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Kewaunee Scientific Reports
Results for First Quarter of Fiscal Year 2027 Exchange: NASDAQ (KEQU) Contact: Donald T. Gardner III 704/871-3274 STATESVILLE, N.C. September 9, 2026 – PRNewswire / Kewaunee Scientific Corporation (NASDAQ: KEQU) today announced results for its first quarter ended July 31, 2026.
Fiscal Year 2027 First Quarter Highlights:
• Backlog increased to $169.0 million on July 31, 2026, up from $165.9 million on April 30, 2026.
• International segment net earnings increased 23.5% and segment EBITDA increased 13.9% despite lower sales as a result of a favorable mix of higher-margin projects.
• Ongoing cost management efforts and improved operating efficiencies helped mitigate the negative impact of lower manufacturing volumes within LPG.
• Higher effective tax rate driven by a greater mix of earnings from international operations relative to domestic operations.
• Long-term debt, excluding the Company's sale-leaseback financing obligation, declined to $13.8 million from $15.1 million on April 30, 2026.
• Corporate results included additional compensation expense associated with the decision to settle specific long-term incentive awards in cash rather than shares to reduce dilution to existing shareholders; the resulting incremental expense is not expected to recur.
Fiscal Year 2027 First Quarter Results:
Sales during the first quarter of fiscal year 2027 were $66,320,000, a decrease of 6.7% compared to sales of $71,104,000 from the prior year's first quarter. Pre-tax earnings for the quarter were $2,560,000 compared to $3,920,000 for the prior year quarter, a decrease of 34.7%. Net earnings were $1,706,000 compared to net earnings of $3,093,000 for the prior year quarter. EBITDA 1 for the quarter was $4,525,000 compared to $6,320,000 for the prior year quarter. Diluted earnings per share were $0.58 compared to diluted earnings per share of $1.04 in the prior year quarter.
The Company’s order backlog increased to $169.0 million on July 31, 2026 from $165.9 million on April 30, 2026. Backlog was $205.0 million on July 31, 2025.
During fiscal year 2026, the Company renamed its Domestic reportable segment to Lab Products Group ("LPG") to better align with the segment's expanded business activities, organizational structure, and strategic direction. This segment name change had no impact on the composition of the Company's reportable segments or on previously reported financial position, results of operations, cash flows, or segment operating results.
1 EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. See the table below for a reconciliation of EBITDA and segment EBITDA to net earnings (loss), the most directly comparable GAAP measure.
CORPORATE OFFICES ● P. O. BOX 1842, STATESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28687-1842 ● 2700 WEST FRONT STREET, STATESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28677-2927 PHONE 704-873-7202 ● FAX 704-873-1275 Lab Products Group Segment - LPG sales for the quarter were $50,868,000, a decrease of 6.4% from sales of $54,352,000 in the prior year quarter. LPG segment net earnings were $3,889,000 compared to $4,722,000 in the prior year quarter. LPG segment EBITDA was $6,585,000 compared to $7,576,000 for the prior year quarter. Despite lower manufacturing volumes amid challenging life sciences market conditions, the segment maintained solid profitability, supported by a stronger education market, disciplined cost management, and greater operating efficiencies.
International Segment - International sales for the quarter were $15,452,000, a decrease of 7.8% from sales of $16,752,000 in the prior year quarter. Despite lower sales, International segment net earnings increased 23.5% to $794,000 from $643,000 in the prior year quarter; while segment EBITDA increased 13.9% to $1,202,000 from $1,055,000. The improvement in profitability was driven by a favorable mix of higher-margin projects.
Corporate Segment – Corporate segment pre-tax net loss was $3,577,000 for the quarter, as compared to a pre-tax net loss of $3,058,000 in the prior year quarter. Corporate segment EBITDA for the quarter was ($3,262,000) compared to corporate segment EBITDA of ($2,311,000) for the prior year quarter. The change primarily reflected additional compensation expense associated with a decision to settle specific long-term incentive awards in cash rather than in shares to reduce dilution to existing shareholders. The resulting incremental compensation expense is not expected to recur.
Total cash on hand on July 31, 2026, was $10,261,000, as compared to $11,617,000 on April 30, 2026. Working capital was $56,716,000, as compared to $66,662,000 at the end of the first quarter last year and $57,046,000 on April 30, 2026.
The Company had short-term debt of $6,478,000 as of July 31, 2026, as compared to $5,904,000 on April 30, 2026. Long-term debt was $39,377,000 on July 31, 2026, as compared to $40,851,000 on April 30, 2026. The building lease from the Company's December 2021 sale-leaseback transaction accounts for $25,533,000 of the long-term debt on July 31, 2026, and $25,765,000 of the long-term debt on April 30, 2026. Long-term debt, net of the sale-leaseback transaction, was $13,844,000 on July 31, 2026, as compared to $15,086,000 on April 30, 2026. The Company’s debt-to-equity ratio on July 31, 2026, was 0.59-to-1, as compared to 0.61-to-1 on April 30, 2026. The Company's debt-to-equity ratio, net of the sale-leaseback transaction, on July 31, 2026, was 0.25-to-1, as compared to 0.26-to-1 on April 30, 2026.
Filing figures are from this filing. Earlier figures are from past filings.