Kennametal Q4 Earnings & Sales Beat Estimates, Rise Y/Y

KMT's Sales Growth Spans End Markets

Reported sales growth reflected a 42% organic increase, a 1% favorable foreign-currency impact and a 1% benefit from business days, partly offset by a 1% divestiture drag. The Americas led constant-currency regional growth at 60%, followed by Asia Pacific at 28% and EMEA at 24%.

Energy sales jumped 101% in constant currency, while Earthworks advanced 76%. Aerospace & Defense rose 43%, General Engineering increased 28% and Transportation grew 7%. Management cited higher pricing, strategic wins and better market activity across several end markets.

Kennametal's Margins Expand Sharply

In the fiscal fourth quarter, Kennametal’s cost of goods sold decreased 18.3% year over year to $303.1 million. Operating expenses were $125.6 million, up 18.6% year over year.

Adjusted operating income was $305.7 million, translating into a 41.5% margin, compared with $38.2 million and 7.4% a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA reached $345 million, with the margin expanding to 46.8% from 14.8%.

The improvement was driven mainly by about $252 million of favorable timing between raw material-related pricing and costs. Non-raw-material pricing, tariff surcharges, higher sales and production volumes and $5 million of restructuring savings also helped. Compensation costs, tariffs and inflation were offsets.

KMT's Metal Cutting Segment Advances

Metal Cutting revenues increased 24% year over year to $397.8 million. Organic sales rose 22%, supported by a 1% currency benefit and a 1% business-days contribution. Constant-currency sales climbed 29% in the Americas, 20% in Asia Pacific and 16% in EMEA.

Adjusted operating income totaled $108.4 million and adjusted operating margin expanded to 27.3% from 7.9%. Results benefited from roughly $54 million of favorable raw-material pricing timing, non-raw-material pricing, tariff surcharges, higher volume and $4 million of restructuring savings.

Kennametal's Infrastructure Results Surge

Infrastructure revenues rose 73% to $338.8 million, while organic sales increased 74%. A 1% currency benefit and a 1% business-days benefit were partly offset by a 3% divestiture impact. Constant-currency growth reached 103% in the Americas, 46% in EMEA and 40% in Asia Pacific.

Adjusted operating income was $197.9 million, with adjusted margin surging to 58.4% from 6.8%. About $198 million of favorable raw-material pricing timing drove the gain, partly offset by lower volume of sales and production, an increase in compensation costs and general inflation.

KMT's Cash Flow Feels Working Capital Strain

Fiscal 2026 cash used in operating activities was $4.0 million against $208.3 million generated in the prior year. Free operating cash flow was negative $79.1 million against positive $121.2 million, reflecting higher working capital needs tied to tungsten-driven inventory values and supplier advances.

Kennametal ended fiscal 2026 with $95.8 million in cash and cash equivalents, down from $140.5 million a year earlier. Inventories increased to $1.11 billion from $538.2 million, while long-term debt rose to $685.3 million from $596.8 million. The company paid $60.8 million in dividends during the year.

Kennametal's Fiscal 2027 Outlook

For the first quarter of fiscal 2027, KMT expects sales of $745-$775 million and adjusted earnings of $2.50-$2.80 per share. The outlook assumes 1-4% volume growth, 50-53% price and tariff-surcharge realization and a neutral foreign-exchange impact.

For fiscal 2027, sales are projected at $3.33-$3.45 billion, with adjusted earnings of $4.15-$5.15 per share. Management expects free operating cash flow of about 20% of adjusted net income and capital spending near $85 million. Share repurchases will remain on hold until cash flow becomes positive.

Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider

The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Some better-ranked stocks from the same space are discussed below:

Applied Industrial Technologies AIT carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Applied Industrial’s earnings surpassed the consensus estimate in each of the trailing four quarters. The average earnings surprise was 4.0%.  In the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Applied Industrial’s fiscal 2026 bottom line has inched up 0.1%.

IDEX Corporation IEX presently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. IDEX’s earnings surpassed the consensus estimate in each of the trailing four quarters. The average earnings surprise was 7.7%. In the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for IEX’s 2026 earnings has increased 1.4%.

The Middleby Corporation MIDD currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. Middleby’s earnings topped the consensus estimate in each of the trailing four quarters. The average earnings surprise was 10.4%. In the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for MIDD’s 2026 earnings has increased 0.3%.

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