Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted diluted EPS for Q3 2025 was $1.24, up approximately 63% year over year, driven by higher adjusted operating profit [7][13] - Q3 organic sales grew 28%, with the Americas up 43% and APAC up 21%, while EMEA declined 4% [7][13] - Adjusted operating profit reached $596 million, up 43% year on year, with a margin of 22.3% [9][13] - Adjusted free cash flow was $462 million, up 38%, reflecting strong operating performance [9][16] - Total backlog increased to $9.5 billion, up about 30% year on year and 12% sequentially [10][13] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Americas segment delivered strong organic growth of 43%, driven by accelerated AI demand across product lines [16] - APAC saw 21% organic growth, supported by AI infrastructure demand [16] - EMEA experienced a 4% decline in organic sales, but expectations for recovery are set for the second half of 2026 [17][19] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The overall market growth is accelerating, particularly in the colo cloud segment, which is the fastest-growing area [8] - The company reported a trailing 12-month organic orders growth of about 21%, with Q3 orders up 60% year over year [7][9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on maintaining technology leadership through consistent R&D investments and operational excellence [4][5] - A restructuring program is being implemented in EMEA to prepare for future growth, with an expected annualized benefit of approximately $20 million starting in 2026 [17] - The company plans to accelerate investments in supply chain and services capabilities to meet evolving customer needs [21][24] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in a multi-year period of significant growth and value creation, driven by digital transformation and AI demand [5][21] - The company anticipates continued organic sales growth in 2026, supported by a substantial backlog and a healthy pipeline [21][24] - Tariffs are viewed as a dynamic input cost, with mitigation strategies in place to offset their impacts [11][22] Other Important Information - The company is raising its full-year guidance for adjusted EPS, net sales, adjusted operating profit, and adjusted free cash flow [19][20] - The adjusted operating margin target for 2029 remains at 25%, with expectations for incremental margins in the 30% to 35% range [19][63] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is driving the order uptake and when will big announcements flow into orders for Vertiv? - Management indicated that order growth is driven by a strong market and technology evolution, with large players expanding their backlogs [28][30] Question: Can you provide more color on the services opportunity and its margin structure? - Management emphasized the service business as a unique competitive advantage, generating recurring revenue, and expected to accelerate as product systems grow [34][36] Question: What is the outlook for EMEA margins and the path back to mid-20s? - Management stated that a combination of sales acceleration and restructuring efforts would facilitate improved operating leverage and margins in EMEA [66] Question: How does the competitive environment affect Vertiv's market position? - Management expressed confidence in their innovation-driven approach, stating that they are at the forefront of industry advancements and maintain strong competitive advantages [82][84]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted diluted EPS for Q3 was $1.24, up approximately 63% year over year, driven by higher adjusted operating profit [9][21] - Q3 organic sales grew 28%, with the Americas up 43% and APAC up 21%, while EMEA declined 4% [10][21] - Adjusted operating profit reached $596 million, up 43% year on year, with a margin of 22.3% [12][22] - Adjusted free cash flow was $462 million, up 38%, translating to approximately 95% free cash flow conversion [12][23] - The company raised full-year guidance for adjusted EPS, net sales, adjusted operating profit, and adjusted free cash flow [12][28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Americas delivered strong organic growth of 43%, driven by accelerated AI demand across product lines [24] - APAC saw 21% organic growth, benefiting from AI infrastructure [24] - EMEA experienced a 4% decline in organic sales, but sales were higher than expectations, indicating potential for future growth [25] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The overall market growth is accelerating, particularly in the ColoCloud segment, which is the fastest-growing segment [11] - The trailing twelve-month organic orders growth was about 21%, with Q3 orders up 60% year over year and 20% sequentially [11][13] - Total backlog now stands at $9.5 billion, up about 30% year on year and 12% sequentially, providing strong visibility into 2026 [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on maintaining technology leadership through disciplined investment, operational excellence, and R&D expansion [6][7] - Plans to accelerate investments in supply chain and services capabilities to meet