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CARRHVAC & climate equipment

Carrier Global

Narrow moatMedium uncertainty

Updated

Price
$54.96
Fair value
fair value $77.00
Discount
28.6% below fair value
LSEG rating
LSEG 2.21 — lower is better (1–5)
Next earnings
Earnings Oct 29 ·

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In short

Thesis
The market fears lower margins and a weak residential HVAC cycle at Carrier, and stable margins with data center orders that turn into sales can close the gap.
Gap
Can close. The Q3 2026 report on October 29 and the 2027 guidance in early 2027 show whether margins stop falling while orders turn into sales.
Next test
: Q3 2026 earnings: margins and orders

About

Carrier makes heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, controls and services for homes and commercial buildings. It reports by region: Climate Solutions Americas, Climate Solutions Europe, and Climate Solutions Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, plus Climate Solutions Transportation, which makes refrigeration units for containers and trucks. Products include residential and light commercial HVAC, heat pumps, and large chillers for commercial buildings and data centers.

Carrier sells through dealers, distributors and directly to building owners and contractors, and it earns recurring revenue from service and parts. Net sales were $6.35 billion in Q2 2026. In 2026, it sold its Riello business and agreed to sell NORESCO, so that it focuses on climate products.

Thesis

The market fears lower profit margins and a weak residential HVAC cycle at Carrier. In Q2 2026, adjusted EPS fell 7% from a year earlier, and the adjusted operating margin fell 190 basis points to 17.2% because of higher input costs and an unfavorable business mix. In Q1 2026, organic sales fell 1%. So investors doubt that earnings will grow, although orders are strong.

In Q2 2026, total orders rose about 40%, commercial HVAC orders about 65% and data center orders more than 300%. For the gap to close, four things must be true. Carrier must deliver its raised 2026 outlook of about $23 billion of sales, $3.5 billion of adjusted operating profit, $2.90 of adjusted EPS and $2 billion of free cash flow. The adjusted operating margin must stop falling, as price increases catch up with the input costs and the Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper.

The record backlog in commercial HVAC and data centers must turn into sales in 2027. Residential and light commercial sales must keep growing, after rises of 9% and 10% in Q2 2026 in the Americas. The first evidence comes on October 29, 2026, with the Q3 report. The Q4 report and the 2027 guidance follow in early 2027.

If these checks pass, the gap can close over the next two to four quarters.

Checkpoints

  1. Oct 29, 2026Pending
    Q3 2026 earnings: margins and ordersAn adjusted operating margin that stops falling from a year earlier and the 2026 outlook of about $2.90 adjusted EPS kept pass; a further margin fall or a cut to the outlook fails.
  2. Feb 10, 2027 · est.Pending
    Q4 2026 earnings and 2027 guidance2026 adjusted EPS of about $2.90, free cash flow of about $2 billion and 2027 guidance for EPS growth pass; lower guidance fails.

Every passed and failed checkpoint across all picks

Balance sheet

Cash
$1.3B
Debt
$12.0B
Net debt
$10.6B
Interest cover
5.6×
times profit pays interest

Cash against debt

Cash$1.3B
Debt$12.0B

debt covered by cashnet debt $10.6B

When the debt is due

12 months$1.6B
Later$10.3B

Credit ratings

  • S&P BBB+ · stable
  • Moody's Baa1 · positive

Carrier funds itself with senior notes, commercial paper and a Japanese term loan. At June 30, 2026, debt was $11.95 billion: $1.64 billion of short-term borrowings and current long-term debt and $10.31 billion of long-term debt.

Risks

  • Margins fall. The adjusted operating margin fell 190 basis points to 17.2% in Q2 2026, and the Climate Solutions Americas margin fell 260 basis points, because input costs and the business mix were unfavorable. If prices do not catch up, earnings can fall further.
  • Residential HVAC demand depends on housing, interest rates and replacement cycles. Organic sales fell 1% in Q1 2026 before they grew 3% in Q2 2026. A new downturn would hit the largest segment.
  • Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper, updated on April 2, 2026, raise input costs. Carrier plans to offset them with supply chain changes, cost cuts and prices, but the effect can come with a delay.
  • Much of the order growth comes from data centers. If spending on AI data centers slows, orders and the backlog can fall.

Recent events

  • October 8, 2026Carrier said it will report Q3 2026 results on October 29, 2026, with a conference call at 7:30 a.m. ET.
  • July 28, 2026Carrier reported Q2 2026 results. Net sales grew 4% to $6.35 billion, and organic sales grew 3%. Orders rose about 40%, with commercial HVAC up about 65% and data centers up more than 300%. Adjusted EPS fell to $0.86 from $0.92, and the adjusted operating margin fell 190 basis points to 17.2%. Carrier raised its 2026 outlook to about $23 billion of sales and about $2.90 of adjusted EPS.
  • July 24, 2026Carrier elected Neil Barua, President and CEO of PTC, to its board of directors.
Show 3 older events
  • July 1, 2026Carrier completed the sale of its Riello business to Ariston Group. It had expected gross proceeds of about $430 million.
  • May 18, 2026Carrier agreed to sell its NORESCO energy services business to Opterra Energy Services, a subsidiary of LS Power.
  • April 30, 2026Carrier reported Q1 2026 results. Net sales grew 2%, organic sales fell 1% and adjusted EPS was $0.57. Total orders rose 11% and data center orders more than 500%. Carrier kept its full-year outlook.

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