Good Thank everyone. you, morning, Amanda.
our years and I'd been who smooth the be knowledge Vince to to but of outstanding a like leading us ensure CFO brings position. formally started, as and as is XX call transition. has Vince Lincoln our a the for new will get experience I CFO his with Gabe stepped to continuing me for with Bruno, like thank Gabe CFO, down we to work Before Lincoln Electric. wealth contributions with to introduce has to and Vince today. would
decremental decreased the at first our adjusted quarter reduction an operating through our price difficulty] basis X.X%, $X.XX and quarter only declined sector margin income achieved declining margin quarter. of performance business as earnings margin per all Adjusted share infrastructure essential to continued mix, substantially the we XX.X% resulted the operate to across XX sales first and challenging actions. facilities, in XX.X% increasingly performance in Looking Despite cost favorable per benefits environment. points in This an quarter, share. of on our [technical in an to cost, XX.X% return
made XX.X%. year. were Cash flow generation but reflected strong flow the free improved versus cash with Returns ROIC at prior seasonality,
returned $XXX shareholders million We in a rate, million repurchases payout also combination our the and $XXX through in of to quarter. dividend X% higher share
strong challenging ready As the ample from for we more benefit we and quarter, as liquidity ahead. a balance the conditions ended sheet we business
perseverance maintaining and during been the serve slide has our employees organization, operations safe customers. priority we team resilience have our shown time. to our this Moving while great four, Across keeping
in protocols, flexible and and procedures other implemented implemented Organization-recommended actions. working have addition exit CDC practice aggressively new many and include entry distancing, World and hygiene the to social Health have best We screenings, sanitation remote that arrangements, and
We're federal recommended. monitor authorities. to continue as guidance new local actively and We measures from adopting
which quarter we was achieved. Secondarily, maintain supply the to steady focus of of first product, operations a
closures. chain operational regional inventory disruptions we and local expedited as materials select established or potential contingency teams measures, mandated of ahead needed, excess and raw supply Our built
business procedures March. one of aggressive locations protect were did The closed not levels customers. new but shutdowns, orders our any mandated normalized global our Chinese month During five due early resumed impact many global instituted when from serve to government COVID-XX mid-March to facilities until to the experience safety for by employee continuing our quarter, approximately balance material to of while
last expecting the to the second two more in and three chain activity of during As conditions demand to in facility increase expected in business. we're higher the risk operating March, of weeks challenging compressed quarter. customer operating are in and continued disruptions lower possible significantly inefficiencies supply the closures An result
Moving sales prompted trends quarter, channel the COVID-XX HVAC reduction actions. compressed regions the an Welding an a challenged in in sales expansion saw higher in retail impact, first our five, the Harris segments contracted, looking and industrial activity. increased demand deceleration to late organic All two slide quarter, our already as on further which in while sector cost
automation in sales organic sectors rate, a Looking most double-digit at equipment by rate. systems mid double-digit at in orders percent compress closures. trended percent significant and rate. both March, single-digit we've and demand. customer the a Since percent Generally, to due range market XX% at mid low continued sales a primarily low have declined consumables products, seen to April month-to-date a end declined deceleration
three over partial there appear data suggests the the be order discussions second the have re-openings, trough Our to is weeks, and limited quarter around while patterns should government visibility and in demand. last troughed from that customers the
unknown, XX markets XX% and main have of been over declines provide unique performance historical months end an the While compressed some the recent equivalent and each to of to down timeframe. range peak-to-trough outlined XX Generally, recovery perspective. shape the is with have cycle we've the prior in our across is recovery mid
in over will lower I outline our to Vince actions taken the business. now, impact of And turn the the have we to call the demand mitigate