Helios Technologies, Inc. (HLIO): ANSOFF MATRIX [Dec-2025 Updated]

You're looking for the clear path forward for Helios Technologies, Inc. (HLIO) after their latest moves, and honestly, the strategy is laid out right here in the Ansoff Matrix. We see them pushing hard in their core business-think driving that 9% Q3 2025 sales growth and using the $100 million share repurchase to signal stability-while simultaneously funding big bets. They are pouring capital, like that $5.4 million in Q2 2025 capital expenditures, into new products like Atlas Connect Gateway, and keeping a war chest ready, with $358.6 million available on their revolving credit facility, for that next big bolt-on acquisition. What this means for you is a clear map showing where they are playing it safe versus where they are swinging for the fences. Let's break down the four clear lanes for growth below.

Helios Technologies, Inc. (HLIO) - Ansoff Matrix: Market Penetration

You're focused on growing Helios Technologies, Inc. (HLIO) right where you are today-in the existing markets with the current product set. This is about digging deeper, not moving sideways or building new things.

Increase market share in core Hydraulics segment, leveraging the 9% Q3 2025 sales growth.

The Hydraulics segment showed solid traction in the third quarter of 2025, with sales increasing 9% year-over-year. This growth signals that the core business is gaining ground, especially in key areas like mobile and agriculture end markets. For Q3 2025, the Hydraulics segment brought in $141.3 million in revenue, which was 64% of the total consolidated net sales of $220.3 million. That 9% growth is the baseline you need to build on to capture more share from competitors in those established sectors. It's about getting a bigger slice of the existing pie.

Here's a quick look at the segment performance driving this penetration:

Drive cross-selling of electronic controls to existing hydraulic customers for integrated solutions.

The Electronics segment posted even stronger growth at 21% in the third quarter of 2025, reaching $79 million in sales. This performance shows the market is ready for the advanced control offerings. The action here is making sure the hydraulics sales force is consistently presenting the electronic controls as part of a complete, integrated package. The goal is to increase the average revenue per hydraulic customer by bundling in the higher-growth electronics. This strategy helps solidify the platform to be the global leader of electro/hydraulic solutions, building on the consolidation work already done in North America. The consolidation of North American Hydraulics Centers of Excellence (CoEs) since the fourth quarter of 2023 supports this integration effort.

Optimize pricing and distribution channels following the consolidation of North American CoEs.

The operational streamlining from the North American CoE consolidation is now a lever for better pricing and distribution. For instance, the Hydraulic Manifold Solutions CoE in Mishawaka, Indiana, now supports throughput levels of approximately $100 million in run-rate annual revenues, a significant jump from about $30 million a year ago. Furthermore, the completion of the Custom Fluidpower (CFP) business sale on September 29, 2025, and the simultaneous execution of a long-term exclusive distribution agreement, refines the distribution footprint, especially in the Australian market through CFP's network. This restructuring helps ensure pricing reflects the optimized cost structure from the CoEs.

Target key OEM accounts with enhanced service to capture a greater share of wallet.

Focusing service efforts on the largest Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) accounts is defintely a direct path to market penetration. You've already seen success here, such as securing a significant contract win with Agco in the agricultural sector, which is a core market for Hydraulics. Capturing a greater share of wallet means increasing the content per machine or system sold to these large, established partners. This is about deepening the relationship beyond the initial component sale.

Utilize the $100 million share repurchase program to signal financial strength and stability.

Management signaled strong confidence by approving a multi-year share repurchase program authorizing up to $100 million of common stock repurchases. This action is a clear signal of financial stability to the market. You can see the commitment in the third quarter of 2025, where 50,000 shares were repurchased for $2.7 million. Year-to-date through Q3 2025, the company had already spent $9.2 million to repurchase 250,000 shares. This use of cash, alongside reducing total debt to $419.1 million as of September 27, 2025, supports the narrative of a financially disciplined company ready to invest in its core business.

Finance: draft the Q4 2025 sales forecast based on the Hydraulics segment's 9% growth rate for the next period by Tuesday.

