Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales for the fourth quarter reached $8.5 billion, a 6.9% increase year-over-year, driven by organic growth of 5.8% and acquisition growth of 1.1% [3][4][15] - Gross margin improved to 31.7%, up 70 basis points from the previous year [4][15] - Operating profit for the quarter was $972 million, reflecting a 13.4% increase year-over-year, with an operating margin of 11.4% [4][16] - Diluted EPS rose 16.8% to $3.48 compared to the prior year [4][16] - For the full year, revenue was $30.8 billion, a 3.8% increase, with operating profit of $2.84 billion, up 0.6% [8][9] Performance by Business Lines - HVAC revenue decreased slightly due to market conditions, but the overall HVAC segment grew 8% for the year [10][11] - Waterworks revenue increased by 10% for the fiscal year, driven by diversification efforts [12] - Commercial mechanical revenue grew 21%, while waterworks revenues increased 15% [8][12] - Residential trade plumbing revenues decreased by 2% due to headwinds in new construction and ongoing PVC price deflation [7][10] Market Performance Data - In the U.S. market, net sales increased by 7.1%, with non-residential revenue growth of approximately 15% [6][16] - The residential end market remained subdued, with flat revenue due to weakened new construction starts and soft demand in repair, maintenance, and improvement [6][10] - Non-residential markets showed resilience, particularly in large capital projects, contributing to overall growth [6][12] Company Strategy and Industry Competition - The company is focused on HVAC expansion, waterworks diversification, and large capital projects as key growth areas [11][23] - A multi-customer group approach is emphasized to enhance service delivery and project execution [34][35] - The company continues to consolidate fragmented markets through acquisitions, completing nine acquisitions in the fiscal year [19][20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in medium-term market conditions despite current uncertainties, leveraging multi-year tailwinds in both residential and non-residential markets [5][23] - The outlook for the second half of calendar year 2025 anticipates softer growth due to ongoing challenges in new residential construction [28][81] - Management highlighted the importance of operational agility and strong contractor relationships in navigating complex project requirements [13][35] Other Important Information - The company announced a change in fiscal year-end from July 31 to December 31, allowing for better focus during peak seasons [20][21] - A quarterly dividend of $0.83 per share was declared, representing a 5% increase over the prior year [18] Q&A Session Summary Question: Growth and end market outlook - Management noted that while residential markets are expected to be down low to mid-single digits, non-residential markets showed strong growth, particularly in large capital projects [27][28] Question: Non-residential bidding activity - Management confirmed healthy backlogs across various segments, including commercial mechanical and waterworks, with strong bidding activity continuing [42][43] Question: Pricing and margin expectations - Management indicated that pricing has inflected positively, with expectations of modest inflation moving forward, while gross margins are expected to normalize around 30%-31% [46][49] Question: Residential remodel demand - Management acknowledged continued pressure in the remodel market but noted that the higher-end segment remains resilient, with Ferguson Home showing a 3% growth rate [72] Question: New residential construction trends - Management expects new residential construction to weaken slightly in the second half of the year, but does not foresee a dramatic decline [80][81]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q4, net sales reached $8.5 billion, a 6.9% increase year-over-year, driven by organic growth of 5.8% and acquisition growth of 1.1% [4][16] - Gross margin improved to 31.7%, up 70 basis points from the previous year [4][16] - Operating profit was $972 million, reflecting a 13.4% increase over the prior year, with a resulting operating margin of 11.4% [5][17] - Diluted EPS increased by 16.8% to $3.48 [5][17] - For the full year, revenue was $30.8 billion, a 3.8% increase, with operating profit of $2.84 billion, up 0.6% [10][11] Performance by Business Lines - HVAC revenue was slightly down due to market conditions, while residential trade plumbing revenues decreased by 2% [8][9] - Ferguson Home, a unified brand for residential building and remodel, saw a revenue growth of 3% [9] - Waterworks revenue grew by 10%, driven by diversification efforts [13] - Commercial mechanical revenue increased by 21%, and industrial grew by 5% [9][13] Performance by Markets - U.S. net sales increased by 7.1%, with non-residential revenue growth of approximately 15% [7][17] - Residential end markets remained subdued, with flat revenue due to weakened new construction starts [7][11] - Canada saw net sales increase by 4.8%, with a 4.9% contribution from acquisitions [17] Company Strategy and Industry Competition - The company is focused on HVAC expansion, waterworks diversification, and large capital projects [24] - A multi-customer group approach is emphasized to enhance project execution and customer service [35][36] - The company continues to consolidate fragmented markets through acquisitions, completing nine acquisitions in the fiscal year [20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management remains confident in medium-term market conditions despite current uncertainties [6][24] - The outlook for the second half of calendar year 2025 anticipates softer growth due to ongoing challenges in residential construction [29][82] - The company expects mid-single-digit revenue growth for calendar year 2025, with operating margins projected between 9.2% and 9.6% [23] Other Important Information - The company announced a change in fiscal year-end from July 31 to December 31, allowing for better focus during peak seasons [21][22] - A quarterly dividend of $0.83 per share was declared, reflecting a 5% increase over the prior year [19] Q&A Session Summary Question: Outlook on growth and end market trends - Management noted that while non-residential markets are strong, residential markets are expected to remain weak, particularly in new construction [28][29] Question: Details on bidding activity and project backlogs - Backlogs are healthy across various segments, with strong bidding activity in non-residential projects, including data centers and biotechnology [44][45] Question: Pricing and margin expectations - Management expects some modest inflation moving forward, with gross margins normalizing to the 30-31% range [49][50] Question: Insights on residential remodel demand - The remodel market is under pressure, but the higher-end segment remains resilient, with Ferguson Home performing well [72][73] Question: Trends in new residential construction - Management anticipates continued weakness in new residential construction, particularly in the Sunbelt region [81][82]