Curtiss-Wright Reports Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Raises Full-Year 2026 Guidance
Q3 sales $953M up 10%, adj EPS $3.94 up 16%, FY26 EPS guide raised to $15.40-$15.60 and FCF to $595-$615M.
What this release says
Curtiss-Wright reported third quarter 2026 sales of $953 million, up 10%, with adjusted diluted EPS of $3.94, up 16%, and raised its full-year 2026 guidance for sales, operating income, margin, EPS and free cash flow. For a shareholder, the release points to strong order growth and continued buybacks, though the raised outlook is company guidance rather than a result yet achieved.
Key figures
- Q3 reported sales
- $953 million
- Q3 adjusted diluted EPS
- $3.94
- Q3 new orders
- $1.1 billion
- Q3 share repurchases
- $352 million
- Full-year 2026 FCF guidance
- $595 to $615 million
- Full-year 2026 diluted EPS guidance
- $15.40 to $15.60
Positive for shareholders
- Sales, operating income and adjusted EPS all grew double digits or mid-teens in the quarter.
- Full-year guidance was raised for sales, operating income, margin, EPS and free cash flow.
- Orders rose 15%, with a book-to-bill of 1.1x and backlog up 12% year-to-date.
- Management expects near-record share repurchases in 2026 and a remaining $600 million authorization entering 2027.
Negative for shareholders
- Adjusted operating margin in Defense Electronics fell 220 basis points to 27.0% due to product mix and higher R&D spending.
- Management expects its 2026 guidance to be achieved, but that outcome remains subject to future performance.
Written by Quantisnow AI from this release. Not financial advice.
Key terms
- Book-to-bill:
- The ratio of new orders received to sales recognized in a period; above 1.0x means orders exceeded sales.
- FCF conversion:
- Free cash flow as a percentage of net income, showing how much profit turned into cash.
- Absorption:
- The spreading of fixed factory costs over higher production volume, which lifts margins as volume rises.
- Basis points:
- One hundredth of a percentage point, used to describe small changes in margins.
FAQ
How much did Curtiss-Wright's adjusted diluted EPS grow in the third quarter of 2026?
Adjusted diluted EPS was $3.94, up 16% from the prior year period, according to the release.
What changed in Curtiss-Wright's full-year 2026 guidance?
The company raised its sales growth range to 8% to 10% from 8% to 9%, and raised its diluted EPS range to $15.40 to $15.60 from $15.10 to $15.40.
How much did Curtiss-Wright spend on share repurchases in the third quarter?
The company repurchased about 538,000 shares for approximately $352 million during the third quarter.
Historical context for CW
Across the 30 sessions after earlier CW headlines, the stock closed higher 13 times and lower 16 times, with a median move of 2.0% in either direction. This shows timing only: many things move a stock in a session, and these figures do not show that any headline caused a move.
| Session | Earlier headline | CW | SPY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 4, 2026 | Curtiss-Wright Awarded Contracts Valued in Excess of $225 Million to Support Critical U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier and Submarine Platforms | -9.2% | +1.7% |
| Nov 3, 2026 | Curtiss-Wright Announces New Segment Leadership Team to Support Next Phase of Growth | +2.8% | +0.3% |
| Oct 29, 2026 | Curtiss-Wright Announces $30 Million Capital Investment to Expand Its Operations in Round Rock, Texas | +4.0% | -0.4% |
| Oct 14, 2026 | Curtiss-Wright Installs Stage 1 Simulator at TerraPower’s Natrium Site in Kemmerer, WY | -0.3% | -1.1% |
| Oct 7, 2026 | Curtiss-Wright Announces CFO Transition | -8.0% | -0.2% |
| Sep 30, 2026 | Curtiss-Wright to Announce Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results | +1.9% | -0.2% |
- Market cap
- 30-day
- Sector
- Technology
- Industry
- Industrial Machinery/Components
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