Helios Technologies, Inc. (HLIO) - Ansoff Matrix: Market Development

You're looking at expanding Helios Technologies, Inc. (HLIO) by taking existing, proven products into new territories or new customer types. This Market Development strategy is about geographic expansion and sector penetration for your current offerings.

Geographic Expansion Beyond Current Footprint

Helios Technologies, Inc. currently serves customers in over $\mathbf{90}$ countries around the world. A key action here is pushing the Electronics segment's reach into new geographic regions beyond this established base. To gauge the current strength in existing international markets, look at the third quarter of 2025 results: sales growth was strong across the board, with the Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region up $\mathbf{18\%}$ year-over-year, Asia Pacific (APAC) up $\mathbf{14\%}$, and the Americas up $\mathbf{11\%}$. The Electronics segment itself saw sales jump $\mathbf{21\%}$ to $\mathbf{\$79}$ million in Q3 2025.

To support this European push, you are leveraging the Faster Automated Warehouse in Italy. This facility, which became operational in early 2023, has a capacity for $\mathbf{6,900}$ pallets and can service up to $\mathbf{190}$ pallets per hour. This physical asset directly supports accelerating service for European customers, a critical component of regional market development.

Penetrating New End Markets

You need to push existing products, particularly from the Electronics segment, into high-growth, non-traditional sectors. Health and wellness is definitely a key focus area here. While the Electronics segment, which includes Balboa Water Group, serves the health and wellness industry, the latest data shows this specific end market was relatively flat in the third quarter of 2025, though it saw slight growth in the first quarter of 2025. This flatness signals a clear opportunity for focused development efforts to drive sales volume against the segment's $\mathbf{\$79}$ million Q3 2025 revenue.

The broader strategy includes establishing new 'in the region, for the region' sales and support hubs in emerging markets. This aligns with the company's stated manufacturing facility strategy to optimize for new mandates and better serve local needs.

Securing Strategic Distribution Partnerships

Market development often hinges on strong channel partners. Securing new long-term distribution agreements is vital, similar to the one executed following the sale of the Custom Fluidpower (CFP) business. That transaction, valued at approximately $\mathbf{\$54}$ million USD, included a long-term exclusive distribution agreement with Questas Group to secure the continuity of Sun Hydraulics' position in the Australian hydraulics market. CFP's 2024 sales were $\mathbf{\$92}$ million AUD ($\mathbf{\$61}$ million USD), showing the scale of the channel being secured through this type of agreement.

Here is a snapshot of the Electronics Segment performance and market context as of Q3 2025:

The success of the new warehouse in Italy, which has $\mathbf{6,900}$ pallet capacity, directly supports the EMEA growth rate of $\mathbf{18\%}$.

You should map out specific targets for the health and wellness sector based on the Q1 2025 slight growth versus the Q3 2025 flat result. Finance: draft the projected revenue contribution from the EMEA region for Q4 2025 by next Tuesday.

Helios Technologies, Inc. (HLIO) - Ansoff Matrix: Product Development

You're looking at how Helios Technologies, Inc. (HLIO) is pushing new offerings into its existing markets, which is the Product Development quadrant of the Ansoff Matrix. This strategy relies on getting innovative products into the hands of current customers quickly.

Helios Technologies, Inc. is focused on accelerating the launch cadence for new products, building on a pipeline that leadership is actively investing in. The company is continuing to invest in engineering resources specifically to drive this future product pipeline, alongside upgrading production capabilities expected to yield a productivity payoff later on. Management stated they expect to end 2025 well positioned for further growth carrying into 2026. The company currently sells its products to customers in over 90 countries around the world.

A key move here is introducing the Atlas Connect Gateway, an advanced connectivity solution from the Enovation Controls business within the Electronics segment. This rugged, IP67-rated device was made available in August 2025. It is purpose-built to help existing Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) clients boost their adoption of IoT-enabled products by allowing them to monitor critical data, send remote commands, and update software on equipment in the field securely. The device is designed to wire into any CAN enabled system in minutes.

The Hydraulics segment is seeing commercialization of new solutions as well. Sun Hydraulics, an operating company, received the 2025 LEAP Award in the Motion Control Category for its ENERGEN™ product. Also in Hydraulics, the operating company Faster introduced GenYus, described as a breakthrough casting solution purpose-built for tractors' rear-line hydraulics, offering ready-to-install compatibility with most Selective Control Valves ("SCV").

