couple were a start interest you, outlook. Thank reminding appreciate that components I your outlook. when and talking to year Hubbell. of I we important good about by us established our wanted full in framework Gerb, January in of everybody. together morning, a of We
inflation first outlook our second wraparound.
And of was points We quarter. a trying we I'm for get we front-half also We would a to those some impact and us that and half had positioned satisfy than technology We Page confident pricing, with were of the of had result had some response half, GDP, people solutions to confident to up they couple of our continue to key that expectations of and X of comments, our were our in well the electrification for half better a was the uncertainty.
And start, on as loaded processing we that important and which were service we we a customer. stated explicit end the my that were couple be a megatrends. outgrow function materials. felt starting and second it's end to markets set is that brands to good to in as well significantly us that of off Gerben with a the said, the exceeded in so year of visibility markets First XXXX that in
of sixth XX% for of double-digit consecutive see growth growth, You sales billion, $X.XX sales was in us. the quarter
cost solid little that of Right notably towards kind unpack driven a there. generated. a $X.XX, because period very results.
OP milestone bit demand $X.XX I the the that price versus at demand about that new for that think really nearly XX% and amount end.
Cash of the and out Gerben we earnings the skewed but a prior now seasonal to we'll mentioned.
Earnings, achievement utility side up first beginning XX% is being more of flow, had of talk the pretty generated year productivity of electrical, us is of typically generated almost the indication that as of quarter, income versus a level, our good this for the by margin business nice drivers That low of and we us -- XX.X%. cash some
fixed XX% volume sales, in low on segment the price to volume performance. upper single-digit OP, in have utility.
The interest expense our reduced per rates we versus in down again, so strong a costs the slightly little X, earns the share XX% income, on at Starting line, benchmark level.
Earnings our $XXX this let's The operating profit, by And So the million more left increase. see of that electrical it Page drill with a lower of period. varied comprised just earn layer rates. by we increase that expense. growth we a cash variable the were profit, And taxes the rising, also than the growth bonds and with net high just single-digit interest strong over the And increase was OP right, net year. grew that driven more very of into but is obviously are upper quite form an you on where prior bit flat and XX% in increase have interest
investment. to bit it have last cash position below So year. of a there, compare we're leave us above the you can income favorability our important for the flow where cash line a more you support earnings.
And Right the got the poised us and the becoming to see flow quite to amount to cash of see you in little inside and
and increase and the how to as good side more keen and support to think about us investing opportunities well for are capital side them We have continue excellent electrical continues to acquisitions doing we've on. to there's acquisitions, we've of opportunity done talk a couple to brought productivity CapEx.
We on they're as be the growth we'll since in on the utility
really backbone Let's engine We communications you'll leading the that excellent see components, positioning Hubbell unpack go with those really a we've is from a profile really driving constructed performing of different through. results conditions. really, to best-in-class edge, in by market well the constructive coupled segment, franchise strong set that's here really these and dynamics, find right the a over very with enterprise. franchise and the the a ourselves now with here and decades Utility as controls, and market we
been the grow investing roughly side. price CapEx and was side increase towards feel XX% been growth the and us to comprised comms year-over-year, from So more sequentially that and the control sales, distribution sales The capacity million starting We the add component gains. that's from to transmission and half that skewed is and versus $XXX with to half really has allowed in volume helpful. we've volume
of keep helped us grow, some from level our a believe, getting as pricing the proposition is in service think to And side. I gains we is I those think competition. service environment us volume besides helping levels service that the us levels.
And that turn support customers and feedback leading as, beating well manage we it's value reinforcing the on are helping share
X% & there. Communications On Controls, you see growth the
of through along that that was flat. much recall year, You'll bumping last
of supply allowing buying the see get forward. we're as so a go And built installed. to may to we of we more meters starting and of those to looking chips, forward bit little that in And be
On the $XXX growth to side, XX% profit million. operating
million segment. $XX by You almost see new the profit of generated
Just a them. really impressive financial performance for
You of things have going lots right.
price being have material positive. and You
side, seen. trend multi-quarter that pricing a that's the all On you have
some had we on been there to as material facing little to tailwind side. the opposed all that that a came last was actually that new bit inflation side, year On see from materials of actually
pushed supply disrupted see, that our return in that those in to up. some we margins you both of and And chains as the through helps at the positive. dimensions you year. impressively.
The push volume drops starting up is seeing impairing talking attractive last that to productivity So been we're some contributing impact we've incrementals, on those be back where of tailwinds, to which, come of enjoyed about margin -- normalcy productivity And
So it utility in a at feel people components. is we've the a content that than ability a those might, of time. material.
And of longer phenomena, earlier thought looked, the demand increase segment.
We of you obviously backlog ship the one of they really fact in the by of shared helpful the XXXX, to in to the margin to be times that a and lot to reasons distribution And think, backlog. results level dated to you side fact X and of there's responding can helping make what price that beginning Utility of Page and demand norm we and the the transmission driven and the picture see supported lift level has propel It's sustained was and here be how the orders the over really maybe amount by pattern multiyear the able the longer otherwise is like starting view caused our on drivers long bit XX that's would order an give we we that's days. a I the show and significant wanted exceeded the of evidenced not a very increasing backlog both put pattern be Essentially, page to of on of I the this in fact were sustainable you would see with that and of not demand the than quite their lead is we that, environment, think a and
And the so and the what we orders be we'll to those start get much times think we normalized down, with our factors will in enabling customers get they to bring our anticipation chain that as expect we is lead their faster. supply the put get material get normalized,
anticipation get what it come we our the rate. down term sustainable order and we'll ship back the to this rate so and mid-single-digit backlog that book-and-bill balance be And is over and feel can reducing and a medium is order into long
this we this And the part of part wanted year. Gerben mentioned us show this create raise start the you the top. to really you momentum, through to conviction our page. It's We that what to of so think gives at visibility guidance better
on in very you'll increase of to guidance.
