Core Insights - European Wax Center, Inc. (EWCZ) reported mixed second-quarter 2025 results, with earnings per share (EPS) of 27 cents exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 19 cents, while total revenues of $55.9 million fell short of the consensus estimate of $57 million [1][2][10] Financial Performance - Total revenues decreased by 6.6% year-over-year, primarily due to weaker same-day services and retail sales, despite a 0.3% increase in same-store sales [2][10] - System-wide sales amounted to $257.6 million, down 1% from $260.2 million in the previous year [2] - Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) rose by 13.2% to $14.5 million, with SG&A as a percentage of total revenues increasing by 430 basis points to 25.9% [3] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by 4.7% to $21.6 million, with the adjusted EBITDA margin rising by 420 basis points to 38.7% [4][10] Balance Sheet and Cash Flow - As of July 5, 2025, EWCZ had cash and cash equivalents of $63.9 million, net long-term debt of $374 million, and total shareholders' equity of $76.5 million [5] - The company generated $27.9 million in net cash from operating activities during the quarter [5] - Inventory levels remained stable year-over-year [5] Share Repurchase - EWCZ repurchased nearly 0.2 million shares of its Class A common stock for $1.1 million, bringing total repurchases under its existing $50 million authorization to $41.2 million [6] Future Outlook - For 2025, EWCZ revised its projections for system-wide sales to $940-$950 million, down from $940-$960 million, and total revenues to $205-$209 million, down from $210-$214 million [7] - Same-store sales are now expected to be in the range of 0-1%, compared to the previous forecast of 0-2% [7] - The company anticipates opening 10-12 new centers and closing 40-60 centers, resulting in a net loss of 28-50 centers for the year [8]

Core Insights - Post Holdings, Inc. reported strong third-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with both revenue and earnings exceeding expectations and showing year-over-year growth [1][10]. Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share were $2.03, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.67, and increased from $1.54 in the same quarter last year [2][10]. - Net sales reached $1,984.3 million, a 1.9% increase year over year, beating the estimate of $1,951 million. This includes $8.4 million from the acquisition of Potato Products of Idaho, L.L.C. [3][10]. - Gross profit was $596.2 million, up 3.3% year over year, with gross margin expanding to 30% from 29.6% [3][10]. - Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses decreased by 3.8% to $312.1 million, representing 15.7% of net sales compared to 16.7% in the prior year [4]. - Operating profit increased by 15.5% to $234.6 million, and adjusted EBITDA rose 13.4% to $397 million from $350.2 million in the previous year [4]. Segment Performance - **Post Consumer Brands**: Reported net sales of $914 million, down 9.3% year over year, missing the estimate of $945 million, primarily due to a 10.3% drop in volumes [5]. - **Weetabix**: Net sales increased by 1.3% to $137.9 million but missed the estimate of $139 million, with a 2.5% decline in volumes [6]. - **Foodservice**: Achieved 18.6% growth in net sales to $698.5 million, exceeding the estimate of $636 million, with volumes growing 4.5% excluding acquisition impacts [7]. - **Refrigerated Retail**: Sales increased by 9.1% to $233.9 million, beating the estimate of $224 million, with a profit surge of 380.4% to $24.5 million [8]. Future Outlook - The company raised its fiscal 2025 adjusted EBITDA guidance to a range of $1,500-$1,520 million, up from the previous range of $1,460-$1,500 million [10][14]. - Capital expenditures for fiscal 2025 are expected to be between $450 million and $480 million, increased from the previous range of $390-$430 million [15]. Shareholder Actions - Post Holdings repurchased 0.6 million shares for $62.1 million in the third quarter, totaling 3.9 million shares for $434.7 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2025 [12].

