In fiscal 2026, which ended Aug 31, 2026, Acuity Inc generated $825.6 million of cash from operations, up 37.3% from the year before. It spent $77.7 million on capital expenditures. That left free cash flow of $747.9 million. The company returned $23.8 million in dividends and $287.2 million in share buybacks to shareholders.
USD in millions, except per-share amounts and ratios. The percent under a figure is the change from the year before.
| Line |
FY 2026
Aug 31, 2026
|
FY 2025
Aug 31, 2025
|
FY 2024
Aug 31, 2024
|
FY 2023
Aug 31, 2023
|
FY 2022
Aug 31, 2022
|
FY 2021
Aug 31, 2021
|
FY 2020
Aug 31, 2020
|
FY 2019
Aug 31, 2019
|
FY 2018
Aug 31, 2018
|
FY 2017
Aug 31, 2017
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating | ||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization |
156
+17.5%
|
133
+46.1%
|
91
-2.3%
|
93
-1.7%
|
95
-5.3%
|
100
-1.0%
|
101
+14.5%
|
88
+10.0%
|
80
+7.6%
|
75
+19.2%
|
| Stock-based compensation |
50
+9.8%
|
45
-3.2%
|
47
+11.0%
|
42
+12.3%
|
37
+15.1%
|
32
-14.9%
|
38
+30.8%
|
29
-9.6%
|
32
+0.9%
|
32
+15.5%
|
| Operating cash flow |
826
+37.3%
|
601
-2.9%
|
619
+7.1%
|
578
+82.8%
|
316
-22.6%
|
409
-19.0%
|
505
+2.0%
|
495
+40.7%
|
352
+4.4%
|
337
-13.2%
|
| Investing | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures |
78
+13.6%
|
68
+6.9%
|
64
-4.0%
|
67
+18.1%
|
56
+29.0%
|
44
-20.2%
|
55
+3.6%
|
53
+21.6%
|
44
-35.2%
|
67
-19.6%
|
| Investing cash flow |
-79
+93.8%
|
-1,281
-1867.3%
|
-65
+28.2%
|
-91
-45.8%
|
-62
+47.2%
|
-118
+67.2%
|
-360
-578.9%
|
-53
+74.0%
|
-204
-318.0%
|
-49
+93.1%
|
| Financing | ||||||||||
| Debt issued |
0
-100.0%
|
600
|
—
|
0
|
0
-100.0%
|
494
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
-60.0%
|
| Debt repaid |
400
+100.0%
|
200
|
—
|
0
|
0
-100.0%
|
401
+12.8%
|
356
+309.3%
|
87
+21625.0%
|
0
|
—
|
| Dividends paid |
24
+15.5%
|
21
+13.2%
|
18
+8.3%
|
17
-7.2%
|
18
-5.2%
|
19
-8.2%
|
21
+0.0%
|
21
-2.8%
|
21
-5.7%
|
23
-0.9%
|
| Stock buybacks |
287
+142.4%
|
118
+33.6%
|
89
-66.7%
|
267
-48.2%
|
515
+18.4%
|
435
+527.6%
|
69
-15.1%
|
82
-72.7%
|
298
-16.6%
|
358
|
| Financing cash flow |
-536
-310.1%
|
255
+344.4%
|
-104
+66.6%
|
-313
+38.9%
|
-512
-41.3%
|
-363
-620.9%
|
-50
+53.5%
|
-108
+66.9%
|
-327
+16.6%
|
-392
-1618.4%
|
| Change in cash | ||||||||||
| Effect of exchange rate |
4
+550.0%
|
1
+135.3%
|
-2
-950.0%
|
0
+102.0%
|
-10
-508.3%
|
2
-52.0%
|
5
+412.5%
|
-2
|
—
|
—
|
| Net change in cash |
214
+150.5%
|
-423
-194.5%
|
448
+156.4%
|
175
+165.2%
|
-268
-286.3%
|
-69
-169.6%
|
100
-70.0%
|
332
|
—
|
—
|
| Free cash flow |
748
+40.3%
|
533
-4.0%
|
555
+8.6%
|
511
+96.8%
|
260
-28.8%
|
365
-18.9%
|
450
+1.9%
|
442
+43.5%
|
308
+14.3%
|
269
-11.5%
|
| Per share | ||||||||||
| Free cash flow per share |
24.01
+42.5%
|
16.85
-4.6%
|
17.66
+11.0%
|
15.90
+112.0%
|
7.50
-24.9%
|
9.98
-12.1%
|
11.36
+2.4%
|
11.10
+47.8%
|
7.51
+20.7%
|
6.22
-10.5%
|
| Dividend per share |
0.77
+16.7%
|
0.66
+13.8%
|
0.58
+11.5%
|
0.52
+0.0%
|
0.52
+0.0%
|
0.52
+0.0%
|
0.52
+0.0%
|
0.52
+0.0%
|
0.52
+0.0%
|
0.52
+0.0%
|
| Shareholder returns | ||||||||||
| Returned to shareholders |
311
|
139
|
107
|
283
|
533
|
454
|
90
|
102
|
320
|
381
|
| Share of free cash flow |
41.58%
|
26.10%
|
19.25%
|
55.42%
|
205.12%
|
124.42%
|
20.03%
|
23.18%
|
103.86%
|
141.33%
|
| Ratios | ||||||||||
| Free cash flow margin |
16.11%
|
12.27%
|
14.45%
|
12.94%
|
6.49%
|
10.54%
|
13.53%
|
12.03%
|
8.37%
|
—
|
| Capital expenditures to revenue |
1.67%
|
1.57%
|
1.67%
|
1.69%
|
1.41%
|
1.27%
|
1.65%
|
1.44%
|
1.18%
|
—
|
| Stock-based compensation to revenue |
1.07%
|
1.04%
|
1.21%
|
1.06%
|
0.93%
|
0.94%
|
1.15%
|
0.80%
|
0.88%
|
—
|
| Cash conversion |
1.55x
|
1.52x
|
1.47x
|
1.67x
|
0.82x
|
1.33x
|
2.03x
|
1.50x
|
1.01x
|
1.05x
|
How these figures are calculated
Annual columns are full-year amounts from the annual report (Form 10-K, 20-F, or 40-F). If a company restates a year, the latest filed number is shown. USD in millions, except per-share amounts and ratios. Capital expenditures, debt repaid, dividends, and buybacks are positive amounts. Investing and financing cash flow keep the filing sign, so an outflow is negative. Free cash flow is operating cash flow minus capital expenditures. Returned to shareholders is dividends plus buybacks. Free cash flow margin, capital expenditures, and stock-based compensation are divided by revenue. Cash conversion is operating cash flow divided by net income. More on our methodology.
Company profile
- Industry
- Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (SIC 3640)
- Listed as
- AYI (NYSE)
- Fiscal year ends
- August 31
- Incorporated in
- DE
- Headquarters
- Atlanta, GA
- SEC filer status
- Large accelerated filer
- SEC CIK
- 1144215
- Former names
- ACUITY BRANDS INC (until Apr 17, 2025); L&C SPINCO INC (until Oct 29, 2001)
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Source: SEC EDGAR filings. This is company-reported data, not investment advice.