Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Overview
In 2025, Textron’s revenues increased 8%, compared with 2024, reflecting the impact of higher volume on the MV-75 program at the Bell segment and higher aircraft and aftermarket parts and services revenues at the Textron Aviation segment. Segment profit increased 14%, compared with 2024, largely reflecting higher volume and mix at Textron Aviation. Our backlog increased 5% in 2025 to $18.8 billion, which included a $710 million increase at the Textron Systems segment and a $326 million increase at the Bell segment. Financial highlights for 2025 also include:
• Generated $1.3 billion of net cash from operating activities from our manufacturing businesses.
• Invested $521 million in research and development projects and $383 million in capital expenditures.
• Returned $822 million to our shareholders through the repurchase of 10.7 million shares of our common stock.
For an overview of our business segments, including a discussion of our major products and services, refer to Item 1. Business. A discussion of our financial condition and operating results for 2025 compared with 2024 is provided below, while a discussion of 2024 compared with 2023 can be found in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 28, 2024. The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Business Environment
Changes to the United States trade policy have resulted in new or higher tariffs on goods imported from numerous countries, and some countries have imposed retaliatory tariffs on imports from the United States. We are principally a North American manufacturer and 69% of our 2025 revenues were generated in the U.S. Our aircraft products, subassemblies, parts and components manufactured in Canada and Mexico are largely qualified under the rules of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) for preferential treatment on tariffs imposed by the U.S. on imports from Canada and Mexico. In addition, our operations outside of North America primarily source materials and components from outside of North America and manufacture products for non-U.S. customers. Many of our businesses also source materials and components from outside of North America. These businesses have been and will continue to be impacted by these imposed U.S. tariffs. In order to mitigate these impacts our businesses have been managing, and will continue to manage, pricing and supply chain optimization strategies. In addition, our aircraft businesses are working through the tariff reconciliation and refund process with the U.S. Government to recover tariff costs that were previously paid related to materials and components that were subsequently determined to be USMCA compliant. To date, we have not experienced a material adverse impact from these tariffs. We will continue to evaluate the ongoing impact of these tariffs and any further developments or changes in global tariff policies on our business and financial position.
Consolidated Results of Operations
% Change
(Dollars in millions)
Revenues
Cost of sales
Gross margin as a % of Manufacturing revenues
Research and development costs
Selling and administrative expense
Interest expense, net
Special charges
Non-service components of pension and postretirement income, net
Revenues
Revenues increased $1.1 billion in 2025, compared with 2024, largely due to the following factors:
• Higher Bell revenues of $703 million, due to higher military aircraft and support programs revenues of $570 million, primarily related to the MV-75 program and military sustainment programs, and higher commercial revenues of $133 million.
• Higher Textron Aviation revenues of $671 million, reflecting higher aircraft revenues of $548 million and higher aftermarket parts and services revenues of $123 million.
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• Lower Industrial revenues of $302 million, with $294 million at Textron Specialized Vehicles, largely reflecting the impact from the disposition of the Powersports business in April 2025, as discussed in Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, and lower volume and mix, primarily in golf products.
Manufacturing group revenues increased $1.1 billion in 2025, compared with 2024, largely reflecting an increase of $1.4 billion in product revenues. The increase in product revenues in 2025 was partially offset by a decrease of $285 million in service revenues, largely related to the classification of revenues for the MV-75 program, which was service-related prior to the transition of the program to the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase in the third quarter of 2024 when it became product-related.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales includes cost of products and services sold for the Manufacturing group. In 2025, cost of sales increased $904 million, 8%, compared with 2024, largely due to higher net volume and mix and a $281 million impact from inflation, partially offset by the impact from the disposition of the Powersports business.
Research and Development Costs
Research and development costs increased $30 million, 6%, in 2025, compared with 2024. The higher research and development costs included an increase of $56 million at Bell, largely reflecting lower costs in 2024 due to the wind down of the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft program, partially offset by a decrease of $21 million at the Textron eAviation segment, due to a reduction in costs on certain development projects.
Selling and Administrative Expense
Selling and administrative expense increased $17 million, 1%, in 2025, compared with 2024. The increase included a $21 million impact from inflation, higher share-based compensation expense and lower recoveries at the Finance segment, mostly offset by the impact from the disposition of the Powersports business and a $16 million gain resulting from the early termination of a vendor contract at the Textron Systems segment.
