Double-digit volume and gross profit growth across material product lines
20% growth in contracting services revenue
Sequentially increased backlog from the first quarter, to $1.2 billion
Raised guidance for revenue and aggregate volumes
BISMARCK, N.D., August 04, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Knife River Corporation (NYSE: KNF), an aggregates-based, vertically integrated construction materials and contracting services company, today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026.
PERFORMANCE SUMMARY | |||||||||
Three Months Ended June 30, | |||||||||
(In millions, except per share) | 2026 | 2025 | % Change | ||||||
Revenue | $ | 938.6 | $ | 833.8 | 13 | % | |||
Net income | $ | 43.9 | $ | 50.6 | (13 | )% | |||
Net income margin | 4.7 | % | 6.1 | % | |||||
Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 139.7 | $ | 140.8 | (1 | )% | |||
Adjusted EBITDA margin | 14.9 | % | 16.9 | % | |||||
Net income per share | $ | 0.77 | $ | 0.89 | (13 | )% | |||
Note: Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are non-GAAP financial measures. For more information on all non-GAAP measures and a reconciliation to the nearest GAAP measure, see the section entitled "Non-GAAP Financial Measures." |
MANAGEMENT COMMENTARY |
"During the quarter, we delivered 13% year-over-year revenue growth, including 20% revenue growth in contracting services," said Knife River President and CEO Brian Gray. "That pull-through demand, combined with contributions from acquisitions, helped us generate double-digit volume and gross profit growth across our material product lines. Aggregate pricing also improved by 8% on a product mix-adjusted basis. The fundamentals of our business are strong. During the quarter, headwinds related to energy costs, delayed impact projects, and the type and timing of contracting services impacted Adjusted EBITDA and margins. Last year, we also benefited in the second quarter from $10.3 million in gains on asset sales, compared to just $650,000 this quarter. Despite these factors, we delivered strong operational results year-over-year.
"With the majority of the construction season still ahead of us, we have opportunities to execute on our $1.2 billion contracting services backlog, driving volume and gross profit improvement in all of our product lines," Gray said. "Additionally, we continue to implement our self-help initiatives to improve margins — including price optimization and operational efficiencies.
"The acquisitions we have completed over the last two years also continue to perform as expected, and we have several targets in our pipeline that align with our growth strategy," Gray said. "In addition, we have multiple organic growth projects underway across our footprint, including aggregates reserve expansions designed to strengthen our position, support future earnings growth and create long-term shareholder value."
2026 FINANCIAL GUIDANCE |
Knife River expects its full-year 2026 financial results to be in the ranges noted in the following table.
2026 Financial Guidance | Low | High | ||
(In millions) | ||||
Revenue | $ | 3,400.0 | $ | 3,600.0 |
Adjusted EBITDA | $ | 520.0 | $ | 560.0 |
The company further expects:
Aggregates volumes to increase high-single digits and pricing to increase mid-single digits.
Ready-mix volumes to increase mid-teens.
Asphalt volumes to increase high-single digits.
Depreciation, depletion and amortization to increase mid-teens.
The guidance ranges are based on normal weather, economic and operating conditions, and do not include the expected impact of future acquisitions.
REPORTING SEGMENT PERFORMANCE | ||||||||||||||||
West | ||||||||||||||||
Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington | Three Months Ended | Six Months Ended | ||||||||||||||
June 30, | June 30, | |||||||||||||||
2026 | 2025 | % Change | 2026 | 2025 | % Change | |||||||||||
(In millions) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenue | $ | 290.4 | $ | 317.4 | (9 | )% | $ | 502.2 | $ | 525.7 | (4 | )% | ||||
EBITDA | $ | 49.2 | $ | 60.7 | (19 | )% | $ | 71.4 | $ | 85.7 | (17 | )% | ||||
EBITDA margin | 17.0 | % | 19.1 | % | 14.2 | % | 16.3 | % |
Second quarter revenue decreased 9% year-over-year, primarily due to less available public-agency work in Oregon, as well as delays in Hawaii and Alaska related to project phasing and weather. EBITDA decreased 19% compared to the prior year, reflecting decreased activity and lower-margin contracting services work, partially offset by higher aggregate and ready-mix pricing across the region.
Mountain | ||||||||||||||||
Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming | Three Months Ended | Six Months Ended | ||||||||||||||
June 30, | June 30, | |||||||||||||||
2026 | 2025 | % Change | 2026 | 2025 | % Change | |||||||||||
(In millions) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenue | $ | 236.5 | $ | 176.1 | 34 | % | $ | 317.7 | $ | 242.1 | 31 | % | ||||
EBITDA | $ | 31.0 | $ | 30.9 | — | % | $ | 22.8 | $ | 14.6 | 56 | % | ||||
EBITDA margin | 13.1 | % | 17.6 | % | 7.2 | % | 6.0 | % |
Second quarter revenue increased 34% from the prior year, largely driven by an increase in contracting services as well as acquisitions completed in the first quarter. EBITDA was flat, as the revenue growth was primarily offset by the timing of project performance gains and lower-margin contracting services work.
Central | ||||||||||||||||
Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas | Three Months Ended | Six Months Ended | ||||||||||||||
June 30, | June 30, | |||||||||||||||
2026 | 2025 | % Change | 2026 | 2025 | % Change | |||||||||||
(In millions) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenue | $ | 325.6 | $ | 255.2 | 28 | % | $ | 426.8 | $ | 323.1 | 32 | % | ||||
EBITDA | $ | 53.6 | $ | 44.4 | 21 | % | $ | 26.8 | $ | 20.1 | 33 | % | ||||
EBITDA margin | 16.5 | % | 17.4 | % | 6.3 | % | 6.2 | % |
Second quarter revenue increased 28% from the prior year, primarily driven by increased volumes across all product lines as well as contributions from the Texcrete acquisition. EBITDA improved 21%, with a majority of the increase being attributed to aggregate sales, as well as higher margins on contracting services work. However, EBITDA margin declined as the prior-year period benefited from $7.9 million of gains on asset sales that did not recur this quarter.
