Masco Q4 Earnings Beat, Sales Miss, Adjusted Operating Margin Up Y/Y

Core Viewpoint - Masco Corporation's fourth-quarter 2024 earnings exceeded expectations while net sales fell short of consensus estimates, reflecting challenges in sales volume and pricing in certain segments [1][4][12]. Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter were 89 cents, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 88 cents, and increased from 83 cents in the prior year [4]. - Net sales totaled $1.83 billion, slightly missing the consensus mark of$ 1.84 billion and declining 3% year over year; however, excluding divestitures, net sales rose 1% in local currency [4][12]. - For the full year, net sales were reported at $7.83 billion, down 2% year over year, with North American sales declining 2% and international sales remaining flat [12]. Segment Analysis - Plumbing Products segment saw net sales decline 1% year over year to$ 1.19 billion, with North American sales down 2% and international sales up 2% in local currency [6]. - Decorative Architectural Products segment reported sales of $639 million, down 6% from the prior year, but increased 5% in local currency when excluding divestitures [8]. Margin and Cost Management - Adjusted operating margin improved by 40 basis points year over year to 16.8%, driven by cost savings initiatives and lower expenses, despite challenges from unfavorable volume mix and higher commodity costs [7]. - Adjusted gross margin contracted 30 basis points to 34.8%, while adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales decreased by 170 basis points to 18.9% [10]. Shareholder Returns and Capital Deployment - The company returned$ 331 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases during the quarter [3]. - In 2024, Masco repurchased 10 million shares for approximately $757 million and announced a 7% increase in its quarterly dividend payment to 31 cents per share for Q1 2025 [15]. Future Guidance - For 2025, Masco expects adjusted EPS to range between$ 4.20 and $4.45, with net sales anticipated to be flat to up low-single digits when adjusted for divestitures and currency [16]. - The company projects demand in the global repair and remodel markets to be flat to down low single digits year over year [16].