Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue grew by 32% year-over-year, driven by a 58% increase in the e-infrastructure solutions segment and a 10% increase in the transportation segment [5][6] - Adjusted earnings per share increased by 58% to $3.48, while adjusted EBITDA rose by 47% to $156 million [5][6] - Gross profit margins expanded by 280 basis points to 24.7% [5] - Operating cash flow for the quarter was strong at $84 million, with backlog totaling $2.6 billion, a 64% year-over-year increase [5][6] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - E-infrastructure solutions revenue grew by 58% year-over-year, with a 42% organic growth rate [5][6] - Transportation solutions revenue increased by 10%, with adjusted operating profit growing by 40% [9] - Building solutions segment revenue declined by 1%, with adjusted operating income down by 10% due to challenges in the housing market [10][18] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - E-infrastructure backlog reached $1.8 billion, up 97% year-over-year [6] - Transportation solutions backlog was $733 million, a 23% year-over-year increase [9] - The overall demand for homes has been impacted by affordability challenges, leading to a 17% decline in revenue from the legacy residential business [10][18] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its service portfolio and leveraging the recent CEC acquisition to enhance growth opportunities [8][16] - The strategy emphasizes a commitment to infrastructure development while maintaining a focus on high-margin end markets [6][18] - The company anticipates continued growth in e-infrastructure, particularly in data centers and semiconductor fabrication facilities [14][16] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the multi-year opportunities across markets, particularly in e-infrastructure and transportation solutions [14][17] - The company expects e-infrastructure revenue growth of 30% or higher on an organic basis for 2025, with adjusted operating profit margins approximating 25% [16] - Transportation solutions are projected to grow in the low teens on an adjusted basis, with margins expected to improve significantly [17][18] Other Important Information - The company has a strong liquidity position with $306.4 million in cash and $294.6 million in debt, resulting in a net cash position of $11.8 million [12] - Full-year guidance for 2025 has been increased, projecting revenue between $2.375 billion and $2.39 billion, representing over 5% growth at the midpoint [12][19] Q&A Session Summary Question: Growth in CEC signed and unsigned work - Management noted strong bookings in the data center market and expressed excitement about the reception from customers regarding the CEC acquisition [23][24] Question: Margin expansion opportunities - Management highlighted that larger project sizes and improved productivity from recent acquisitions contribute to expected margin expansion [26][27] Question: Composition of the $4 billion forward pipeline - The majority of the forward pipeline is in e-infrastructure, particularly data centers, which are expected to drive significant growth [43] Question: Impact of government shutdown on transportation funding - Management confirmed no impact from the government shutdown, as funding for current jobs has already been allocated [60] Question: Data center growth breakdown - Growth is attributed to a combination of new projects and the successful conversion of future phases into backlog [64]

Group 1 - Loomis Sayles Small Cap Growth Fund reported a return of 9.37% in Q2 2025, underperforming the Russell 2000 Growth Index which returned 11.97% due to security selection issues in the information technology and financial sectors [1] - The fund highlighted Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. (NASDAQ:STRL) as a key stock, which had a one-month return of 22.46% and a 52-week gain of 135.21%, closing at $341.10 per share with a market capitalization of $10.407 billion on September 29, 2025 [2] - Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. specializes in e-infrastructure, transportation, and building solutions, experiencing a recovery after a selloff in Q1 2025, with strong performance in its data center business and positive management outlook for the coming years [3] Group 2 - Despite the positive outlook for Sterling Infrastructure, it was noted that the company is not among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds, with 25 hedge fund portfolios holding the stock at the end of Q2 2025, down from 30 in the previous quarter [4] - The potential of Sterling Infrastructure as an investment is acknowledged, but it is suggested that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential and lower downside risk [4] - Additional insights on Sterling Infrastructure were provided by Alger Weatherbie Specialized Growth Fund, indicating a broader interest in the company's performance [5]