Core Insights - The Hershey Company reported second-quarter 2025 results with both top and bottom lines exceeding Zacks Consensus Estimates, although the bottom line showed a year-over-year decline [1][9] - Adjusted earnings per share were $1.21, down 4.7% year over year, while consolidated net sales reached $2,614.7 million, a 26% increase from the previous year [1][2] Financial Performance - Consolidated net sales of $2,614.7 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2,548 million, with organic sales rising 26.3% on a constant-currency basis [2] - Adjusted gross margin contracted to 38.1%, down 510 basis points, primarily due to increased commodity and manufacturing costs [4][9] - Selling, marketing, and administrative expenses rose 11.5% year over year, driven by higher advertising and consumer marketing spending [5] - Adjusted operating profit increased 7.1% year over year to $410.6 million, with the operating margin contracting 280 basis points to 15.7% [6] Segment Performance - North America Confectionery segment net sales were $2,085.5 million, up 32.0% year over year, with volume growth attributed to inventory cycling, Easter holiday timing, and early Halloween shipments [7] - The North America Salty Snacks segment reported net sales of $315.5 million, an 8.8% increase, with volume growth and net price realization contributing to this rise [10] - The International segment posted net sales of $213.7 million, reflecting a 4.4% increase, although income decreased by $5.2 million year over year [12] Financial Health - The company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $912.4 million and long-term debt of $5,176.4 million [13] - Management expects capital expenditure for 2025 to be in the range of $425 million to $450 million [13] Future Outlook - Management anticipates net sales to increase at least 2% in 2025, with adjusted EPS projected between $5.81 and $6, reflecting a significant decline from 2024 [14] - The effective tax rate is expected to be approximately 27%, with tariff expenses anticipated to be around $170 million to $180 million for the full year [15]

Core Insights - Altria Group Inc. reported second-quarter 2025 results with both revenue and earnings exceeding expectations and showing year-over-year growth [1][2][11] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for the second quarter were $1.44, an increase of 8.3% year over year, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.37 [2][11] - Net revenues totaled $6,102 million, a decline of 1.7% year over year, primarily due to decreased revenues in the smokeable products segment, partially offset by growth in oral tobacco products [3][11] - Revenues net of excise taxes increased by 0.2% to $5,290 million, beating the consensus estimate of $5,190 million [3] Segment Performance - **Smokeable Products**: Net revenues fell 2.5% year over year to $5,357 million, driven by reduced shipment volumes, although higher pricing provided some offset [4][5] - Domestic cigarette shipment volumes decreased by 10.2%, attributed to industry decline and retail share losses, while cigar shipment volumes increased by 3.7% [5] - Adjusted operating companies' income (OCI) in this segment rose 4.2% to $2,947 million, with adjusted OCI margins growing by 2.9 percentage points to 64.5% [6] - **Oral Tobacco Products**: Net revenues increased by 5.9% to $753 million, mainly due to higher pricing, despite a decline in domestic shipment volumes by 1% [7][8] - Adjusted OCI in this segment grew by 10.9%, with adjusted OCI margins increasing by 3.1 percentage points to 68.7% [8] Shareholder Returns and Guidance - The company repurchased 4.7 million shares for $274 million in the second quarter, with $400 million remaining under its $1 billion share repurchase program [10] - Altria paid dividends totaling $1.7 billion in the second quarter [10] - The company narrowed its full-year 2025 adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $5.35 to $5.45, indicating a year-over-year growth of 3% to 5% [11][12]

