Hillenbrand, Inc. (NYSE:HI) Surpasses Market Expectations with Strong Financial Performance

• Hillenbrand, Inc. (NYSE:HI) reported an EPS of $1.01, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
• The company's revenue for the quarter reached approximately $837.6 million, a 10% increase compared to the previous year.
• For the full fiscal year 2024, Hillenbrand reported revenue of $3.18 billion, a 13% increase from the prior year.

Hillenbrand, Inc. (NYSE:HI) is a diversified industrial company that operates in various sectors, including industrial equipment and funeral services. The company is known for its strong presence in the industrial machinery sector, competing with other major players like Illinois Tool Works and Dover Corporation. Hillenbrand's recent financial performance highlights its ability to exceed market expectations despite facing challenges.

On November 13, 2024, Hillenbrand reported earnings per share (EPS) of $1.01, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.93. This achievement, however, marks a decline from the $1.13 EPS reported in the same quarter last year. The company's revenue for the quarter reached approximately $837.6 million, exceeding the anticipated $792.98 million, as highlighted by Zacks. This revenue figure represents a 10% increase compared to the previous year, although organic revenue saw a slight decline of 1%.

Despite the positive revenue growth, Hillenbrand's GAAP EPS for the fourth quarter decreased to $0.17 from $0.24 in the prior year. The adjusted EPS also fell by 11% to $1.01. The company demonstrated strong operating cash flow in the fourth quarter, generating $167 million, which is an increase of $93 million from the previous year. This improvement in cash flow contributed to a sequential decrease in net leverage to 3.3 times.

For the full fiscal year 2024, Hillenbrand reported revenue of $3.18 billion, a 13% increase from the prior year, despite a 5% decrease in organic revenue. The GAAP EPS for the year was $(3.03), a significant drop from $1.53 in the previous year, primarily due to a non-cash impairment charge in the third quarter related to the MTS segment. The adjusted EPS for the year decreased by 6% to $3.32.

Looking ahead, Hillenbrand has provided guidance for fiscal year 2025, projecting a full-year adjusted EPS in the range of $2.80 to $3.15, and a first-quarter adjusted EPS between $0.52 and $0.57. The company currently has a negative price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of approximately -11.54, indicating ongoing losses. However, with a price-to-sales ratio of 0.76 and an enterprise value to sales ratio of 0.75, the stock is valued at less than one times its sales, suggesting a consistent valuation metric.