Karen Holcom on EBITDA multiple
From Acuity Announces Agreement to Acquire QSC, LLC · · Acuity
“The net purchase price is about 14 times QSC's estimated EBITDA for the year ended August 31st 2024; we expect it to grow at a similar rate to our existing ISG business and we expect the acquisition to be accretive to our AYI 2025 adjusted diluted earnings per share.”
On , Karen Holcom, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer at ACUITY INC, spoke about EBITDA multiple during Acuity Announces Agreement to Acquire QSC, LLC on Acuity.
About Karen Holcom
On Acuity's fiscal 2026 second quarter earnings call, Karen Holcom reported net sales of $1.1 billion, a 5% increase year-over-year. She noted that ABL segment sales declined 3% to $817 million, driven by decreases in the direct sales channel, while gross profit margin improved 70 basis points to 45.7% due to strategic pricing and productivity improvements, partially offset by a $6 million special charge from labor reductions. AIS segment sales rose to $248 million, up $77 million, including one month of QSC contributions, with adjusted gross profit margin of 59.1% and adjusted operating profit margin of 19.3%. Holcom stated that cash flow from operations in the first half of fiscal 2026 was $230 million, $38 million higher than the prior year, and that the company repaid $100 million of its term loan during the quarter. She also mentioned an 18% increase in the quarterly dividend to 20 cents per share and $16 million allocated to share repurchases. Regarding data centers, Holcom described their impact on memory availability as a "supply shock" and said Acuity is focused on ensuring component availability and managing margin impacts over time. She affirmed no change to the AIS growth outlook of low to mid-teens or to the EPS guidance range.