"The GPC team delivered first quarter results ahead of expectations, driven by solid sales growth and operating discipline across our business segments," said Will Stengel, Chair-Elect and Chief Executive Officer. "Our performance reflects the strength and resilience of our businesses despite a dynamic global environment. We are simultaneously making strong progress on our announced separation which remains on track for completion in the first quarter of 2027."
First Quarter 2026 Results
Sales were $6.3 billion, a 6.8% increase compared to $5.9 billion in the same period of the prior year. The improvement is attributable to a 2.4% increase in comparable sales, a 1.3% benefit from acquisitions and a net 3.1% favorable impact of foreign currency and other.
Net income was $189 million, or $1.37 per diluted earnings per share. This compares to net income of $194 million, or $1.40 per diluted share in the prior year period.
Adjusted net income was $245 million, or $1.77 per diluted earnings per share. Adjusted net income excludes a net expense of $56 million after tax adjustments, or $0.40 per diluted share, which relates to costs associated with the company's global restructuring initiative and the planned separation of the company's Global Automotive and Global Industrial businesses. This compares to adjusted net income of $243 million, or $1.75 per diluted share in the prior year period. Refer to the reconciliation of GAAP net income to adjusted net income and GAAP diluted net income per common share to adjusted diluted net income per common share for more information.
First Quarter 2026 Segment Highlights
North America Automotive Parts Group ("North America Automotive")
North America Automotive sales were $2.4 billion, up 4.3% from the same period in 2025. The improvement is attributable to a 2.2% increase in comparable sales, a 1.6% benefit from acquisitions and a net 0.5% favorable impact of foreign currency and other. Segment EBITDA of $156 million increased 6.3%, with segment EBITDA margin of 6.6%, up 10 basis points from the same period of the prior year.
International Automotive Parts Group ("International Automotive")
International Automotive sales were $1.6 billion, up 13.2% from the same period in 2025. The improvement is attributable to a 0.3% increase in comparable sales, a 2.3% benefit from acquisitions and a 10.6% favorable impact of foreign currency. Segment EBITDA of $145 million increased 4.6%, with segment EBITDA margin of 9.1%, down 80 basis points from the same period of the prior year.
Industrial Parts Group ("Industrial")
Industrial sales were $2.3 billion, up 5.2% from the same period in 2025. The improvement is attributable to a 3.9% increase in comparable sales, a 0.3% benefit from acquisitions and a 1.0% favorable impact of foreign currency. Segment EBITDA of $314 million increased 12.7%, with segment EBITDA margin of 13.6%, up 90 basis points from the same period of the prior year.
Balance Sheet, Cash Flow and Capital Allocation
The company generated cash flow from operations of $64 million for the first three months of 2026. Net cash used in investing activities was $93 million, including $98 million for capital expenditures and $14 million for acquisitions. Net cash provided by financing activities was $57 million, including net proceeds of debt (including net commercial paper) of $218 million, partially offset by $142 million for quarterly dividends paid to shareholders. Free cash flow was a deficit of $34 million for the first three months of 2026 due to continued investments in the business outweighing cash from operations which is seasonally lower in the first quarter. Refer to the reconciliation of GAAP net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow for more information.
As of March 31, 2026, total liquidity was $1.3 billion, consisting of $500 million in cash and $838 million of available capacity under the company's $2.0 billion Revolving Credit Agreement. This reflects $554 million drawn on the revolver and $607 million of outstanding commercial paper.
2026 Outlook
The company is reaffirming full-year 2026 guidance previously provided in its earnings release on February 17, 2026. The company considered its recent business trends and financial results, current growth plans, strategic initiatives, global economic outlook, geopolitical conflicts and the potential impact on results in updating its guidance, which is outlined in the table below.
For the Year Ending December 31, 2026
Total sales growth
3% to 5.5%
North America Automotive sales growth
3% to 5%
International Automotive sales growth
3% to 6%
Industrial sales growth
3% to 6%
Diluted earnings per share
$6.10 to $6.60
Adjusted diluted earnings per share
$7.50 to $8.00
Effective tax rate
Approx. 24%
Net cash provided by operating activities
$1.0 billion to $1.2 billion
Free cash flow
$550 million to $700 million
Non-GAAP Information
This release contains certain financial information not derived in accordance with United States ("U.S.") generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). These items include adjusted net income, adjusted diluted net income per common share, adjusted selling, administrative, and other expenses, and free cash flow. The company believes that the presentation of adjusted net income, adjusted diluted net income per common share, adjusted selling, administrative and other expenses and free cash flow, when considered together with the corresponding GAAP financial measures and the reconciliations to those measures, provide meaningful supplemental information to both management and investors that is indicative of the company's core operations. The company considers these metrics useful to investors because they provide greater transparency into management's view and assessment of the company's ongoing operating performance by removing items management believes are not representative of the company's continuing operations and may distort the company's longer-term operating trends. The company believes these measures are useful and enhance the comparability of the results from period to period and with the company's competitors, as well as show ongoing results from operations distinct from items that are infrequent or not associated with the company's core operations. The company does not, nor does it suggest investors should, consider such non-GAAP financial measures as superior to, in isolation from, or as a substitute for, GAAP financial information. The company has included a reconciliation of this additional information to the most comparable GAAP measure following the financial statements below. The company does not provide forward-looking guidance for certain financial measures on a GAAP basis because the company is unable to predict certain items contained in the GAAP measures without unreasonable efforts. These items may include acquisition-related costs, litigation charges or settlements, impairment charges, restructuring costs and certain other unusual adjustments.
