Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Richelieu Hardware First Quarter Results Conference Call. At this time, note that all lines are in a listen-only mode.

Following the presentation, we will conduct a question-and-answer session, which will be restricted to analysts only. If at any time during this call you require immediate assistance, please press star 0 for the operator.

Also note that this call is being recorded on April 9th, 2026. Bonjour, mesdames et messieurs, et bienvenue aux résultats du premier trimestre 2026 de Quincaillerie Richelieu.

Présentement, vos lignes sont en mode d'écoute seulement. Suite à la présentation, nous allons procéder à une période de questions et réponses qui sera restreinte aux analystes seulement.

Si vous avez besoin d'assistance au cours de l'appel, veuillez appuyer sur étoile et 0. Veuillez aussi prendre note que cet appel est enregistré le 9 avril 2026.

J'aimerais maintenant céder la parole à Monsieur Richard Lord, Président et Chef de la Direction. La parole est à vous.

Merci. Thank you.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Richelieu's conference call for the first quarter ended February 28, 2026. With me is Antoine Auclair, CFO and COO.

As usual, note that some of today's remark include forward-looking information which is provided with the usual disclaimer, as reported in our financial filings. During the quarter, we maintain our growth momentum with good results.

After a strong year of acquisition in 2025, we completed our first acquisition of 2026 in December, adding three distribution centers of McKillican American in Oregon and Washington State, as previously announced. Additionally, we signed two letters of intent for new acquisition in Canada.

Quarterly sales increase by 5% to $463.6 million. Excluding the impact of the Canadian dollar's appreciation against the US dollar, the increase in sales would have been 7%.

This growth reflects both the solid contribution of our manufacturers market in Canada and in the US, where sales rose 6% to 4 $408.2 million, and the contribution from acquisition, which accounted for 3% of total sales growth. Our strategies of innovation, acquisition, distinctive service, and market segment diversification have successfully offset certain sector slowdowns.

In fact, the hardware retailers and renovation superstores market declined by 1.9% compared to the same quarter of 2025. Sales totaled 50 $55.4 million, reflecting a slowdown in Canada, where sales decreased by 6%, while in the US, they rose by 21% in US dollar.

Our EBITDA increased by 1.9%, but would have been up 5.6% if we exclude the FX impact, with also an EBITDA margin slightly higher than last year. Net income rose 4% to 26 cents per share.

I am pleased and proud to note that during the quarter, Richelieu was awarded two prestigious top prizes at the Best of KBIS 2026 trade show in Orlando, Florida, an annual industry-wide global event that recognizes the most innovative kitchen and bathroom solutions. These awards demonstrate our commitment to always being first to bring innovative products to market, thereby helping to drive the market forward.

Our decorative hardware collection, Autentica, received Silver in the Style Statement category. This exclusive collection, created in collaboration with our long-term Italian partner, redefines modern, sleek design.

In addition, we earned Gold in the Wellness Trailblazer category for the Bertzi 440 motorized system for cabinets and closet. This unique, innovative system is designed to enhance mobility, safety, and autonomous living in any environment.

Antoine will now review the financial highlights of the first quarter.

Thanks, Richard. First quarter sales reached $463.6 million, up 5%, driven by 2% internal growth and 3% contribution from acquisitions.

Sales to manufacturers stood at 400 $408 million, up 6%, including 3.1% from internal growth and 2.9% from acquisitions. In the hardware retailers and renovation superstores market, sales totaled $55.4 million, down 1.9%.

In Canada, sales amounted to $249.8 million, up 3.4%. Our sales to manufacturers reached $206.3 million, and hardware retailers and renovation superstores market, sales stood at $43.5 million, down 6%.

In the US, sales grew to $155.6 million in US dollar, up 11.3%, reflecting 6.4% internal growth and 4.9% from acquisitions. In Canadian dollar, sales in the US reached $214 million, an increase of 6.8%, representing 46% of the total sales.

First quarter EBITDA reached $43.2 million, up $0.8 million or 1.9%, despite a negative foreign exchange impact of $1.6 million due to currency fluctuations. The EBITDA margin stood at 9.3% compared to 9.6% last year.

First quarter net earnings attributable to shareholders totaled $14.4 million, an increase of 3.6% from the first quarter of 2025. Diluted net earnings per share was 26 cents compared to 25 cents last year, an increase of 4%.

First quarter cash flow from operating activities before net change in non-cash working capital balances was $37.9 million or 69 cents per diluted shares. The net change in non-cash working capital used cash flow of $21 million, mainly reflecting the increase in inventories, which is a normal seasonal fluctuation for this period of the year.

As a result, operating activities provided a cash inflow of $17.1 million, compared to a cash inflow of $3.7 million in the first quarter of 2025. We paid dividends of $8.6 million to shareholders, and we invested $13.2 million, including $10 million for one business acquisition and $3.2 million in CapEx.

