LKQ Corporation Announces Results for Second Quarter 2026

LKQ Corporation Announces Results for Second Quarter 2026 ANTIOCH, Tenn., July 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LKQ Corporation (Nasdaq: LKQ) today reported second quarter 2026 financial results and provided an updated outlook for 2026.

"Our second‑quarter performance reflected solid execution across our North America and Specialty segments. North America returned to positive organic growth for the first time in nine quarters, driven by record alternative-parts utilization of over 40%, moderating insurance premiums that were negative in May and June, and continued sequential improvement in repairable claims. Specialty also delivered growth despite a challenging end‑market environment and continued macro‑economic pressure on consumers. Europe fell short of expectations, with results affected by the ERP implementation in Germany. Outside of the ERP impact, the team delivered substantial cost reductions that largely offset the lower volumes we witnessed in the UK and Benelux regions. Overall, the fundamentals of our business are improving, and as market conditions continue to recover, we expect those operational gains to translate into stronger financial performance and profitability in the quarters ahead," commented Justin Jude, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Second Quarter 2026 Financial and Operating Results

Revenue for the second quarter of 2026 was $3.4 billion, a decrease of 3.0% compared to $3.5 billion for the second quarter of 2025. Total parts and services revenue decreased 3.6%, which included a 5.1% decrease in parts and services organic revenue, a 1.0% increase from foreign exchange rates year over year, and the net impact of acquisitions and divestitures, which increased revenue by 0.5%.

Net income 2 was $134 million compared to $185 million for the same period of 2025. Diluted earnings per share 2 was $0.52 compared to $0.72 for the same period of 2025.

On an adjusted basis, net income 1,2 was $170 million compared to $218 million for the same period of 2025. Adjusted diluted earnings per share 1,2 was $0.67 compared to $0.84 for the same period of 2025.

Strategic Initiatives

In December 2025, the Company announced that it had commenced a process to explore a potential sale of its Specialty segment, and in January 2026, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had initiated a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives, including a sale of the Company, to enhance shareholder value. Our Specialty segment is currently being evaluated as part of the broader strategic review process initiated in January.

The strategic review process remains active, and the Company continues to engage with multiple parties. The review has no deadline or definitive timetable and there can be no assurance the review will result in any transaction or other strategic outcome. The Company will provide updates on the process as appropriate.

Cash Flow and Balance Sheet

Cash flow from operations 3 and free cash flow 1,3 were $111 million and $60 million, respectively, for the second quarter of 2026. Cash flow from operations 3 and free cash flow 1,3 were $55 million and negative $36 million, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2026. As of June 30, 2026, the balance sheet reflected total debt of $4.0 billion and total leverage, as defined in our credit facility, was 2.8x EBITDA.

Returning Capital to Shareholders

During the second quarter of 2026, the Company invested $52 million to repurchase 1.9 million shares of its common stock and distributed $77 million in cash dividends. For the six months ended June 30, 2026, the Company returned $207 million to its shareholders by investing $53 million to repurchase 1.9 million shares of its common stock and distributing $154 million in cash dividends. Since initiating the stock repurchase program in late October 2018, the Company has repurchased approximately 71 million shares of its common stock for a total of $3.0 billion through June 30, 2026. An aggregate balance of $1.5 billion remains for potential additional stock repurchases through October 25, 2026. On July 28, 2026, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.30 per share of common stock, payable on September 3, 2026, to stockholders of record at the close of business on August 20, 2026.

2026 Outlook

"Second-quarter results reflected improving trends in North America and resilient demand in Specialty, offset by a slower-than-expected recovery following the ERP implementation in Germany. North America remains on track against its full-year plan, and Specialty’s revenue performance has been consistent with our expectations. Our revised outlook reflects a more measured pace of recovery in Europe, while we maintain a disciplined focus on cost management, cash generation and capital allocation. The actions underway in Europe are focused on restoring service levels, aligning the cost structure with current demand and translating operational improvement into stronger financial performance," stated Rick Galloway, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

For 2026, management updated the outlook as set forth below:

Our outlook for the full year 2026 is based on current conditions, recent trends and our expectations. Outlook includes estimated impacts from the U.S. and retaliatory tariffs in effect as of July 1, 2026 and assumes a global effective tax rate of 26.8% and foreign currency exchange rates near recent average levels, including $1.17, $1.35 and $0.72 for the euro, pound sterling and Canadian dollar, respectively, for the balance of the year. Changes in these conditions may impact our ability to achieve the estimates. Adjusted figures exclude (to the extent applicable) the impact of restructuring and transaction related expenses; amortization expense related to acquired intangibles; excess tax benefits and deficiencies from stock-based payments; losses on debt extinguishment; impairment charges; and gains and losses related to acquisitions or divestitures (including changes in the fair value of contingent consideration liabilities).

