Daktronics' Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates, Revenues Rise Y/Y, Shares Fall

Core Insights - Daktronics (DAKT) reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 results with earnings of 35 cents per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 29.63% and showing a year-over-year increase of 59.1% [1] - Revenues reached $229.3 million, a 10% increase year over year, surpassing the consensus mark by 9.09% [1] - Orders rose 12.1% year over year to $199.1 million, while product backlog increased 35.8% year over year to $320.6 million [1][8] Revenue Breakdown - Commercial revenues, accounting for 22.1% of total revenues, increased 16.8% year over year to $50.8 million [3] - Live Events revenues, making up 35.5% of total revenues, climbed 5.5% year over year to $81.5 million [3] - International revenues surged 64.2% year over year to $29.8 million, representing 13% of total revenues [3] - High School Park and Recreation revenues decreased 4.4% year over year to $46 million, while Transportation revenues fell 0.9% year over year to $21.3 million [3] Order Details - Commercial segment orders declined 5.1% year over year to $42.3 million [4] - High School Park and Recreation orders fell 0.4% year over year to $35.7 million [4] - Live Events orders increased significantly by 26.5% year over year to $89.2 million, bolstered by large orders from MLB and MLS stadiums [4] - Transportation orders rose 15.2% year over year to $14.1 million, driven by airport and Intelligent Transportation Systems projects [5] - International orders increased 23.6% year over year to $17.9 million, with notable projects in the Middle East, UK, and Ireland [5] Operating Highlights - Gross margin for the quarter was 27%, expanding by 20 basis points year over year [6] - Total operating expenses were $40.3 million, a slight increase of 0.4% year over year, primarily due to higher selling expenses [6] - Non-GAAP operating income rose 12.8% year over year to $21.6 million [6] Financial Position - As of October 31, 2025, Daktronics had cash and cash equivalents of $149.6 million [7] - Free cash flow was reported at $36.1 million, down from $52.5 million in the same quarter last year [7] Future Outlook - Daktronics anticipates year-over-year revenue growth for the third quarter of fiscal 2026, despite the seasonally slower holiday period [9] - The company aims for an operating margin of 10-12% and a return on invested capital target of 17-20% by fiscal 2028 [9] - Daktronics is expanding manufacturing capacity in Mexico and Ireland to enhance operational flexibility [9]