AYI ACUITY INC. (DE)

NYSE Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment DE CIK: 0001144215
AI RATING
BUY
82% Confidence

Investment Thesis

Acuity Inc. demonstrates robust fundamentals with 13.1% YoY revenue growth, exceptional gross margins of 49.5%, and outstanding free cash flow generation of $461.7M (13.6% FCF margin). The company maintains a fortress balance sheet with minimal leverage (0.24x debt-to-equity), strong cash reserves ($411.9M), and 37.7x interest coverage, providing substantial financial flexibility for continued growth and shareholder returns.

Strengths

  • + Strong double-digit revenue growth (13.1% YoY) with healthy operating margins (14.3%) and net profitability (10.5%)
  • + Exceptional gross margins of 49.5% indicate strong pricing power and operational efficiency in a capital equipment sector
  • + Fortress balance sheet with conservative debt/equity ratio of 0.24x, excellent liquidity (2.05x current ratio, 1.47x quick ratio), and outstanding interest coverage of 37.7x
  • + Exceptional free cash flow generation ($461.7M) with 13.6% FCF margin demonstrating high-quality earnings and cash conversion
  • + Strong ROA (7.7%) and ROE (12.6%) indicating efficient capital deployment

Risks

  • ! EPS declined 6.8% YoY despite 13.1% revenue growth, suggesting share dilution, higher tax burden, or increased operating expenses that warrant investigation
  • ! Limited insider activity (3 Form 4 filings in 90 days) may indicate moderate insider confidence in near-term prospects
  • ! Operating margin expansion opportunity appears limited, suggesting potential headwinds or operational constraints at current scale

Key Metrics to Watch

Financial Metrics

Revenue
3.4B
Net Income
358.3M
EPS (Diluted)
$11.45
Free Cash Flow
461.7M
Total Assets
4.6B
Cash
411.9M

Profitability Ratios

Gross Margin 49.5%
Operating Margin 14.3%
Net Margin 10.5%
ROE 12.6%
ROA 7.7%
FCF Margin 13.6%

Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Current Ratio
2.05x
Quick Ratio
1.47x
Debt/Equity
0.24x
Debt/Assets
38.5%
Interest Coverage
37.73x
Long-term Debt
697.3M
Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI based on publicly available SEC EDGAR filings. It does not include stock price data and should not be considered financial advice. All fundamental data is sourced from SEC public domain filings. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.
Data Source: SEC EDGAR | Analysis Date: 2026-07-31T06:07:55.021736 | Data as of: 2026-05-31 | Powered by Claude AI