Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a 12% increase in total sales for the second quarter, driven primarily by growth in the Climate Solutions segment [19] - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) was $1.06, reflecting a 9% increase compared to the prior year [20] - The gross margin declined by 290 basis points to 22.3%, primarily due to increased costs associated with data center capacity expansion [19][22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Climate Solutions segment revenue increased by 24%, with data center sales growing by 42% [14][24] - Performance Technologies segment revenue declined by 4%, but adjusted EBITDA improved by 3%, with adjusted EBITDA margins increasing by 90 basis points to 14.7% [10][18] - HVAC technologies within Climate Solutions saw a 25% increase in sales, driven by acquisitions, but faced lower margins due to a negative mix impact [14][15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company anticipates data center sales to grow in excess of 60% for the fiscal year, with expectations of over 90% year-over-year growth in the second half [24] - The Performance Technologies segment is expected to see revenue flat to down 7%, improving from a prior range of down 2% to 12% [24] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its U.S. manufacturing capacity for data center products and has secured additional facilities in Texas and the UK [3][5][8] - The strategy includes integrating recent acquisitions to enhance product offerings and improve margins through the application of 80/20 principles [3][11] - The company aims to transition from low-volume, high-mix manufacturing to high-volume production to meet the demands of large data centers, particularly those specializing in AI applications [8][9] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ability to meet customer demands and execute on strategic plans despite current challenges in hiring and training a workforce [7][9] - The company expects significant revenue growth in Q4 as new production lines come online, with a path to achieve over $2 billion in revenues by fiscal 2028 [8][24] - Management acknowledged temporary margin erosion due to increased costs from capacity expansion but anticipates a return to normalized margins by Q4 [15][21] Other Important Information - Free cash flow was negative $31 million in the second quarter, primarily due to higher inventory builds and capital expenditures [22] - The company raised its revenue outlook for fiscal 2026, expecting total sales growth in the range of 15% to 20% [24][25] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you parse out year-over-year margin contraction on the climate side of the business? - The margin contraction was primarily driven by data center expansion costs, accounting for about 225 to 250 basis points, with additional impacts from HVAC technologies and mix issues [31][32] Question: What gives confidence that margins should normalize going into Q4? - Confidence stems from learning and efficiency improvements from previous product launches, which will enhance margins as production ramps up [50][51] Question: How does the company view the total addressable market for data centers? - The company estimates that reaching $2 billion in sales could represent 15% to 20% of the available HVAC market, indicating significant growth potential [60] Question: What is the expected contribution of liquid cooling to the business? - Liquid cooling is seen as a complementary product to air cooling, with ongoing developments expected to enhance its market presence [95]