Second Quarter 2026
Filed Aug 5, 2026Solventum Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results
Organic sales increased 9.5%, adjusted diluted earnings per share increased 50.9% to $2.55, and the company increased full-year guidance for organic sales growth, adjusted EPS and free cash flow.
Key metrics
as reported| Metric | Value | q/q | y/y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net sales, three months ended June 30, 2026GAAP | $2,209 million | – | 2.2% |
| Selling, general and administrative expenses, three months ended June 30, 2026GAAP | $927 million | – | 20.1% |
| Research and development expenses, three months ended June 30, 2026GAAP | $178 million | – | (5.8)% |
| Operating income margin, three months ended June 30, 2026GAAP | 8.2% | – | (170) bps |
| Adjusted operating income margin, three months ended June 30, 2026non-GAAP | 28.4% | – | 650 bps |
| Net income, three months ended June 30, 2026GAAP | $92 million | – | 2.2% |
| Diluted earnings per share, three months ended June 30, 2026GAAP | $0.53 | – | 3.9% |
| Adjusted diluted earnings per share, three months ended June 30, 2026non-GAAP | $2.55 | – | 50.9% |
| Net cash provided by operating activities, three months ended June 30, 2026GAAP | $227 million | – | 34.3% |
| Free cash flow, three months ended June 30, 2026non-GAAP | $144 million | – | 144.1% |
| Net sales, six months ended June 30, 2026GAAP | $4,216 million | – | (0.4)% |
| Selling, general and administrative expenses, six months ended June 30, 2026GAAP | $1,754 million | – | 13.8% |
| Research and development expenses, six months ended June 30, 2026GAAP | $367 million | – | (3.7)% |
| Operating income margin, six months ended June 30, 2026GAAP | 6.2% | – | (250) bps |
| Adjusted operating income margin, six months ended June 30, 2026non-GAAP | 24.2% | – | 340 bps |
| Net income, six months ended June 30, 2026GAAP | $105 million | – | (53.7)% |
| Diluted earnings per share, six months ended June 30, 2026GAAP | $0.60 | – | (53.8)% |
| Adjusted diluted earnings per share, six months ended June 30, 2026non-GAAP | $4.02 | – | 32.7% |
| Net cash provided by operating activities, six months ended June 30, 2026GAAP | $38 million | – | (80.8)% |
| Free cash flow, six months ended June 30, 2026non-GAAP | $(129) million | – | (514.3)% |
Segments
| Segment | Revenue | q/q | y/y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Wound CareOrganic growth was 7.1%; the company cited strong performance across all reportable segments, primarily driven by volume and product mix and including the expected benefit of advance orders placed ahead of ERP cutovers. | $537 million | – | 14.9% |
| Infection Prevention and Surgical SolutionsOrganic growth was 10.1%; the company cited strong performance across all reportable segments, primarily driven by volume and product mix and including the expected benefit of advance orders placed ahead of ERP cutovers. | $836 million | – | 11.3% |
| MedSurgOrganic growth was 8.9%; the company cited strong performance across all reportable segments, primarily driven by volume and product mix and including the expected benefit of advance orders placed ahead of ERP cutovers. | $1,372 million | – | 12.7% |
| Dental SolutionsOrganic growth was 15.2%; the company cited strong performance across all reportable segments, primarily driven by volume and product mix and including the expected benefit of advance orders placed ahead of ERP cutovers. | $396 million | – | 17.0% |
| Health Information SystemsOrganic growth was 5.4%; Solventum announced the intent to separate this business segment as part of the portfolio optimization phase of its transformation strategy. | $354 million | – | 4.4% |
| All OtherOrganic growth was 10.6%. All Other includes the Drinking Water business and sales related to product supplied to 3M and other supply agreements related to legacy 3M business and assumed by the Company at Spin-Off. | $87 million | – | 11.8% |
Full-Year 2026 outlook
- NoteOrganic sales growth: +2.5% to +3.0% (+3.5% to +4.0% excluding ~100 bps of SKU exit impact)
- NoteAdjusted diluted EPS: $7.10 to $7.20
- NoteFree cash flow: $200 million to $300 million
What drove it
- Organic sales growth of +9.5% reflected strong performance across all reportable segments, primarily driven by volume and product mix.
- Quarterly organic growth included the expected benefit of advance orders placed ahead of ERP cutovers.
- GAAP and adjusted gross margin both increased, driven by IEEPA tariff refund.
- Adjusted operating income margin increased primarily due to a combination of IEEPA tariff refund and ERP-timing benefit.
- Quarterly operating cash flow and free cash flow were ahead of expectations, driven by timing of tax payments and insurance proceeds.
