DNOW Inc. (DNOW)

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in this document including information referenced or incorporated by reference from our other filings with the SEC, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements typically are identified by use of terms such as “anticipates”, “assumes”, “believes”, “budget”, “estimates”, “expects”, “goal”, “guidance”, “plans”, “may,” “will”, “might”, “would”, “should”, “seeks”, “project”, “predict”, “potential”, “currently”, “continue”, “intends”, “outlook”, “forecasts”, “targets”, “reflects”, “could”, or other similar words and phrases, although some forward-looking statements could be expressed differently. Forward-looking statements are current only as of the date they are made. You should be aware that our actual results could differ materially from results anticipated in the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors and risks many of which are outside of our control, including, but not limited to, changes in oil and gas prices, changes in the energy markets, customer demand for our products, changes in trade policies including the imposition or elimination of additional tariffs and duties, significant changes in the size of our customers, difficulties encountered in integrating mergers and acquisitions (including but not limited to certain risks relating to any mergers or acquisitions, such as: the timing of the closing of the merger or acquisition; the risk that the conditions to the transaction are not satisfied on a timely basis or at all or the failure of the transaction to close for any other reason or to close on the anticipated terms; the possibility that regulatory approvals for any dispositions or acquisitions will not be received on a timely basis, if at all, or that such approvals may require modification to the terms of the mergers or remaining businesses; the risk that the expected benefits, synergies and cost reduction efforts of the mergers or acquisitions may not be fully achieved in a timely manner, or at all), successful integration of the business of MRC Global into our business, general volatility in the capital markets, ability to complete the share repurchase program, changes in applicable government regulations, increased borrowing costs, geopolitical conditions and tensions (including Iran, the Ukraine and Middle East conflicts and their regional and global impacts) or any litigation arising out of or related thereto, impairments in long-lived assets, the occurrence of cyber incidents, or failure by us or our third-party service providers to maintain cybersecurity and the integrity of confidential data, and worldwide and national economic conditions and activity. You should also consider carefully the statements under “Risk Factors,” as disclosed in our Form 10-K and any of our subsequent SEC filings, which address additional factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements and that are otherwise described from time to time in our SEC reports as filed. Given these uncertainties, current or prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update any such factors or forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or developments, or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the unaudited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Company Overview

DNOW is a holding company headquartered in Houston, Texas that was incorporated in Delaware on November 22, 2013. We operate primarily under the DNOW and MRC Global brands along with several affiliated and acquired brands operating in local, regional or international markets.

On June 26, 2025, DNOW entered into the Merger Agreement with MRC Global in an all-stock transaction, inclusive of MRC Global's debt. On November 6, 2025, DNOW completed its acquisition of MRC Global.

We are a premier provider of energy and industrial solutions with a legacy of over 160 years as a leading distributor of PVF, gas products, pumps and fabricated process and production equipment and a wide range of MRO consumables and related products. We operate across diversified sectors of the energy value chain and industrial end-markets, including:

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Upstream: exploration, production and extraction of oil and gas, as well as the use, transfer and disposal of produced water

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Gas Utilities: gas utilities (storage and distribution of natural gas)

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Downstream and Industrial: downstream and industrial including crude oil refining, petrochemical and chemical processing, general industrials, pharmaceutical, mining, water/wastewater treatment, data centers, LNG terminals and RNG facilities

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Midstream: gathering and transmission infrastructure for processing and transmission of oil, gas or water

Our comprehensive products and solutions offerings includes an extensive array of PVF, gas products, pumps, fabricated equipment, valve automation, valve modification, gaskets, fasteners, electrical components, measurement, instrumentation, artificial lift, pumping systems, process and production equipment, production measurement technology, MRO consumables and other general and specialty products. Our team of approximately 5,100 employees support our customers through approximately 300 strategic locations including regional distribution centers, super centers, branches and corporate offices.

