Acuity Q2 Sales Rise 4.9% to $1.1B, EPS Jumps 26%, Dividend Up 18%
Acuity Inc. reported fiscal 2026 Q2 net sales of $1.1 billion, up 4.9%, with operating profit rising 20.7% to $133 million and diluted EPS up 26.1% to $3.09. The board raised the quarterly dividend 18% to $0.20 and repurchased $106 million of shares.
1. Second-Quarter Financial Results
In the second quarter of fiscal 2026 ended February 28, Acuity delivered net sales of $1.1 billion, up 4.9% year-over-year. Operating profit rose 20.7% to $133.0 million, adjusted operating profit reached $176.0 million (up 8.0%), diluted EPS was $3.09 (up 26.1%) and adjusted EPS was $4.14 (up 11.0%).
2. Segment Performance
The Acuity Brands Lighting segment generated net sales of $817.4 million, down 2.8%, with operating profit of $125.1 million (down 4.0%) and adjusted operating profit up 0.4% to $141.8 million. Acuity Intelligent Spaces posted $248.1 million in net sales, a gain of $76.6 million, with operating profit up $18.4 million to $28.3 million and adjusted operating profit rising $16.0 million to $48.0 million.
3. Productivity Actions
Actions to improve productivity in the lighting segment resulted in $6 million of special charges, primarily related to labor cost reductions, contributing to margin improvement by reducing ongoing operating expenses.
4. Cash Flow and Capital Allocation
Net cash from operating activities reached $229.9 million for the first six months of fiscal 2026. The board approved an 18% dividend increase to $0.20 per share and repurchased approximately 318,000 shares for $106 million to enhance shareholder returns.