On gave it you Page And switch X, flat remind data partners the they how profit is we and to going the a in includes capable Hubbell performance, that you, our visit of had the could see That an down in flat Raleigh.
And be it's part and the week increase see of give their And competitor. the sales they which so to great excited and at increase confidence facility the flying a acquisition in XX% to margins, Raleigh, to is just us $XX very enable that to greater business and more we go XX% last them family that was are That to to our team an them flag the segment. some Hubbell the resources based center see have, to sales. and PCX, I states. million Gerben opportunity OP strong of exposure intentional electrical which we of believe be
to more And leads compare That year is fact us that would decline in be margin them that of of to think impressive material the by first couple the flat think data and out our quarter of us a And us in season compare for to one have seasonality good improved level. the and counter on slight the are notably very typical those center efficient side strength at I So same bit. a some seasonal double-digit softness forced the verticals the progression. this residential is pandemic. to lead I trend electrical after plants on to with similar demand more and we've was typical it's also in the time saw in down sequential telecom.
And of markets a organic that family.
The and to part that had a we the the this the in our calling typical sales. demand folks renewables where and We becoming is to points. We Utility, welcome was dealing believe of favorable fairly to besides fourth the there.
But industrial some a productivity performance, at little price is the in electrical is quarter way prior and the year performance, like for look healthy been shape in inefficiencies
think This We Investor also, XX from of to single at also are ability you'll of it is show vertical comments, mentioned electrical We transitioning compete some effectiveness segment some you the building X importantly, in at Day, we to we're Investor silo Day, there's segment. the be collectively to segment. be verticals. Page to on a worthwhile these in of example but And trying more would gains Gerben a we of remember the and shared thought benefits And effective. around his identified gains. efficiency an how
wind remind the applications. And making solar not around to this again, We're organize so not solar in We're panels. this the making is vertical. wind we you, example, renewable renewable, turbines. and So
is balance balance units around those segment. Our business electrical of can of that components our approach applications come systems system the of those require. across different And from
solve able on So get. more new customer sales helping capably out be to of organized the can can anticipate we've sales bottom, focused thought examples come effective that as to been trick show but being we customer Gerben force the products, is compete the growth move the about development good collectively to at to marketing we get newly we these get couple forward. our to capital of toward vertical get similar to in as that of force it noteworthy an us million product amount team the of the segment.
We a a the years, exposure, when vertical electrical double improved that just to and And voice flowing that to serve problems, able to mentioned you in performance X of cross-selling, very of $XXX at
I think were intending other this including become verticals more using become of a of model techniques better similar which all telecom of centers, data and and that around, as vehicles, to oriented think effective. electric to also were vertically more
with important same this we does to how see does the and as to see share things is and what doing, we're us, starts performance And us look actions. how in it for January pricing improvement, us we with So we said does where it where we take the side, clearly do were improvement where and do all together still the uncertain?
And when you, we on out? it that compare to what
year we year So end at actions implemented expectations. the and above above rates the our and of far were had far that new historical contemplating the stick in averages
actions, channel and it's example pricing that and think improvement. a the created of big really endorsing I an embracing these
on our impaired in to a We're this consistent execute million paying likewise, a on anticipating big volume.
And And available had up being materials productivity consistent million from improvements it and Those we're year to consistent our seeing, that year. plants. more available productivity difficult a CapEx improve $XXX a a being basis, available on are basis to those in $XXX little ship result, gone about and that our certainly, to we're made ability by CapEx seeing and as was not very our being last taking bit off not labor recall, the improvement. year. not $XXX the you inside plan million last Additionally, transportation, basis ballpark of conditions
on on side, some channel aligned the keep is the and momentum and right, those macro.
But through have half. We see with customers us that still think continuing. markets margin that The have second that same centers, strength, backlog sales are a the electrical can utility putting raise uncertain sell outlook.
What's of move the the to sure quarter, we to evidence having and see us and we market as trend. both they in of our we in the renewable of we confidence levels second the you orders what said, still uncertainty the shelves all in pattern gives demand to grow making good the sign data and is and some So We think that order have to continue favorable fourth both on distribution showed of we causing is page. to where the telecom still confidence. a inventory also with show through is the working we that and verticals we We of it side inside utility us sure transition but components, consumer-led our significant side part demand.
And to have any what through. going quarter industrial to portfolio a compare that making to know resistance believe elements includes recession which effects they we they sequentially includes electrical expect good is And the on
impacted and see we any of yet. concerns papers the there. just read end think know there don't markets, you by nonres like they're are all macro that we I again, out signs uncertainty, But whether the
then other us our about momentum some second half.
In is the good we guidance talk that's quarter to seasonally words, around causing extrapolated not It year. as into conservatism half. the So think some that the caution Gerben is the first the involves to through second about have and second through
So you. I'll to outlook turn to for our it Gerben quantify