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Key Drivers of Our Business

We derive our revenue predominantly from the sale of PVF, pumps, and fabricated equipment to upstream, gas utilities, downstream, energy transition and industrial and midstream markets customers globally. Our business is dependent upon both the current conditions and future prospects in these industries and, in particular, our customers' maintenance and expansionary operating and capital expenditures. The outlook for customer spending is influenced by numerous factors, including the following:

•
Oil and Natural Gas Demand and Prices. Sales of PVF and infrastructure products to the oil and natural gas industry constitute a significant portion of our sales. As a result, we depend upon the maintenance and capital expenditures of oil and natural gas companies to explore for, extract, produce and process oil, natural gas and refined products. Demand for oil and natural gas, current and projected commodity prices and the costs necessary to produce oil and natural gas impact customer capital spending, additions to and maintenance of pipelines, refinery utilization and petrochemical processing activity. Additionally, as some of these participants rebalance their capital investment away from traditional, carbon-based energy toward alternative sources, we expect to continue to supply them and enhance our product and service offerings to support their changing requirements, including in areas such as carbon capture utilization, sequestration and storage, biofuels, RNG, offshore wind and hydrogen processing.

•
Gas Utility and Energy Infrastructure Integrity and Modernization. Ongoing maintenance and upgrading of existing energy facilities, pipelines and other infrastructure equipment is a meaningful driver for business across the sectors we serve. This is particularly true for the Gas Utilities sector. Activity with customers in this sector is driven by upgrades and replacement of existing infrastructure as well as new residential and commercial development. Continual maintenance of an aging network of pipelines and local distribution networks is a critical requirement for these customers irrespective of broader economic conditions. As a result, this revenue from this sector tends to be more stable over time than our traditional oilfield-dependent businesses and fluctuates based on gas utility customer annual budgets, independently of commodity prices.

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Economic Conditions. Changes in the general economy, political affairs, government policies or in the energy sector (domestically or internationally) can cause demand for fuels, feedstocks and petroleum-derived products to vary, thereby causing demand for the products we distribute to materially change.

•
Manufacturer and Distributor Inventory Levels of PVF, Pumps, Fabricated Equipment and Related Products. Manufacturer and distributor inventory levels of PVF and related products can change significantly from period to period. Increased inventory levels by manufacturers or other distributors can cause an oversupply of PVF and related products in the industry sectors we serve and reduce the prices that we are able to charge for the products we distribute. Reduced prices, in turn, would likely reduce our profitability. Conversely, decreased manufacturer inventory levels may ultimately lead to increased demand for our products and often result in increased pricing, revenue and improved profitability.

•
Steel Prices, Availability and Supply and Demand. Fluctuations in steel prices can lead to volatility in the pricing of the products we distribute, especially carbon steel line pipe products, which can influence the buying patterns of our customers. A majority of the products we distribute contain various types of steel. The worldwide supply and demand for these products and other steel products that we do not supply impact the pricing and availability of our products and, ultimately, our sales and operating profitability. Additionally, supply chain disruptions with key manufacturers or in markets in which we source products can impact the availability of inventory we require to support our customers. Furthermore, logistical challenges, including inflation and availability of freight providers and containers for shipping can also significantly impact our profitability and inventory lead-times. These constraints can also present an opportunity, as our supply chain expertise allows us to meet customer expectations when the competition may not.

Recent Trends and Outlook

Recent geopolitical developments, including military conflict involving Iran, have contributed to increased volatility in global energy markets, financial markets and international supply chains. While the full impact of these conditions continues to evolve, management is actively monitoring potential effects on customer demand, costs, logistics and overall macroeconomic conditions. The majority of our publicly traded oil and gas producer customers have generally remained disciplined in their capital expenditures and have generally not increased production beyond their ability to fund their expenditures from prudent borrowings and cash flow from operations. We expect this trend to continue.

