (CSS) reached $2 billion, surpassing the $1.82 billion average estimate, with a year-over-year increase of 19.8% [4] Adjusted EBITDA Analysis - Adjusted EBITDA for Corporate was -$128.70 million, slightly worse than the average estimate of -$126.37 million [4] - Adjusted EBITDA for UBS was $138.30 million, below the four-analyst average estimate of $146.25 million [4] - Adjusted EBITDA for CSS was $158.50 million, exceeding the average estimate of $143.46 million, while EES reported $142.60 million, below the average estimate of $163.59 million [4] Stock Performance - Wesco International's shares returned +0.4% over the past month, contrasting with a -0.7% change in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating potential performance in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a 6% organic sales growth in Q1 2025, exceeding expectations, driven by strong performance in the data center business, which grew 70% year-over-year [4][14] - Gross margin remained stable sequentially and improved in the CSS segment, while adjusted EBITDA margin decreased by 60 basis points year-over-year [5][14] - Adjusted earnings per share were $2.21, down 4% from the prior year [15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The data center business was a significant growth driver, up 70%, while OEM and broadband businesses experienced high single-digit growth [5][14] - EES organic sales increased by 3%, but reported sales were flat due to foreign exchange headwinds and one less workday [16] - CSS sales grew 18% year-over-year on an organic basis, with data center solutions representing nearly 40% of CSS sales [18][20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The utility market continued to show weakness due to customer destocking and lower project activity, with expectations for recovery in the second half of the year [25][66] - Broadband business grew high single digits, particularly in Canada, while UBS backlog was down 13% year-over-year but up 13% sequentially [25][26] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on debt reduction and stock repurchases while investing in tech-enabled business transformation and managing M&A opportunities [7][40] - The strategic focus includes addressing supply chain challenges and leveraging global scale to mitigate tariff impacts [9][33] - The company reaffirmed its full-year outlook, increasing sales growth expectations for the data center business from mid-teens to about 20% [34][35] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the recovery of the utility business in the second half of the year, supported by ongoing electrification and grid modernization trends [25][66] - The company acknowledged uncertainties related to tariffs and their potential impact on the global economy but emphasized control over internal initiatives [8][39] - Management noted that while there is a risk of demand destruction due to higher prices, they believe pricing benefits from tariffs could mitigate this risk [108] Other Important Information - The company issued $800 million in senior notes to redeem preferred stock and strengthen its balance sheet, with an estimated annualized net income benefit of approximately $30 million [6][29] - Free cash flow for Q1 was $9 million, exceeding expectations, with a focus on reducing inventory as a percentage of sales [26][27] Q&A Session Summary Question: Clarification on revised outlook regarding tariffs - Management confirmed that no tariff-related price increases were incorporated into the outlook, which assumes organic growth rates of 2.5% to 6.5% [46][48] Question: Supplier price increases and surcharges - Management noted that supplier price increases in Q1 were down 15% year-over-year, but there has been a significant increase in price notifications in Q2 [59][60] Question: Confidence in utility market recovery - Management indicated that they have not seen significant changes in the utility market and expect a return to growth in the second half of the year based on customer activity levels [66][68] Question: Data center growth and customer engagement - Management highlighted strong momentum in the data center business, with customers increasing their scope of supply and no reduction in booking rates [76][78] Question: Pricing dynamics across business units - Management explained that CSS has seen less impact from pricing increases compared to EES, which is more affected by tariffs and supplier pricing dynamics [95][98]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a 6% organic sales growth in the first quarter, exceeding expectations, driven primarily by a 70% increase in the data center business and high single-digit growth in OEM and broadband sectors [4][5][14] - Gross margin remained stable sequentially and adjusted EBITDA margin decreased by 60 basis points year-over-year, primarily due to project and product mix [14][15] - Adjusted earnings per share were $2.21, down 4% from the prior year [15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The data center business was a significant growth driver, up 70% year-over-year, while OEM and broadband businesses also saw high single-digit growth [5][14] - EES organic sales increased by 3%, but reported sales were flat due to foreign exchange headwinds and one less workday [17] - CSS sales grew 18% year-over-year on an organic basis, with data center solutions up more than 65% [19][20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The utility market continued to experience softness due to customer destocking and lower project activity levels, with expectations for growth returning in the second half of the year [26][27] - Broadband business showed high single-digit growth, particularly in Canada, while UBS backlog was down 13% year-over-year but up 13% sequentially [27] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on debt reduction and stock repurchases while investing in tech-enabled business transformation and managing M&A opportunities [8][41] - The strategic emphasis on data centers is expected to drive growth, with a reaffirmed full-year outlook for reported sales growth increased from mid-teens to about 20% [36][37] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding tariffs and their potential impact on the global economy but emphasized a focus on controllable factors such as cross-sell initiatives and operational improvements [9][39] - The company expects to deliver between $600 million to $800 million in free cash flow for 2025, with a focus on high-return opportunities [40] Other Important Information - The company issued $800 million in senior notes to redeem preferred stock and strengthen its balance sheet, with an estimated annualized net income and cash flow benefit of approximately $30 million [6][30] - Backlog increased sequentially in all three business units, indicating positive momentum moving into the second quarter [9][38] Q&A Session Summary Question: Clarification on revised outlook regarding tariffs - Management confirmed that no tariff-related price increases were incorporated into the outlook, which assumes organic growth rates of 2.5% to 6.5% [47][48] Question: Supplier price increases and their impact - Management noted that supplier price increases were down in Q1 but have significantly increased in Q2, with average price increases moving to high single digits [60][61] Question: Confidence in utility market recovery - Management expressed confidence in a return to growth in the utility market in the second half of the year, supported by ongoing customer engagement and new account wins [64][68] Question: Data center growth and customer engagement - Management highlighted strong momentum in the data center business, with customers increasing their scope of business with WESCO, including a focus on AI-driven data center builds [76][83] Question: Pricing dynamics across business units - Management indicated that pricing pressures are more pronounced in the EES and utility businesses compared to CSS, which has a more stable supplier base [100][102]

Group 1: Earnings Performance - Wesco International reported quarterly earnings of $2.21 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.23 per share, and down from $2.30 per share a year ago [1] - The earnings surprise for this quarter was -0.90%, and the company had a previous quarter surprise of -1.86% with actual earnings of $3.16 per share against an expectation of $3.22 [2] - Over the last four quarters, Wesco has surpassed consensus EPS estimates only once [2] Group 2: Revenue Performance - The company posted revenues of $5.34 billion for the quarter, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.10%, but slightly down from $5.35 billion year-over-year [3] - Wesco has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters [3] Group 3: Stock Performance and Outlook - Wesco International shares have declined approximately 10% since the beginning of the year, compared to a -5.3% decline in the S&P 500 [4] - The company's earnings outlook is mixed, with a current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the market [7] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $3.40 on revenues of $5.62 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $13.25 on revenues of $22.27 billion [8] Group 4: Industry Context - The Electronics - Parts Distribution industry, to which Wesco belongs, is currently in the top 38% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable industry outlook [9]