Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consolidated net sales decreased by 8.9%, with organic net sales declining by 16% when excluding Olive & June [39] - Non-GAAP adjusted EPS was $0.59, down from $1.21 in the same period last year, primarily due to lower adjusted operating income and higher interest expense [48] - Free cash flow was positively impacted by $23 million year-to-date, despite a cash flow drag of approximately $34 million from higher tariff payments [20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Beauty and Wellness segment saw an organic sales decline of 18.2%, with approximately 5 percentage points attributed to tariff-related disruptions [43] - Home and Outdoor segment net sales declined by 13.7%, with about 4 percentage points of this decline due to tariff-related disruptions [41] - Olive & June contributed $33.4 million in revenue, exceeding expectations and helping to offset declines in other areas [30][44] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - DTC revenue grew by 15% year-over-year, indicating strong consumer engagement despite broader market challenges [20] - International sales in the Beauty and Wellness segment were affected by government incentives favoring localized fulfillment in China, impacting global brands like Braun [29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to re-energize its brands and focus investments on those with the most promise, emphasizing consumer-centric strategies [13][14] - Plans include improving asset efficiency, maintaining shareholder-friendly policies, and enhancing working capital efficiency [16][17] - The company is committed to reducing organizational complexity and empowering teams to make quicker decisions [11][12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledges ongoing challenges due to tariffs and changing consumer behaviors but remains optimistic about the potential for recovery and growth [18][40] - The focus will be on balancing short-term adjustments with long-term investments in innovation and growth [28][50] - Management expects a gradual improvement in financial performance as transitory impacts from tariffs dissipate [70][71] Other Important Information - The company is actively working on tariff mitigation strategies, including supplier diversification and cost management [25][38] - The effective tax rate is expected to range from 15% to 16% for the full fiscal year, with adjustments in Q3 and Q4 [55] Q&A Session Summary Question: Portfolio evaluation and divestiture opportunities - Management sees promise in all brands but is evaluating the portfolio for long-term planning [67] Question: Earnings base for future growth - Management believes there are transitory impacts affecting current earnings, which should improve in the second half of the year [70][71] Question: Revitalizing brands and restoring growth - Key steps include focusing on consumer insights, driving innovation, and improving decision-making processes [79] Question: Optimal leverage and capital structure - Management aims for leverage closer to two times and is in discussions with lenders for potential flexibility [83] Question: Growth opportunities in categories - Management is exploring growth opportunities across existing and potential new categories [88]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consolidated net sales decreased by 8.9%, with organic net sales declining by 16% when excluding Olive & June [39] - Non-GAAP adjusted EPS was $0.59 compared to $1.21 in the same period last year, reflecting lower adjusted operating income and higher interest expense [48] - Free cash flow was positive at $23 million year-to-date despite a cash flow drag of approximately $34 million from higher tariff payments [20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Beauty and Wellness segment saw an organic sales decline of 18.2%, with approximately five percentage points attributed to tariff-related disruptions [43] - Home and Outdoor segment net sales declined by 13.7%, with about 4 percentage points of this decline due to tariff-related disruptions [41] - Olive & June contributed $33.4 million in revenue, exceeding expectations and helping to offset declines in other areas [30][44] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - DTC revenue grew by 15% year-over-year, indicating strong consumer engagement despite broader market challenges [20] - International sales in the Beauty and Wellness segment were impacted by government incentives favoring localized fulfillment in China, affecting global brands like Braun [29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to re-energize its brands and focus investments on those with the most promise, emphasizing consumer-centric strategies [13][14] - Plans to improve asset efficiency and maintain shareholder-friendly policies, including reducing debt and considering future acquisitions [17] - The leadership intends to simplify operations and enhance decision-making speed to foster innovation and responsiveness to market needs [12][11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledges ongoing challenges from tariffs and consumer caution but expresses optimism about the potential for recovery and growth [17][40] - The company is focused on balancing short-term adjustments with long-term investments in innovation and growth [28] - Management expects a gradual improvement in financial performance as transitory impacts from tariffs and market conditions dissipate [69][70] Other Important Information - The company reported a GAAP operating loss of $315.7 million, primarily due to non-cash asset impairment charges [45] - The effective tax rate decreased to 6.4% due to the tax effect of impairment charges and increased tax benefits for discrete items [48] Q&A Session Summary Question: Portfolio evaluation and divestiture opportunities - The CEO expressed excitement about the portfolio and noted that all brands have promise, but evaluations for potential divestitures are ongoing [61][66] Question: Earnings base for future growth - Management indicated that current earnings are impacted by transitory factors, and they expect improvements in the second half of the year to serve as a foundation for future growth [68][70] Question: Revitalizing brands and restoring growth - The CEO emphasized the importance of consumer insights, innovation, and improving decision-making processes to revitalize brands and drive growth [77][78] Question: Optimal leverage and capital structure - Management aims for leverage closer to two times and is in discussions with lenders to ensure flexibility in the capital structure [82] Question: Growth opportunities in categories - The CEO acknowledged potential growth opportunities in both existing and new categories, emphasizing a consumer-centric approach [87]

Company Overview - Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ: HELE) owns several well-known brands including Osprey, OXO, Hydro Flask, Vicks, and Braun, operating in the Beauty & Wellness and Home & Outdoor markets [1]. Risks - The company faces significant risk from tariff uncertainty, which may impact its cost structure and profitability. There is limited ability to mitigate these additional costs [1].

Core Insights - Helen of Troy Limited (HELE) is experiencing a management shake-up and is facing challenges due to tariffs, with expected earnings decline of 15.6% in fiscal 2026 [1][7] Financial Performance - In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, Helen of Troy reported earnings of $2.33, missing the Zacks Consensus by a penny, which was $2.34 [2] - Sales for the same quarter fell by 0.7% year-over-year [2] Management Changes - The CEO, Noel Geoffroy, resigned on May 2, 2025, following the earnings report, and Brian Grass, the CFO, was appointed as interim CEO [8] Tariff Impact and Mitigation Strategies - Helen of Troy has significant exposure to tariffs and did not provide guidance for fiscal 2026, indicating a grim outlook [3][4] - The company aims to reduce its cost of goods sold exposed to China tariffs to less than 20% by the end of fiscal 2026 [5] - To mitigate tariff risks, the company is diversifying production outside of China and considering price increases to customers [4][5] Analyst Reactions - Analysts have cut fiscal 2026 earnings estimates, with the Zacks Consensus dropping from $7.76 to $6.05, reflecting a 15.6% decline from the previous fiscal year earnings of $7.17 [7] Stock Performance - Shares of Helen of Troy have decreased by 58.9% year-to-date and are trading at new 5-year lows [9] - The company has a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 4.2, which raises concerns given the recent earnings estimate cuts [11]