Gentex (NASDAQ:GNTX) reported second-quarter 2026 net sales of $651.3 million, down 1% from $657.9 million a year earlier, as lower automotive revenue in several international markets was partly offset by North American strength, higher vehicle content in Europe and growth in non-automotive businesses.
Automotive revenue declined about 3% year over year to $560.1 million, reflecting lower light-vehicle production and reduced shipments of base auto-dimming mirrors. President and CEO Steve Downing said revenue in China fell 20% from the prior-year period amid tariff-related market disruptions, while Europe, Japan and Korea also recorded lower revenue. North American demand remained comparatively strong.
Margins Benefit From Tariff Reimbursements and Mix
Second-quarter gross margin rose 280 basis points year over year to 37%. The result included approximately $18 million of IEEPA tariff reimbursements that reduced cost of goods sold. Gentex received about $38 million in total reimbursements during the quarter, with the remaining roughly $20 million reducing inventory held on the balance sheet rather than benefiting gross margin.
Downing said gross margin also benefited from product mix, operational execution and improving profitability in the company’s other-products category. Those gains were partly offset by higher commodity costs, lower sales and higher precious-metals costs. Excluding the $18 million reimbursement benefit, gross margin improved about 50 basis points sequentially from the first quarter.
Income from operations increased 19% to $141.3 million. Adjusted operating expenses were $99.3 million, compared with $97.5 million in the prior-year quarter. The company’s effective tax rate was 16.5%, versus 17.2% a year earlier.
Audio and Other Products Expand
Non-automotive revenue accounted for approximately 14% of total company sales during the quarter. Premium audio revenue rose 16% to $51.7 million, driven by powered systems and the Onkyo brand, according to Vice President of Finance and CFO Kevin Nash.
Revenue in the other-products category increased 12% to $39.4 million. The category includes aerospace products, fire-protection devices, medical technologies, biometric solutions and automotive aftermarket products. Nash said growth was led by aerospace products, biometrics and accessory revenues.
Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer Neil Boehm said more than 75% of Gentex’s automotive product launches during the quarter incorporated advanced features, including HomeLink, Full Display Mirror, in-cabin monitoring and advanced exterior auto-dimming mirrors.
The company began shipping Full Display Mirror products on the Jeep Recon and Infiniti QX65, as well as to McLaren for its W1, Toyota for the Century SUV, and Subaru for the Trailseeker and Uncharted nameplates. Gentex also began shipping driver-monitoring and in-cabin-monitoring systems to BMW for the iX3 and Kia for the EV2.
Morocco Facility Planned for European Demand
Gentex said it is establishing a manufacturing plant in Morocco to support European customers seeking more localized production. The company has signed a letter of intent, selected a location and received Moroccan government support for creating the local entity. Initial customer requests could include base electrochromic mirrors and advanced electronic modules, with a targeted start of production in 2028.
Downing said the move was driven by European customers’ requests for local support for vehicles built and sold in the region. He said Gentex has received several customer commitments and expects the plant initially to transition final assembly work from the United States before potentially supporting existing and new programs.
The company said its core technologies would continue to come from existing facilities and that it does not expect the Moroccan expansion to create a large increase in operating expenses or excess capacity at its core plants.
Gentex also said it expects to announce its first advanced electronics contract-manufacturing award by the end of the next quarter, with production targeted for late 2028 or early 2029. Downing said the initial award could represent $100 million to $200 million in revenue, with additional opportunities potentially becoming larger after 2029.
Guidance Maintained for Revenue, Updated for Margins and Spending
Gentex maintained its full-year 2026 consolidated revenue outlook of $2.65 billion to $2.75 billion. The company raised its gross-margin forecast to 34.5% to 35.5%, lowered expected operating expenses to $405 million to $415 million, and reduced its estimated tax rate to 16% to 17%.
The company also lowered projected capital expenditures to $115 million to $125 million, while maintaining depreciation and amortization guidance of $100 million to $110 million. Gentex continues to expect 2027 revenue of $2.8 billion to $2.9 billion.
Management’s production assumptions call for global light-vehicle production to decline about 2% in the third quarter and 3% for full-year 2026. For 2027, global production is expected to be relatively flat, although Gentex anticipates continued weakness in its primary automotive markets of North America, Europe, Japan and Korea.
Downing said the company expects second-half growth to be supported by additional Full Display Mirror launches and increasing production of driver-monitoring and in-cabin-monitoring systems. He also cited future contributions from dimmable visors, sunroofs, fourth-generation Full Display Mirror products and expanded premium-audio offerings.
Gentex generated preliminary operating cash flow of $180.9 million in the second quarter, up from $166.1 million a year earlier. Capital expenditures fell to $19.2 million from $31.1 million, resulting in free cash flow of $161.7 million, up about 20% year over year. During the quarter, the company repurchased 2.7 million shares for $66 million at an average price of $24.48 per share.
About Gentex (NASDAQ:GNTX)
Gentex Corporation (NASDAQ: GNTX) is a global technology company specializing in the design and manufacture of automotive and aerospace products. The company’s primary business centers on automatic-dimming rearview mirrors, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), and camera-based driver monitoring technologies. In the automotive sector, Gentex supplies exterior and interior mirrors with integrated electronics, connectivity features, and safety capabilities to many of the world’s leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