evolving customer needs [30][31] - The company is committed to its November 2024 Investor Day margin targets, with a robust free cash flow providing strategic flexibility [30] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in a multiyear period of significant growth and value creation, driven by digital transformation and increasing data demands [8][30] - The company is addressing operational and supply chain challenges experienced in Q2 and is optimistic about future performance [16][22] - Management noted that tariffs are being viewed as an input cost, with comprehensive mitigation actions in place [15][30] Other Important Information - The company is implementing regional restructuring programs in EMEA to prepare for future growth, although acceleration may not occur until the second half of 2026 [15][25] - The company is scaling service capacity in parallel with manufacturing to meet demand [19][87] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is driving the order uptick and the timeframe for big announcements to flow into orders? - Management indicated that the order growth is driven by a combination of a strong market and technology evolution, with large players expanding their backlogs [41][42] Question: Can you provide more color on the services opportunity and its margin structure? - Management emphasized the service business as a unique competitive advantage, noting that while it typically lags behind product growth, it is expected to accelerate [50][52] Question: What is the outlook for margins and the impact of tariffs? - Management confirmed that the path to the long-term margin target remains intact, with expectations for incrementals in the 30% to 35% range [62][64] Question: What is the confidence in the EMEA market recovery? - Management expressed cautious optimism about EMEA, citing a need for capacity and encouraging signs of pipeline growth [75][77] Question: How is the company scaling up its support function to keep up with top-line growth? - Management reported an increase in headcount for field engineers, with a focus on aligning service capacity with product demand [85][87] Question: How does the company view the competitive environment and recent innovations? - Management welcomed the innovation intensity in the industry, asserting that it drives their competitive advantage and reinforces their market position [130][132]

Vertiv (VRT) FY Conference Summary Industry Overview - The critical digital infrastructure industry is projected to experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9% to 12% through 2029, with mid-teens growth anticipated in cloud and colocation sectors [3][4][6] - The demand for data center capacity remains strong, driven by AI advancements and the need for enhanced infrastructure [5][9][22] Core Insights - The company maintains that the growth assumptions from the Investor Day remain valid despite market fluctuations, with a potential for even stronger demand than previously anticipated [4][7][9] - The shift from AI training to inference is noted, with inference expected to grow faster due to its monetization potential [15][17] - The company reported a record quarter for orders, with a year-on-year increase of 13% and a 60% increase compared to the previous year [11][12] Demand Dynamics - The demand for large data centers continues, alongside a rise in smaller, distributed edge data centers [18][19] - There are no significant long-term changes in market dynamics, although short-term adjustments may occur due to resource constraints [21][22] - The company is optimistic about long-term demand, supported by a strong pipeline and industry trends [22][23] Competitive Landscape - New entrants in the market, including sovereign and neo cloud providers, are expanding the industry, but the company does not perceive this as an increase in risk [26][27] - The company employs rigorous credit checks and often requires advanced payments to mitigate risks associated with new customers [28][29] Tariff Impact - The company has not observed any material impact from tariffs on demand, as the demand for AI capacity remains robust [31][32] - There is a focus on maintaining competitive lead times, which may provide opportunities for market share gains amidst tariff uncertainties [37][39] Capital Expenditure (CapEx) Strategy - The company plans to maintain a 25% to 30% capacity headroom versus demand, indicating confidence in future growth [47][50] - CapEx allocation is influenced by geopolitical conditions, but no dramatic shifts in strategy are expected [48][49] Product Innovation and Market Share - Recent product launches, including new chillers and modular solutions, are aimed at increasing market share and addressing customer needs [52][56] - The company is particularly focused on expanding its liquid cooling capacity, which has seen significant growth [61][62] Conclusion - Vertiv is positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for critical digital infrastructure, with a strong pipeline, innovative product offerings, and a strategic approach to managing risks associated with market dynamics and tariffs [9][22][37][61]