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This release contains (and management’s presentation on the related investor conference call will refer to) non-GAAP financial measures within the meaning of Regulation G promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Included with this release are reconciliations of each non-GAAP financial measure with the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP.

Conference Call Details

LKQ will host a conference call and webcast on July 30, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time (7:00 a.m. Central Time) with members of senior management to discuss the Company's results. To access the conference call, please dial (833) 461-5787. International access to the call may be obtained by dialing (626) 884-3620. The conference call will require you to enter conference ID: 434311175.

Webcast and Presentation Details

The audio webcast and accompanying slide presentation can be accessed at (www.lkqcorp.com) in the Investor Relations section.

An online replay of the audio webcast will be available on the Company's website and can be accessed through the Investor Relations section, investor.lkqcorp.com under “Events”. Please allow approximately two hours after the live presentation before attempting to access the replay.

About LKQ Corporation

LKQ Corporation (www.lkqcorp.com) is a leading provider of alternative and specialty parts to repair and accessorize automobiles and other vehicles. LKQ has operations in North America, Europe and Taiwan. LKQ offers its customers a broad range of OEM recycled and aftermarket parts, replacement systems, components, equipment, and services to repair and accessorize automobiles, trucks, and recreational and performance vehicles.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements and information in this press release and on the related conference call, including our outlook for 2026, as well as remarks by the Chief Executive Officer and other members of management, that are not historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of such Act.

Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our outlook, expectations, beliefs, hopes, intentions and strategies. These statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors including those identified below. All forward-looking statements are based on information available to us at the time the statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

You should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual events or results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. The risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from the events or results predicted or implied by our forward-looking statements include the factors set forth below, and other factors discussed in our filings with the SEC, including those disclosed under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and in our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. These reports are available at the Investor Relations section on our website (www.lkqcorp.com) and on the SEC's website (www.sec.gov).

These factors include the following (not necessarily in order of importance):

Contact:

Joseph P. Boutross - Vice President, Investor Relations

LKQ Corporation

(312) 621-2793

jpboutross@lkqcorp.com

(1) Non-GAAP measure. See the table accompanying this release that reconciles the actual or forecasted U.S. GAAP measure to the actual or forecasted adjusted measure, which is non-GAAP.

(2) References in this release to Net income and Diluted earnings per share, and the corresponding adjusted figures, reflect amounts from continuing operations attributable to LKQ stockholders.

(3) Cash flow from operations and free cash flow include both continuing and discontinued operations.

(1) Amounts presented contain results from both continuing and discontinued operations.

(2) For the periods ended June 30, 2026 and December 31, 2025, includes $7 million and $13 million of restricted cash included in Other noncurrent assets on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, respectively.

The following unaudited tables compare certain third party revenue categories:

Revenue changes by category for the three months ended June 30, 2026 vs. 2025:

(1) We define organic revenue growth as total revenue growth from continuing operations excluding the effects of acquisitions and divestitures (i.e., revenue generated from the date of acquisition to the first anniversary of that acquisition, net of reduced revenue due to the disposal of businesses) and foreign currency movements (i.e., impact of translating revenue at different exchange rates). Organic revenue growth includes incremental sales from both existing and new (i.e., opened within the last twelve months) locations and is derived from expanding business with existing customers, securing new customers and offering additional products and services. We believe that organic revenue growth is a key performance indicator as this statistic measures our ability to serve and grow our customer base successfully.

(2) The sum of the individual revenue change components may not equal the total percentage change due to rounding.

The following unaudited tables compare certain third party revenue categories:

Revenue changes by category for the six months ended June 30, 2026 vs. 2025:

(2) The sum of the individual revenue change components may not equal the total percentage change due to rounding.

The following unaudited table compares revenue and Segment EBITDA by reportable segment:

We have presented Segment EBITDA solely as a supplemental disclosure that offers investors, securities analysts and other interested parties useful information to evaluate our segment profit and loss and underlying trends in our ongoing operations. We calculate Segment EBITDA as Net Income excluding net income and loss attributable to noncontrolling interest; income and loss from discontinued operations; depreciation; amortization; interest; gains and losses on debt extinguishment; income tax expense; restructuring and transaction related expenses; change in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities; other gains and losses related to acquisitions, equity method investments, or divestitures; equity in losses and earnings of unconsolidated subsidiaries; equity investment fair value adjustments; impairment charges; and direct impacts of the Ukraine/Russia conflict. Our chief operating decision maker ("CODM"), who is our Chief Executive Officer, uses Segment EBITDA as the key measure of our segment profit or loss. The CODM uses Segment EBITDA to compare profitability among our segments and evaluate business strategies. This financial measure is included in the metrics used to determine incentive compensation for our senior management. We also consider Segment EBITDA to be a useful financial measure in evaluating our operating performance, as it provides investors, securities analysts and other interested parties with supplemental information regarding the underlying trends in our ongoing operations. Segment EBITDA includes revenue and expenses that are controllable by the segment. Corporate general and administrative expenses are allocated to the segments based on usage, with shared expenses apportioned based on the segment's percentage of consolidated revenue. Refer to the table on the following page for a reconciliation of net income to Segment EBITDA.