At the end of the quarter, financial situation was healthy and solid, with working capital of 6 $625.7 million and almost no debt. I now turn it over to Richard.

Thank you, Antoine. In conclusion, we are integrating our recent acquisitions efficiently while continuing to actively pursue opportunities.

The highly fragmented market in which we operate, particularly in the US, still offer many acquisition opportunities, and we are well positioned to capitalize on those that meet our disciplined acquisition criteria. We believe we are well positioned with a strong offering and deep expertise to meet the evolving needs of the specialized market we serve.

We are confident that we will continue to strengthen our foundation by creating and seizing opportunity for long-term value creation. Thanks, everyone.

We'd now be happy to answer your questions.

Hi, good morning. Richard, are you able to comment on how sales have fared in Q2 so far for both the manufacturers and retailers?

The market is still very good. Just to give you an idea of the market in Canada, the last quarter was a total increase for the industrial customers by 4%, but the Eastern Canada sales were up by 12%, and this is continuing in the current month as well.

Eastern Canada, we see a regain in the construction industry for multiple buildings that are being built. Basically it's positive.

The only market in Canada that is going not very well is the Ontario market. We're down by 4% in the Ontario market, while the Western Canada is up by 3% and in the US, as we have already mentioned, the growth in the US.

Basically, it's doing well in the circumstances, even though we have the retailers market, which is flat, we're in constant communication with the retailers in Canada, and they all have a negative POS sales. Basically, I think this market is going to come back

with Great. Thanks, Richard.

Just looking at Q1 organic growth was 2%. What was this price and volume sort of composition that got you that 2%?

Hamir, just to complete also your previous question, the month of March is pretty aligned with what you've seen in the first. We're still seeing growth in March and in the beginning of April, as well.

Regarding the price increase versus the volume, the increase you're seeing in the US is pretty much price increase driven. In Canada, it's 50/50 price increase and volume.

Great. Thanks, Antoine.

That's helpful. Just the last question I have before I jump back in the queue, EBITDA margins 9.3% in the quarter.

What are you expecting for full-year 2026? How do you think about where longer-term margins might stabilize?

You understand that the first quarter is always the softer quarter of the year. You'll see the EBITDA increase in the next three periods, for sure.

The EBITDA margin should be similar or slightly higher than last year if you look at Q2, Q3, and Q4. We've delivered 10.9% last year.

We should be slightly over that as we already communicated to you guys. What we're looking for is for EBITDA between 12% and 13%.

At the end of the day, that's what we are heading for. For 2020- 2026 should be around the 11% mark.

One thing, Hamir, that you guys need to understand is that, yes, the foreign exchange had an impact in Q1, but the tariffs also are impacting the EBITDA margin in percentage. We've always said that we would pass the tariff dollar, no impact on the EBITDA dollar, but has an impact on the EBITDA margin.

Antoine, do you have a sense as to maybe how many basis points that represented?

0.2.

Point two. Great.

That's all I have for now. I'll turn it over.

Thanks.

Hey, thanks for taking my questions. Last quarter you were hopeful for a continuation of the year-over-year margin expansion in Q1.

We heard about the FX impact, which is about 30 to 40 basis points, and the tariff pass-through impact, which is about 20 basis points. Anything else happen in the quarter that pushed down on the year-over-year comparison versus Q1 last year?

If you exclude Zach the FX impact, you would be slightly higher than last year. The tariff impact also is impacting negatively the margin percentage.

If you exclude that, we would be higher than last year.

Gotcha, thanks. What drove the pressure on retailers in Canada this quarter?

You mentioned negative POS data, but last quarter we had a large non-recurrence of a seasonal order. Anything notable this quarter?

No, the business is still is still flat as we speak. We we hope that the the months to come the I think the construction is going to improve because many of the retailers sell to contractor as well.

Basically the consumer will have to spend one day or the other. The patio business is is is going to be some that's a project that the consumers will do soon as well, for which we have many products.

Basically, we hope that the market should not be that bad with the the hardware retailers.

Thanks very much. Given the resurgence in mortgage rates in the US, are you seeing any changes in the willingness to transact from sellers in your M&A pipeline?

Maybe they're throwing in the towel?

No, the M&A pipeline is is healthy in the US in the US as well. We we've signed two letter of intent in Canada.

We have other opportunities that we're hoping to close soon. It's it's very healthy as we speak.

Coming back, Zach, to the hardware retailer as well, I think we already told you that we're going to gain some business with Lowe's in the US that will represent something like $10 million per year. That project should start in the third and the fourth quarter of this year.

Perfect, thanks. Despite the turmoil we're seeing in global markets, no change to your expectations for roughly plus or minus $100 million in added revenue through M&A?

Yes, sir. No problem at all.

That should be reached.

Beauty, thanks. I'll turn it over.

Thank you very much, all of you. We're always happy to answer your question if you call us.

Bye-bye.