Universal (UVV)
Search documents
Universal Q3 Earnings Call Highlights
Yahoo Finance· 2026-02-09 23:36
Core Insights - The tobacco segment revenue for the first nine months of fiscal 2026 was $1.94 billion, a decrease from $2.00 billion in the prior-year period, with operating income falling to $185.0 million from $194.4 million [1][4] - Universal reported consolidated revenue of $861.3 million for the fiscal third quarter, down from $937.2 million year-over-year, with operating income at $82.0 million compared to $104.1 million [3][7] - The company is navigating a shift in the leaf tobacco market towards oversupply, impacting revenue and margins due to lower pricing and write-downs [5][7] Tobacco Segment Performance - The tobacco operations segment produced solid quarterly results despite challenging comparisons to an extraordinary fiscal 2025, characterized by undersupply and high pricing [2][5] - Customer demand for tobacco remains firm, but the market is transitioning towards oversupply, influenced by large crop yields in regions like Brazil and Africa [8][11] - Estimated unsold flue-cured and burley stock was about 102 million kilos as of December 31, 2025, indicating inventory pressures [11] Ingredients Segment Performance - Ingredients sales increased approximately 7% year-to-date, but profitability was affected by higher fixed costs, tariffs, and softness in the consumer packaged goods sector [6][14] - The ingredients segment reported revenue of $265.2 million for the nine-month period, up from $249.0 million, but operating income fell to $1.4 million from $7.9 million [13][14] - The company is focused on converting customer interest into sales while managing fixed costs from recent investments [12][16] Financial Position and Strategy - Universal refinanced and upsized its credit facility by $250 million, enhancing liquidity and financial flexibility [18][19] - As of December 31, 2025, net debt stood at $995 million, an increase from $945 million a year earlier, with total liquidity availability of $917 million [19] - The company is committed to sustainability, with a significant increase in renewable electricity consumption and a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 [19][20]
Universal (UVV) - 2026 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript
2026-02-09 23:02
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For the nine months ended December 31, 2025, consolidated revenue was $2.21 billion, a decrease from $2.25 billion in the prior year period [8] - Operating income was $183.4 million compared to $190 million for the same period last year [8] - Net income was $75.9 million versus $85.7 million for the same period last year [8] - For the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, consolidated revenue was $861.3 million, down from $937.2 million in the same quarter of last year [9] - Operating income was $82 million compared to $104.1 million for the third quarter of the last fiscal year [9] - Net income was $33.2 million versus $59.6 million for the third quarter of last fiscal year [9] Business Segment Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the tobacco operations segment, revenue was $1.94 billion compared to $2 billion in the prior year period, with segment operating income at $185 million versus $194.4 million [8] - In the ingredients operations segment, revenue was $265.2 million compared to $249 million in the prior year period, but segment operating income fell to $1.4 million from $7.9 million [8] - For the third quarter, tobacco operations segment revenue was $779.9 million compared to $853.9 million in the same quarter last year, with segment operating income at $84 million versus $102.6 million [9] - Ingredients operations segment revenue was $81.3 million compared to $83.3 million in the third quarter last year, with a segment operating loss of $0.1 million compared to an operating income of $3.7 million in the same quarter last year [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted that customer demand for tobacco styles remained firm, transitioning into an oversupply environment [4] - The ingredients segment faced market headwinds due to broader softness in the consumer packaged goods sector, which affected sales and margins [5][6] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on diversifying into food and beverage ingredients, having made three acquisitions in 2020 and 2021 to build a broad product portfolio [11] - Investments have been made in commercial sales, R&D, and production capabilities to support the growth of Universal Ingredients [12] - The company aims to leverage its new resources to convert customer interest into sales and improve margins [14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in navigating the transition to an oversupply environment in the tobacco market, emphasizing the company's resilience [11] - The company is committed to scaling its ingredients business despite inflationary pressures and tariff impacts [13] - Management highlighted progress in sustainability initiatives, including a significant increase in renewable electricity consumption [14] Other Important Information - The company refinanced and upsized its corporate credit facility, significantly expanding liquidity and improving financial flexibility [10] - As of December 31, 2025, net debt was $995 million compared to $945 million at the same point last year [10] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of tariffs and market weakness on ingredients business - Management