The Simply Good Foods Company Reports Fiscal First Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Reaffirms Fiscal Year 2026 Outlook

Core Viewpoint - Simply Good Foods Company reported modestly better-than-expected financial performance for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, reaffirming its full-year outlook and emphasizing its leadership in the nutritional snacking category, particularly with brands Quest and OWYN [2][3]. Financial Performance - Net sales for the first quarter were $340.2 million, a decrease of 0.3% compared to the same period last year, with Quest growing by 9.6% while Atkins and OWYN saw declines of 16.5% and 3.3% respectively [3][8]. - Gross profit was $109.9 million, down 15.8% year-over-year, with a gross margin of 32.3%, reflecting a 590 basis point decline due to elevated input costs [5][8]. - Operating expenses decreased by 4.7% to $72.3 million, with selling and marketing expenses down 10.1% [6][8]. - Net income was $25.3 million, a decrease of 33.7% from the previous year, with diluted earnings per share at $0.26 compared to $0.38 [7][9]. Market Trends and Brand Performance - Total retail takeaway for Simply Good Foods increased by approximately 1.8%, driven by Quest and OWYN's growth of 12.0% and 17.8% respectively, while Atkins declined by 19.3% [4]. - The company is focused on long-term growth, particularly for Quest and OWYN, and plans to increase marketing spending to support these brands [13][14]. Outlook and Strategic Initiatives - The company expects stronger performance in the second half of the fiscal year, with anticipated margin expansion and Adjusted EBITDA growth beginning in the third quarter [15][16]. - The company has increased its share repurchase program by $200 million, with approximately $224 million available under the revised program as of January 6, 2026 [12][11]. Balance Sheet and Cash Flow - As of the end of the first quarter, the company had cash of $194.1 million and a term loan balance of $400.0 million, resulting in a Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA ratio of 0.8x [10][47]. - Cash flow from operations was approximately $50.1 million, an increase from $32.0 million in the comparable year-ago period, primarily due to improved working capital [10][36].