4 analysts' median target is $105[FMP target], stock is $87, +20.9% upside potential. After Q1 +4.9% EPS beat[FMP earnings], the stock moved +4.5%.
B+ = MoonshotScore 47[9-pillar formula] + Council 2/6[6-lens rule]. Form 4: 0 transactions[FMP Form 4].
Q4 consensus: revenue $1.5B[FMP est], EPS $1.00[FMP est]. 8 consecutive quarters of beat[FMP earnings].
Q1 EPS +4.9% beat[FMP] but the stock +4.5% D+1[FMP D+1]. Sameer Ralhan promised $12.0M CapEx + a sequential decline in Q4 during the Q1 earnings call[Sameer Ralhan capex transcript].
Watchlist
Fy26 Eps Guidance
fy26_eps_guidance
Veralto raised its full year adjusted earnings per share guidance to a range of $4.20 to $4.28 per share, reflecting its strong first quarter and momentum throughout the year.
"Reflecting this momentum and our strong first quarter, we raised our full year adjusted earnings per share guidance to a range of $4.20 to $4.28 per share."
- Jennifer Honeycutt, CEO - Q1 FY26 Earnings Call - April 29, 2026
Strategic Acquisitions
strategic_acquisitions
Veralto invested approximately $1 billion across 2 strategic acquisitions: In-Situ in our Water Quality segment and GlobalVision in our PQI segment, and also made opportunistic share repurchases.
"Thus far this year, we have invested approximately $1 billion across 2 strategic acquisitions: In-Situ in our Water Quality segment and GlobalVision in our PQI segment, and also made opportunistic share repurchases."
- Jennifer Honeycutt, CEO - Q1 FY26 Earnings Call - April 29, 2026
Cost Optimization Timeline
cost_optimization_timeline
Approximately 50% of the run rate savings from Veralto's cost optimization program are expected in 2027, with the full run rate in 2028; no benefit has been baked into guidance for 2026.
"You should expect roughly 50% of the run rate savings in '27 and full run rate in 2028. That's how you can model the savings."
- Sameer Ralhan, CFO - Q1 FY26 Earnings Call - April 29, 2026
Water Quality Demand
water_quality_demand
Veralto sees strong and stable demand across both its muni and industrial markets, with incrementally stronger growth in muni wastewater due to recycle, reclaim and reuse secular drivers.
"Yes, we see strong and stable demand across both our muni and industrial markets. To your point, the Veralto products and services really sit within customer operations where the cost of failure is high for them, right? And using our equipment is part and parcel to ensuring public safety, public health and so on."
- Jennifer Honeycutt, CEO - Q1 FY26 Earnings Call - April 29, 2026
Pqi Packaging Color Decline
pqi_packaging_color_decline
In PQI, packaging and color sales were down high single digits in Q1, primarily due to nonrecurring revenue, including sales of color testing and packaging inspection equipment, focused in a few discrete industrial end markets, such as automotive, textiles, building materials.
"When you look at Q1 here relative to packaging and color, as you noted, we do see sales down high single digits here, primarily due to the nonrecurring revenue, including sales of color testing and packaging inspection equipment. But this was really focused in a few discrete industrial end markets, so automotive, textiles, building materials, driven by housing market and so on."
- Jennifer Honeycutt, CEO - Q1 FY26 Earnings Call - April 29, 2026
Cost Optimization Program
cost_optimization_program
Veralto initiated a new cost optimization program designed to streamline our business and enhance operating efficiency.
"Additionally, we initiated a new cost optimization program designed to streamline our business and enhance operating efficiency."
- Jennifer Honeycutt, CEO - Q1 FY26 Earnings Call - April 29, 2026
Stock Expert AI - Methodology
9-pillar methodology. Cash Runway strong. Revenue Growth weak.
How is it calculated? ->6 investor frameworks. 2 bullish (Ray Dalio, Buffett), 1 bearish (Ken Griffin), 3 neutral (Jim Simons, Klarman, Munger).
How is it calculated? ->Quality business, trading at fair value.
How is it calculated? ->Past Performance
Q1 (April 29, 2026): EPS $1.07 vs $1.02 est[FMP], +4.9% beat. D+1 movement: +4.5%[FMP D+1]. Decline despite beat - market reacted to guidance, not numbers.
Q1: EPS $1.07 vs $1.02 beat[FMP], stock +4.5% D+1[FMP].
No RPO/backlog concentration disclosed in Q1 earnings call.
Q1 CapEx $12.0M[FMP cashflow]. Q1 op margin 23.8%[FMP op margin] - this level in Q4 is sensitive to CapEx revision risk.
Not advice - a structural framework for earnings night. Decision discipline is yours.
Market Outlook
You read it in 5 minutes. When the numbers come out on Thursday evening - you know what you're looking at.
Data arrives at night. The framework is ready now.
Data arrives on Thursday evening. The framework is ready on this page: Q4 EPS threshold $1.00[FMP], CapEx threshold "below $12.0M"[Sameer Ralhan]. Two anchors, three scenarios.
Comparison Stock Expert AI Pro $24/month ($240/year), 77% cheaper than the total of three earnings-tracking tools ($1,059/year -> $240/year).
Seeking Alpha $299/yr - analyst opinions + earnings coverage TipRanks $360/yr - Smart Score (1-10) + analyst consensus + insider trades Trendspider $400/yr - AI pattern detection + automated TA + multi-timeframe alerts
Prices as of April 2026. Sources: seekingalpha.com/subscriptions - tipranks.com/pricing - trendspider.com/pricing
Stock Expert AI Pro: $24/month ($240/year). Council 7-lens analysis + MoonshotScore 9-pillar + Insider tracker + Technical levels - all in one platform, for every stock.
Educational tool, not investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Calendar
DATA GAP: Events not in the FMP /stable/calendar feed - Investor day, analyst day, product launches, regulatory dates. These require company IR page scraping or manual calendar entry.
This VLTO (VLTO) earnings preview covers the analyst consensus, key catalysts, and what to watch on the earnings call.
Consensus EPS, revenue guidance, segment growth rates, and the tone of management commentary — the full breakdown with sources is on this page.