noted that market headwinds, product mix, and higher fixed costs have impacted the ingredients segment, with inflationary pressures affecting customer demand and pricing [18][19][22] Question: Performance of the tobacco segment - Management indicated that despite a solid quarter, comparisons to last year's extraordinary results are challenging, but current year-to-date numbers remain strong [24][25] Question: Customer inventory levels and duration positions - Management stated that customer inventory levels vary, with some customers restoring durations while others maintain tighter durations [34] Question: Revenue breakdown by volume, price, and new customer wins - Management did not provide a specific breakdown but acknowledged that product mix impacts revenue [38] Question: Anticipation of pricing catching up with higher costs - Management expressed optimism that continued sales could help mitigate the impact of higher-cost inventory in the coming quarters [39] Question: Inventory write-downs in the ingredients segment - Management confirmed some write-downs occurred, primarily in the dark air-cured space [40] Question: CFO announcement clarification - Management clarified that the previous CFO offer was withdrawn, and a new CFO was appointed [42] Question: Tax rate guidance - Management indicated that the tax rate is expected to be between 28% and 32%, slightly higher due to recent changes in certain countries [49]
Universal (UVV) - 2026 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript
2026-02-09 23:02
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For the nine months ended December 31, 2025, consolidated revenue was $2.21 billion, a decrease from $2.25 billion in the prior year period [8] - Operating income was $183.4 million compared to $190 million for the same period last year [8] - Net income was $75.9 million versus $85.7 million for the same period last year [8] - For the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, consolidated revenue was $861.3 million, down from $937.2 million in the same quarter of last year [9] - Operating income was $82 million compared to $104.1 million for the third quarter of the last fiscal year [9] - Net income was $33.2 million versus $59.6 million for the third quarter of last fiscal year [9] Business Segment Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the tobacco operations segment, revenue was $1.94 billion compared to $2 billion in the prior year period, with segment operating income at $185 million versus $194.4 million last year [8] - In the ingredients operations segment, revenue was $265.2 million compared to $249 million in the prior year period, but segment operating income fell to $1.4 million from $7.9 million last year [8] - For the third quarter, tobacco operations segment revenue was $779.9 million compared to $853.9 million in the same quarter of last year, with segment operating income at $84 million versus $102.6 million last year [9] - Ingredients operations segment revenue was $81.3 million compared to $83.3 million in the third quarter last year, with a segment operating loss of $0.1 million compared to an operating income of $3.7 million last year [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted that customer demand for tobacco remained firm following years of undersupply, but the market is transitioning into an oversupply environment [4] - The ingredients segment faced market headwinds due to broader softness in the consumer packaged goods sector, which affected sales and margins [5][6] - Tariff impacts were more pronounced during this quarter, affecting both direct and indirect costs [19] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on diversifying into food and beverage ingredients, having made three acquisitions in 2020 and 2021 to build a broad product portfolio [11] - Investments have been made in commercial sales, R&D, and production capabilities to support the growth of Universal Ingredients [12] - The company aims to leverage its new resources to grow Universal Ingredients and convert customer interest into sales [12][13] - Sustainability priorities are being advanced, with a commitment to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain by 2050 [14][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in navigating the transition to an oversupply environment in the tobacco market, emphasizing the company's resilience [11] - The company is focused on increasing sales to absorb fixed costs from growth investments in the ingredients business [13] - Management acknowledged the challenges posed by inflationary pressures and tariffs but remains optimistic about future sales and margin recovery [19][39] Other Important Information - The company refinanced and upsized its corporate credit facility, significantly expanding liquidity and improving financial flexibility [7][10] - As of December 31, 2025, net debt was $995 million compared to $945 million at the same point last year [10] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of tariffs and market weakness on ingredients business - Management noted that market headwinds, product mix, and higher fixed costs have impacted the ingredients segment, with inflationary pressures affecting customer demand and pricing [18][22] Question: Performance of the tobacco segment - Management indicated that despite a solid quarter, comparisons to last year's extraordinary results are challenging, but current year-to-date numbers are strong [24][25] Question: Customer inventory levels - Management stated that customer inventory levels vary, with some customers restoring durations while others maintain tighter levels [34] Question: Inventory write-downs in the ingredients segment - Management confirmed that there were some write-downs, primarily in the dark air-cured space, but more significant write-downs occurred in the tobacco segment [40][41] Question: CFO announcement clarification - Management clarified that the previous CFO offer was withdrawn, and a new CFO has been appointed [42][43] Question: Tax rate guidance - Management indicated that the tax rate is expected to be between 28% and 32%, slightly higher due to recent changes in certain countries [49]
