Axalta Coating Systems Q4 Earnings Miss Expectations
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1h ago
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Should l Buy AXTA?
Source: seekingalpha
- Disappointing Earnings: Axalta Coating Systems reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.59, missing expectations by $0.01, with revenue of $1.26 billion reflecting a 3.8% year-over-year decline, falling short of estimates by $10 million, indicating weak market demand.
- Adjusted EBITDA Performance: The company achieved an adjusted EBITDA of $272 million, with an EBITDA margin of 21.5%, a 50 basis point increase year-over-year, demonstrating improved profitability despite declining revenues, highlighting effective cost control measures.
- Record Cash Flow: Axalta generated a record $344 million in cash from operating activities and $290 million in free cash flow during Q4, providing strong support for future investments and shareholder returns, showcasing robust financial health.
- Future Financial Guidance: The company projects modest net sales growth in Q1 and FY 2026, with adjusted diluted EPS around $0.50, below market expectations, reflecting uncertainty in future growth prospects amidst a challenging market environment.
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Analyst Views on AXTA
Wall Street analysts forecast AXTA stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for AXTA is 35.92 USD with a low forecast of 29.00 USD and a high forecast of 43.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
13 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
8 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 33.810
Low
29.00
Averages
35.92
High
43.00
Current: 33.810
Low
29.00
Averages
35.92
High
43.00
About AXTA
Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. is a global coatings company. The Company is a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of coatings systems and products. Its segments include Performance Coatings and Mobility Coatings. Through its Performance Coatings segment, it provides sustainable liquid and powder coating solutions to both large regional and global customers and to a fragmented and local customer base. These customers comprise, among others, independent or multi-shop operator body shops as well as a wide variety of industrial manufacturers. Through its Mobility Coatings segment, it provides coatings technologies for light vehicle and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Its key products consist of the four main coatings layers: electrocoat (AquaEC), primer (HyperDur), basecoat (ChromaDyne) and clearcoat (Lumeera). Its major industrial brands include Imron Industrial, Tufcote Industrial, Corlar Industrial, Strenex Industrial, PercoTop, Voltatex, and others.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Earnings Announcement: Axalta Coating Systems (AXTA) is set to announce its Q4 2023 earnings on February 10 before market open, with consensus EPS estimate at $0.60, flat year-over-year, and revenue estimate at $1.27 billion, reflecting a 3.1% decline year-over-year.
- Performance Expectations: Over the past two years, AXTA has surpassed EPS estimates 88% of the time and revenue estimates 50% of the time, indicating a stable performance in profitability, though revenue growth appears to be under pressure.
- Estimate Revision Trends: In the last three months, EPS estimates have seen one upward revision and seven downward revisions, while revenue estimates have experienced two upward revisions and five downward revisions, suggesting a cautious market outlook on the company's future performance.
- Market Reactions: Axalta faces challenges in its merger discussions with Akzo Nobel, leading UBS to downgrade its rating, indicating limited near-term upside, and investors should monitor the merger's impact on the company's outlook.
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- Profit Decline: Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. reported a fourth-quarter net profit of $60 million, or $0.28 per share, significantly down from $137 million and $0.63 per share last year, indicating pressure on profitability.
- Revenue Drop: The company's revenue for the fourth quarter was $1.262 billion, a 3.7% decrease from $1.311 billion last year, reflecting weakened market demand and intensified competition.
- Adjusted Earnings: Excluding items, Axalta reported adjusted earnings of $128 million, or $0.59 per share, which, while still lower than last year, demonstrates the company's efforts in cost control.
- Future Guidance: Axalta's guidance for next quarter's EPS is $0.50, suggesting that despite challenges, the company aims to improve financial performance through strategic adjustments and market recovery.
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- Disappointing Earnings: Axalta Coating Systems reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.59, missing expectations by $0.01, with revenue of $1.26 billion reflecting a 3.8% year-over-year decline, falling short of estimates by $10 million, indicating weak market demand.
- Adjusted EBITDA Performance: The company achieved an adjusted EBITDA of $272 million, with an EBITDA margin of 21.5%, a 50 basis point increase year-over-year, demonstrating improved profitability despite declining revenues, highlighting effective cost control measures.
- Record Cash Flow: Axalta generated a record $344 million in cash from operating activities and $290 million in free cash flow during Q4, providing strong support for future investments and shareholder returns, showcasing robust financial health.
- Future Financial Guidance: The company projects modest net sales growth in Q1 and FY 2026, with adjusted diluted EPS around $0.50, below market expectations, reflecting uncertainty in future growth prospects amidst a challenging market environment.
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- Increased Holdings: According to an SEC filing dated February 9, Arnhold LLC aggressively increased its stake in Axalta Coating Systems from 236,419 shares to 500,700 shares during the fourth quarter, indicating confidence in the company's future performance.
- Value Appreciation: As of December 31, Arnhold's position in Axalta was valued at $16.2 million, up $9.4 million from $6.8 million on September 30, reflecting optimistic expectations for potential returns from the stock.
- Asset Allocation Insight: Axalta represents 1.2% of Arnhold's reported AUM, and while it does not rank among the top five holdings, the increase in shares suggests a sustained interest in the sector.
- Market Performance Comparison: Despite Axalta's stock declining by 11.1% over the past year, trailing the S&P 500's 15.4% return, Arnhold's continued investment indicates a belief in the company's future market performance, potentially leading to strategic adjustments in their investment approach.
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- Share Acquisition: Arnhold purchased 264,281 shares of Axalta in Q4, increasing its total holdings to 500,700 shares valued at $16.2 million, indicating confidence in Axalta's future performance.
- Asset Allocation: As of December 31, Axalta represented 1.2% of Arnhold's reported $1.3 billion AUM, highlighting its significance within the investment portfolio.
- Market Performance: Axalta's stock has declined by 11.1% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500's 15.4% return, raising concerns about its future outlook in the market.
- Investment Strategy: Despite increasing its stake in Axalta, the Motley Fool analyst team did not include it among the best stocks to buy now, suggesting investors should exercise caution before investing.
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- Share Acquisition: On February 4, Leeward Investments disclosed the purchase of 323,314 shares of Axalta Coating Systems, valued at approximately $9.48 million, reflecting confidence in the company's future performance.
- Increased Position Value: This acquisition raised Leeward's position value in Axalta by $12.05 million from the previous quarter, indicating recognition of Axalta's potential in the coatings industry.
- Poor Market Performance: As of February 4, Axalta's shares were priced at $34.27, down 9.8% over the past year, significantly underperforming the S&P 500's approximately 14% gain, highlighting market concerns about its growth prospects.
- Financial Health: In the most recent quarter, Axalta achieved net sales of about $1.3 billion and a record adjusted EBITDA of $294 million, with margins rising to 22.8%, demonstrating improvements in operational efficiency and capital allocation capabilities.
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