John Bean Technologies(US:JBT)2026-02-24 16:02Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved full-year consolidated revenue of $3.8 billion, exceeding the high end of guidance, driven by strong demand and successful backlog conversion [8] - Adjusted earnings per share for 2025 was $6.41, representing first-year earnings accretion compared to legacy JBT's 2024 adjusted earnings of $6.15 [11] - Consolidated adjusted EBITDA was $600 million, with a margin of 15.8%, at the midpoint of guidance [9] - The leverage ratio improved to less than 2.9 times by year-end 2025, down from just below 4 times at the transaction completion [11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for the Protein Solutions segment was $1.7 billion, while the Prepared Food and Beverage Solutions segment generated $2.1 billion [9] - Adjusted EBITDA margin for Protein Solutions was 20.1%, and for Food and Beverage Solutions, it was 17.2% [9] - The company captured $30 million in order synergies for the full year, with more than half realized in the fourth quarter [7] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Full-year orders reached $3.8 billion, with over $1 billion in the fourth quarter, primarily driven by strong demand in the poultry market [5] - The poultry sector showed a sharp recovery after two years of underinvestment, contributing significantly to order strength [5] - Gains were observed across all regions in 2025, with poultry being a leading food category due to its affordability and health benefits [5] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to invest in strengthening its offerings and providing integrated solutions across key product lines [7] - Future growth is expected to be supported by continued investment momentum in the poultry industry and renewed investment in prepared foods [17] - The company aims to achieve $150 million in run rate synergy savings by the end of 2027 [10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the continued investment momentum in the poultry equipment demand into 2026 [17] - The impact of higher tariffs was acknowledged, with an estimated cost of approximately $43 million for the year, affecting adjusted EBITDA margins [10] - The company anticipates healthy year-over-year growth in revenue, margins, and earnings for 2026, with guidance for adjusted earnings per share of $8.00-$8.50 [14] Other Important Information - The company will provide further details on strategic growth priorities and financial targets at the upcoming Investor Day on March 26 [17] - The company is focused on completing the integration of JBT and Marel, with a strong emphasis on enhancing customer value propositions [46] Q&A Session Summary Question: What end markets stood out in the fourth quarter? - Management indicated that poultry remains the leader across all categories, followed by beverages, with expectations for a recovery in AGVs [21][22] Question: Can you provide expectations for R&D and SG&A for 2026? - Synergy savings were predominantly in SG&A, with R&D not specifically called out for synergies [24] Question: How do you differentiate top-line growth for 2026 between segments? - Overall revenue growth is guided at 5%-7%, with Protein Solutions expected to be at the higher end and Prepared Food and Beverage at the lower end [36] Question: What is the expected impact of tariffs on pricing? - Management expects to mitigate some tariff impacts through pricing actions, estimating a net negative benefit of 25 to 50 basis points for the full year [41] Question: What are the expectations for sales synergies in 2026? - The company is ahead of pace on original synergy targets, with $30 million captured in 2025 and expectations for continued growth in 2026 [60]