Core Viewpoint - Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. (STRL) is expected to report its second-quarter 2025 results on August 4, with a focus on its performance in e-infrastructure, building solutions, and transportation solutions sectors [1]. Financial Performance - In the last reported quarter, Sterling achieved adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.63, reflecting a 29% year-over-year growth, and adjusted EBITDA increased by 31% to $80 million [2]. - Revenues for the last quarter were $430.9 million, surpassing estimates and showing a 7% growth on a pro-forma basis, despite a reported year-over-year decline due to a joint venture accounting change [2]. - The gross margin expanded by 450 basis points to 22%, indicating operational efficiencies and a favorable project mix [2]. Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the upcoming second-quarter EPS is $2.26, suggesting a 35.3% growth from the previous year, while the revenue estimate is $555.1 million, indicating a 4.8% year-over-year decline [6][7]. - For the full year 2025, STRL is projected to register a 41.2% EPS growth compared to the previous year [5]. Segment Performance - The E-Infrastructure Solutions segment, which accounted for 51% of first-quarter 2025 revenues, is expected to remain a key growth driver, benefiting from stable demand and rising data center activity [11]. - The Transportation Solutions segment, contributing 28% to total revenues, is anticipated to support growth due to a strong backlog and steady bid activity [12]. - The Building Solutions segment, which made up 21% of revenues, is expected to face mixed conditions, with some benefits from recent acquisitions and steady activity in core regions [13]. Market Conditions - The company is likely to experience pressures from residential market softness, inflation, and broader market volatility, which may impact top-line performance [14]. - Despite these challenges, Sterling's focus on high-value infrastructure projects and disciplined project execution is expected to support margin improvement [15]. Stock Performance - Year-to-date, STRL shares have gained 58.8%, outperforming the Zacks Engineering - R and D Services industry and the S&P 500 [16]. - The current forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio for STRL is 29.37, which is a 30.3% premium to the industry average of 22.54 [18]. Strategic Outlook - The company is positioned for growth through 2025, supported by solid execution, a favorable project mix, and a strong backlog, despite anticipated near-term challenges [22].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Adjusted earnings per share increased by 29% to $1.63, with adjusted EBITDA rising by 31% to $80 million [8][10] - Revenue grew by 7% on a pro forma basis, with gross profit margins expanding over 400 basis points to reach 22% [9][10] - Operating cash flow was strong at $85 million, and backlog totaled $2.1 billion, a 17% year-over-year increase [10][11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - E Infrastructure Solutions segment revenue grew by over 18%, driven primarily by a 60% increase in the data center market [9][14] - Transportation Solutions revenue increased by 9%, with adjusted operating profit growing by 60% due to strong market demand [14][15] - Building Solutions segment revenue declined by 14%, impacted by affordability challenges in the housing market [15][27] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - E Infrastructure Solutions backlog reached $1.2 billion, up 27% year-over-year, with significant growth in data center projects [11][12] - Transportation Solutions backlog was $861 million, an 11% year-over-year increase [15] - Overall backlog totaled $2.23 billion, a 21% increase from year-end 2024 [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company remains focused on high-return opportunities and plans to enhance long-term value through strategic acquisitions, particularly in e infrastructure [10][28] - The acquisition of Drake Concrete for $25 million is expected to contribute $55 million in revenue and $6.5 million in EBITDA in 2025 [10] - The company is optimistic about future growth in e infrastructure, anticipating mid to high teens revenue growth and adjusted operating profit margins in the mid-20% range [24][27] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's strong backlog and future phase opportunities, despite uncertainties in trade policies and the economy [10][22] - The company is optimistic about the ongoing strength in data center demand and anticipates continued growth in core markets [22][24] - Management noted that while the residential market is currently soft, there is significant pent-up demand that could drive future growth [52][53] Other Important Information - The company expects full-year 2025 revenue guidance to range from $2.05 billion to $2.15 billion, with adjusted diluted EPS guidance of $8.40 to $8.90 [21] - The effective income tax rate for the first quarter was 26.1%, with expectations for the full year to remain around 26% [19] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on the 35% of backlog not related to data centers - Management feels positive about the backlog, with steady manufacturing and increasing e-commerce activity contributing to growth [31][32] Question: Exposure to tariffs and cost perspective - Management indicated minimal exposure to tariffs due to fixed pricing in contracts and indexing mechanisms in place [34][35] Question: Drivers of margin performance in Transportation Solutions - Margin improvements are primarily due to a shift towards higher-margin services rather than the low bid strategy [46][47] Question: Comfort in bidding for new projects - Management remains optimistic about bid activity and is focusing on long-term project visibility [50][52] Question: Future infrastructure bill expectations - Management noted positive bipartisan activity in Congress regarding the next infrastructure bill, indicating a proactive approach to future funding [68][70] Question: Capacity constraints related to biopharma projects - Management expressed confidence in handling new projects and indicated readiness to expand capacity if necessary [74][76]