Interest Expense, Net
Interest expense, net includes interest expense for both the Finance and Manufacturing borrowing groups, with interest on intercompany borrowings eliminated, and interest income earned on cash and equivalents for the Manufacturing borrowing group. In 2025, interest expense, net increased $29 million, 30%, compared with 2024, primarily due to higher average debt outstanding and lower interest income. For 2025, 2024 and 2023, gross interest expense totaled $164 million, $146 million and $133 million, respectively.
Special Charges
Special charges of $4 million, $78 million and $126 million in 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively, largely include restructuring activities and asset impairment charges as described in Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements on page 63 .
Non-service Components of Pension and Postretirement Income, Net
Non-service components of pension and postretirement income, net increased by $3 million, 1%, in 2025, compared with 2024.
Income Taxes
Effective tax rate
In 2025, the effective tax rate of 18.8% was lower than the U.S. federal statutory tax rate of 21%, largely due to the favorable impact of research and development credits. In 2024, the effective tax rate of 12.5% was lower than the U.S. federal statutory tax rate of 21%, largely due to the favorable impact of research and development credits and the effective settlement of certain tax positions in the fourth quarter of 2024, which is discussed in Note 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
For a full reconciliation of our effective tax rate to the U.S. federal statutory tax rate, see Note 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements on page 64 .
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Segment Analysis
We operate in, and report financial information for, the following six operating segments: Textron Aviation, Bell, Textron Systems, Industrial, Textron eAviation and Finance. Segment profit is an important measure used for evaluating performance and for decision-making purposes. Segment profit for the manufacturing segments excludes the non-service components of pension and postretirement income, net; LIFO inventory provision; intangible asset amortization; interest expense, net for Manufacturing group; certain corporate expenses; gains/losses on major business dispositions; special charges and the inventory valuation charge to write down production-related powersports inventory. The operating costs used to derive segment profit for our manufacturing segments includes cost of sales, research and development costs and selling and administrative expense. The cost of sales discussed in this Segment Analysis section excludes the LIFO inventory provision, intangible asset amortization and the inventory valuation charge discussed above that are reported within Cost of products sold or Cost of services sold on the Consolidated Statement of Operations. The measurement for the Finance segment includes interest income and expense along with intercompany interest income and expense.
In our discussion of comparative results for the Manufacturing group, material changes in revenues and segment profit for our commercial businesses typically are expressed in terms of product line revenues, including volume and mix and pricing; foreign exchange; acquisitions and dispositions; inflation; manufacturing efficiency; and changes in research and development costs and selling and administrative expense. For revenues, volume and mix represents changes in revenues from increases or decreases in the number of units delivered or services provided and the composition of products and/or services sold. For segment profit, volume and mix represents a change due to the number of units delivered or services provided and the composition of products and/or services sold at different profit margins. Pricing represents changes in unit pricing. Foreign exchange is the change resulting from translating foreign-denominated amounts into U.S. dollars at exchange rates that are different from the prior period. Revenues generated by acquired businesses are reflected in Acquisitions for a twelve-month period, while reductions in revenues and segment profit from the sale of businesses are reflected as Dispositions. Inflation represents higher material, wages, benefits, pension service cost or other costs. Manufacturing efficiency includes changes in material, labor and overhead variances to standards, typically due to scrap rates, labor efficiency or inefficiencies, facility usage and other manufacturing productivity inputs.
Approximately 27% of our 2025 revenues were derived from contracts with the U.S. Government, including those under the U.S. Government-sponsored foreign military sales program. For our segments that contract with the U.S. Government, material changes in revenues related to these contracts are expressed in terms of volume. Changes in segment profit for these contracts are typically expressed in terms of volume and mix and contract performance, which includes cumulative catch-up adjustments associated with a) revisions to the transaction price that may reflect contract modifications or changes in assumptions related to award fees and other variable consideration or b) changes in the total estimated costs at completion due to improved or deteriorated operating performance among other factors. See the Critical Accounting Estimates - Revenue Recognition section in Item 7 for a discussion of the factors that impact our estimated costs.
