GPGI Inc. executives used the company’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call to outline the strategy behind its newly formed platform and to provide initial pro forma guidance for fiscal 2026, highlighting recent performance at CompoSecure and the addition of Husky following a deal that closed after quarter-end.
Building a permanent-capital operating platform
Executive Chairman Dave Cote described GPGI as a “diversified multi-industry platform” designed to acquire and operate market-leading businesses in “good industries,” a framework reflected in the company’s name. Following the acquisition of Husky, Cote said GPGI now owns two businesses—CompoSecure and Husky—that management believes can benefit from the deployment of the Resolute Operating System (ROS) and a high-performance culture.
He also addressed the company’s financial presentation, reiterating that due to accounting changes effective Feb. 28, 2025—related to the spin-off of Resolute Holdings Management—GPGI’s operating companies are no longer consolidated and are accounted for under the equity method. Cote urged investors to focus on core non-GAAP operating results that include the management fee paid to Resolute.
Acquisition discipline and investment criteria
Chief Investment Officer Tom Knott said GPGI’s structure is intended to support disciplined acquisitions, noting the company does not face deployment targets or timing pressure to buy additional businesses. While GPGI is “constantly evaluating” opportunities, Knott said future acquisitions must meet the firm’s six investment criteria and be available at a fair price.
Knott also pointed to what he views as an opportunity set among high-quality private businesses seeking access to public markets, including family-owned companies, non-core divisions of public companies, and private-equity-owned businesses. He argued GPGI can offer a transaction alternative that may be preferable to a traditional IPO for some sellers, particularly private equity firms looking to monetize investments.
CompoSecure posts 2025 growth and margin expansion
CompoSecure (NASDAQ:CMPO) CEO Graham Robinson, who joined recently as president and chief executive officer, said the company delivered “strong organic growth and profitability” in the fourth quarter and full-year 2025. Robinson attributed results to execution, operational focus, and continued support from the Resolute team and CompoSecure’s board.
Robinson said CompoSecure is the global leader in premium metal payment cards, with more than 200 active metal card programs and relationships with nine of the top 10 U.S. card issuers, as well as “a growing roster” of fintech customers. He said the company shipped more than 30 million cards in 2025 and described metal cards as underpenetrated globally at less than 1% of all cards shipped.
Robinson also discussed the company’s Arculus platform, which he described as a multi-factor authentication and digital asset storage solution that integrates phone biometrics, a PIN, and a metal card. While initially designed for digital asset protection, Robinson said applications have broadened to passwordless login, identity verification, and transaction approvals. He added that Arculus scaled in 2025 and is “now a growing contributor to revenues and cash flows.”
CompoSecure CFO Mary Holt provided non-GAAP and pro forma metrics, including fourth-quarter and full-year improvements in profitability and margins. Holt reported:
- Fourth-quarter non-GAAP net sales of $117.7 million, up about 17% year-over-year.
- Fourth-quarter non-GAAP gross margin of 55.7%, up about 360 basis points.
- Fourth-quarter pro forma adjusted EBITDA of $43 million, up about 41%, with pro forma adjusted EBITDA margin of 36.5%, up about 640 basis points.
- Full-year 2025 non-GAAP net sales of about $462 million, up about 10%.
- Full-year non-GAAP gross margin of 56.3%, up about 420 basis points.
- Full-year pro forma adjusted EBITDA of about $171 million, up about 24%, with pro forma adjusted EBITDA margin of 36.9%, up more than 400 basis points.
In the Q&A, management said key growth drivers for CompoSecure include core payment cards, international growth, and the ramp of Arculus. Addressing gross margin expansion, management cited the impact of ROS, including lean principles and improved yields, alongside a “favorable price mix impact,” but declined to quantify the split between those factors.
Husky highlights installed base and 2025 margin headwinds
GPGI introduced Rob Domodossola as Husky’s new president and CEO. Domodossola, a 30-year Husky veteran, said the company’s innovation cadence and “deep customer intimacy” have helped maintain leadership, and he expects the capital structure under GPGI and ROS to support new growth capabilities.
Domodossola described Husky as the global leader in engineered injection molding systems and related aftermarket services, with about 65% of sales coming from recurring high-margin aftermarket parts and services. He said Husky has an installed base of approximately 13,500 systems and emphasized its position in PET markets. He also highlighted “Advantage Plus Elite,” Husky’s remote monitoring solution launched in 2019, and said the company sees “tremendous white space” to connect more of its installed base.
Husky CFO John Linker reviewed results and noted that the business combination closed after the quarter ended, in January 2026. Linker reported net sales of $521 million in the fourth quarter, up more than 6% year-over-year, and full-year 2025 net sales of approximately $1.57 billion, up 5%.
However, Linker said margins compressed in the fourth quarter and full year due to three drivers management believes are unique to 2025 and “will not recur”: (1) product mix shifting toward higher growth in new systems versus aftermarket, (2) strategic investments in sales coverage, service contract labor, and prototyping, and (3) variable cost inefficiencies in labor and overhead as Husky ramped to deliver a record level of sales throughput.
In response to questions on margin improvement, Husky executives said a major lever is accelerating organic volume growth, given high variable contribution margins, alongside cost discipline and commercial excellence initiatives supported by ROS.
Pro forma 2026 guidance and leverage priorities
Knott introduced pro forma guidance for fiscal 2026, which management said reflects trends at both businesses while accounting for a “dynamic macroeconomic and geopolitical backdrop.” GPGI expects:
- Non-GAAP net sales of approximately $2.18 to $2.23 billion.
- Pro forma adjusted EBITDA of approximately $620 to $650 million.
- Pro forma adjusted free cash flow of approximately $325 to $375 million.
At the midpoint, Knott said the outlook implies 8.5% non-GAAP net sales growth, about 17% adjusted EBITDA growth, and adjusted EBITDA margins of roughly 29%.
Management also provided expectations for 2026 phasing, with revenue growth and margin expansion anticipated to accelerate in the second half. Knott said first-half growth is expected to be mid-single digits year-over-year, rising to double-digit growth in the second half, while margins are expected to be relatively flat in the first half due to anticipated margin declines at Husky in the first quarter as investments and operational improvement initiatives take time to materialize.
In the Q&A, Knott said the company expects total leverage to be below 3x and indicated a preference to continue lowering leverage over time. When asked about capital allocation, management said paying down debt remains the top priority, rather than share repurchases.
Management also addressed investor questions about potential conflicts of interest between Resolute Holdings and GPGI shareholders, with Cote and Knott saying they do not see a conflict and emphasizing that Resolute’s success is tied to GPGI’s performance.
About CompoSecure (NASDAQ:CMPO)
CompoSecure is a global provider of secure card and credential solutions, specializing in the design, manufacturing and personalization of payment cards, identification credentials and related services. The company develops a range of card products that include metal cards, composite cards and hybrid designs integrating advanced security features such as EMV chip technology, contactless interfaces and specialized surface treatments. CompoSecure’s offerings are tailored to the needs of banks, credit unions, fintech firms and government agencies seeking to differentiate their cards and enhance consumer engagement.
The company’s product portfolio extends beyond physical cards to encompass digital issuance and lifecycle management solutions.
