Graco's Growth Stays Slow; Valco Melton Deal Adds Scale
Valco Melton acquisition closes, adding $145M revenue Graco completed its $447 million cash purchase of Valco Melton, an adhesive-dispensing and quality-check systems maker with about $145 million in 2025 revenue and 650 employees in over 80 countries. It folds into Graco's Industrial segment, adding scale and cross-selling opportunities, though the price is roughly 14 times EBITDA.
The completed deal is the biggest new event this period and directly changes Graco's revenue base and growth outlook.
Q2 earnings beat but sales miss; organic demand still soft Graco beat Q2 profit estimates by 12.4% and reaffirmed 2026 guidance, but sales of $590.6 million missed expectations and organic sales actually fell 1%. Growth came from acquisitions and currency, not core demand, so the profit beat is real but the underlying business is still sluggish.
This is the core earnings update that frames both the profit strength and the demand weakness driving the stock.
Graco lags peers on growth and returns Graco was flagged for only 2.1% annual revenue growth, flat earnings per share, and diminishing returns on capital, and was the slowest performer among 12 gas and liquid handling stocks, with revenue 3% short of expectations. Investors are rotating toward faster-growing industrial names, pressuring Graco's relative valuation.
It explains why Graco underperforms its peer group even when its own results are decent.
Slowing contractor and industrial end markets weigh on shares Graco shares underperformed in Q2 as investors focused on slowing organic demand in contractor and industrial equipment end markets, despite healthy profitability and a 28% jump in order backlog. The backlog suggests demand may improve later, but for now weak current orders keep a lid on the stock.
It captures the demand-side worry that has been the main drag on Graco's share price.