Textron Aviation
% Change
(Dollars in millions)
Revenues:
Aircraft
Aftermarket parts and services
Total revenues
Cost of sales
Research and development costs
Selling and administrative expense
Segment profit
Profit margin
Backlog
Textron Aviation’s revenues increased $671 million, 13%, in 2025, compared with 2024, reflecting higher aircraft revenues of $548 million and higher aftermarket parts and services revenues of $123 million. The increase in aircraft revenues was due to higher volume and mix and higher pricing. The increase in volume and mix is largely due to higher jet and commercial turboprop volume. The higher volume and mix also reflects the recovery from the strike that began in the third quarter of 2024 and continued into the fourth quarter of 2024. We delivered 171 Citation jets and 146 commercial turboprops in 2025, compared with 151 Citation jets and 127 commercial turboprops in 2024. The increase in aftermarket parts and services revenues was due to higher pricing and volume.
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Textron Aviation’s cost of sales increased $535 million, 13%, in 2025, compared with 2024, largely reflecting higher volume and mix and inflation of $167 million.
Textron Aviation’s segment profit increased $128 million, 23%, in 2025, compared with 2024, largely due to higher volume and mix and a favorable impact from manufacturing efficiencies, related to idle facilities costs recognized in 2024 resulting from the strike, partially offset by higher warranty costs.
Bell
% Change
(Dollars in millions)
Revenues:
Military aircraft and support programs
Commercial helicopters, parts and services
Total revenues
Cost of sales
Research and development costs
Selling and administrative expense
Segment profit
Profit margin
Backlog
Bell’s military aircraft and support programs revenues increased $570 million, 28%, in 2025, compared with 2024, primarily due to higher volume on the MV-75 program and military sustainment programs. Commercial helicopters, parts and services revenues increased $133 million, 9%, primarily due to the mix of aircraft sold and higher pricing. We delivered 169 commercial helicopters in 2025, compared with 172 commercial helicopters in 2024.
Bell's cost of sales increased $638 million, 22%, in 2025, compared with 2024, primarily due to higher volume and mix described above.
Bell's research and development costs increased $56 million, 58%, in 2025, compared with 2024, largely reflecting lower costs in 2024 due to the wind down of the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft program.
Bell’s segment profit decreased $7 million, 2%, in 2025, compared with 2024, reflecting higher research and development costs described above, partially offset by higher volume and mix. Bell's profit margin decreased 180 basis points, largely reflecting higher volume on lower margin MV-75 development activities and higher research and development costs.
As the MV-75 program continues to accelerate, we expect that we will be awarded the long-lead Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) phase of the contract in late 2026 or early 2027. Upon award of the LRIP option, which is largely fixed price, we expect to record an unfavorable cumulative catch-up program adjustment, reflecting higher costs than originally anticipated from when the program was bid, in the range of $60 million to $110 million. The overall MV-75 program will continue to generate a positive profit margin after the adjustment.
Bell's backlog increased $326 million, 4%, in 2025, compared with 2024, due to orders in excess of revenues recognized and deliveries. New orders included a $1.3 billion award for the prototype testing and evaluation phase of the MV-75 program.
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Textron Systems
% Change
(Dollars in millions)
Revenues
Cost of sales
Research and development costs
Selling and administrative expense
Segment profit
Profit margin
Backlog
Textron Systems revenues increased $6 million in 2025, compared with 2024. The increase in revenues reflected higher pricing, partially offset by lower volume and mix. The decrease in volume and mix largely reflects the impact of the cancellation of the Shadow program and termination of certain U.S. Government development programs, partially offset by higher volume on the Ship-to-Shore Connector program.
Textron Systems’ research and development costs decreased $6 million, 12%, in 2025, compared with 2024, primarily due to a reduction in costs on certain U.S. Government development programs.
Textron Systems’ selling and administrative expense decreased $19 million, 18%, in 2025, compared with 2024. The decrease in expense included a $16 million gain resulting from the early termination of a vendor contract in the third quarter of 2025.
Textron Systems segment profit increased $21 million, 14%, in 2025, compared with 2024, largely due to lower selling and administrative expense as discussed above.
Textron Systems’ backlog increased $710 million, 27%, in 2025, compared with 2024, reflecting orders in excess of revenues recognized and deliveries. New orders included $480 million for additional units on the Ship-to-Shore Connector program and $475 million for a five-year contract for ATAC’s U.S. Navy Fighter Jet Services.