Comparable Sales
Comparable sales is a key metric that refers to period-over-period comparisons of the company's net sales excluding the impact of acquisitions, foreign currency and other. The company's calculation of comparable sales is computed using total business days for the period and is inclusive of sales from company-owned stores and sales into independent stores. The company considers this metric useful to investors because it provides greater transparency into management's view and assessment of the company's core ongoing operations. This is a metric that is widely used by analysts, investors and competitors, however the company's calculation of the metric may not be comparable to similar measures disclosed by other companies, because not all companies and analysts calculate this metric in the same manner.
Conference Call
Genuine Parts Company will hold a conference call today at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results of the quarter. A supplemental earnings deck will also be available for reference. Interested parties may listen to the call and view the supplemental earnings deck on the company's investor relations website. The call is also available by dialing 800-836-8184. A replay of the call will be available on the company's website or toll-free at 888-660-6345, conference ID 82208#, two hours after the completion of the call.
About Genuine Parts Company
Established in 1928, Genuine Parts Company is a leading global service provider of automotive and industrial replacement parts and value-added solutions. Our Automotive Parts Group operates across North America, Europe and Australasia, while our Industrial Parts Group serves customers across North America and Australasia. We keep the world moving with a vast network of over 10,800 locations spanning 17 countries supported by more than 65,000 teammates. Learn more at genpt.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Some statements in this release, as well as in other materials the company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), release to the public, or make available on the company's website, constitute forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements in the future tense and all statements accompanied by words such as "expect," "likely," "outlook," "forecast," "preliminary," "would," "could," "should," "position," "will," "project," "intend," "plan," "on track," "anticipate," "to come," "may," "possible," "assume," or similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include the company's view of business and economic trends for the coming year and the company's expectations regarding its ability to capitalize on these business and economic trends; the company's full-year 2026 outlook and the company's ability to successfully execute on its strategic priorities, including the company's anticipated separation of Global Automotive and Global Industrial into two independent, publicly traded companies. Senior officers may also make verbal statements to analysts, investors, the media and others that are forward-looking.
The company cautions you that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, and while the company believes its expectations for the future are reasonable in view of currently available information, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the company's forward-looking statements. Actual results or events may differ materially from those indicated as a result of various important factors. Such factors may include, among other things, changes in general economic conditions, including persistent inflation (including the direct and indirect impact of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs) or deflation, geopolitical uncertainty and unrest (including from the conflict in Iran) and declining consumer confidence; the company's ability to successfully implement the separation of Global Automotive and Global Industrial and achieve the anticipated benefits of such transaction; volatility in oil prices; significant costs, such as elevated fuel and freight expenses; the company's ability to maintain compliance with its debt covenants; its ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses into its operations and to realize the anticipated synergies and benefits; its ability to successfully implement its business initiatives in its three business segments; slowing demand for its products; the ability to maintain favorable supplier arrangements and relationships; changes in national and international legislation or government regulations or policies, including changes to global trade regulations, environmental and social policy, infrastructure programs and privacy legislation, and their impact to us, the company's suppliers and customers; changes in tax policies including those included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act; volatile exchange rates; the company's ability to successfully attract and retain employees in the current labor market; uncertain credit markets and other macroeconomic conditions; competitive product, service and pricing pressures; failure or weakness in its disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting; the uncertainties and costs of litigation; public health emergencies, including the effects on the financial health of the company's business partners and customers, on supply chains and its suppliers, on vehicle miles driven as well as other metrics that affect the company's business, and on access to capital and liquidity provided by the financial and capital markets; disruptions caused by a failure or breach of the company's information systems; the success of its global restructuring efforts and the annualized cost savings arising therefrom, as well as other risks and uncertainties discussed in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and from time to time in its subsequent filings with the SEC.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements except as required by law. You are advised, however, to review any further disclosures the company makes on related subjects in subsequent Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K and other reports filed with the SEC.
GENUINE PARTS COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(UNAUDITED)
Three Months Ended March 31,
(in thousands, except per share data)
2026
2025
Net sales
$ 6,264,940
$ 5,866,069
Cost of goods sold
3,925,976
3,692,385
Gross profit
2,338,964
2,173,684
Operating expenses:
Selling, administrative and other expenses
1,856,830
1,709,679
Depreciation and amortization
131,028
115,435
Provision for doubtful accounts
7,103
5,855
Restructuring and other costs
57,732
54,770
Total operating expenses
2,052,693
1,885,739
Non-operating expenses (income):
Interest expense, net
43,953
37,216
Other
(3,075)
(908)
Total non-operating expenses
40,878
36,308
Income before income taxes
245,393
251,637
Income taxes
56,858
57,245
Net income
$ 188,535
$ 194,392
Dividends declared per common share
$ 1.0625
$ 1.0300
Basic earnings per share
$ 1.37
$ 1.40
Diluted earnings per share
$ 1.37
$ 1.40
Weighted average common shares outstanding
137,622
138,783
Dilutive effect of stock options and non-vested restricted stock awards
408
417
