Lincoln Electric Unveils 'RISE' Strategy, Hints at Second-Half Volume Rebound

Executives outline new strategic framework, M&A priorities, and operational signals for stronger second-half performance.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Executives from Lincoln Electric (NASDAQ:LECO) used a presentation at Barclays' 43rd Industrial Conference in Miami to outline the company's updated 'RISE' strategic framework, discuss its approach to M&A, and share the operational signals it is watching for a stronger second-half volume outlook.

Why it matters

Lincoln Electric's 'RISE' strategy represents an evolution of the company's prior 'Higher Standard' approach, aimed at accelerating growth and performance while continuing margin expansion across cycles. The company's M&A priorities and operational outlook provide insight into how it plans to execute on this new strategic vision.

The details

The 'RISE' acronym stands for: Reimagine how work gets done to drive safety, productivity, and quality; Innovate to differentiate, including moving ideas through R&D 'faster' into the market; Serve customers better than today and better than competitors to take share; and Elevate team members to support career aspirations and improve teamwork. Management described the strategy as a 'center-led' model that will standardize processes globally while still keeping regional teams close to local market needs. On M&A, the company looks for acquisitions that either bring an accretive margin structure or have a clear path to become at least margin neutral, ideally margin accretive. Larger deals could become somewhat more likely as the company grows, though 'truly transformative' acquisitions are unlikely. The company is watching for a second-half volume inflection driven by the maturation of its long-cycle automation backlog and improvements in purchasing managers' indexes (PMI) as a proxy for customer confidence.

  • The company plans to launch the 'RISE' strategy to global employees starting the following week.

The players

Steve Hedlund

CEO of Lincoln Electric.

Gabe Bruno

CFO of Lincoln Electric.

Lincoln Electric

A global manufacturer and distributor of welding products, robotic welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment, and surface treatment systems.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

The takeaway

Lincoln Electric's 'RISE' strategy represents an evolution of the company's approach, focused on driving growth, performance, and margin expansion through a combination of operational improvements, innovation, customer focus, and talent development. The company's M&A priorities and operational outlook suggest it is well-positioned to execute on this strategic vision and capitalize on opportunities in the industrial and automation markets.