Curtiss-Wright Corporation Q3 2026 Earnings Recap

The stock fell 4.0% after earnings, despite higher full-year guidance, as investors may have focused on the gap between the raised outlook and third-quarter performance: EPS of $3.94 was only slightly ahead of management’s expectations. The transcript does not identify a specific disappointment or quantify a slowdown.

Key Takeaways

• Third-quarter sales rose 10% year over year to $953 million; adjusted diluted EPS increased 16% to $3.94.
• Operating margin expanded 30 basis points to 19.9%; free cash flow was nearly $160 million, with 108% cash conversion.
• Orders increased 15%, for a 1.11x book-to-bill; backlog rose 12% year to date to a record approximately $4.6 billion.
• Full-year sales growth guidance was raised to 8%–10%, adjusted EPS growth to 16%–18%, and operating margin guidance to 19.2%–19.4%.
• Management cited stronger demand in defense and industrial markets, but the call excerpt provides no quantified segment results or explanation for the negative share-price reaction.