IR · Q1 2026 Earnings
CautiousIngersoll Rand
Reported April 28, 2026
30-second summary
Ingersoll Rand reported Q1 FY2026 revenue of $1.847B (+7.6% YoY, -0.3% organic — essentially flat) and non-GAAP EPS of $0.77, with organic orders down 1.9% (ITS organic orders -3%) disrupted by ~$40M of delayed Middle East long-cycle projects — a return to the order softness pattern that broke last year, not the inflection management implied on the Q4 call. Revenue itself came in "in line with expectations." Full-year EPS ($3.45–$3.57) and EBITDA ($2,130–$2,190M) were reaffirmed, but the composition shifted: M&A contribution rose from +1.5% to ~2% while FX tailwind was cut from +1% to ~+0.5%, leaving the organic flat-to-2% guide unchanged and entirely dependent on H2 catch-up. ITS Adjusted EBITDA margin compressed to 26.7% (-210bps YoY) — a fifth consecutive quarter of YoY decline per the Barclays exchange — and management's H2 recovery thesis now requires volume normalization, 2026 pricing actions kicking in, and restructuring carryover all to land on schedule.
Headline numbers
EPS
Q1 FY2026
$0.77
Revenue
Q1 FY2026
$1.85B
+7.6% YoY
Gross margin
Q1 FY2026
42.9%
Free cash flow
Q1 FY2026
$0.16B
Operating margin
Q1 FY2026
15.7%
Key financials
Q1 FY2026| Metric | Q1 FY2026 | YoY | Q4 FY2025 | QoQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $1.85B | +7.6% | $2.09B | -11.7% |
| EPS | $0.77 | — | $0.96 | -19.8% |
| Gross margin | 42.9% | — | 42.6% | +30bps |
| Operating margin | 15.7% | — | 18.7% | -300bps |
| Free cash flow | $0.16B | — | $0.46B | -64.7% |
Guidance
Management reaffirmed full-year FY2026 EPS and revenue growth guidance while modestly raising M&A contribution (+0.5 pts to ~2%) and lowering FX tailwind (-0.5 pts to ~+0.5%), reflecting confidence in order recovery despite Middle East near-term headwinds.
Guidance is issued for the full year only, refreshed each quarter. Prior and new below are the same FY updated this quarter.
New guidance
| Metric | Period | Guide | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Cash Flow to Adjusted Net Income Conversion | FY2026 | approximately 95% | — |
Changes to prior guidance
| Metric | Period | Prior guide | New guide | Δ | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M&A Revenue Contribution | FY2026 | +1.5% | approximately 2% | +0.5 pts | Raised |
| Currency Impact | FY2026 | +1% | approximately +0.5% | -0.5 pts | Lowered |
Reaffirmed unchanged this quarter: Revenue Growth (2.5% to 4.5%), Adjusted EBITDA ($2,130M to $2,190M), Organic Revenue Growth (flat to 2%), Adjusted EPS ($3.45 to $3.57)
Segment KPIs
Q1 FY2026| Segment | Q1 FY2026 | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial Technologies and Services | $1.445B | +6.8% |
| Precision and Science Technologies | $0.403B | +10.4% |
| ITS Adjusted EBITDA Margin | 26.7% | — |
| PST Adjusted EBITDA Margin | 30.3% | — |
Other KPIs
Q1 FY2026| Segment | Q1 FY2026 |
|---|---|
| Adjusted EBITDA | $469.1M |
| Adjusted EBITDA Margin | 25.4% |
| Free Cash Flow Margin | 8.8% |
| Orders | $1,978M |
| Book to Bill - ITS | 1.08x |
| Book to Bill - PST | 1.04x |
Management tone
Q2 anchor: backlog-and-M&A defense → Q3 anchor: explicit guidance cut → Q4 anchor: organic inflection delivered → Q1 FY2026 anchor: order inflection broken by Middle East, recovery deferred to H2.
The Q4 organic order inflection was a one-quarter event, not a trend. On the Q4 call, management framed organic revenue growth as the start of a normalized recovery. This quarter, organic orders excluding the Middle East delay finished "approximately flat" — meaning the underlying run-rate never re-accelerated, and the $40M project pushout merely made visible an underlying softness that the Q4 narrative had obscured. From the press release commentary: "we anticipate order recovery throughout the year and with strong execution from the team expect no impact on full year revenue or adjusted EBITDA at this time." The qualifiers "anticipate," "expect," and "at this time" are doing the work that "delivered" did three months ago. The signal is that the FY2026 organic guide depends on backlog recovery management does not yet have in hand.
Tariff framing shifted from "quantifiable headwind" to "navigable with no net impact." Three quarters ago tariffs were sized at ~$80M; two quarters ago raised to $100M+; last quarter codified as flat-margin pressure with H2 pricing recovery. This quarter management writes: "we do not currently expect any net tariffs and inflation impact for our full year guidance." That is a categorically more confident posture — and one the prepared remarks tie to "comprehensive analysis" rather than incremental disclosure. The hedge sits in "currently": the same word Jeff Sprague's exchange surfaced as the conditional. The reframing reduces tariff prominence in the bull case, but if Section 232 or IEPA dynamics shift, this becomes the next disclosure to revise.
