Brady (NYSE:BRC) Q2 2026 Earnings call February 19, 2026 10:30 AM ET Company ParticipantsAnn Thornton - CFOKeith Housum - Managing DirectorRussell Shaller - President and CEOConference Call ParticipantsSteve Ferazani - Equity AnalystOperatorGood day, and thank you for standing by. Welcome to the Brady Corporation Q2 2026 earnings conference call. At this time, all participants are on a listen-only mode. After the speaker's presentation, there will be a question-and-answer session. To ask a question during t ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Organic sales increased by 1.6%, marking the 20th consecutive quarter of organic sales growth [7][16] - Adjusted earnings per share grew by 9% to $1.09 from $1 in the previous year [12][13] - Gross profit margin improved to 50.6% from 49.3% year-over-year [8][12] - Operating cash flow increased by 34.7% to $53.3 million compared to $39.6 million in the prior year [13][14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Americas and Asia regions saw organic sales growth of 3.1%, while Europe and Australia experienced a slight decline of 1.1% [7][18] - R&D expenses rose to $24.3 million, or 6.3% of sales, up from $18.7 million, or 5.2% of sales in the previous year [11] - Segment profit in the Americas and Asia increased by 16.9% to $53.8 million, with a profit margin increase from 19.7% to 21.4% [19] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales in the Americas were $251.6 million, up 7.6% from the previous year, with organic growth of 3.1% [18] - Europe and Australia reported sales of $132.5 million, with a total growth of 7.9% driven by foreign currency translation [21] - Asia's organic sales growth was notably strong at 14.2%, with India leading at nearly 25% [18][19] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on creating world-class products for industrial customers, with a commitment to R&D increasing from 3% to nearly 6% of revenue [6][11] - The launch of the i4311 Transportable Industrial Desktop Label Printer exemplifies the company's innovation strategy [4][6] - The company aims to provide easy-to-use solutions for complex identification requirements, adapting to changing standards and regulations [24] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about returning to growth in Europe and Australia, despite current economic headwinds [41][42] - The company anticipates organic sales growth in the low single-digit percentages for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2026 [16] - Management highlighted the importance of U.S. manufacturing capacity utilization for future growth, currently at 77%-78% [33] Other Important Information - The company is in a net cash position of $97.8 million, allowing for continued investment in growth and shareholder value [14][15] - The company has increased its full-year adjusted diluted EPS guidance range from $4.90-$5.15 to $4.95-$5.15 [16] Q&A Session Summary Question: Concerns about organic sales growth in the Americas - Management clarified that organic growth in the Americas was 1.4%, and acknowledged a slowdown in momentum [30][31] Question: Factors influencing growth trajectory - Management indicated that growth is closely tied to U.S. manufacturing capacity utilization, which is currently low [33] Question: Margin health and pricing strategy - Management noted that margins improved due to a favorable product mix, with engineered products performing better than commoditized ones [36] Question: Confidence in European growth - Management expressed cautious optimism about modest growth in Europe, citing potential recovery signs [41] Question: Performance of recent acquisitions - Management reported that the Gravotech acquisition has met technology goals, although some segments are impacted by weak automotive markets [42] Question: Concerns about pricing for commodity products - Management acknowledged pricing pressures in the U.K. but emphasized a long-term shift away from commodity products [47]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Organic sales increased by 1.6%, marking the 20th consecutive quarter of organic sales growth [7][16] - Adjusted diluted earnings per share grew by 9% to $1.09 from $1 in the previous year [12][13] - Gross profit margin improved to 50.6% from 49.3% year-over-year [8][12] - Operating cash flow increased by 34.7% to $53.3 million compared to $39.6 million in the same quarter last year [13][14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Americas and Asia region saw organic sales growth of 3.1%, while Europe and Australia experienced a slight decline of 1.1% [7][18] - R&D expenses increased to $24.3 million, or 6.3% of sales, up from $18.7 million, or 5.2% of sales in the previous year [11][12] - Segment profit in the Americas and Asia increased by 16.9% to $53.8 million, with profit margin rising from 19.7% to 21.4% [19][22] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales in the Americas and Asia reached $251.6 million, up 7.6% from the previous year [18] - Organic sales in Asia grew by 14.2%, with India leading at nearly 25% organic sales growth [18][19] - In Europe and Australia, total sales were $132.5 million, with organic sales declining by 1.1% but benefiting from a 9% increase due to foreign currency translation [20][22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on creating new world-class products, exemplified by the launch of the i4311 Transportable Industrial Desktop Label Printer [3][4] - Investment in R&D has increased from approximately 3% to nearly 6% of revenue, indicating a commitment to innovation [5][11] - The company aims to provide easy-to-use solutions for complex identification requirements, adapting to changing market standards [24] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about returning to growth in Europe and Australia, despite current economic headwinds [41][42] - The company anticipates organic sales growth in the low single-digit percentages for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2026 [16] - Management noted that U.S. manufacturing capacity utilization is a key factor for growth, currently at 77%-78% [34][36] Other Important Information - The company is in a net cash position of $97.8 million, allowing for continued investment in growth and shareholder value [14][15] - The company has announced its 40th consecutive annual dividend increase, reflecting a strong commitment to returning value to shareholders [15] Q&A Session Summary Question: Concerns about organic sales growth in the Americas - Management clarified that organic growth in the Americas was 1.4%, with Asia contributing significantly to overall growth [30][32] Question: Confidence in Europe and Australia returning to growth - Management noted modest expectations for growth in Europe, with some regions showing improvement despite challenges [41][42] Question: Performance of recent acquisitions - Management reported that the Gravotech acquisition has met technology goals, although some segments are impacted by weak European automotive markets [43][44] Question: Issues with memory pricing or shortages - Management confirmed no current issues with memory supplies, as they are a low user of memory [45] Question: Reconciling R&D investment with organic growth - Management emphasized that R&D investments are long-term and correlate with improved gross margins, focusing on engineered products [47][48] Question: Pricing concerns for commodity products in Europe - Management acknowledged some pricing deterioration in the UK but indicated a long-term shift away from commodity products [49]