International Flavors Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates, Sales Dip Y/Y

Core Insights - International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) reported adjusted earnings of $1.15 per share for Q2 2025, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.11, although this represents a 1% decline from the previous year [1][10] - The company's net sales for the quarter were $2.76 billion, down 4.3% year over year, but still surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.73 billion [2][10] - Currency-neutral sales increased by 3% year over year, driven by mid-single digit growth in the Taste and Health & Biosciences segments [2] Financial Performance - IFF's cost of goods sold decreased by 4.8% year over year to $1.73 billion, resulting in a gross profit of $1.03 billion, which is a 3.6% decline from the previous year [3] - The gross margin improved slightly to 37.3% from 37% in the year-ago quarter [3] - Adjusted operating EBITDA was $552 million, down 6.1% from $588 million in the prior-year quarter, with an adjusted operating EBITDA margin of 20% compared to 20.4% a year earlier [4] Segment Performance - The Taste segment's net sales rose 4.6% year over year to $631 million, although it fell short of the estimate of $663 million, with adjusted operating EBITDA of $125 million, up 1.6% year over year [5] - The Food Ingredients segment saw a slight increase of 0.4% in net sales to $850 million, exceeding the estimate of $827 million, with adjusted operating EBITDA rising 15.9% to $124 million [6] - Health & Bioscience segment sales were $577 million, up from $556 million a year earlier, with adjusted operating EBITDA of $151 million, reflecting a 1.3% increase [7] - The Scent segment's sales remained flat at $603 million, below the projected $649 million, with adjusted operating EBITDA declining 7.8% to $130 million [8] - Sales in Pharma Solutions increased by 18.4% year over year to $103 million, with adjusted operating EBITDA remaining flat at $22 million [8] Cash Flow and Balance Sheet - At the end of Q2, IFF had cash and cash equivalents totaling $816 million, an increase from $469 million at the end of 2024, while long-term debt decreased to $5.68 billion from $7.56 billion [11] - The company generated $368 million in cash from operating activities in the first half of 2025, compared to $336 million in the same period last year [11] Guidance and Market Performance - IFF reaffirmed its 2025 guidance, expecting sales between $10.6 billion and $10.9 billion, and adjusted EBITDA between $2 billion and $2.15 billion [12] - Over the past year, IFF shares have declined by 25.4%, contrasting with a 0.1% growth in the industry [13]