Watsco Shares Rise 4% Despite Fourth-Quarter Earnings and Revenue Miss

Core Viewpoint - Watsco, Inc. reported fourth-quarter results that fell short of analyst expectations, yet the stock saw an intra-day increase of over 4% despite the disappointing figures [1] Financial Performance - Earnings per share for the fourth quarter were $1.68, missing the consensus estimate of $1.88 by $0.20 [1] - Revenue for the quarter was $1.58 billion, below the expected $1.62 billion and down 10% year-over-year [1] - Operating income decreased by 25% to $102 million, with the operating margin contracting to 6.4% from 7.8% a year earlier [2] - HVAC equipment sales, which represent 67% of total revenue, fell by 13% during the quarter [2] - For the full year 2025, revenue decreased by 5% year-over-year to $7.24 billion, and earnings per share dropped from $13.30 in 2024 to $12.25 [2] Dividend and Cash Flow - Despite the weaker performance, the company announced a 10% increase in its annual dividend to $13.20 per share [2] - Watsco achieved record operating cash flow of $400 million in the fourth quarter, aided by a significant reduction in inventory from a peak of $2.1 billion during 2025 to $1.4 billion at year-end [3] Industry Context - Management attributed the downturn to industry volatility, particularly the transition to A2L refrigerant products, which impacted approximately 55% of products sold and necessitated the conversion of over $1 billion in inventory [3]