Emerson Q3 Earnings Top Estimates, Software and Control Sales Rise

Core Insights - Emerson Electric Co. reported adjusted earnings of $1.52 per share for Q3 fiscal 2025, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.51, with a year-over-year increase of 6% [1] - The company's net sales were $4.55 billion, slightly below the consensus estimate of $4.58 billion, but represented a 4% year-over-year growth, primarily driven by the Software and Control segment [1] Business Segments' Performance - Emerson operates under two segments: Intelligent Devices and Software & Control, with Intelligent Devices generating net sales of $3.13 billion, a 4% increase year over year [2] - Within the Intelligent Devices segment, Final Control sales rose 7% to $1.12 billion, Measurement & Analytical sales increased 3% to $1.01 billion, Discrete Automation sales grew 5% to $649 million, while Safety & Productivity sales decreased by 1% to $346 million [3] - The Software and Control segment achieved net sales of $1.44 billion, up 3% year over year, with Control Systems & Software sales at $1.08 billion (4% increase) and Test & Measurement sales at $361 million (2% increase) [4] Margin Details - The cost of sales increased by 4.5% year over year to $2.16 billion, with a pretax earnings margin of 16.1%, up from 10.4% in the previous year [5] - The adjusted EBITA margin was 26%, slightly down from 26.4% in the year-ago quarter, while selling, general, and administrative expenses rose by 1% to $1.27 billion [5] Balance Sheet & Cash Flow - At the end of Q3, Emerson had cash and cash equivalents of $2.22 billion, down from $3.6 billion at the end of fiscal 2024, with long-term debt increasing to $8.28 billion from $7.2 billion [6] - The company generated net cash of $2.09 billion from operating activities, a decrease of 7.1% year over year, with capital expenditure rising to $263 million from $251 million in the previous year [7] Q4 Fiscal 2025 Outlook - For Q4 fiscal 2025, Emerson anticipates net sales growth of 5.5-6.5% year over year and underlying sales growth of 5-6% [8] - The company expects adjusted earnings per share to be in the range of $1.58-$1.62 [10] FY25 Outlook - Emerson projects net sales growth of approximately 3.5% for FY25, down from the previously expected 4%, with underlying sales also expected to rise by about 3.5% [11] - Adjusted earnings per share are estimated at approximately $6.00, compared to earlier expectations of $5.90-$6.05, with operating cash flow projected at $3.6 billion and free cash flow at about $3.2 billion [12]