Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. (BW) AI Stock Analysis

NYSE: BWAI research summary: business, growth, valuation, analysts, bull and bear case.

BW AI stock analysis summary

AI Research

Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. provides energy and emissions control technologies across renewable, environmental, and thermal markets. The company generated $834.4M in trailing twelve-month revenue, but faces ongoing profitability headwinds with a net margin of -2.2%. While quarterly revenue jumped 130.3% year-over-year in the quarter ended June 30, 2026, its debt-to-equity ratio remains elevated at 5.31.

Market cap
$688.2M
Revenue (TTM)
$834.4M
P/E
—
fwd 140.8x
1Y return
28.0%
S&P 500 16.8%
Avg. target
$22.00
376.2% vs last close

Bull case

  • Quarterly revenue grew 130.3% year-over-year in the quarter ended June 30, 2026, supporting analyst expectations for full-year FY2026 revenue to reach $1.05B.
  • The company beat EPS estimates in each of the last 4 quarters and analysts forecast EPS growth of 157.6% in FY2026.
  • All 4 covering analysts maintain positive ratings, with a mean price target of $22.00 compared to the last close of $4.62.

Bear case

  • The company has posted negative annual net income for four straight years, including -$36.2M in FY2025 and an annual free cash flow of -$85.7M.
  • The balance sheet carries high leverage, highlighted by a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.31 and a 77.4% expansion in share count over the past 5 years.
  • The stock trades at elevated valuation multiples, including a forward P/E of 140.8x and an EV-to-EBITDA of 86.1x.

What Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises does

Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. provides energy and emissions control solutions across three primary segments: Babcock & Wilcox Renewable, Babcock & Wilcox Environmental, and Babcock & Wilcox Thermal. The Renewable segment focuses on waste-to-energy conversion, solar construction, biomass systems, and pulp and paper solutions. The Environmental segment delivers emissions control, cooling, ash handling, particulate control, chemical looping, and mercury management for utilities and industrial facilities. The Thermal segment supplies steam generation equipment, aftermarket parts, and field services to power generation, refining, petrochemical, food processing, and metals sectors.

Growth and profitability

Over the past five fiscal years, Babcock & Wilcox generated a 5-year revenue CAGR of 0.7%, moving from $710.9M in FY2021 to $587.7M in FY2025. Annual profitability has remained strained, with net losses recorded in four consecutive years, including -$197.2M in FY2023, -$59.9M in FY2024, and -$36.2M in FY2025. Gross margin held steady at 24.5% in FY2025, while operating margin improved to 3.9%. Over the trailing twelve months, revenue reached $834.4M with an operating margin of 4.0% and an EPS of -$0.64. In the latest quarter ended June 30, 2026, quarterly revenue grew 130.3% year-over-year, while quarterly earnings fell 93.5%.

BW income statement →

Balance sheet and cash flow

As of June 30, 2026, Babcock & Wilcox held $308.6M in cash and short-term investments against $304.7M in total debt, yielding net cash of $4.0M. The company reported $57.4M in shareholders' equity and total assets of $999.6M, resulting in a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.31 and a current ratio of 1.45. Operating cash flow in FY2025 was -$68.9M, and free cash flow was -$85.7M. Capital allocation in FY2025 included $16.8M in capital expenditures, $400,000 in share buybacks, and $14.9M in dividends paid, while share count increased 77.4% over 5 years.

BW balance sheet →

Valuation and performance

Babcock & Wilcox trades at a forward P/E of 140.8x, compared to the median of 17.2x for its US-listed Industrials peers. Its EV-to-EBITDA multiple stands at 86.1x versus the peer median of 13.9x, and its price-to-book ratio is 19.1x. Conversely, its price-to-sales multiple of 0.8x sits below the peer median of 1.5x. Over the past year, BW returned 28.0%, outpacing the 16.8% return of the S&P 500 (SPY). Over a five-year period, however, BW fell 26.7%, lagging the 83.0% return of the S&P 500.

BW key metrics →

What analysts expect

Wall Street coverage includes 4 analysts, with 3 Strong Buy ratings and 1 Buy rating. The mean price target is $22.00, compared to the last close of $4.62, implying an upside of 376.2%. For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, analysts estimate revenue of $1.05B and an EPS of $0.14, representing 157.6% EPS growth. For the following fiscal year, 4 analysts estimate revenue of $1.28B and EPS of $0.45. Babcock & Wilcox has beat EPS expectations in each of the last 4 quarters, and its next earnings date is November 3, 2026.

BW forecast and price target →

Key risks and what to watch

  • Persistent cash burn poses liquidity pressure, given negative operating cash flow of -$68.9M and negative free cash flow of -$85.7M in FY2025.
  • Significant share dilution could continue following a 77.4% increase in the share count over five years.
  • Elevated short interest represents high market skepticism, with short percent of float at 19.1%.
  • Substantial price volatility remains a factor, with the stock trading 60.3% below its 200-day average and holding a beta of 1.18.

AI-generated research summary. Written with AI from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 and checked so every figure matches that data. For information only, not investment advice. Disclaimer

About this BW AI stock analysis

This page is an AI-written research summary of Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. (BW). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.

Related: BW income statement, BW balance sheet, BW key metrics, BW analyst forecast, BW chart. See the BW stock overview for the latest quote and news.

BW AI stock analysis FAQ

What was Babcock & Wilcox's revenue in the latest quarter?

In the quarter ended June 30, 2026, quarterly revenue increased by 130.3% year-over-year, bringing trailing twelve-month revenue to $834.4M.

Does Babcock & Wilcox have net debt or net cash?

As of June 30, 2026, the company had $308.6M in cash and short-term investments against $304.7M in total debt, resulting in net cash of $4.0M.

What is the consensus analyst price target for BW stock?

The mean analyst price target is $22.00, which sits 376.2% above the last closing price of $4.62 on October 16, 2026.

When is Babcock & Wilcox's next earnings report?

Babcock & Wilcox is scheduled to release its next earnings report on November 3, 2026.

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