The U.S. government has imposed tariffs on steel products, which were expanded throughout 2025. A significant portion of the products that we sell are made from steel. In addition, a portion of the products that we sell are sourced from China and India, including certain valve sub-assemblies and pump sub-components that are finished in the U.S. The tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico have a lesser direct impact on our business as they do not represent a significant portion of the products that we purchase from those countries for resale to our customers. Even so, a significant portion of our U.S. inventory and product

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) and other parts of this report contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and information relating to us that are based on the beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, us. Generally, words such as “anticipates”, “assumes”, “believes”, “budget”, “estimates”, “expects”, “goal”, “guidance”, “plans”, “may”, “will”, “might”, “would”, “should”, “seeks”, “project”, “predict”, “potential”, “objective”, “currently”, “continue”, “intends”, “outlook”, “forecasts”, “targets”, “reflects,” “could”, or other similar words and phrases identify forward-looking statements, although some forward-looking statements could be expressed differently. These statements reflect our current views and beliefs with respect to future events as of the date hereof, are not historical facts or guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. See “Note About Forward-Looking Statements” at the beginning of this report for further discussion. All forward-looking statements made in this report are made as of the date hereof, and the risk that actual results will differ materially from expectations expressed in this report will increase with the passage of time. We undertake no obligation, and disclaim any duty, to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in our expectations or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial information includes the accounts of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated. Variable interest entities for which the Company is the primary beneficiary are fully consolidated with the equity held by the outside stockholders and their portion of net (loss) income reflected as noncontrolling interest in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

Reclassification

Certain amounts in the prior period financial statements have been reclassified to conform with the Company's current period presentation. Specifically, amounts previously reported in “Other assets” have been reclassified to “Operating right-of-use assets”. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the Company elected to begin presenting a subtotal for gross profit and changed the terminology used in our reporting from “warehousing, selling and administrative” to “selling, general and administrative expenses” on the consolidated statements of operations. These reclassifications have no effect on previously reported total assets, total liabilities and stockholders’ equity, or net (loss) income on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Change in Accounting Principles

During the fourth quarter of 2025, DNOW changed its inventory valuation method for U.S. inventories from the moving average cost method to the Last-In, First-Out (“LIFO”) method. The Company determined that retrospective application for periods prior to fiscal year 2023 was impracticable due to the need to establish a base-year cost and reconstruct historical layers because records of inventory purchases and sales are no longer available for all prior years. However, the Company has all of the information necessary to apply the LIFO method on a prospective basis beginning in 2023. The Company determined that LIFO is preferable under ASC 250 because it better reflects the current cost of inventory in cost of goods sold, given the commodity-like nature of DNOW’s products and the frequent price fluctuations driven by pricing pressure, global supply dynamics, tariffs and inflation. Prior period amounts were updated to conform to the current year presentation for the change in accounting principle. See Note 1 “Organization and Basis of Presentation” of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Part IV, Item 15 of this Form 10-K) for additional information.

General Overview

We are a premier provider of energy and industrial solutions with a legacy of over 160 years as a global leader in the distribution of PVF, pumps and fabricated equipment. We provide quality products customers require to build and maintain essential infrastructure and operating equipment across the upstream, midstream, gas utilities, downstream, energy transition and industrial markets as well as innovative supply chain solutions, technical product expertise and a robust digital platform to customers globally through our leading position across each of our diversified end-markets including the following sectors:

•
Upstream: exploration, production and extraction of oil and gas, as well as the use and disposal of produced water

•
Midstream: transmission and gathering infrastructure for processing and transmission of oil, gas or water

•
Gas Utilities: gas utilities (storage and distribution of natural gas)

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•
Downstream and Industrial: downstream and industrial including crude oil refining, petrochemical and chemical processing, general industrials, pharmaceutical, mining, water/wastewater treatment, data centers, LNG terminals and RNG facilities

We offer a comprehensive portfolio of products, including an extensive array of PVF, pumps, fabricated equipment, oilfield supply, valve automation and modification, measurement, instrumentation and other general and specialty products from our global network of thousands of suppliers. With over 160 years of history, our approximately 5,300 employees serve our customers through approximately 300 strategic locations including regional distribution centers, super centers, branches and corporate offices.

