Curtiss-Wright (CW) The 44th Annual William Blair Growth Stock Conference summary

Company overview and legacy

• Operates as a global, engineering-centric firm with 8,600 employees across 45 countries, focusing on mission-critical applications in aerospace, defense, and select commercial markets.

• Deep industry expertise and legacy in aviation, nuclear, and defense electronics, with a culture of knowledge transfer and formalized processes.

• Emphasizes collaborative culture and innovation, recently enhanced by the Pivot to Growth strategy.

Strategic initiatives and operational excellence

• Pivot to Growth strategy balances financial targets with operating margin expansion and reinvestment in the business.

• Achieved 7.4% total sales growth, 4.7% organic sales growth, 110 basis points margin expansion, and 12.5% EPS growth over three years.

• Operational Growth Platform enhances management tools, contract oversight, and shop floor visibility, including AI-driven contract management.

Innovation and R&D focus

• Launched a cross-enterprise innovation platform, enabling all employees to contribute and collaborate on ideas.

• R&D investments are rigorously evaluated for market differentiation and customer value, with a focus on efficiency and measurable outcomes.

• Incremental R&D investment of $20 million in 2023 and targeted for 2024, supporting both innovation and margin expansion.