Core Insights - Energizer Holdings, Inc. (ENR) reported strong third-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with both net sales and earnings exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate, and showing year-over-year growth [1][3] - The company's Project Momentum, aimed at enhancing margins and operational agility, has been effective, contributing to organic sales growth and improved gross margins [2][9] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for the third quarter were $1.13, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 61 cents, and reflecting a 43% increase from the previous year [3][9] - Net sales reached $725.3 million, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $702 million, and representing a 3.4% year-over-year increase [3][9] - Organic net sales saw a slight increase of 0.1% year over year, driven by a 1.7% growth in volume, primarily from the Battery & Lights category [4][3] Segment Performance - The Batteries & Lights segment reported a 5.1% increase in net sales to $535.1 million, with segment profit rising 22.7% to $158.8 million [5] - Conversely, the Auto Care segment experienced a 1.1% decline in net sales to $190.2 million, with segment profit decreasing by 10.1% to $24.1 million [5] Margin and Cost Analysis - Adjusted gross profit for the third quarter was $325.0 million, an 11.7% increase year over year, with adjusted gross margin expanding by 330 basis points to 44.8% [6][10] - The margin improvement was attributed to $33.9 million in production credits and approximately $12 million in cost savings from Project Momentum, despite higher product costs and operational inefficiencies [6][10] SG&A and Advertising Expenses - Adjusted Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) expenses rose 4.4% year over year to $123.6 million, influenced by costs from the APS NV acquisition and investments in digital transformation [7][8] - Advertising and Promotion (A&P) expenses increased by $5.5 million, accounting for 6% of net sales, up from 5.4% in the previous year [10] Future Outlook - For fiscal year 2025, Energizer expects net sales growth of 1% to 3%, including $40 to $50 million from the APS NV acquisition, with organic net sales anticipated to be flat to up 2% [14][15] - The company has raised its full-year adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $3.55 to $3.65, compared to the previous estimate of $3.30 to $3.50 [15] - Fourth-quarter net sales growth is projected between 2% and 4%, with organic net sales expected to be flat to down 2% [16][17]