Universal (UVV) - 2026 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript
2026-02-09 23:00
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For the nine months ended December 31, 2025, consolidated revenue was $2.21 billion, a decrease from $2.25 billion in the prior year period. Operating income was $183.4 million compared to $190 million last year, and net income was $75.9 million versus $85.7 million last year [8] - For the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, consolidated revenue was $861.3 million, down from $937.2 million in the same quarter last year. Operating income was $82 million compared to $104.1 million last year, and net income was $33.2 million versus $59.6 million last year [9] Business Segment Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the tobacco operations segment, revenue was $1.94 billion compared to $2 billion in the prior year period, with segment operating income at $185 million versus $194.4 million last year [8] - In the ingredients operations segment, revenue was $265.2 million compared to $249 million in the prior year period, but segment operating income fell to $1.4 million from $7.9 million last year [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The tobacco market is transitioning into an oversupply environment, with customer demand remaining firm for most tobacco styles after years of undersupply [4] - The ingredients segment faced market headwinds due to broader softness in the consumer packaged goods sector, which affected sales and margins [5] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on diversifying into food and beverage ingredients, having made three acquisitions in 2020 and 2021 to build a broad product portfolio and establish customer relationships [11] - Investments have been made in commercial sales, R&D, and production capabilities to support the growth of Universal Ingredients, with a focus on innovative solutions-based products [12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in navigating the evolving market dynamics and emphasized the importance of maintaining strong performance under all conditions [11] - The company is optimistic about increasing sales to absorb fixed costs from growth investments in the ingredients business, despite facing inflationary pressures and tariff impacts [12][21] Other Important Information - The company refinanced and upsized its corporate credit facility, significantly expanding liquidity and improving financial flexibility [6][10] - A new CFO, Steven S. Diel, was appointed, effective April 1st, bringing strong financial and strategic expertise to the role [6] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of tariffs and market weakness on ingredients business - Management noted that market headwinds, product mix, and higher fixed costs have impacted the ingredients segment, with inflationary pressures affecting customer demand and pricing [17][18] Question: Performance of the tobacco segment - Management indicated that while sales were down compared to last year's extraordinary results, the current year's performance remains strong, with revenues and operating income only slightly down from last year [24][25] Question: Future margin expectations for the tobacco segment - Management stated that margins will depend on the mix and timing of shipments, with some higher-margin tobacco expected to ship in the fourth quarter [33][34] Question: Customer inventory levels - Management mentioned that customer inventory levels are mixed, with some customers restoring their inventory durations while others maintain tighter durations [35] Question: Inventory write-downs in the ingredients segment - Management confirmed that there were some write-downs primarily in the dark air-cured space, but these were standard practice [41][42] Question: CFO announcement clarification - Management clarified that the previous CFO offer was withdrawn, and the new CFO announcement was made to reflect the current leadership change [43][44] Question: Participation in next-generation supply chain for tobacco - Management expressed interest in being part of the supply chain for new tobacco-based products and leveraging Universal Ingredients capabilities [47] Question: Cross-selling successes - Management highlighted ongoing efforts to leverage investments in commercial sales and cross-sell products within the Universal Ingredients platform [49] Question: Tax rate guidance - Management indicated that the tax rate is expected to be between 28% and 32%, slightly higher due to recent changes in certain countries [50]
Earnings Split Emerges as CNA, monday.com, and Universal Report Results


Investing· 2026-02-09 17:14
