Pentair Q4 Earnings & Sales Surpass Estimates, Increase Y/Y

Pentair plc PNR reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.18, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.17. The bottom line also surpassed the company’s guidance of $1.11-$1.16 and improved 9.3% from earnings of $1.08 per share in the prior year.

Including one-time items, EPS was 98 cents compared with the prior-year quarter’s 99 cents.

Net sales improved 4.9% year over year to $1.02 billion. The top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.00 billion. Excluding the impacts of acquisitions, divestitures and currency translation, core sales increased 3.7%.

Pentair’s Cost & Margins in Q4

The cost of sales increased 2.3% year over year to $609 million. The gross profit was $412 million, up 9.1% from the prior-year quarter. The gross margin was 40.4% compared with the year-ago quarter’s 38.8%.

SG&A expenses totaled $184 million, up 14.7% from the prior-year quarter’s $161 million. Research and development expenses increased 3.2% year over year to $22.5 million.

The operating income was $205 million, up 5.1% from the year-ago quarter. Operating margin was 20.1%, flat year over year.
The adjusted segmental operating income increased 8.8% year over year to $252 million. The adjusted segmental margin was 24.7% compared with the year-ago quarter’s 23.8%.

Pentair’s Q4 Segmental Performances

Net sales in the Flow segment totaled $394 million, up 9.3% from the prior-year quarter. Our estimate for the segment’s net sales was $387 million. Adjusted operating earnings for the segment rose 22.4% year over year to $90 million. Our estimate for the segment’s operating profit was $80 million.

Net sales in the Water Solutions segment were down 9.9% year over year to $232 million. Our estimate for the segment’s net sales was $244 million. The segment’s earnings were $55 million compared with $62 million in the year-ago quarter. Our estimate was at $63 million.

Net sales in the Pool segment totaled $393 million, up 11.2% year over year. Our estimate for the segment’s net sales was $370 million. Operating earnings for the segment grew 10.7% year over year to $132 million. Our estimate for the segment’s operating income was $121 million.

PNR’s Cash Flow & Balance Sheet Updates

Pentair had cash and cash equivalents of around $102 million at the end of 2025 compared with $119 million at the end of 2024. Net cash generated from operating activities was $815 million in 2025 compared with $767 million in the prior year. The company had a long-term debt of $1.64 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025, flat compared with Dec. 31, 2024.

Pentair hiked its dividend to 27 cents per share from the previous 25 cents. This marks the 50th consecutive year that the company has increased its dividend. 

PNR repurchased 0.5 million of its shares for $50 million in the fourth quarter. As of Dec. 31, 2025, the company had $1 billion available under its share repurchase authorization.

PNR’s 2025 Performance

Pentair reported an adjusted EPS of $4.92 for 2025, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.91. Earnings were up 13.6% compared with 2024 earnings of $4.33 per share. Pentair had provided an EPS guidance of $4.85-$4.90 for 2025. Including one-time items, EPS was $3.96 compared with the $3.74 in 2024.

Net sales increased 2.3% year over year to $4.18 billion and beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.16 billion. Excluding the impacts of acquisitions, divestitures and currency translation, core sales were up 1.9%.

Pentair’s Guidance for Q1 & 2026

The company expects adjusted EPS of $5.25-$5.40 for 2026. Sales are expected to increase between 3% and 4% on a reported basis from the 2025 level.

For the first quarter, the company expects an adjusted EPS between $1.15 and $1.18. Pentair anticipates the quarter’s sales to increase 1-2% from the year-ago quarter’s figure.

PNR Stock Price Performance

Pentair stock has lost 0.4% over the past year compared with the industry’s 3.9% decline.

Pentair’s Zacks Rank

Pentair currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Pentair’s Peers Awaiting Results

Pool Corp. POOL is slated to release fourth-quarter 2025 results soon. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for POOL’s earnings is pegged at 99 cents per share, indicating year-over-year growth of 2.1%.

The estimate for Pool’s top line is pegged at $998 million, implying an increase of 1.1% from the prior year’s figure. POOL has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 0.2%.

Xylem Inc. XYL, scheduled to release fourth-quarter 2025 results on Feb. 10, has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 8.7%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Xylem’s earnings for the quarter is pegged at $1.42 per share, implying year-over-year growth of 20.3%.

The consensus estimate for Xylem’s top line is pegged at $2.38 billion, indicating a rise of 5.4% from the prior-year figure.

Clean Harbors, Inc. CLH, scheduled to release fourth-quarter 2025 results on Feb. 18, has a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 4.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Clean Harbors’ earnings for the quarter is pegged at $1.61 per share, implying year-over-year growth of 3.8%.

The consensus estimate for Clean Harbors’ top line is pegged at $1.46 million, indicating a rise of 1.7% from the prior-year figure.

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