5 Revealing Analyst Questions From JELD-WEN’s Q1 Earnings Call

JELD-WEN’s first quarter results disappointed investors, as the market reacted negatively to the company’s 19% year-over-year revenue decline and deepening operating losses. Management pointed to continued volume pressures in both North America and Europe, as well as the impact of the court-ordered Towanda divestiture. CEO William Christensen described the environment as "exceptionally challenging," with interest rates and affordability issues dampening demand in home construction and renovation. The company also noted that cost reductions have not kept pace with lower demand, leading to further operational inefficiencies and productivity headwinds.

Is now the time to buy JELD? Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

While we enjoy listening to the management's commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls are the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention.

Our Top 5 Analyst Questions JELD-WEN’s Q1 Earnings Call

• John Lovallo (UBS) asked about confidence in passing $30 million in tariff costs to customers; CEO William Christensen stated negotiations are ongoing but noted market-wide uncertainty and the risk of demand impact.
• Philip Ng (Jefferies) pressed on timing and magnitude of cost savings from transformation initiatives; Christensen and CFO Samantha Stoddard said benefits are weighted to the second half, but depend on volume trends and productivity.
• Susan Maklari (Goldman Sachs) inquired about whether JELD-WEN’s U.S.-based production could help regain share; Christensen acknowledged opportunities in certain product categories but cautioned that industry complexity and tariff uncertainty may slow any benefits.
• Trevor Allinson (Wolfe Research) asked about the company’s ability to offset non-tariff inflation, and the ultimate impact of the Towanda divestiture; Stoddard expects only a slightly negative price-cost balance and sees impact tracking toward the higher end of prior loss estimates.
• Mike Dahl (RBC Capital Markets) questioned the muted seasonal outlook for Q2 and implications for leverage; Stoddard confirmed a limited demand rebound and emphasized the company’s available liquidity and undrawn revolver.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

Going forward, our analysts will be closely monitoring (1) the ability of JELD-WEN to realize planned cost savings and transformation benefits, (2) the effectiveness of tariff pass-throughs and customer retention in the face of rising input costs, and (3) signs of stabilization or recovery in home construction and remodeling demand. The pace of footprint optimization and capital allocation discipline will also be important indicators of progress.

JELD-WEN currently trades at $3.90, down from $5.61 just before the earnings. At this price, is it a buy or sell? See for yourself in our full research report (it’s free).

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