Cadre Holdings Q1 2026 Earnings Call Insights
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 44 minutes ago
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Should l Buy CDRE?
Source: seekingalpha
- Significant Sales Growth: Cadre Holdings reported Q1 2026 net sales of $155.4 million, reflecting a 19% year-over-year increase, indicating strong market performance and positioning the company to achieve its full-year sales target of $736 million to $758 million.
- Record Backlog: The company ended Q1 with a record backlog of $355 million, which included an organic increase of $108 million from Q4 to Q1, suggesting robust future production capacity and market demand.
- Ongoing Acquisition Strategy: Cadre has deployed over $400 million in targeted M&A since the start of 2024, including the acquisition of TYR Tactical in January and Alien Gear Holsters in April, which are expected to enhance the product range and increase customer wallet share.
- Improving Margin Expectations: Despite facing some market challenges, management anticipates that adjusted EBITDA margins will reach 17.5% in 2026 as sales grow and product mix improves, providing support for the company's future financial health.
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Analyst Views on CDRE
Wall Street analysts forecast CDRE stock price to rise
3 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 31.360
Low
50.00
Averages
52.67
High
55.00
Current: 31.360
Low
50.00
Averages
52.67
High
55.00
About CDRE
Cadre Holdings, Inc. is engaged in the manufacturing and distribution of safety products. The Company's equipment provides protection to allow users to safely perform their duties and protect those around them in hazardous or life-threatening situations. Its core products include body armor, explosive ordnance disposal equipment, duty gear and nuclear safety products. Its principal body armor product offerings include concealable, corrections and tactical armor, which provide varying levels of protection against ballistic or sharp instrument threats. It offers an engineered portfolio of critical operator survival suits, blast sensors, accessories and vehicle blast attenuation seats for bomb safety technicians, among others. Its engineered products are utilized in over 100 countries by federal, state and local law enforcement, fire and rescue professionals, explosive ordnance disposal teams, and emergency medical technicians. Its key brands include Safariland and Med-Eng, among 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.
- Significant Sales Growth: Cadre Holdings reported Q1 2026 net sales of $155.4 million, reflecting a 19% year-over-year increase, indicating strong market performance and positioning the company to achieve its full-year sales target of $736 million to $758 million.
- Record Backlog: The company ended Q1 with a record backlog of $355 million, which included an organic increase of $108 million from Q4 to Q1, suggesting robust future production capacity and market demand.
- Ongoing Acquisition Strategy: Cadre has deployed over $400 million in targeted M&A since the start of 2024, including the acquisition of TYR Tactical in January and Alien Gear Holsters in April, which are expected to enhance the product range and increase customer wallet share.
- Improving Margin Expectations: Despite facing some market challenges, management anticipates that adjusted EBITDA margins will reach 17.5% in 2026 as sales grow and product mix improves, providing support for the company's future financial health.
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- Earnings Decline: Cadre Holdings reported a net income of $1.98 million for Q1, translating to $0.05 per share, a significant drop from $9.25 million and $0.23 per share last year, indicating a notable weakening in profitability.
- Revenue Growth: Despite the earnings decline, the company achieved a 19.5% year-over-year revenue increase to $155.43 million, up from $130.11 million last year, suggesting strong sales performance likely driven by increased market demand.
- Full-Year Guidance: The company provided a full-year revenue guidance of $736 million to $758 million, reflecting management's cautiously optimistic outlook for future performance, aiming to achieve targets despite current profitability challenges.
- Market Reaction: The earnings decline may lead to negative market reactions towards Cadre Holdings, prompting investors to closely monitor how the company addresses profitability challenges and its future growth strategies.
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- Share Reduction Details: Catawba River Capital sold 199,018 shares of Cadre Holdings in Q1 2026, with an estimated transaction value of $7.95 million, indicating a cautious outlook on near-term defense spending growth.
- Stake Proportion Change: Following this sale, Cadre Holdings now represents only 4.03% of Catawba's assets under management, down from 8.3% in the previous quarter, reflecting a reassessment of the company's future performance.
- Financial Performance Overview: Cadre Holdings achieved record adjusted EBITDA for the third consecutive year in 2025, with annual sales rising from $567.6 million to $610.3 million, and gross margin improving from 41.1% to 42.5%, although shares fell due to softer-than-expected revenue and earnings.
- Market Outlook Analysis: While Cadre's underlying business appears strong, long-term investors must consider whether acquisitions and margin improvements can reignite the stock after a year of significant underperformance.
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- Transaction Overview: Catawba River Capital sold 199,018 shares of Cadre Holdings in Q1, with an estimated trade value of $7.95 million, indicating a tempered expectation around near-term defense and law enforcement spending growth.
- AUM Impact: The transaction resulted in a 3.82% change in reportable assets under management (AUM), with the remaining stake valued at $8.37 million at quarter-end, highlighting the impact of market fluctuations on the portfolio.
- Performance Analysis: Despite Cadre Holdings achieving record adjusted EBITDA for the third consecutive year in 2025 and increasing annual sales from $567.6 million to $610.3 million, shares fell due to softer-than-expected revenue and earnings.
- Market Outlook: As a differentiated defense supplier, Cadre still offers potential growth opportunities for long-term investors, supported by strong government relationships, despite facing short-term challenges.
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- Earnings Release Schedule: Cadre Holdings plans to release its financial results for Q1 2026 on May 11, 2026, after market close, indicating the company's ongoing growth in the safety equipment sector.
- Conference Call Details: A conference call is scheduled for May 12, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. ET, featuring remarks from CEO Warren Kanders and other executives, enhancing investor communication and transparency.
- Participation Instructions: Investors can dial (800)-715-9871 domestically or (646)-307-1963 internationally to join the call, with a recommendation to call in at least five minutes early to ensure full participation.
- Webcast and Replay Availability: The call will be available via live webcast on the company's website, and those unable to attend live can access a replay until May 26, 2026, ensuring broad dissemination of important financial information.
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- Acquisition Overview: Cadre Holdings has agreed to acquire Alien Gear Holsters and certain assets for $10.3 million through a court-supervised bankruptcy auction, with the transaction expected to close in Q2 2026, marking a significant expansion in Cadre's safety equipment market presence.
- Brand Value Enhancement: Alien Gear, established in 2014, is a recognized holster manufacturer with a direct-to-consumer sales channel, and this acquisition will enhance Cadre's brand portfolio while leveraging Alien Gear's innovative capabilities to elevate product standards.
- Business Synergies: Cadre President Brad Williams noted that this transaction will create significant business synergies, as Alien Gear's customer-first philosophy aligns with Cadre's operational model, potentially driving continuous improvement and reinforcing market leadership.
- Market Outlook: This acquisition not only provides Cadre with an entry into the consumer market but also enhances its competitiveness in the global safety equipment industry through Alien Gear's experienced team and innovation-driven products.
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