| Factor | Score | Distribution | Value | Avg | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valuation | 64 | 18.6x | 17.3x | Around median | |
Growth | 52 | 6.8% | 7.1% | Around median | |
Quality | 84 | 15.7% | 4.5% | Top tier | |
Safety | 89 | 0.2x | 2.6x | Top tier | |
Capital Return | 88 | 0.24% | 0.06% | Top tier | |
Momentum | 62 | -13.4% | -1.6% | Around median | |
Sentiment | 69 | 6 | 3 | Top tier |
The floor: what the company is worth if growth stopped today
46% of today's price is what a buyer pays for growth that has not happened yet.
10-year US Treasury yield 4.96% as of 2026-10-22. Estimates computed from company data and analyst targets, not investment advice.
Ten ratios that matter, each compared against its sector median and average — so you can see whether a number is rich or cheap relative to peers in the same sector.
Acuity Brands, Inc. (AYI) sells lighting and lighting control solutions through Acuity Brands Lighting (ABL), and building operations and audiovisual experience solutions through Acuity Intelligent Spaces (AIS). Its portfolio includes Lithonia Lighting, nLight, SensorSwitch, and eldoLED in lighting and electronics, and Distech, Atrius, and Q-SYS in intelligent spaces. Its business involves supplying buildings with these products and platforms; it is expanding their applications from meeting rooms to universities, stadiums, and data centers, connecting building operations and occupant experiences through open-protocol technologies.
In quarter 4 of fiscal year 2026, ended 2026-08-31, revenue according to EL7 data was approximately 1.2 billion dollars, net income was 173.0 million dollars, and diluted earnings per share were 6.02 dollars. Gross margin was 53.8%, and operating margin according to EL7's calculation was 20.1%. During the same period, ABL sales were approximately 959 million dollars, compared with 298 million dollars for AIS, which management described as now representing a quarter of the company's business; the intelligent spaces mix has therefore become more influential in Acuity's profitability. A reliable annual comparison of total revenue or annual margin changes is unavailable because the revenue line item is defined differently by the two sources.
Revenue for fiscal year 2026, ended 2026-08-31, was approximately 4.6 billion dollars, net income was 531.3 million dollars, and gross margin was 50.6%. According to EL7 data, operating cash flow for the last 12 months through 2026-08-31 was approximately 825.6 million dollars, equivalent to 155% of net income for the same period. Free cash flow as calculated by EL7 (operating cash flow minus capital expenditures) for the last 12 months through 2026-08-31 was approximately 630.9 million dollars, giving the company financial capacity to support investment, share repurchases, and debt reduction.
Q4 FY2026
Last 12 months to 2026-08-31
When: Fiscal year 2027
Fiscal year 2027 revenue within the guidance range of 4.7 billion dollars to 4.9 billion dollars
Fiscal year 2027 adjusted diluted earnings per share within the range of 20.50 dollars to 22 dollars
The gross impact of memory costs on AIS gross margin at 200 basis points before mitigation
The industry-multiple valuation is 434 dollars, within a range of 291 dollars to 597 dollars, pricing next year's earnings in line with peers using a median multiple of 20.4 across 30 companies. The median target of 6 analysts is 358 dollars, within a range of 348 dollars to 415 dollars, reflecting growth expectations; analyst targets tend to be optimistic by nature. The discounted cash flow model yields 262 dollars, within a range of 222 dollars to 320 dollars and at a discount rate of 10.9%, measuring the value of the cash the company generates; this model is conservative by nature. The no-growth value is 174 dollars at a discount rate of 10.9%, representing what remains if current after-tax operating profit stays constant forever. The ranges of the industry multiple, analyst targets, and discounted cash flow overlap between 291 dollars and 320 dollars, but their central values diverge because the first measures relative earnings pricing, the second expected growth, and the third cash generated, while the no-growth value falls below all of them.
Figures in the text are as of 2026-10-19; the live price is shown at the top of the page.
ABL sales were approximately 959 million dollars in quarter 4 of fiscal year 2026, ended 2026-08-31, compared with 298 million dollars for AIS. Lighting includes brands such as Lithonia Lighting and the nLight control system, while the intelligent spaces business includes Q-SYS, Distech, and Atrius. Management described AIS as now representing a quarter of the company's business on the 2026-10-01 call, so the role of building operations and audiovisual experiences within Acuity is expanding while lighting retains its significance.
Acuity expects a gross impact of approximately 200 basis points on AIS gross margin in fiscal year 2027 before mitigation measures. On the 2026-10-01 call, management identified the start of the impact as late in quarter 1 of fiscal year 2027, extending into quarter 2 of fiscal year 2027 as inventory flows into sales. It aims to secure components and recover the increase in dollar terms, using business growth and productivity to mitigate the impact. It therefore expects a flat to slightly higher operating margin at AIS during fiscal year 2027 despite its sales growth.
Automated analysis for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
According to EL7 data, operating cash flow for the last 12 months through 2026-08-31 was approximately 825.6 million dollars, compared with net income of 531.3 million dollars. These cash flows equal 155% of net income for the same period, supporting the ability of earnings to convert into cash. Free cash flow as calculated by EL7 (operating cash flow minus capital expenditures) for the last 12 months through 2026-08-31 was approximately 630.9 million dollars. This resource helps fund Acuity's priorities in business development, acquisitions, and returning capital to shareholders.
In quarter 4 of fiscal year 2026, ended 2026-08-31, Acuity expanded the BLT family from Lithonia Lighting with a unit designed for ceiling grids used in data centers. On the AIS side, Distech added a PLC controller to its DDC offerings to expand its ability to serve hyperscale data center operators. Management stated on the 2026-10-01 call that existing sales in this area are growing and that discussions involve a larger number of these operators. ABL sales guidance for fiscal year 2027 remains flat to low-single-digit growth, making these products a specific expansion opportunity within a business with limited growth.
Share repurchases totaled 287.2 million dollars for the last 12 months through 2026-08-31. Diluted shares declined to 30.8 million shares in quarter 4 of fiscal year 2026, ended 2026-08-31, compared with 31.5 million shares in quarter 4 of fiscal year 2025, ended 2025-08-31, a decrease of 2.5%. A shrinking share count helps increase earnings per share, but it does not replace business growth. Net income was 173.0 million dollars and diluted earnings per share were 6.02 dollars in quarter 4 of fiscal year 2026.