ONEW Q4 Deep Dive: Margin Expansion and Inventory Strategy Offset Flat Market Conditions

Boat and marine products retailer OneWater Marine (NASDAQ:ONEW) met Wall Streets revenue expectations in Q4 CY2025, with sales up 1.3% year on year to $380.6 million. The company’s outlook for the full year was close to analysts’ estimates with revenue guided to $1.88 billion at the midpoint. Its non-GAAP loss of $0.04 per share was 93% above analysts’ consensus estimates.

Is now the time to buy ONEW? Find out in our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).

StockStory’s Take

OneWater’s fourth quarter was marked by stable revenue and expanding margins, which prompted a positive reaction from the market. Management credited the performance to disciplined inventory management and benefits from recent brand rationalization efforts. CEO Austin Singleton highlighted that the company’s inventory mix and age profile are “healthy,” allowing for improved execution even as same-store sales remained flat. The company’s focus on optimizing its product portfolio and maintaining support from OEM partners helped offset a competitive environment, with margins benefiting from a favorable model mix. Gross profit margin expansion and growth in pre-owned boat sales further contributed to the quarter’s results.

Looking ahead, OneWater’s outlook is shaped by its ongoing portfolio optimization and emphasis on profitability as the marine industry faces flat to slightly declining volumes. Management expects to realize further benefits from discontinued brands and maintain a disciplined approach to inventory and capital allocation. CFO Jack Ezzell noted that reducing leverage is a key capital allocation priority, stating, “With the sale of the distribution assets, that should bring our leverage down to almost four times at the end of March and then under four times by the year-end.” The company anticipates that a recovery in market demand presents significant upside potential, but plans to remain cautious in the near term.

Key Insights from Management’s Remarks

Management attributed the quarter’s results to improved inventory discipline, margin expansion through brand rationalization, and a shift in sales mix favoring pre-owned boats and service activities.

• Brand rationalization boosts margins: OneWater’s decision to discontinue certain brands last year is yielding measurable improvement in gross margins, particularly as discontinued brands are phased out and higher-margin models take their place across dealerships.
• Shift toward pre-owned sales: Pre-owned boat sales were up significantly, driven by better trade-in availability and a more efficient process for acquiring used inventory. Management explained that the pandemic-era delays are over, enabling faster sourcing and sales of pre-owned units.
• Service and parts segment strength: Revenue from service, parts, and other categories grew by 10%, reflecting improved performance in the distribution segment and sustained customer loyalty despite weaker new boat demand.
• Inventory optimization completed: Inventory levels are at their healthiest in years, following a concerted effort to remove aged units and align the mix for better turnover. Singleton described the current inventory profile as “the best shape that it has been” in his career, with dated inventory now largely limited to value brands outside their core focus.
• Portfolio simplification through asset sales: The company initiated the sale of certain non-core distribution assets, aiming to focus resources on segments with the strongest strategic fit. Proceeds are expected to support balance sheet strength and future capital allocation priorities.

Drivers of Future Performance

OneWater’s forward guidance hinges on continued margin improvement, disciplined cost and inventory management, and cautious expectations for industry demand.

• Margin gains from strategic actions: Management expects gross margin improvement to persist as the effects of brand rationalization and optimized inventory flow through results, though some quarter-to-quarter variability is anticipated as promotional incentives change across the year.
• Industry headwinds and cautious outlook: The company projects the broader marine industry to remain flat or trend slightly lower, which could constrain volume growth. However, management believes their model positions them to outperform peers through share gains and focus on profitability over unit growth.
• Deleveraging and capital allocation: Reducing leverage remains the primary capital priority, with asset sale proceeds earmarked for debt repayment. Ezzell highlighted that leverage should drop below four times net debt to trailing EBITDA by year-end, improving financial flexibility for future growth.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

For upcoming quarters, our team will focus on (1) the pace and magnitude of gross margin improvement as discontinued brands phase out and inventory optimization continues, (2) the trajectory of pre-owned boat sales and whether this segment can sustain growth as availability rises, and (3) progress on asset sales and resulting reductions in leverage. Developments in the broader marine industry, especially any signs of a demand recovery, will also be key to assessing management’s ability to outperform industry trends.

OneWater currently trades at $12.92, down from $13.22 just before the earnings. Is there an opportunity in the stock?See for yourself in our full research report (it’s free).

High Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

If your portfolio success hinges on just 4 stocks, your wealth is built on fragile ground. You have a small window to secure high-quality assets before the market widens and these prices disappear.

Don’t wait for the next volatility shock. Check out our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 244% over the last five years (as of June 30, 2025).

Stocks that have made our list include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,326% between June 2020 and June 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.