Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a GAAP EPS of $1.01, up from $0.99 in the prior year's quarter, with adjusted EPS growing nearly 6% to $1.09 from $1.03 [11] - Average daily sales improved by 2.7% year-over-year in the fourth quarter, marking a return to growth in the core customer base [8][9] - Gross margin for the fourth quarter was 40.4%, down 60 basis points year-over-year and sequentially, primarily due to tariff-driven purchase cost escalation [9][10] - For the fiscal year, average daily sales declined 1.3% year-over-year, with a gross margin of 40.8%, contracting 40 basis points compared to the prior year [14][15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Core customer daily sales improved by 4.1% year-over-year, while national accounts declined by 0.7% year-over-year [17] - Public sector sales grew by 8.5% year-over-year and 10% sequentially, although there was a negative impact from the government shutdown in October [17][18] - The installed vending count grew by 10% year-over-year, with average daily sales from vending up 10% year-over-year, representing approximately 19% of total company sales [18][19] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted stabilization in end markets such as aerospace, while heavy equipment and agriculture markets showed signs of stabilization after being weak for two years [12][13] - Average daily sales in the quarter outpaced the industrial production index, supported by improved core customer performance and strength in the public sector [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to maintain momentum in high-touch solutions, re-energize the core customer base, and optimize cost to serve [5][6] - Initiatives include realigning public-facing web pricing, upgrading e-commerce experience, and enhancing marketing efforts [7][8] - The leadership transition is expected to strengthen the company's commitment to growth and customer experience [22][29] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The management characterized the operating environment as stable with pockets of improvement, despite ongoing uncertainty due to tariffs and inflation [12] - The company expects average daily sales growth of 3.5%-4.5% year-over-year for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, depending on the duration of the government shutdown [23] - Adjusted operating margin is expected to be in the range of 8.0%-8.6%, with gross margin improving from fourth quarter levels [24] Other Important Information - The company maintained a healthy balance sheet with net debt of approximately $430 million, representing roughly 1.1x EBITDA [15][16] - Free cash flow for the fourth quarter was $58 million, representing 104% of net income, with a free cash flow conversion of 122% for the fiscal year [15][16] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you discuss the unusual surge in supplier price increases and how it was addressed? - Management noted that the concentration of price increases was unusual and occurred in a short time frame, leading to higher costs than anticipated. They have since taken pricing actions to address this [39][42] Question: What are the expectations for gross margins and SG&A as a percentage of sales? - Management expects gross margins to stabilize and incremental margins to improve throughout the year, with SG&A growth driven by necessary investments in marketing and operational efficiency [46][70] Question: How is the government shutdown impacting the business? - The public sector experienced strong growth in the fourth quarter, but sales growth turned negative in October due to the shutdown. Management expects this to be temporary [77][78] Question: What is the company's federal government exposure and its impact? - The company has about two-thirds of its government exposure in federal contracts, primarily in military and defense, with some pockets experiencing significant pullback [89][91] Question: Can you provide insights on pricing increases across product categories? - Management indicated that inflation is more pronounced in products sourced from China and those made of steel, with fasteners and OEM products seeing high levels of inflation [92]