The Sherwin-Williams Company Reports 2025 First Quarter Financial Results

Core Insights - Sherwin-Williams reported solid first quarter results despite a choppy demand environment, with consolidated sales within guidance, driven by gross margin expansion and effective cost control [1][3] - The company executed a consistent capital allocation strategy, investing $351.7 million in share repurchases and increasing dividends by 10.5% during the quarter [1][3] Sales Performance - Consolidated net sales decreased by 1.1% to $5.31 billion, primarily due to unfavorable currency translation and lower sales in the Performance Coatings and Consumer Brands Groups, partially offset by higher sales in the Paint Stores Group [3][7] - Paint Stores Group sales increased by 2.3% to $2.94 billion, with same-store sales up 1.2%, driven by selling price increases and growth in protective and marine segments [8][9] - Consumer Brands Group sales declined by 6.0% to $762.2 million, impacted by soft DIY demand in North America and unfavorable currency translation [10][11] - Performance Coatings Group sales decreased by 4.8% to $1.60 billion, with a high-single digit increase in Packaging sales offset by declines in other industrial businesses [12][13] Profitability Metrics - Income before income taxes increased by 2.0% to $653.0 million, with a segment margin expansion attributed to higher selling prices and effective cost control [3][4] - Diluted net income per share rose by 1.5% to $2.00, while adjusted diluted net income per share increased by 3.7% to $2.25 [7][8] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter increased by 4.6% to $937.0 million, representing 17.7% of net sales [7][36] Guidance and Outlook - The company reaffirmed its full-year 2025 diluted net income per share guidance in the range of $10.70 to $11.10, and adjusted diluted net income per share guidance of $11.65 to $12.05 [7][18] - For the second quarter of 2025, consolidated net sales are expected to be up or down a low-single digit percentage compared to the same period in 2024 [16][18] Capital Management - The company returned $552.1 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases during the first quarter of 2025 [15] - As of March 31, 2025, Sherwin-Williams had remaining authorization to purchase 33.4 million shares of its common stock [15]