The following unaudited table reconciles Net Income to Segment EBITDA:

(1) Includes a $44 million other-than-temporary impairment recorded during the six months ended June 30, 2026 related to our equity method investment in Mekonomen.

(2) Adjustments include provisions for and subsequent adjustments to reserves for asset recoverability (primarily receivables and inventory).

Segment EBITDA should not be construed as an alternative to operating income, net income or net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, as determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. In addition, not all companies that report Segment EBITDA information calculate Segment EBITDA in the same manner as we do and, accordingly, our calculation is not necessarily comparable to similarly-named measures of other companies and may not be an appropriate measure for performance relative to other companies.

The following unaudited table reconciles Net Income and Diluted Earnings per Share to Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share, respectively:

(1) Adjustments include provisions for and subsequent adjustments to reserves for asset recoverability (primarily receivables and inventory).

(2) Figures are for continuing operations attributable to LKQ stockholders.

We have presented Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share as we believe these measures are useful for evaluating the core operating performance of our continuing business across reporting periods and in analyzing our historical operating results. We define Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share as Net Income and Diluted Earnings per Share adjusted to eliminate the impact of net income and loss attributable to noncontrolling interest, income and loss from discontinued operations, restructuring and transaction related expenses, amortization expense related to all acquired intangible assets, gains and losses on debt extinguishment, changes in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities, other gains and losses related to acquisitions, equity method investments, or divestitures, impairment charges, direct impacts of the Ukraine/Russia conflict, excess tax benefits and deficiencies from stock-based payments and any tax effect of these adjustments. The tax effect of these adjustments is calculated using the effective tax rate for the applicable period or for certain discrete items the specific tax expense or benefit for the adjustment. Given the variability and volatility of the amount of related transactions in a particular period, management believes that these costs are not core operating expenses and should be adjusted in our calculation of Adjusted Net Income. Our adjustment of the amortization of all acquisition-related intangible assets does not exclude the amortization of other assets, which represents expense that is directly attributable to ongoing operations. Management believes that the adjustment relating to amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets supplements the GAAP information with a measure that can be used to assess the comparability of operating performance. The acquired intangible assets were recorded as part of purchase accounting and contribute to revenue generation. Amortization of intangible assets that relate to past acquisitions will recur in future periods until such intangible assets have been fully amortized. Any future acquisitions may result in the amortization of additional intangible assets. These financial measures are used by management in its decision making and overall evaluation of our operating performance and are included in the metrics used to determine incentive compensation for our senior management. Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share should not be construed as alternatives to Net Income or Diluted Earnings per Share as determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. In addition, not all companies that report measures similar to Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share calculate such measures in the same manner as we do and, accordingly, our calculations are not necessarily comparable to similarly-named measures of other companies and may not be appropriate measures for performance relative to other companies.

The following unaudited table reconciles Forecasted Net Income and Diluted Earnings per Share to Forecasted Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share, respectively:

(1) Actuals and outlook figures are for continuing operations attributable to LKQ stockholders.

We have presented forecasted Adjusted Net Income and forecasted Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share in our financial outlook. Refer to the discussion of Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share for details on the calculation of these non-GAAP financial measures. In the calculation of forecasted Adjusted Net Income and forecasted Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share, we included estimates of net income, amortization of acquired intangibles for the full fiscal year 2026, restructuring expenses under approved plans, and the related tax effect; we included for all other components the amounts incurred through June 30, 2026.

The following unaudited table reconciles Forecasted Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Forecasted Free Cash Flow:

We have presented forecasted free cash flow in our financial outlook. Refer to the paragraph on the following page for details on the calculation of free cash flow.

The following unaudited tables reconciles Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Free Cash Flow:

(1) For the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, Self Service contributed approximately $15 million and $30 million, respectively, of free cash flow.

We have presented free cash flow solely as a supplemental disclosure that offers investors, securities analysts and other interested parties useful information to evaluate our liquidity. We calculate free cash flow as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, less purchases of property, plant and equipment. We believe free cash flow provides insight into our liquidity and provides useful information to management and investors concerning our cash flow available to meet future debt service obligations and working capital requirements, make strategic acquisitions, pay dividends and repurchase stock. We believe free cash flow is used by investors, securities analysts and other interested parties in evaluating the liquidity of other companies, many of which present free cash flow when reporting their results. This financial measure is included in the metrics used to determine incentive compensation for our senior management.

Free cash flow should not be construed as an alternative to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities as determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. In addition, not all companies that report free cash flow information calculate this metric in the same manner as we do and, accordingly, our calculations are not necessarily comparable to similarly-named measures of other companies and may not be appropriate measures for performance relative to other companies.