Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Vertiv to Report Q3 Earnings: Should You Buy, Sell, or Hold the Stock?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Key Takeaways

  • Vertiv expects Q3 sales of $3.65B-$3.85B and adjusted EPS of $1.77-$1.83.
  • Strong AI data center demand and power and cooling solutions are expected to drive Q3 growth.
  • Vertiv shares have gained 19.9% YTD, but a 15.72X price/book ratio signals a premium valuation.

Vertiv (VRT - Free Report) is set to report its third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 28.

For the third quarter of 2026, Vertiv expects net sales in the range of $3.65 billion to $3.85 billion. Organic net sales are expected to increase in the 34% to 36% range. The company expects adjusted earnings between $1.77 and $1.83 per share (43% to 48% year-over-year growth).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter 2026 revenues is pegged at $3.76 billion, indicating year-over-year growth of 40.63%. The consensus mark for earnings is pegged at $1.82 per share, which has decreased by a penny over the past 30 days. This indicates 46.77% year-over-year growth.

Vertiv’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all the trailing four quarters, delivering an earnings surprise of 12.61%, on average. 

Vertiv Holdings Co. Price and EPS Surprise

Vertiv Holdings Co. Price and EPS Surprise

Vertiv Holdings Co. price-eps-surprise | Vertiv Holdings Co. Quote

Let’s see how things have shaped up prior to this announcement.

Factors to Note for VRT’s Q3 Results

Vertiv's third-quarter 2026 performance is expected to have benefited from robust demand for power and thermal management solutions, driven by accelerating investments in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and hyperscale data centers. Strong demand from hyperscalers, colocation providers, neocloud operators and enterprises is expected to have boosted demand for the company’s power management, thermal management and integrated infrastructure solutions.

Vertiv is benefiting from significant margin gains. In the second quarter of 2026, the company reported an adjusted operating margin of 22.6%, up 410 basis points year over year and well above its previous guidance. This margin expansion was driven by disciplined operational execution, productivity improvements and favorable price-cost dynamics, partially offset by tariff impacts. The company expects margin momentum to continue in the second half of 2026. For the third quarter of 2026, adjusted operating profit is projected to be between $898 million and $938 million, with an adjusted operating margin of 24% to 25%, supported by organic growth, operating leverage and productivity. 

Regional strength is expected to have been another key growth driver. Continued momentum in the Americas and Asia-Pacific, supported by strong data center investments, is likely to have boosted revenues. Improving demand conditions and strengthening order momentum in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) are expected to have supported a return to organic revenue growth. Vertiv projected third-quarter 2026 organic sales growth in the high-30% range for both the Americas and APAC, while EMEA growth was anticipated in the mid-teens.

Vertiv’s expanding portfolio of advanced power and liquid cooling solutions is also expected to have supported third-quarter performance. Increasing adoption of high-density AI computing infrastructure is driving demand for the company’s integrated powertrain, thermal management and infrastructure solutions. Its growing capabilities in direct-to-chip liquid cooling and heat rejection, strengthened by the acquisitions of Strategic Thermal Labs and ThermoKey, respectively, are likely to have enhanced its competitive position and supported revenue growth.

However, VRT’s third-quarter 2026 performance is expected to have been hurt by supply-chain congestion and execution complexities associated with large-scale infrastructure projects. Higher tariffs and increased investments in manufacturing capacity and R&D are likely to have weighed on profitability.

VRT Shares Bear Sector, Industry YTD

Vertiv shares have returned 19.9% in the year-to-date period, outperforming the Zacks Computer & Technology sector’s rise of 14% and the Zacks Computer IT Services industry’s decline of 8.8%. 

The company’s shares have also outperformed its peers, including Super Micro Computer (SMCI - Free Report) , Broadcom (AVGO - Free Report) and Amphenol (APH - Free Report) . All three companies are expanding their capabilities in the AI and data center infrastructure markets. While shares of Super Micro Computer and Amphenol have gained 12.5% and 9.6%, respectively, Broadcom shares have lost 7.1% in the year-to-date period.

VRT Stock Performance

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Vertiv stock is not cheap, as the Value Score of C suggests a stretched valuation. On a 12-month price/book basis, VRT is trading at 15.72X, higher than the Computer & Technology sector’s 8.66, Super Micro Computer’s 2.11X, Broadcom’s 15.4X and Amphenol’s 11.7X.

VRT Shares Are Overvalued

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Vertiv’s AI Power Innovations to Fuel Long-Term Growth

Vertiv is benefiting from the ongoing transformation of AI data center power architectures, which presents significant long-term growth opportunities. The transition toward 800-volt direct current (800V DC) power distribution is expected to increase the company’s revenue opportunity per megawatt. Vertiv is developing advanced power solutions, including medium-voltage battery energy storage systems, 800V DC sidecars and solid-state transformers. Customer validation of rack-level 800V DC solutions is underway in 2026, with deployments planned for 2027. Data hall-level solutions are targeted for deployment in 2028.

Vertiv is also expanding its global manufacturing footprint, including capacity additions in Malaysia, the Americas and EMEA, to support growing demand. Its SmartRun and OneCore integrated infrastructure solutions, coupled with increasing service opportunities, strengthen its competitive position. Continued investments in innovation, manufacturing capacity and strategic acquisitions are expected to support sustainable revenue growth and long-term margin expansion.

The company’s expanding portfolio has been noteworthy. In October 2026, Vertiv announced an AI factory deployment approach developed with NVIDIA, integrating NVIDIA DSX reference designs, digital validation and prefabricated power and cooling infrastructure to accelerate AI data center deployment. The approach targets up to 10 times faster design validation, 50% faster infrastructure deployment and 30% higher cumulative AI token output in the first 12 months, with Polar Data Centers adopting the model for the initial 41 MW phase of its AI data center in Norway, scalable to 100 MW.

Here’s Why VRT Is a Buy Right Now

Vertiv’s robust AI infrastructure demand, expanding power and cooling portfolio and improving margins support its growth prospects. These factors justify the company’s premium valuation. 

Vertiv stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and has a Growth Score of A, a favorable combination that offers a strong investment opportunity, per the Zacks proprietary methodology. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Published in