Industrial
% Change
(Dollars in millions)
Revenues:
Kautex
Textron Specialized Vehicles
Total revenues
Cost of sales
Research and development costs
Selling and administrative expense
Segment profit
Profit margin
Industrial segment revenues decreased $302 million, 9%, in 2025, compared with 2024. Textron Specialized Vehicles' revenues decreased $294 million, 18%, largely reflecting a $195 million impact from the disposition of the Powersports business in April 2025, as discussed in Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, and lower volume and mix, primarily in golf products. Kautex revenues decreased $8 million, reflecting lower volume, partially offset by a favorable impact from foreign exchange rate fluctuations and higher pricing.
Industrial's cost of sales decreased $260 million, 9%, in 2025 compared with 2024, principally reflecting the impact from the disposition and lower volume and mix, partially offset by higher inflation of $44 million.
Industrial's selling and administrative expense decreased $31 million, 10%, in 2025, compared with 2024, largely reflecting the impact from the disposition.
Industrial's segment profit decreased $6 million, 4%, in 2025, compared with 2024, primarily reflecting lower volume and mix described above, partially offset by the impact from the disposition and a favorable impact from manufacturing efficiencies, which included cost reductions resulting from restructuring activities.
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Textron eAviation
% Change
(Dollars in millions)
Revenues
Cost of sales
Research and development costs
Selling and administrative expense
Segment loss
Textron eAviation segment revenues decreased $6 million, 18%, in 2025, compared with 2024, largely due to lower volume and mix. Research and development costs decreased $21 million, 33%, due to a reduction in costs on certain development projects. Segment loss decreased $13 million in 2025, compared with 2024, primarily reflecting the lower research and development costs, partially offset by lower volume and mix.
Finance
(In millions)
Revenues
Selling and administrative expense
Interest expense, net
Segment profit
Finance segment revenues increased $25 million and segment profit increased $14 million in 2025, compared with 2024. The increase in revenues and segment profit included $17 million of gains on the disposition of non-captive assets in 2025. Selling and administrative expense increased $12 million in 2025, compared with 2024, largely reflecting lower recoveries of $9 million.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our financings are conducted through two separate borrowing groups. The Manufacturing group consists of Textron consolidated with its majority-owned subsidiaries that operate in the Textron Aviation, Bell, Textron Systems, Industrial and Textron eAviation segments. The Finance group, which also is the Finance segment, consists of Textron Financial Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries. We designed this framework to enhance our borrowing power by separating the Finance group. Our Manufacturing group operations include the development, production and delivery of tangible products and services, while our Finance group provides financial services. Due to the fundamental differences between each borrowing group’s activities, investors, rating agencies and analysts use different measures to evaluate each group’s performance. To support those evaluations, we present balance sheet and cash flow information for each borrowing group within the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Assessment of Liquidity and Significant Future Cash Requirements
Key information that is utilized in assessing our liquidity is summarized below:
(Dollars in millions)
January 3,
December 28,
Manufacturing group
Cash and equivalents
Debt
Shareholders’ equity
Capital (debt plus shareholders’ equity)
Net debt (net of cash and equivalents) to capital
Debt to capital
Finance group
Cash and equivalents
Debt
We believe that our calculations of debt to capital and net debt to capital are useful measures as they provide a summary indication of the level of debt financing (i.e., leverage) that is in place to support our capital structure, as well as to provide an indication of our capacity to add further leverage.
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We expect to have sufficient cash to meet our needs based on our existing cash balances, the cash we expect to generate from our manufacturing operations and the availability of our existing credit facility. In addition to our manufacturing operating cash requirements, future material cash outlays include our contractual combined debt and interest payments for the Manufacturing group of $150 million in 2026, $496 million in 2027, $500 million in 2028 and $3.4 billion thereafter, and for the Finance group of $19 million in 2026, $68 million in 2027, $41 million in 2028 and $466 million thereafter.
For the Manufacturing group, we also have purchase obligations that require material future cash outlays totaling $3.5 billion in 2026, $626 million in 2027 and $171 million thereafter. Purchase obligations include undiscounted amounts committed under contracts or purchase orders for goods and services with defined terms as to price, quantity and delivery dates, as well as property, plant and equipment. Approximately 33% of our purchase obligations represent purchase orders issued for goods and services to be delivered under firm contracts with the U.S. Government for which we have full recourse under customary contract termination clauses.
