Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Nordson's Q2 fiscal 2025 sales were $683 million, a 5% increase from $651 million in Q2 fiscal 2024, driven by an 8% increase from the Atrion acquisition, offset by a 2% organic sales decrease and less than 1% unfavorable currency translation [12][13] - Gross profit was $374 million, maintaining a consistent 55% of sales, with EBITDA adjusted for restructuring and integration costs at $217 million, or 32% of sales, reflecting a 7% increase year-over-year [12][13] - Net income totaled $112 million, or $1.97 per share on a GAAP basis, with adjusted earnings per share at $2.42, a 3% increase from the prior year [14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Industrial Precision Solutions (IPS) sales decreased 8% to $319 million, with an EBITDA of $114 million, or 36% of sales, down 12% year-over-year due to lower sales volume [14][16] - Medical and Fluid Solutions sales increased 20% to $203 million, driven by the Atrion acquisition, with EBITDA of $77 million, or 38% of sales, a 22% increase from the prior year [17][18] - Advanced Technology Solutions (ATS) sales rose 18% to $161 million, with EBITDA of $40 million, or 25% of sales, a 43% increase year-over-year [19] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced solid order entry and backlog growth of 5% since the last quarter, particularly in electronics, precision agriculture, and select medical product lines [24] - The industrial systems segment showed sequential improvement compared to the first quarter, although automotive demand remains a headwind [38] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Nordson is focusing on divesting select product lines within its medical contract manufacturing business to concentrate on higher-value growth opportunities within the medical and fluid solutions segment [10] - The company is executing a balanced capital deployment strategy, including share repurchases totaling $85 million and $44 million in dividends, while maintaining a debt leverage ratio of 2.4 times [9][20] - The NBS Next framework is being utilized to assess the strategic fit of product lines and enhance operational efficiencies [10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in managing current tariff levels without significant impact on results, while monitoring potential effects on end market demand [22][93] - The outlook for Q3 fiscal 2025 sales is projected to be between $710 million and $750 million, with adjusted earnings forecasted between $2.55 and $2.75 per diluted share [27] - Management highlighted the resilience of Nordson's business model and its ability to adapt to market uncertainties, emphasizing ongoing investments in innovation and customer relationships [28][113] Other Important Information - The company reported a free cash flow generation of $103 million during the quarter, resulting in a 92% conversion rate on net income [20] - Nordson's integration of Atrion is performing above expectations, contributing positively to sales and margins [8][36] Q&A Session Summary Question: Trends for the rest of the year and major verticals - Management noted solid order entry in ATS, driven by investments in computing power, and expressed optimism about growth sustainability in the segment [34][35] Question: Size of contract manufacturing divestiture and future actions - The divestiture represents roughly 4% of year-to-date sales in the medical segment, with no other ongoing actions currently planned [43][44] Question: Consistency of growth in ATS segment - Management acknowledged the inherent volatility in ATS but indicated strong order entry patterns and confidence in organic growth [51][55] Question: Status of destocking in interventional medicine - Destocking is reducing in severity, with expectations for gradual recovery to normal demand growth rates [60][62] Question: Margin performance in ATS amid customer behavior volatility - Management indicated that while margins may fluctuate, structural changes have raised the baseline margin performance in the segment [68][69] Question: Impact of tariffs on financial performance - Current tariff levels are manageable, with minimal impact on Q2 results, and the company is monitoring potential effects on end market demand [90][93] Question: Growth drivers in ATS and semiconductor markets - Approximately 50% of ATS business is driven by semiconductor and high-performance computing, up from 20-30% a few years ago [96]