Howmet Anticipates Margin Improvement: What's Driving the Growth?

Core Insights - Howmet Aerospace Inc. (HWM) demonstrates strong operational execution and margin resilience despite cost pressures, with a 6.1% year-over-year increase in cost of sales in Q2 2025 [1] - The company has consistently expanded its adjusted EBITDA margin, reaching 28.7% in Q2 2025, a 300-basis point improvement from the previous year [2][8] - Strong demand from commercial and defense aerospace markets has led Howmet to raise its 2025 adjusted EBITDA margin outlook to 28.5-28.6% [4] Financial Performance - In Q2 2025, Howmet's adjusted EBITDA margin rose from 26.5% in Q3 2024 to 28.7%, reflecting effective pricing actions and a favorable product mix [2][8] - The Engine Products, Fastening Systems, and Engineered Structures segments reported margin gains of 200, 360, and 690 basis points, respectively [3] - Howmet's shares have surged 82.9% over the past year, significantly outperforming the industry growth of 17.8% [7] Peer Comparison - GE Aerospace's cost of sales increased by 22.8% year-over-year in Q2 2025, with an adjusted operating profit increase of 23% but a slight decline in adjusted operating margin [5] - RTX Corporation's total costs and expenses rose 6.4% year-over-year to $19.48 billion, with an adjusted operating profit of $2.79 billion [6] Valuation and Estimates - Howmet is currently trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 46.12X, above the industry average of 28.86X [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HWM's 2025 earnings has increased slightly over the past 60 days, indicating positive sentiment [11]