Our customers use our supply chain solutions, PVF, pumps, fabricated equipment and other infrastructure products that we supply in mission critical process applications that require us to provide a high degree of product knowledge, technical expertise and comprehensive value-added services to our customers. We seek to provide best-in-class service for customers by satisfying the most complex, multi-site needs of many of the largest companies in the energy, industrial and gas utilities sectors as their primary PVF, pump and gas products supplier. Our solutions include outsourcing portions or entire functions of our customers’ procurement, warehouse and inventory management, logistics, point of issue technology, project management, business process and performance metrics reporting. These solutions allow us to leverage the infrastructure of our ERP systems and other technologies to streamline our customers’ purchasing process, from requisition to procurement to payment, by digitally managing workflow, improving approval routing and providing robust reporting functionality. We believe the critical role we play in our customers' supply chain, together with our extensive product and service offerings, broad global presence, customer-linked scalable information systems and efficient distribution capabilities, serve to solidify our long-standing customer relationships and drive our growth.

Key Drivers of Our Business

We derive our revenue predominantly from the sale of PVF, pumps, and fabricated equipment to upstream, midstream, gas utilities, downstream, and industrial markets customers globally. Our business is dependent upon both the current conditions and future prospects in these industries and, in particular, our customers' maintenance and expansionary operating and capital expenditures. The outlook for customer spending is influenced by numerous factors, including the following:

•
Oil and Natural Gas Demand and Prices. Sales of PVF and infrastructure products to the oil and natural gas industry constitute a significant portion of our sales. As a result, we depend upon the maintenance and capital expenditures of oil and natural gas companies to explore for, produce and process oil, natural gas and refined products. Demand for oil and natural gas, current and projected commodity prices and the costs necessary to produce oil and gas impact customer capital spending, additions to and maintenance of pipelines, refinery utilization and petrochemical processing activity. Additionally, as these participants rebalance their capital investment away from traditional, carbon-based energy toward alternative sources, we expect to continue to supply them and enhance our product and service offerings to support their changing requirements, including in areas such as carbon capture utilization and storage, biofuels, offshore wind and hydrogen processing.

•
Gas Utility and Energy Infrastructure Integrity and Modernization. Ongoing maintenance and upgrading of existing energy facilities, pipelines and other infrastructure equipment is a meaningful driver for business across the sectors we serve. This is particularly true for the Gas Utilities sector. Activity with customers in this sector is driven by upgrades and replacement of existing infrastructure as well as new residential and commercial development. Continual maintenance of an aging network of pipelines and local distribution networks is a critical requirement for these customers irrespective of broader economic conditions. As a result, this business tends to be more stable over time than our traditional oilfield-dependent businesses and moves independently of commodity prices.

•
Economic Conditions. Changes in the general economy or in the energy sector (domestically or internationally) can cause demand for fuels, feedstocks and petroleum-derived products to vary, thereby causing demand for the products we distribute to materially change.

•
Manufacturer and Distributor Inventory Levels of PVF, Pumps, Fabricated Equipment and Related Products. Manufacturer and distributor inventory levels of PVF and related products can change significantly from period to period. Increased inventory levels by manufacturers or other distributors can cause an oversupply of PVF and related products in the industry sectors we serve and reduce the prices that we are able to charge for the products we distribute. Reduced prices, in turn, would likely reduce our profitability. Conversely, decreased manufacturer inventory levels may ultimately lead to increased demand for our products and often result in increased revenue, higher PVF pricing and improved profitability.

•
Steel Prices, Availability and Supply and Demand. Fluctuations in steel prices can lead to volatility in the pricing of the products we distribute, especially carbon steel line pipe products, which can influence the buying patterns of our customers. A majority of the products we distribute contain various types of steel. The worldwide supply and demand for these products and other steel products that we do not supply, impact the pricing and availability of our products and,

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ultimately, our sales and operating profitability. Additionally, supply chain disruptions with key manufacturers or in markets in which we source products can impact the availability of inventory we require to support our customers. Furthermore, logistical challenges, including inflation and availability of freight providers and containers for shipping can also significantly impact our profitability and inventory lead-times. These constraints can also present an opportunity, as our supply chain expertise allows us to meet customer expectations when the competition may not.

See Item 1A. “Risk Factors.” We conduct our operations through three business segments: U.S., Canada and International. See Item 1. “Business—Summary

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