Margin language moved from "muted H1, recovery H2" to "Q1 was the hardest quarter." Last quarter management guided flat FY EBITDA margins with H2 price-cost turning positive. This quarter, the Barclays exchange revealed Q2 EBITDA margins are still expected down 50–100bps YoY before recovery, and that ITS will be approximately flat YoY for the full year. From management on the call: "Q1 was most challenging quarter; H2 expected to show margin expansion." This is a one-quarter slip in the H2 recovery curve — H1 is now explicitly worse than originally framed, and the FY landing requires steeper H2 catch-up than the Q4 setup implied.
M&A confidence is intact but pipeline language softened. Last quarter management cited "9 companies under LOI, a couple potentially ~$1B." This quarter the framing referenced "200+ companies in funnel, 10 at LOI stage" — a broader, earlier-stage pipeline with no repeat of the $1B-deal flag on the LOI list. The +0.5 pts raise to M&A contribution implies recent closings are converting on schedule, but the absence of an updated large-deal LOI disclosure suggests the platform deals discussed in Q4 are not imminent.
Recurring themes management leaned on this quarter:
Risks management surfaced:
Q&A highlights
Mike Halloran · Baird
What is being observed on short cycle versus long cycle demand? Is there sequential acceleration in short cycle? Are there systemic project delays outside the Middle East, or signs of improvement?
Short cycle showing stabilization and improvement, with U.S. compressor activity stabilized and encouraging order trends across categories. Long cycle funnel stable; elongated decision-making observed but no cancellations. Middle East projects delayed but expected to resume in 2026, with one-third already booked in April. Full-year 1% organic growth guidance unchanged; Q1 came in as expected, better when excluding Middle East pushouts.
Julian Mitchell · Barclays
Can you quantify Q2 expectations for organic sales and EBITDA margins by segment? Specific focus on ITS margin trajectory given five consecutive quarters of year-over-year margin decline.
Q2 expected flattish to slightly up organic revenue. EBITDA margins down 50-100 bps year-over-year in Q2, primarily driven by ITS, while PST continues margin expansion. ITS full-year expected approximately flat year-over-year. Q1 was most challenging; margin expansion expected in H2 driven by improved organic volume, full implementation of tariff pricing actions, and execution of restructuring initiatives. Margins back-end weighted due to seasonal strength in Q4.
Jeff Sprague · Vertical Research Partners
Clarification on tariff impact—have you sorted through IEPA and 232 changes? What is the net impact outlook? Also, color on life sciences pipeline given recent reshoring announcements and ground breaks on projects.
All tariff components have been worked through and are netting out relatively neutral on a full-year basis when considering tariff-related changes, inflationary movements, and proactive mitigation measures. Life sciences showing double-digit organic quarter growth momentum. Reshoring and investments in biopharma/API production creating tailwind. Had recent collaboration session with top U.S. biopharma company on production acceleration technologies. Visibility improving.
Joe O'Day · Wells Fargo
Unpack the ITS margin bridge from Q2 (27.5-28%) to H2 (~30%). Quantify drivers: pricing timing, restructuring benefits, material cost mitigation.
Sequential margin improvement expected through year. ITS margin expansion in H2 driven by: (1) improved organic volumes with normal flow-through margin benefit; (2) in-year 2026 pricing actions not yet reflected (all 2025 tariff pricing already in numbers); (3) global restructuring taken in H2 2025, benefits to materialize through H1 2026 with visibility into H2; (4) direct material cost (~70% of COGS) improvements visible in seasonally strong Q4. No specific quantification provided on individual components.
Amit Mehrotra · UBS
Triangulate flat/down Q1 orders with 1% full-year growth guidance and harder comps as year progresses. What embedded demand assumptions are not yet visible?
Short cycle (both ITS and PST) showing stabilization and improvement—this is base-of-business driver. Q1 order softness mainly due to longer-cycle projects typically booked in H1; these feed 6-18 month backlog into H2 and 2027. Expectation is timing/transitory impact. Encouraged by short cycle momentum, life sciences performance, and book-and-shift businesses. Demand elasticity relative to pricing not viewed as concern; customers buy on total cost of ownership and payback.
Answers to last quarter's watch list
What to watch into next quarter
Whether the $40M Middle East order recovery actually materializes. One-third was booked in April; the remaining ~$27M must convert across Q2–Q3 for the FY revenue guide to hold without leaning on H2 short-cycle upside. A second-quarter print of organic orders excluding Middle East at sub-flat would suggest underlying demand is weaker than the "transitory" framing implies.
Q2 EBITDA margin landing inside the down 50–100bps YoY range. A miss below that range would break the H2 recovery bridge.
ITS margin trajectory in Q2. Management committed to "approximately flat YoY" for the full year, meaning ITS Q2 margin needs to stabilize and Q3–Q4 must expand. A Q2 ITS print materially below 27% would force a FY ITS reset.
Whether organic orders turn positive in Q2. Management guided Q2 revenue to flattish-to-slightly-up; if organic orders remain negative, the FY flat-to-2% organic guide becomes mathematically harder despite the backlog cushion.
Recurring revenue progression — whether management restores quantitative disclosure next quarter against the $1B-by-2027 run-rate target.
M&A pipeline conversion — particularly any disclosure on the >$1B opportunity noted in the funnel. A close at that scale would reshape the FY revenue mix; continued silence suggests it remains theoretical rather than imminent.
Sources
- Ingersoll Rand Q1 FY2026 earnings press release, SEC filing — https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1699150/000162828026027949/ir2026q1ex991.htm
- Tapebrief Q4 FY2025, Q3 FY2025, and Q2 FY2025 IR briefs (prior-quarter guidance baselines, tone trajectory, and watch-list resolution)
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