Energy Services | ||||||||||||||||
California, Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, Wyoming | Three Months Ended | Six Months Ended | ||||||||||||||
June 30, | June 30, | |||||||||||||||
2026 | 2025 | % Change | 2026 | 2025 | % Change | |||||||||||
(In millions) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenue | $ | 103.0 | $ | 97.4 | 6 | % | $ | 123.5 | $ | 111.3 | 11 | % | ||||
EBITDA | $ | 19.8 | $ | 17.1 | 16 | % | $ | 15.2 | $ | 9.3 | 64 | % | ||||
EBITDA margin | 19.2 | % | 17.5 | % | 12.3 | % | 8.3 | % |
Second quarter revenue increased 6% from the prior year, driven by increased volumes due to improved market opportunities in California. EBITDA improved 16%, largely because of the increased sales volumes in California, as well as lower railcar maintenance expenses compared to prior year.
CAPITAL ALLOCATION & LIQUIDITY |
The company is committed to disciplined capital allocation, including reinvesting to maintain fixed assets, strengthening operations and growing the business.
The company currently estimates total 2026 capital expenditures for maintenance and improvement to be between 5% and 7% of revenue. For the six months ending June 30, 2026, the company spent $90.1 million, largely on the replacement of construction equipment and plant improvements.
Additionally, for the six months ended June 30, 2026, the company spent $244.5 million on growth initiatives, which was comprised of $184.4 million on acquisitions and $60.1 million on aggregate expansions and greenfield projects. For the remainder of 2026, the company expects to spend $76.4 million on organic growth projects. Capital expenditures for future acquisitions and new growth opportunities would be incremental to the outlined capital program. It is anticipated that capital expenditures for the remainder of 2026 will be funded by various sources, including cash from operations and debt.
On May 15, 2026, the company issued an incremental $400 million Term Loan B facility which was used to finance recent acquisitions and growth initiatives previously discussed, repay borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility, and for working capital and general corporate purposes.
As of June 30, 2026, Knife River had $40.7 million of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, $1.6 billion of gross debt and $387.2 million of available capacity under its revolving credit facility, net of outstanding letters of credit. Net leverage, defined as the ratio of net debt to trailing-twelve-month Adjusted EBITDA, was 3.2x at June 30, 2026.
SECOND QUARTER 2026 RESULTS CONFERENCE CALL |
Knife River will host a conference call at 11 a.m. EDT today to discuss second quarter results and conduct a question-and-answer session. The event will be webcast at investors.kniferiver.com.
To participate in the live call:
Domestic: 1-585-542-9983
International: 1-833-461-5787
Conference ID: 137711168
After the conclusion of the call, an on-demand replay of the webcast will be made available.
ABOUT KNIFE RIVER CORPORATION |
Knife River Corporation, a member of the S&P MidCap 400 index, mines aggregates and markets crushed stone, sand, gravel and related construction materials, including ready-mix concrete, asphalt and other value-added products. Knife River also performs vertically integrated contracting services, specializing in publicly funded DOT projects and private projects across the industrial, commercial and residential space. For more information about the company, visit www.kniferiver.com.
Knife River Corporation | ||||||||||
Consolidated Statements of Operations | ||||||||||
(Unaudited) | ||||||||||
Three Months Ended | Six Months Ended | |||||||||
June 30, | June 30, | |||||||||
2026 | 2025 | 2026 | 2025 | |||||||
(In millions, except per share amounts) | ||||||||||
Revenue: | ||||||||||
Construction materials | $ | 532.1 | $ | 493.6 | $ | 794.4 | $ | 707.0 | ||
Contracting services | 406.5 | 340.2 | 554.3 | 480.2 | ||||||
Total revenue | 938.6 | 833.8 | 1,348.7 | 1,187.2 | ||||||
Cost of revenue: | ||||||||||
Construction materials | 400.2 | 377.1 | 673.2 | 610.9 | ||||||
Contracting services | 375.6 | 299.4 | 515.5 | 428.7 | ||||||
Total cost of revenue | 775.8 | 676.5 | 1,188.7 | 1,039.6 | ||||||
Gross profit | 162.8 | 157.3 | 160.0 | 147.6 | ||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses | 81.7 | 69.2 | 165.1 | 142.2 | ||||||
Operating income (loss) | 81.1 | 88.1 | (5.1 | ) | 5.4 | |||||
Interest expense | 24.5 | 22.3 | 45.3 | 37.6 | ||||||
Other income | 3.3 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 6.8 | ||||||
Income (loss) before income taxes | 59.9 | 68.0 | (47.8 | ) | (25.4 | ) | ||||
Income tax expense (benefit) | 16.0 | 17.4 | (12.5 | ) | (7.3 | ) | ||||
Net income (loss) | $ | 43.9 | $ | 50.6 | $ | (35.3 | ) | $ | (18.1 | ) |
Net income (loss) per share: | ||||||||||
Basic | $ | 0.77 | $ | 0.89 | $ | (0.62 | ) | $ | (0.32 | ) |
Diluted | $ | 0.77 | $ | 0.89 | $ | (0.62 | ) | $ | (0.32 | ) |
Weighted average common shares outstanding: | ||||||||||
Basic | 56.8 | 56.7 | 56.7 | 56.6 | ||||||
Diluted | 56.9 | 56.9 | 56.7 | 56.6 |
Knife River Corporation | |||
Consolidated Balance Sheets | |||
(Unaudited) | |||
June 30, 2026 | ... |