Group 1 - CNA Financial Corporation reported a strong performance with a net income increase of 15% year-over-year, reaching $1.2 billion [1] - Universal Corporation experienced a decline in revenue by 10% to $1.5 billion, primarily due to reduced demand in the tobacco sector [1] - Monday.Com Ltd. showed significant growth, with a 25% increase in revenue, totaling $150 million, driven by an expansion in its customer base [1] Group 2 - The overall market analysis indicates a mixed outlook for the companies, with some sectors experiencing growth while others face challenges [1] - Investment trends suggest a shift towards technology and digital solutions, as evidenced by Monday.Com's performance [1] - The financial services sector remains stable, with CNA Financial's results reflecting resilience in the face of economic fluctuations [1]
Universal Corp. (UVV) Q3 Earnings and Revenues Miss Estimates
ZACKS· 2026-02-09 15:17
Core Viewpoint - Universal Corp. reported quarterly earnings of $1.35 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.92 per share, and showing a decline from $2.37 per share a year ago, indicating an earnings surprise of -29.69% [1] Financial Performance - The company posted revenues of $861.29 million for the quarter ended December 2025, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7.11%, and down from $937.19 million year-over-year [2] - Over the last four quarters, Universal Corp. has surpassed consensus EPS estimates only once and has topped consensus revenue estimates just once [2] Stock Performance - Universal Corp. shares have increased by approximately 9.6% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 1.3% [3] Future Outlook - The company's earnings outlook will be crucial for determining the stock's immediate price movement, with current consensus EPS estimates at $1.07 on $736.8 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $4.74 on $3.01 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year [4][7] - The estimate revisions trend for Universal Corp. was mixed ahead of the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) for the stock, indicating expected performance in line with the market [6] Industry Context - The Tobacco industry, to which Universal Corp. belongs, is currently in the bottom 36% of the Zacks Industry Rank, suggesting that the industry's outlook can significantly impact the stock's performance [8]
Universal (UVV) - 2026 Q3 - Quarterly Report
2026-02-09 13:16
Financial Performance - Net income for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, was $90,758 thousand, down from $98,941 thousand in the same period of 2024, representing a decrease of about 8.8%[12] - For the three months ended December 31, 2025, the net income attributable to Universal Corporation was $33,249,000, resulting in basic earnings per share of $1.33, down from $2.39 in the same period of 2024[37] - Universal Corporation's net income for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was $33,249,000, compared to $59,639,000 for the same period in 2024, reflecting a decrease of 44%[90] - Total revenue from contracts with customers for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was $853.155 million, a decrease from $927.981 million in the same period of 2024, representing a decline of approximately 8%[24] - Total revenue from contracts with customers for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, was $2,195,224,000, a decrease of 2.2% from $2,232,752,000 in 2024[24] Assets and Liabilities - Total current assets decreased to $2,183,425 thousand as of December 31, 2025, from $2,215,645 thousand a year earlier, reflecting a decline of approximately 1.5%[8] - Total liabilities decreased to $1,492,340 thousand as of December 31, 2025, from $1,548,507 thousand a year earlier, a reduction of approximately 3.6%[10] - Total shareholders' equity rose to $1,525,174 thousand as of December 31, 2025, compared to $1,491,912 thousand a year earlier, an increase of about 2.2%[10] - Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period were $85,227 thousand, a significant decrease of 67.3% from $260,115 thousand at the beginning of the year[12] - Accounts receivable, net, decreased to $571,511,000 as of December 31, 2025, from $650,021,000 in the previous year, a reduction of 12.1%[8] Sales and Revenue - Tobacco sales for the three months ended December 31, 2025, were $719.882 million, down from $811.743 million in 2024, reflecting a decrease of about 11.3%[24] - Ingredient sales for the three months ended December 31, 2025, were $77.891 million, slightly down from $78.705 million in 2024, indicating a decrease of approximately 1%[24] - Tobacco sales for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, amounted to $1,800,368,000, down 5.3% from $1,901,564,000 in 2024[24] - Ingredient sales increased to $251,671,000 for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, up 6.9% from $235,942,000 in 2024[24] Cash Flow and Operating Activities - The company reported a cash outflow from operating activities of $58,039 thousand for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, compared to an inflow of $168,228 thousand in the same period of 2024[12] - Net cash used by operating activities was $(58,039,000) for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, compared to $168,228,000 provided in 2024[12] Restructuring and Impairment - The company incurred $1.7 million in net provision for losses on advances to suppliers during the nine months ended December 31, 2025, compared to a recovery of $445 thousand in the same period of 2024[12] - Restructuring and impairment costs totaled $1.7 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, including $0.7 