Regarding investment supporting these developments, Helios Technologies, Inc. reported capital expenditures of $5.4 million during the second quarter of 2025, which represented 2.5% of sales for that period. The company has signaled that its capital expenditure plans for 2025 are prioritized for maintenance and productivity enhancements with evident returns on investment. Furthermore, Selling, Engineering, and Administrative (SEA) expenses in the Hydraulics segment were up 2% year-over-year, partly due to increased R&D investment.

The strategic development effort also includes a focus on creating modular, easily integrated electronic control systems. This effort targets smaller, niche machine builders who benefit from simpler integration pathways. The company's overall capital priorities remain to invest in organic growth, reduce debt, maintain its long dividend history, and opportunistically repurchase shares.

Here's a look at the financial context surrounding the Q2 2025 investment and segment performance:

You'll want to track the sales impact from the Atlas Connect Gateway as it rolls out to existing OEM clients, especially given the Electronics segment sales were down 4% year-over-year in Q2 2025. The company is looking for these platform developments to potentially drive growth going into next year.

Helios Technologies, Inc. (HLIO) - Ansoff Matrix: Diversification

You're looking at how Helios Technologies, Inc. (HLIO) can move beyond its core industrial motion control and electronics base, which is the essence of diversification in the Ansoff Matrix. This strategy focuses on entering entirely new markets or developing products for non-traditional customers, using existing financial strength to fuel the expansion.

One clear path involves pursuing strategic, bolt-on acquisitions in adjacent, high-margin technology areas outside core motion control. This is about buying expertise and market access rather than building it from scratch. The financial foundation for this is solid; as of the end of the second quarter of 2025, Helios Technologies, Inc. had $358.6 million available on its revolving lines of credit, providing significant dry powder for such a move. The company's overall financial health supports this, with the net debt to adjusted EBITDA leverage ratio improving to 2.4x by the end of the third quarter of 2025.

To fund a new platform acquisition, you can certainly lean on that liquidity. The prompt suggests using the $358.6 million available on the revolving credit facility to fund a new platform acquisition. This facility, which had $360.3 million available at the end of Q3 2025, gives you flexibility for a significant transaction.

Diversification also means product extension into consumer-facing areas. Helios Technologies, Inc. has already started this through its Balboa Water Group operating company. They launched Purezone™, an advanced water quality management solution in June 2025. This product is designed for the consumer market, specifically spa owners, monitoring parameters like pH, free chlorine, total alkalinity, and temperature via a mobile app. This is a direct step into a non-industrial, wellness-focused consumer space.

Further capital deployment from non-core asset sales is planned. Helios Technologies, Inc. completed the sale of its Custom Fluidpower business in the third quarter of 2025, recording a gain of $21 million. The strategy dictates reinvesting this $21 million gain into a new technology vertical. This cash infusion, separate from the credit facility, can be earmarked for organic development or smaller, targeted tuck-in acquisitions in these new areas.

Finally, to systematically explore future-facing technologies, the plan includes forming a dedicated internal venture unit. This unit's mandate is to explore electrification solutions specifically for mobile equipment, a clear pivot from traditional hydraulics and motion control systems. While specific funding amounts for this unit aren't public, the company's strong cash generation-with cash from operations at $25.2 million in Q3 2025-supports internal investment.

Here is a look at the financial context supporting these strategic moves:

The diversification strategy hinges on using the balance sheet strength-evidenced by the available credit and the cash from divestitures-to enter markets like consumer wellness with PureZone™ and to build capabilities in future industrial trends like electrification.

• Pursue strategic, bolt-on acquisitions in adjacent, high-margin technology areas outside core motion control.
• Use the $358.6 million available on the revolving credit facility to fund a new platform acquisition.
• Develop new, non-industrial products, such as the PureZone water chemistry system, for the consumer market.
• Form a dedicated internal venture unit to explore electrification solutions for mobile equipment.
• Reinvest the $21 million gain from the Custom Fluidpower sale into a new technology vertical.

Finance: draft potential acquisition target list for the new technology vertical by end of Q1 2026.