Scansource, Inc. (SCSC) · Nov 5, 2026 · Earnings
Miss — Non-GAAP EPS $0.86 vs ~$1.11 consensus; revenue $962.3M vs ~$848.6M consensus
ScanSource earnings delivered a major sales beat, but weaker margins, Brazil credit losses and cash burn overshadowed the growth.
ScanSource is expanding from technology distribution toward higher-margin IT solutions, cloud, cybersecurity, data center and AI through the newly completed MicroAge acquisition. That strategy is producing much faster sales growth, but the first quarter shows the transition is currently dilutive to profitability and cash generation. The prior FY27 outlook already anticipated 6%–10% sales growth and $158 million–$165 million of adjusted EBITDA, while MicroAge’s closing and its inclusion in the outlook were already known before this filing.
The top line materially beat expectations, but the earnings result missed. Revenue reached $962.3 million, well above the published consensus of roughly $848.6 million, helped by MicroAge and strong North American hardware demand. But non-GAAP diluted EPS was $0.86 versus roughly $1.11 consensus, and adjusted EBITDA fell 18.9% year over year.
| Q1 FY27 | Q1 FY26 | Consensus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net sales (First Quarter Summary) | $962.3M (+30.1%) | $739.7M | ~$848.6M |
| Non-GAAP diluted EPS (First Quarter Summary) | $0.86 (-18.9%) | $1.06 | ~$1.11 |
| Gross profit margin (First Quarter Summary) | 12.2% (-238bp) | 14.5% | |
| Adjusted EBITDA (First Quarter Summary) | $31.3M (-18.9%) | $38.6M | |
| Operating cash flow (Cash Flow statement) | $(42.3)M | $23.2M |
The core problem is margin quality, not demand. Gross profit grew only 8.8% against 30.1% sales growth because the quarter carried a heavier mix of lower-margin, large hardware deals. That pushed gross margin down to 12.2% from 14.5%, while non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 3.25% from 5.22%. 〔0〕
A specific Brazil credit issue made the earnings miss worse. The filing says roughly $4.5 million of higher bad-debt expense, tied primarily to customer credit exposures in Brazil, reduced diluted EPS by approximately $0.16. Brazil revenue also declined 20.5% organically, making this more than a generic one-quarter cost increase.
The raised full-year EBITDA outlook is real, but mostly acquisition-driven rather than evidence of cleaner execution. FY27 adjusted EBITDA guidance moved to $175 million–$185 million from $158 million–$165 million, while the new $3.8 billion–$4.0 billion sales range incorporates MicroAge. The higher outlook advances the broader solutions strategy, but the quarter gives no evidence yet that the acquired higher-margin mix has offset current distribution-margin pressure.
Cash conversion deteriorated sharply as growth consumed working capital and the acquisition required funding. ScanSource used $42.3 million of operating cash flow and $44.1 million of free cash flow, paid $217.8 million for acquisitions, ended with $45.9 million of cash versus $88.4 million at fiscal year-end, and carried $231.9 million of revolving-credit borrowings.
Bottom line: This is a mixed earnings print: sales and the acquisition-fueled outlook are ahead, but the actual quarter missed on EPS because margins compressed and Brazil credit losses hit. The strategic expansion is progressing, yet the filing raises questions about how quickly that growth can translate into profit and cash.
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