Kellanova Q4 Earnings Beat, Price/Mix & Volumes Drive Organic Sales

Core Insights - Kellanova delivered strong fourth-quarter 2024 results, with both top and bottom lines exceeding Zacks Consensus Estimates, and year-over-year earnings growth [1][4] - Despite a year-over-year decline in sales, organic sales increased due to improved volumes and price/mix [1][5] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) reached 92 cents, a 17.9% increase year over year, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 82 cents [4] - Net sales totaled $3,124 million, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,093 million, but reflecting a 1.6% decline year over year due to unfavorable currency movements [5] - Organic net sales grew by 7%, driven by improved volumes and price/mix [5] - Adjusted operating profit increased by 14.4% to $448 million, with a 19.9% rise to $470 million on a currency-neutral basis [6] Segment Performance - North America segment sales were $1,561 million, down 1.7% year over year, with organic sales falling 1.5% [7] - Europe segment revenues totaled $601 million, down 2% year over year, with organic sales dropping 1.2% [7] - Latin America revenues were $303 million, down 7.6% year over year, but organic sales increased by 5.5% [8] - Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa segment revenues reached $659 million, up 2.1% year over year, with organic sales jumping 36.4% [8] Cash Flow and Debt - Kellanova ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $694 million, long-term debt of $4,998 million, and total equity of $3,882 million [9] - The company generated net cash from operating activities of $1,760 million for the year ended December 28, 2024, with capital expenditures of $628 million and free cash flow of $1,132 million [9] Stock Performance - Kellanova's shares have increased by 10.5% over the past six months, outperforming the industry growth of 5.3% [10]