Summary of L.B. Foster Company Conference Call - September 18, 2025 Company Overview - **Company Name**: L.B. Foster Company (Ticker: FSTR) - **Industry**: Building Products, Infrastructure Solutions, Rail Technologies - **Headquarters**: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - **History**: Founded 123 years ago, with 90% of sales in North America [3][4] Core Business Segments - **Rail Technologies and Services**: Includes Rail Products, Global Friction Management, and technology services [7][8] - **Infrastructure Solutions**: Focus on precast concrete and steel products, particularly in the eastern and southeastern U.S. [9][10] Financial Performance - **Revenue Growth**: Reported a 2% year-over-year increase in sales for the most recent quarter, marking the first organic sales growth in five quarters [13][14] - **Margin Improvement**: Achieved a 540 basis point improvement in margins since 2021, with reported EBITDA up 51% year-over-year in the second quarter [14][17] - **Cash Flow**: Strong cash flow performance with a capital-light business model, targeting leverage of 1 to 1.5 times debt/EBITDA [20][22] Strategic Focus - **Portfolio Management**: Emphasis on simplifying the business and focusing on high-margin products, with a significant reduction in SG&A expenses [14][17] - **Growth Opportunities**: Identified growth in Global Friction Management (42% growth), Total Track Monitoring (273% growth), and Precast Concrete (119% growth) [11][12] - **Government Funding**: Anticipated benefits from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and CRISI Grants, with 30% of IIJA funds already spent [25][39] Market Dynamics - **Rail Industry Consolidation**: Potential mergers among major railroads (Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern) could enhance demand for L.B. Foster's products, particularly in efficiency and safety [30][32] - **Infrastructure Demand**: Increased focus on infrastructure development driven by demographic shifts and government spending [41][42] Key Metrics - **Book-to-Bill Ratio**: Strong order intake in the rail business, indicating a growing backlog and improving profitability mix [21] - **Valuation**: Currently trading at approximately eight times EBITDA, with a cash flow yield around 7% [22] Conclusion - **Outlook**: Positive growth expected in the second half of the year, with a projected 43% growth in backlog and continued focus on cash generation and strategic investments [27][28]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales for the second quarter were $2,710,000,000, reflecting a 2.3% increase compared to the prior year [14] - Adjusted EPS was up 15.8% year-over-year, reaching $2.27 [18] - Total cash flow from operations for the quarter was $209,000,000, with a twelve-month backlog of $8,200,000,000, up 11.9% [9][28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Services revenue increased by 6%, driven by higher parts sales and increased modernization deliveries [19] - Equipment sales decreased by 4.2% due to a supplied part issue, which shifted approximately $60,000,000 of revenue to the second half of the year [19] - Transit segment sales rose by 8.7% to $787,000,000, supported by elevated infrastructure investment and global ridership [26] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - North American traffic was up 2.5% in the quarter, although active locomotive fleets were down compared to last year [10] - The forecast for North American railcar builds was reduced from approximately 35,000 cars to 29,000 cars, representing a 31% reduction from last year [11] - Internationally, strong activity was noted across core markets such as Africa, Asia, Brazil, and the CIS, with significant investments in infrastructure [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on integrating recent acquisitions, including Inspection Technologies, Downer Couplers, and Frauzer Sensor Technology, which are expected to enhance growth and profitability [12][13] - The company aims to drive sustained long-term profitable growth through strategic acquisitions and a disciplined approach to capital allocation [7][31] - The management emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong pipeline and backlog to support future growth [42][54] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's positioning to drive profitable growth despite a volatile economic environment [6][30] - The company anticipates stronger revenue growth in the second half of the year, driven by a recovery in locomotive deliveries and the impact of acquisitions [50] - Management highlighted the importance of cost management and operational efficiency in navigating current market challenges [17][22] Other Important Information - The company repurchased $50,000,000 of its shares and paid $44,000,000 in dividends during the quarter [29] - The liquidity position at the end of the quarter was $4,090,000,000, with a net debt leverage ratio of 1.4 times [28] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on rail industry dynamics and potential inefficiencies - Management sees significant opportunities for increased rail volumes, which would be beneficial for the industry [36][37] Question: Demand in international markets and impact of geopolitics - The pipeline remains strong, with a twelve-month backlog exceeding $8,000,000,000, indicating solid coverage for future growth [42] Question: Capital allocation strategy and future plans - The company will continue to focus on M&A for shareholder returns while also looking to reduce net debt leverage [45][46] Question: Shape of the second half of the year regarding revenue and margins - Management expects organic revenue growth to accelerate in the second half, with adjusted operating margins increasing year-over-year [49] Question: Impact of tariffs on business operations - The company does not anticipate a material impact from tariffs on 2025 earnings and is taking necessary actions to mitigate costs [68][70] Question: Update on Inspection Technologies acquisition and customer response - Early customer response has been positive, with expectations for improved reliability and availability in various sectors [74] Question: Regulatory environment and potential for automation - Management is closely monitoring regulatory changes and sees opportunities for increased efficiency and automation in the rail sector [60][100]

Core Insights - L.B. Foster reported a revenue of $97.79 million for the quarter ended March 2025, reflecting a decline of 21.3% year-over-year [1] - The company's EPS was -$0.20, a significant drop from $0.08 in the same quarter last year, indicating a substantial earnings miss [1] - The revenue fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 14.53%, which was projected at $114.41 million [1] - The EPS surprise was notably negative at -2100.00% compared to the consensus estimate of $0.01 [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Net Sales in Rail, Technologies, & Services amounted to $54.02 million, below the average estimate of $73.97 million from two analysts [4] - Net Sales in Infrastructure Solutions reached $43.78 million, slightly above the two-analyst average estimate of $40.43 million [4] - Segment Operating Income for Infrastructure Solutions was reported at -$0.44 million, better than the average estimate of -$0.63 million [4] - Segment Operating Income for Rail, Technologies, and Services was $0.14 million, significantly lower than the average estimate of $4.59 million [4] Stock Performance - L.B. Foster's shares have returned +10.1% over the past month, compared to a +11.5% change in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term [3]