- Solventum announced the intent to separate its Health Information Systems business segment.
Concerns
- GAAP operating income margin decreased 170 bps to 8.2%, primarily driven by net legal costs, separation and restructuring costs.
- GAAP selling, general and administrative expenses increased 20.1%, primarily due to higher costs associated with separation activities and net legal costs.
- Six-month net income decreased 53.7% to $105 million and six-month diluted earnings per share decreased 53.8% to $0.60.
- Six-month operating cash flow decreased 80.8% to $38 million and six-month free cash flow was $(129) million.
- Quarterly organic sales growth included the expected benefit of advance orders placed ahead of ERP cutovers.
- Full-year organic sales guidance includes an approximately 100 bps impact from SKU exits.
What to watch
- Execution and timing of the proposed separation of the Health Information Systems business segment.
- The durability of organic sales growth after the expected benefit of advance orders placed ahead of ERP cutovers.
- The effect of SKU exits on full-year organic sales growth.
- Whether the IEEPA tariff refund and ERP-timing benefit continue to support adjusted operating income margin.
- Conversion of quarterly cash-flow strength into the full-year free-cash-flow guidance range of $200 million to $300 million.
Balance sheet and cash flow
- Operating cash flow of $227 million; free cash flow of $144 million
- Net cash provided by operating activities, six months ended June 30, 2026: $38 million
- Free cash flow, six months ended June 30, 2026: $(129) million
Analysis
Second-quarter sales were $2,209 million, up 2.2% on a reported basis, while organic sales growth was 9.5%. The company attributed the organic result to strong performance across all reportable segments, driven primarily by volume and product mix. It also identified expected advance orders placed ahead of ERP cutovers as a contributor. Dental Solutions posted 15.2% organic growth, Infection Prevention and Surgical Solutions posted 10.1%, MedSurg posted 8.9%, Advanced Wound Care posted 7.1%, and Health Information Systems posted 5.4%.
Profitability showed a wide divergence between reported and adjusted results. GAAP operating income margin was 8.2%, down 170 bps, as net legal costs and separation and restructuring costs weighed on results. Adjusted operating income margin was 28.4%, up 650 bps, driven primarily by the IEEPA tariff refund and ERP-timing benefit. GAAP diluted earnings per share increased 3.9% to $0.53, while adjusted diluted earnings per share increased 50.9% to $2.55. GAAP SG&A increased 20.1% to $927 million, although adjusted SG&A as a percent of sales decreased 130 bps to 26.0%.
Cash flow improved in the quarter but remained weak over the first six months. Quarterly operating cash flow was $227 million and free cash flow was $144 million, with the company citing timing of tax payments and insurance proceeds. For the six months ended June 30, 2026, operating cash flow was $38 million and free cash flow was $(129) million. Six-month net sales declined 0.4% to $4,216 million on a reported basis, while organic growth was 5.8%; the sale of Purification and Filtration in September 2025 affected reported growth.
Management increased its full-year 2026 outlook for organic sales growth to +2.5% to +3.0%, adjusted diluted EPS to $7.10 to $7.20, and free cash flow to $200 million to $300 million. The organic growth outlook is +3.5% to +4.0% excluding approximately 100 bps of SKU exit impact. The company also announced its intent to separate Health Information Systems, which reported $354 million in second-quarter sales. The planned separation is positioned as part of portfolio optimization and a move toward a more focused, dedicated MedTech company.
Management, verbatim
The Solventum team delivered another quarter of strong execution with results ahead of our expectations while continuing to advance our transformation,
Bryan Hanson, chief executive officer of Solventum
We remain on track to achieve our long-term objectives as we build a more focused, dedicated MedTech company, well-positioned to create long-term shareholder value.
Bryan Hanson, chief executive officer of Solventum
Not in the filing
stated, not guessed- GAAP gross margin amount and percentage
- Adjusted gross margin amount and percentage
- GAAP operating income amount
- Adjusted operating income amount
- Cash balance
- Debt balance
- Capital-return amounts, including dividends and share repurchases
- Prior-quarter comparisons for reported metrics
- Full-year revenue guidance
- Full-year gross-margin guidance
- Full-year operating-expense guidance
- Full-year tax-rate guidance
- Prior outlook document for formal actual-versus-prior-guidance comparison
AlphaAI analysis generated from the company’s SEC earnings filing (Form 8-K Item 2.02, or Form 6-K for a foreign private issuer). Every figure was cross-checked against the filing text; consensus estimates, price targets and share-price reactions are not shown because they are not in the filing. AI-generated research, not investment advice.