WOKINGHAM, England - Ferguson plc (NYSE:FERG), a leading distributor of plumbing and heating products, reported a marginal miss in revenue for the third quarter, with earnings per share (EPS) slightly surpassing analyst expectations. The company's shares experienced a 2.3% decline following the results.
The company announced Q3 adjusted EPS of $2.32, just $0.01 higher than the analyst estimate of $2.31. However, revenue for the quarter was $7.31 billion, narrowly missing the consensus estimate of $7.32 billion.
For the third quarter, Ferguson saw a 2.4% increase in sales compared to the same period last year, driven by volume growth despite a 2% deflation. The adjusted operating margin remained flat YoY at 9.2%, while diluted adjusted EPS grew by 5.5%. The company's CEO, Kevin Murphy, attributed the quarter's performance to the company's focus on execution and volume growth, which supports the view of continued improvement through the fiscal year.
Ferguson's updated guidance for FY2024 indicates broadly flat net sales, with an adjusted operating margin range narrowed to 9.2% - 9.6%, down from the prior guidance of 9.2% - 9.8%.
The company also adjusted its interest expense forecast to $175 - $185 million, down from the previous range of $190 - $210 million, and capital expenditures are now expected to be between $350 - $400 million, compared to the earlier estimate of $400 - $450 million. These adjustments reflect the company's anticipation of continued volume growth and resilient gross margins despite ongoing mild deflation.
The company's balance sheet remains robust, with net debt to adjusted EBITDA at 1.0x. Ferguson also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.79, representing a 5% increase over the previous year, and announced the completion of three acquisitions during the quarter, with two more following the quarter's end. These acquisitions are part of Ferguson's strategy to consolidate its fragmented markets and continue its share repurchase program, which has been increased by an additional $1.0 billion.
Murphy expressed confidence in Ferguson's positioning to leverage multi-year tailwinds in both residential and non-residential end markets. He highlighted the company's ability to meet the complex project needs of its specialist professional customers, despite the challenges posed by price deflation and market conditions.
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