Credit Facilities and Other Sources of Capital
On October 16, 2025, Textron entered into a senior unsecured revolving credit facility for an aggregate principal amount of $1.0 billion, of which $100 million is available for the issuance of letters of credit. We may elect to increase the aggregate amount of commitments under the facility to up to $1.3 billion by designating an additional lender or by an existing lender agreeing to increase its commitment. The facility expires in October 2030 and provides for two one-year extensions at our option with the consent of lenders representing a majority of the commitments under the facility. The new facility replaces the prior 5-year facility which was scheduled to expire in October 2027. At January 3, 2026 and December 28, 2024, there were no amounts borrowed against either facility. At January 3, 2026, there were no letters of credit issued and outstanding under the new facility, and at December 28, 2024, there was a $9 million letter of credit issued and outstanding under the prior facility.
We also maintain an effective shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission that allows us to issue an unlimited amount of public debt and other securities. On October 31, 2025, we issued $500 million of SEC-registered fixed-rate notes due in March 2036 with an annual interest rate of 4.95%, and on February 13, 2025, we issued $500 million of SEC-registered fixed-rate notes due in May 2035 with an annual interest rate of 5.50%. On December 31, 2025, we repaid our $350 million 4.00% notes due in March 2026, and on March 3, 2025, we repaid our $350 million 3.875% Notes due in March 2025.
Manufacturing Group Cash Flows
Cash flows from continuing operations for the Manufacturing group as presented in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows are summarized below:
(In millions)
Operating activities
Investing activities
Financing activities
Cash flows from operating activities were $1.3 billion in 2025, compared with $1.0 billion in 2024. The $319 million increase in cash flows was primarily due to higher earnings, lower net income tax payments, changes in working capital and a $25 million dividend received from the Finance group. The dividend is included within cash flows from operating activities for the Manufacturing group as it represents a return on investment. Net income tax payments were $92 million and $181 million in 2025 and 2024, respectively. Pension contributions were $41 million and $44 million in 2025 and 2024, respectively.
In 2025 and 2024, cash flows used in investing activities included capital expenditures of $383 million and $364 million, respectively, partially offset by net proceeds from corporate-owned life insurance policies of $80 million and $85 million, respectively. Cash flows used in investing activities in 2025 also included $16 million of net proceeds from the disposition of the Powersports business as discussed in Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Cash flows used in financing activities in 2025 included $822 million of cash paid to repurchase an aggregate of 10.7 million shares of our common stock and $707 million of payments on long-term debt, partially offset by $991 million of net proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt. In 2024, cash flows used in financing activities included $1.1 billion of cash paid to repurchase an aggregate of 12.9 million shares of our common stock and $361 million of payments on long-term debt.
On February 11, 2026, pursuant to a delegation by our Board of Directors, Textron's Audit Committee approved a program for the repurchase of up to 25 million shares of our common stock. This share repurchase program allows us to continue our practice of repurchasing shares to offset the impact of dilution from stock-based compensation and benefit plans and for opportunistic capital management purposes. The new repurchase program has no expiration date and replaced the prior 2023 share repurchase program, which was utilized in 2025 for repurchases.
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Dividend payments to shareholders totaled $18 million and $12 million in 2025 and 2024, respectively. Due to the timing of our fiscal year-end, we made five dividend payments in 2025, compared with three dividend payments in 2024.
Finance Group Cash Flows
The cash flows from continuing operations for the Finance group as presented in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows are summarized below:
(In millions)
Operating activities
Investing activities
Financing activities
Cash flows from operating activities for the Finance Group were $28 million in 2025, compared with $8 million in 2024. The $20 million increase in cash flows was primarily due to higher earnings. The Finance group’s cash flows from investing activities primarily included finance receivable originations of $241 million and $130 million, respectively, and collections on finance receivables totaling $208 million and $133 million in 2025 and 2024, respectively. In 2025, investing cash flows also included $72 million of proceeds from the disposition of non-captive assets. Cash flows used in financing activities included payments on long-term and nonrecourse debt of $13 million and $16 million in 2025 and 2024, respectively. Dividends paid to the Manufacturing group totaled $25 million in 2025.
Consolidated Cash Flows
The consolidated cash flows from continuing operations, after elimination of activity between the borrowing groups, are summarized below:
(In millions)
Operating activities
Investing activities
Financing activities
Consolidated cash flows from operating activities were $1.3 billion in 2025, compared with $1.0 billion in 2024. The $298 million increase in cash flows was largely due to higher earnings, lower net income tax payments and changes in working capital. Net income tax payments were $104 million and $191 million in 2025 and 2024, respectively. Pension contributions were $41 million and $44 million in 2025 and 2024, respectively.
