Core Insights - Procter & Gamble (P&G) reported a net sales increase of 3% year-over-year for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, reaching $22.4 billion, with organic sales growth of 2% [1][4] - Diluted earnings per share (EPS) rose by 21% to $1.95, while core EPS increased by 3% to $1.99 [1][6] - The company maintained its fiscal year guidance for sales and EPS growth, expecting organic sales growth to be in line with or up to 4% [11][12] Financial Performance - Operating cash flow for the quarter was $5.4 billion, with net earnings of $4.8 billion [2] - Adjusted free cash flow productivity was reported at 102%, indicating strong cash generation relative to net earnings [2] - P&G returned $3.8 billion to shareholders through dividends of $2.55 billion and share repurchases of $1.25 billion [2] Segment Performance - The Beauty segment saw organic sales growth of 6%, driven by innovation and pricing strategies [8] - Grooming segment organic sales increased by 3%, while Health Care segment organic sales rose by 1% [8] - Fabric & Home Care segment organic sales remained unchanged, and Baby, Feminine & Family Care segment organic sales also showed no growth [8] Cost and Margin Analysis - Reported gross margin decreased by 70 basis points year-over-year, with core gross margin down by 50 basis points [7][10] - Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses as a percentage of sales declined by 20 basis points, reflecting improved productivity [9] - The operating margin decreased by 50 basis points, while core operating margin remained unchanged [10] Guidance and Outlook - P&G maintained its fiscal 2026 sales growth guidance in the range of 1% to 5%, with a net tailwind from foreign exchange expected to contribute approximately 1% [11] - The company anticipates diluted net EPS growth of 3% to 9% for fiscal 2026, with core EPS growth expected to be in line with or up to 4% [12] - P&G expects commodity cost headwinds of approximately $100 million and tariff-related costs of about $400 million for fiscal 2026 [13]