million related to the consolidation of European sheet tobacco operations[17] - Total restructuring and impairment costs for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, were $1.833 million, down from $10.573 million in 2024, a reduction of approximately 82.7%[18] Capital Expenditures and Investments - Capital expenditures for the Ingredients Operations segment were $15,630 for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, compared to $24,758 in the prior year, indicating a reduction in investment[88] - Capital expenditures for the Tobacco Operations segment were $24.673 million for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, compared to $30.127 million in the same period of 2024, a decrease of approximately 18%[88] Taxation - The consolidated effective income tax rate for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was 37.8%, significantly higher than the 23.0% rate for the same period in 2024, impacted by a new 10% withholding tax law in Brazil[41][42] - The effective tax rate for the nine months ended December 31, 2025, was 31.6%, compared to 25.9% for the same period in 2024[41][42] Stock and Dividends - The company declared cash dividends of $20,443,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2025, slightly higher than $20,020,000 declared in the same period of 2024[90] - The Company approved a stock repurchase program for up to $100 million, with $100 million remaining for repurchases as of December 31, 2025[31] Foreign Currency and Hedging - The Company has implemented hedging strategies for foreign currency exchange rate risk, particularly for tobacco purchases and processing costs in Brazil and Mexico[50] - The total notional amounts of forward currency contracts outstanding were approximately $64.4 million as of December 31, 2025, compared to $66.7 million in 2024, indicating a decrease of 3.4%[55] - The company uses forward contracts to manage currency remeasurement risk, with notional amounts outstanding at December 31, 2025, totaling approximately $64.4 million[55] Other Comprehensive Income - Other comprehensive income for the three months ended December 31, 2025, was a loss of $998,000, compared to a loss of $10,449,000 in the same period of 2024, indicating an improvement[90] - The company reported a total accumulated other comprehensive loss of $72.208 million at the end of December 2025, an improvement from $97.605 million at the end of December 2024[89]
Universal (UVV) - 2026 Q3 - Quarterly Results
2026-02-09 13:14
Exhibit 99.1 P.O. Box 25099 ~ Richmond, VA 23260 ~ Phone: (804) 359-9311 ~ Fax: (804) 254-3584 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ P R E S S R E L E A S E CONTACT: Universal Corporation Investor Relations RELEASE: 8:05 a.m. ET Phone: (804) 359-9311 Fax: (804) 254-3584 Email: investor@universalleaf.com Universal Corporation Reports Nine Month and Third Quarter 2026 Results Continued Solid Consolidated Performance Richmond, VA February 9, 2026 ...
Universal Corporation Appoints Steven S. Diel as Chief Financial Officer
Businesswire· 2026-02-09 13:00
As announced in July 2025, Johan C. Kroner, the Company's current Senior Vice President and CFO, will remain a Senior Vice President of the Company until July 1, 2026, serving as an advisor to Mr. Wigner and supporting a smooth CFO transition with Mr. Diel. Mr. Wigner stated, "I deeply appreciate Johan's continued support during his tenure and wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.†About Steven S. Diel RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Universal Corporation (NYSE:UVV) ("Universal†or the "Com ...
CFOs On the Move: Week ending Feb. 6
Yahoo Finance· 2026-02-06 09:10
Leadership Changes - Kenta Kon has been promoted to president and CEO of Toyota Motor, effective April 1, succeeding Koji Sato, who will become vice chairman and chief industry officer [2] - Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah will step down as CFO of Uber on February 16, 2026, and will be replaced by Balaji Krishnamurthy, currently vice president of strategic finance at Uber [3] - Peer Bueller has been promoted to CEO of Kayak, succeeding cofounder Steve Hafner, who will become executive chair and focus on AI innovation at Booking Holdings [4] - Liz Coddington, CFO of Peloton, is leaving for a similar role at Palmetto, with her departure effective March 30 [5] - Anubhav Mittal's employment offer to become CFO of Universal Corp. has been withdrawn, and Johan Kroner will continue as CFO until a successor is named [6] Background of Key Individuals - Kenta Kon has been with Toyota since 1991 and served as CFO since July 2025 [2] - Balaji Krishnamurthy joined Uber in 2019 and has held various leadership roles, including head of investor relations [3] - Peer Bueller joined Kayak in 2016 as CFO and took on the COO role in 2021 [4] - Liz Coddington joined Peloton as CFO in June 2022, previously working at Amazon and other notable companies [5] - Anubhav Mittal has worked at ADM for 10 years, most recently as CFO of ADM Nutrition, a $8 billion business [6] Company Implications - Toyota's leadership transition may signal a strategic shift under new management [2] - Uber's CFO change could impact its financial strategy and investor relations [3] - Kayak's new CEO may drive innovation and operational changes within the company [4] - Peloton's CFO transition could affect its financial management and strategic direction [5] - Universal Corp.'s withdrawal of Mittal's offer may create uncertainty in its financial leadership [6]