Applied Industrial Hits Record Sales

Applied Industrial Technologies(NYSE:AIT) reported its fiscal fourth quarter ended June 30, 2025, earnings on August 14, 2025, delivering record full-year sales, EBITDA, and EPS for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, despite muted demand, with sales up 5.5% year over year in the fiscal fourth quarter and gross margin reaching 30.6%. The company exceeded its EPS guidance and demonstrated improved organic growth across both business segments on an organic daily basis, supported by a record year of cash generation in the fiscal year and strategic M&A led by the Hydrodyne acquisition. The following analysis highlights three pivotal insights affecting the long-term investment thesis.

Organic sales inflection reinforces Applied Industrial Technologies’ demand resilience

For the first time in seven quarters, the Engineered Solutions segment delivered organic year-over-year growth in the fiscal fourth quarter, with a 2% organic daily sales increase and significant improvements across technology and automation verticals. The company achieved a 4% sequential quarter-over-quarter increase in average daily sales, outpacing typical seasonal trends and signaling an organic demand turnaround even as end markets remained mixed, with declines persisting in segments like machinery and primary metals. This provides evidence of Applied Industrial Technologies’ ability to outperform through cycles.

"Upside, compared to our expectations, was primarily driven by stronger than expected Engineered Solutions segment sales, which grew organically year over year for the first time in seven quarters. The segment's 2% organic daily sales increase was a notable improvement from mid-single-digit declines in recent quarters, with the underlying drivers encouraging on many fronts. Our ES teams capitalized on recent order strength as well as improving demand and business development efforts across several key growth verticals. This includes double-digit organic growth across our technology vertical and mid-single-digit organic growth across our automation platform during the quarter."
-- Neil Schrimsher, President Chief Executive Officer

This inflection in organic sales growth, particularly in higher-value verticals, demonstrates the company’s ability to capture emerging demand and mitigate cyclical end-market weakness.

Hydrodyne acquisition accelerates EBITDA and synergy realization

Hydrodyne, acquired during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, contributed over $7 million in EBITDA in the fiscal fourth quarter and demonstrated rapid synergy capture, with a sequential margin improvement surpassing management’s initial timeline. Overall, M&A activity added more than 400 basis points to consolidated sales growth in the fiscal year, and segment disclosures confirmed that synergy benefits from Hydrodyne flowed faster than projected, especially in the Southeast U.S. and technology-related verticals.

"we're actually ahead of where we anticipated at this point in terms of synergy realization and, you know, continue to work that angle. So really all those factors combined, I say the know, the integration cost quarter over quarter were know, really didn't play heavily into that improvement. I would say as we thought about, synergies going in, you know, we said, you know, roughly 80% from cost and margin. And as well as 20% sales opportunity. And to Dave's point, we're we're we're pleased on both, including the interaction with the teams and the cross-selling opportunities, especially in service and repair opportunities throughout that Southeast geography. As well as things that we can do in in key growth verticals around data centers, and the technology segment."
-- Neil Schrimsher, President Chief Executive Officer

The above-plan synergy execution implies near-term earnings accretion, greater cross-sell leverage, and supports the long-term thesis that Applied Industrial Technologies’ disciplined M&A is a powerful enabler of margin enhancement and portfolio diversification.

Record free cash flow and disciplined capital deployment drive shareholder returns

The company generated $465.2 million in free cash flow (FCF) in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, representing 118% of net income and a 34% year-over-year increase in free cash, while deploying over $560 million in capital, supported by a balance sheet net leverage of 0.3x EBITDA as of the fiscal fourth quarter. The company repurchased 656,000 shares for $153 million and raised its dividend by 24%, reflecting a strong long-term capital return culture, underpinned by a 40% compounded annual free cash flow (FCF) growth rate over the past three years.

"We generated over $465 million of free cash, up 34% to a new record on both an absolute basis and as a percent of sales. Over the past three years, our business has generated 40% compounded annual free cash growth, which has culminated in meaningful capital deployment, including over $560 million deployed in fiscal 2025. We accelerated capital deployment on M&A, closing four transactions in fiscal 2025, including the strategic acquisition of Hydrodyne. Sales from acquisitions contributed over 400 basis points of inorganic growth in fiscal 2025, up 100 basis points from the prior year. At the same time, we were more active with share buybacks, repurchasing a total of 656,000 shares for $153 million, as well as increasing our quarterly dividend by 24%."
-- Neil Schrimsher, President Chief Executive Officer

This robust FCF profile allows the company to consistently return capital while investing for growth, reinforcing its commitment to delivering double-digit long-term EPS and dividend growth.

Looking Ahead

For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, Applied Industrial Technologies guides to EPS of $10 to $10.75, total sales growth of 4% to 7% (including 1% to 4% organic), and EBITDA margin of 12.2% to 12.5%. Pricing is expected to contribute 150% to 200% basis points to sales, with Hydrodyne and other acquisitions adding roughly 300 basis points (600 basis points in the first half) to sales growth. Management expects strong free cash flow to continue, though it may moderate due to anticipated working capital investment aligned with accelerating demand, and has not included effects from potential future acquisitions or share buybacks in its guidance.

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This article was created using Large Language Models (LLMs) based on The Motley Fool's insights and investing approach. It has been reviewed by our AI quality control systems. Since LLMs cannot (currently) own stocks, it has no positions in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.