Matthews International's 2024 Earnings: A Closer Look at the EPS Miss

Matthews International Corporation (NASDAQ: MATW) recently reported its full-year 2024 earnings, with earnings per share (EPS) missing analyst expectations. In this article, we delve into the factors contributing to this miss and the company's overall performance.

Matthews International's full-year 2024 results revealed a net loss of $59.7 million, a significant decline from the previous year's $39.3 million profit. Revenue, however, remained in line with analyst estimates at $1.80 billion, a 4.5% decrease from FY 2023. The company's adjusted EBITDA also decreased by 11.4% year-over-year.

A closer look at the company's segments reveals that the Memorialization segment outperformed, reporting $163 million in adjusted EBITDA, up from $146 million in 2020. This improvement was driven by pricing actions and strategic acquisitions. Meanwhile, the Industrial Technologies segment faced challenges, with sales declining due to customer delays in the energy business and a soft warehouse automation market. Despite these challenges, Matthews International expects the warehouse automation market to improve in 2025.



The SGK Brand Solutions segment stabilized, reporting three consecutive quarters of higher sequential sales and good margins. This stabilization was primarily due to cost control, price improvements, and growth in the Asia-Pacific region. However, the segment's performance was impacted by external factors, such as regional regulatory changes and softness in the European brand market.

Matthews International's cost management and pricing strategies contributed to its adjusted EBITDA results. The Memorialization segment improved operating margins despite lower unit volumes, thanks to cost control efforts and improved price realization. The SGK Brand Solutions segment stabilized and reported consecutive quarters of year-over-year sales growth, primarily due to pricing actions mitigating inflationary cost increases.

In conclusion, Matthews International's EPS miss in FY 2024 was influenced by the performance of key segments, with external factors such as customer delays in the energy business and geopolitical events playing significant roles. The company's cost management and pricing strategies helped mitigate the impact of these factors, but the EPS miss highlights the need for investors to consider multiple perspectives and factors when evaluating market trends and company performance.

As an investment article, this piece provides a balanced, analytical perspective on Matthews International's full-year 2024 earnings. By examining the company's performance across its segments and considering the impact of external factors, investors can make informed decisions about the future of the company and the broader market.