Hillenbrand, Inc. (NYSE:HI) Q4 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

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And I think that’s a critical differentiator for us. I would say, obviously, we have continued development on capabilities in the service area, but proactive selling and really getting out there and understanding, which customers are a part of our kind of go-forward support and those where we have an opportunity to penetrate — those — that has been some very specific work that’s been being done in order to make sure that we are tapping into the entire installed base of all of the capital products that we’ve been putting out in the market. And we — if you look at the increase in capital, you would expect to start seeing parts orders as long as we maintain those relationships properly, which has also been a focus of this team over the last, I’d say, 24-months to make sure that installed base has heard from us, understands what they need to have on hand, understand lead times for things and when they need to order and that we’re working proactively with them to make sure that they are up and running all the time.

John Franzreb: Great. And in your prepared remarks, you mentioned about the outperformance of recent acquisitions. You’ve anniversaried Linxis and soon to anniversary Peerless. Can you talk a little bit about the outperformance? How much of it’s been on the revenue side versus the cost savings side? Maybe just give us a quick synopsis review.

Bob VanHimbergen: Yes. So I would say it’s actually on — more on the revenue side, John, we are — I’d say we’re on pace with the cost side. But as Kim mentioned earlier, just the excitement coming out of some of these meetings we’ve had the Linxis team, the FPM team as well as our legacy team coming together. I think there’s going to be more opportunities. But we’re seeing top line performance, which is really encouraging because we know we can get the cost stuff out and again, more opportunities coming.

John Franzreb: All right. And just one last question. I want to make sure I heard this properly, Bob. It seems like price cost recovery in the first half of the year, you dollar for dollar and in the second half of the year, you’re above that dollar to dollar threshold. Why again, is it that it’s still margin dilutive.

Bob VanHimbergen: I mean, obviously, just the incremental cost that’s just been baked into — when you think about the backlog business that we have, John, right? So there’s been a lot of cost that’s been sitting in backlog we have that price coverage. So dollar for dollar, it’s pretty neutral, but obviously just have the inflated numerator denominator.

John Franzreb: I just thought that I was in the impression that the stuff in the backlog was price cost protected and maybe that’s not…

Kim Ryan: It is, as a dollar for dollar basis.

Bob VanHimbergen: Yes, but it flows through revenue, you’re still seeing that pressure.

John Franzreb: Okay…

Bob VanHimbergen: It’s really slightly dilutive. John, it was nowhere near as dilutive as it was as you think about what it was last year. It’s like 50 basis points dilutive.

John Franzreb: Got it. Thank you for that perspective.

Bob VanHimbergen: At the gross margin level, by the way, so that’s not an EBITDA number. So it’s much more like what it was a year ago.

John Franzreb: Thank you, Bob.

Kim Ryan: Great. Thanks, John.

Operator: Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes our question-and-answer session. I’ll turn the floor back to Ms. Ryan for any final comments.

Kim Ryan: I want to thank you all for joining us today and for your continued interest in ownership in Hillenbrand. We look forward to speaking with you again in February when we will report our fiscal quarter one results. Have a great day and a safe and happy holiday season. Thank you.

Operator: Thank you. This concludes today’s conference call. You may disconnect your lines at this time. Thank you for your participation.

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