In 2025 and 2024, cash flows used in investing activities included capital expenditures of $383 million and $364 million, respectively, partially offset by net proceeds from corporate-owned life insurance policies of $80 million and $85 million, respectively. Cash flows used in investing activities in 2025 also included $72 million of proceeds from the disposition of non-captive assets.
Cash flows used in financing activities in 2025 included $822 million of share repurchases and $720 million of payments on long-term debt, partially offset by $991 million of net proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt. In 2024, cash flows used in financing activities included $1.1 billion of share repurchases and $377 million of payments on long-term debt.
Captive Financing and Other Intercompany Transactions
The Finance group provides financing primarily to purchasers of new and pre-owned Textron Aviation aircraft and Bell helicopters manufactured by our Manufacturing group, otherwise known as captive financing. In the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, cash received from customers is reflected as operating activities when received from third parties. However, in the cash flow information provided for the separate borrowing groups, cash flows related to captive financing activities are reflected based on the operations of each group. For example, when product is sold by our Manufacturing group to a customer and is financed by the Finance group, the origination of the finance receivable is recorded within investing activities as a cash outflow in the Finance group’s statement of cash flows. Meanwhile, in the Manufacturing group’s statement of cash flows, the cash received from the Finance group on the customer’s behalf is recorded within operating cash flows as a cash inflow. Although cash is transferred between the two borrowing groups, there is no cash transaction reported in the consolidated cash flows at the time of the original financing. These captive financing activities, along with all significant intercompany transactions, are reclassified or eliminated from the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
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Reclassification adjustments included in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows on page 37 are summarized below:
(In millions)
Reclassification adjustments from investing activities:
Finance receivable originations for Manufacturing group inventory sales
Cash received from customers
Total reclassification adjustments from investing activities
Reclassification adjustments from financing activities:
Dividends received by Manufacturing group from Finance group
Total reclassification adjustments to cash flows from operating activities
Under a Support Agreement between Textron and TFC, Textron is required to maintain a controlling interest in TFC. The agreement, as amended in December 2015, also requires Textron to ensure that TFC maintains fixed charge coverage of no less than 125% and consolidated shareholders' equity of no less than $125 million. There were no cash contributions required to be paid to TFC in 2025 and 2024 to maintain compliance with the support agreement.
Critical Accounting Estimates
To prepare our Consolidated Financial Statements to be in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, we must make complex and subjective judgments in the selection and application of accounting policies. The accounting policies that we believe are most critical to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations are listed below. We believe these policies require our most difficult, subjective and complex judgments in estimating the effect of inherent uncertainties. This section should be read in conjunction with Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements on page 39 , which includes other significant accounting policies.
Revenue Recognition
A substantial portion of our revenues is related to long-term contracts with the U.S. Government, including those under the U.S. Government-sponsored foreign military sales program, for the design, development, manufacture or modification of aerospace and defense products as well as related services. We generally use the cost-to-cost method to measure progress for these contracts because it best depicts the transfer of control to the customer that occurs as we incur costs on our contracts. Under this measure, the extent of progress towards completion is measured based on the ratio of costs incurred to date to the estimated costs at completion of the performance obligation, and revenue is recorded proportionally as costs are incurred.
Due to the number of years it may take to complete these contracts and the scope and nature of the work required to be performed on the contracts, the estimation of total transaction price and costs at completion is complicated and subject to many variables and, accordingly, is subject to change. In estimating total costs at completion, we are required to make numerous assumptions related to the complexity of design and related development work to be performed; engineering requirements; product performance; subcontractor performance; availability and cost of materials; labor productivity, availability and cost; overhead and capital costs; manufacturing efficiencies; the length of time to complete the contract (to estimate increases in wages and prices for materials); and costs of satisfying offset obligations, among other variables. Our cost estimation process is based on the professional knowledge and experience of engineers and program managers along with finance professionals. We review and update our cost projections quarterly or more frequently when circumstances significantly change. When our estimate of the total costs to be incurred on a performance obligation exceeds the estimated transaction price, a provision for the entire loss is recorded in the period in which the loss is determined.
