Mercury Systems MRCY Q2 2026 Earnings Transcript

Core Insights - The company reported Q2 FY 2026 results that exceeded expectations, showcasing solid year-over-year growth in backlog, revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and free cash flow [1][4][18] - Key priorities include performance excellence, driving organic growth, expanding margins, and improving free cash flow [1][5][12][14] Financial Performance - Bookings for Q2 were $288 million with a book-to-bill ratio of 1.23, resulting in a record backlog of nearly $1.5 billion, an increase of 8.8% year-over-year [4][10][18] - Revenue for Q2 was $233 million, reflecting a 4.4% increase compared to the previous year, with first-half revenue up 7.1% year-over-year [4][18][19] - Adjusted EBITDA was $30 million, up 36.3% year-over-year, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 12.9%, an increase of 300 basis points [5][23][12] - Free cash flow for Q2 was $46 million, significantly ahead of expectations, with net working capital reduced by $61 million year-over-year [5][14][24] Operational Highlights - The company accelerated progress on high-priority customer programs, generating approximately $30 million of revenue planned for Q3 [6][19] - Efforts to increase capacity and automate processes are ongoing, including the expansion of manufacturing space in Phoenix, Arizona [7][8][39] - The focus on customer deliveries led to record first-half revenue and the highest first-half point-in-time revenue since FY 2021 [7][18] Strategic Initiatives - The company is focused on expanding margins through backlog margin expansion and operational optimization, with a goal of achieving adjusted EBITDA margins in the low to mid-twenty percent range [12][13] - Continued emphasis on reducing net working capital, which is now at its lowest level since Q1 FY 2022, with net debt also reduced to $257 million [14][24] - The company anticipates that increased defense budgets and domestic priorities will positively impact demand across multiple programs [11][73] Future Outlook - The company maintains its full-year view for FY 2026, expecting low single-digit annual revenue growth, with Q3 revenue anticipated to be down year-over-year [16][18] - Adjusted EBITDA margin is expected to approach the mid-teens for the full year, with Q4 anticipated to have the highest margin of the fiscal year [17][18] - The company remains optimistic about potential tailwinds from increased global defense budgets and domestic initiatives like Golden Dome [18][73]