At the outset of each contract, we estimate an initial profit booking rate considering the risks surrounding our ability to achieve the technical requirements (e.g., a newly developed product versus a mature product), schedule (e.g., the number and type of milestone events), and costs by contract requirements in the initial estimated costs at completion. Profit booking rates may increase during the performance of the contract if we successfully retire risks surrounding the technical, schedule and cost aspects of the contract. Conversely, the profit booking rate may decrease if we are not successful in retiring the risks; and, as a result, our estimated costs at completion increase. All estimates are subject to change during the performance of the contract and, therefore, may affect the profit booking rate.
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Changes in our estimate of the total expected cost or in the transaction price for a contract typically impact our profit booking rate. We utilize the cumulative catch-up method of accounting to recognize the impact of these changes on our profit booking rate for a contract. Under this method, the inception-to-date impact of a profit adjustment on a contract is recognized in the period the adjustment is identified. The impact of our cumulative catch-up adjustments on segment profit recognized in prior periods is presented below:
(In millions)
Gross favorable
Gross unfavorable
Net adjustments
Due to the significance of judgment in the estimation process described above, it is likely that materially different revenues and/or cost of sales amounts could be recorded if we used different assumptions or if the underlying circumstances were to change. Our earnings could be reduced by a material amount resulting in a charge to earnings if (a) total estimated contract costs are significantly higher than expected due to changes in customer specifications prior to contract amendment, (b) total estimated contract costs are significantly higher than previously estimated due to cost overruns or inflation, (c) there is a change in engineering efforts required during the development stage of the contract or (d) we are unable to meet contract milestones.
Goodwill
We evaluate the recoverability of goodwill annually in the fourth quarter or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate a potential impairment of a reporting unit. We calculate the fair value of each reporting unit using discounted cash flows. These cash flows incorporate assumptions for revenue growth rates and operating margins that are based on our strategic plans and long-range planning forecasts, which include our best estimates of current and forecasted market conditions, cost structure and anticipated net cost reductions. The long-term revenue growth rate we use to determine the terminal value of the business is based on our assessment of its minimum expected terminal growth rate, as well as its past historical growth and broader economic considerations such as gross domestic product, inflation and the maturity of the markets we serve. The discount rates utilized in this analysis are based on each reporting unit’s weighted average cost of capital, which takes into account the relative weights of each component of capital structure (equity and debt) and represents the expected cost of new capital, adjusted as appropriate to consider the risk inherent in future cash flows of the respective reporting unit. We believe this approach yields a discount rate that is consistent with an implied rate of return that an independent investor or market participant would require for an investment in a company having similar risks and business characteristics to the reporting unit being assessed.
Based on our annual impairment review, the fair value calculated using the estimates discussed above exceeded the carrying value by an adequate amount for each reporting group. Accordingly, we do not believe that there is a reasonable possibility that any units might fail the impairment test in the foreseeable future.
Retirement Benefits
We sponsor funded and unfunded domestic and international pension plans for certain of our employees. Beginning on January 1, 2010, we initiated actions to commence the closure of the pension plans to new entrants. We provide employees hired subsequent to these closures with defined-contribution benefits. Our pension benefit obligations are calculated based on actuarial valuations. Key assumptions used in determining these obligations and related expenses or benefits include the expected long-term rates of return on plan assets and discount rates. We also make assumptions regarding employee demographic factors such as retirement patterns, mortality, turnover and rate of compensation increases. We evaluate and update these assumptions annually.
To determine the weighted-average expected long-term rate of return on plan assets, we consider the current and expected asset allocation, as well as historical and expected returns on each plan asset class. A lower expected rate of return on plan assets will decrease pension income. For both 2025 and 2024, the assumed expected long-term rate of return on plan assets used in calculating pension income was 7.16%. For 2025, the assumed rate of return for our domestic plans, which represent approximately 89% of our total pension assets, was 7.25%. Net periodic benefit income is sensitive to changes in the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets.
The discount rate enables us to state expected future benefit payments as a present value on the measurement date, reflecting the current rate at which the pension liabilities could be effectively settled. This rate should be in line with rates for high-quality fixed income investments available for the period to maturity of the pension benefits, which fluctuate as long-term interest rates change. A lower discount rate increases the present value of the benefit obligations and generally decreases pension income. In 2025, the weighted-average discount rate used in calculating pension income was 5.73%, compared with 5.19% in 2024. For our domestic plans, the assumed discount rate was 5.80% in 2025, compared with 5.25% in 2024. A change of 50 basis-points higher or lower, with all other assumptions held constant, in this weighted-average discount rate in 2025 would have changed our pension income for our domestic plans by approximately $10 million.
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