Core Viewpoint - Lamb Weston (LW) is anticipated to report a year-over-year decline in earnings due to lower revenues, which could significantly influence its near-term stock price depending on how actual results compare to consensus estimates [1][2]. Earnings Expectations - The upcoming earnings report is expected to be released on July 23, with a consensus estimate of $0.64 per share, reflecting an 18% decrease year-over-year. Revenues are projected at $1.59 billion, down 1.2% from the same quarter last year [3][2]. - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised down by 3.33% over the last 30 days, indicating a bearish sentiment among analysts regarding the company's earnings prospects [4][12]. Earnings Surprise Prediction - The Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) model indicates that the Most Accurate Estimate for Lamb Weston is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, resulting in an Earnings ESP of -3.27%. This suggests a challenging outlook for the company to beat the consensus EPS estimate [12][8]. - A positive Earnings ESP is generally a strong predictor of an earnings beat, especially when combined with a favorable Zacks Rank. However, Lamb Weston currently holds a Zacks Rank of 4, which complicates the prediction of an earnings beat [10][12]. Historical Performance - In the last reported quarter, Lamb Weston exceeded the consensus EPS estimate of $0.87 by delivering earnings of $1.10, resulting in a surprise of +26.44%. However, the company has only beaten consensus EPS estimates once in the last four quarters [13][14]. Conclusion - While Lamb Weston does not appear to be a strong candidate for an earnings beat, investors should consider other factors that may influence stock performance ahead of the earnings release [17][15].

Core Insights - Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) announced a $17 million investment in its Houston brewery as part of its Brewing Futures program, which includes a total commitment of $300 million for facility investments across the U.S. by 2025 [1][9] - The investment aims to enhance brewing excellence and improve transportation capabilities, ensuring efficient product delivery throughout Texas, building on over $50 million already invested in the Houston site in the past three years [2][4] - AB InBev's Brewing Futures initiative focuses on creating a sustainable workforce, supporting job creation, and advancing opportunities for veterans in the manufacturing sector [3] Investment and Economic Impact - The Houston brewery has been a key operational hub for nearly 60 years, with AB InBev and its distributor partners investing over $2.3 billion in capital projects in Texas to date [4] - The company employs nearly 1,000 individuals across four facilities in Texas, significantly contributing to the local economy and the American brewing industry [4] - Nationally, AB InBev operates over 100 facilities and employs 65,000 Americans, having invested nearly $2 billion in facility upgrades over the past five years [5] Growth Strategy - AB InBev is experiencing strong revenue momentum driven by consumer demand for its diverse brand portfolio and strategic pricing initiatives [7] - The company is focusing on expanding its premium and super-premium beer offerings, with brands like Corona and Stella Artois performing well internationally [8] - AB InBev is also diversifying into new categories such as ready-to-drink beverages and hard seltzers, while enhancing its digital platforms for better customer engagement [10]

Core Insights - United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) reported strong third-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with revenues and earnings exceeding expectations and showing year-over-year growth [1][3] - The company has achieved seven consecutive quarters of sequential adjusted EBITDA growth, reflecting effective execution of its multi-year strategy [1][6] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share for Q3 were 44 cents, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 24 cents and up from 10 cents in the same quarter last year [3][7] - Net sales increased by 7.5% year over year to $8,059 million, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7,846 million, driven by a 4% rise in wholesale unit volumes and inflation effects [3][7] - Gross profit rose 6.1% year over year to $1,082 million, with a gross margin of 13.4%, a slight contraction from 13.6% in the previous year [5][6] Segment Performance - Revenue from the Natural segment grew 12% to $4,160 million, Conventional sales increased by 2.7% to $3,628 million, and Retail sales saw a 0.4% rise to $573 million [4] Cost and Margin Analysis - Operating expenses were $1,025 million, up from $992 million in the prior year, but as a percentage of sales, they decreased to 12.7% from 13.2% [6] - Adjusted EBITDA reached $157 million, marking a 20.8% increase from $130 million in the same quarter last year [6] Financial Health - Total liquidity stood at $1.49 billion as of May 3, 2025, including nearly $52 million in cash and approximately $1.44 billion in unused capacity under its asset-based lending facility [7] - Free cash flow for Q3 was $119 million, up from $49 million in the prior-year quarter [7] - Total outstanding debt, net of cash, was $1.93 billion, a decrease of $118 million from the previous quarter [8] Future Guidance - For fiscal 2025, UNFI anticipates net sales between $31.3 billion and $31.7 billion, with adjusted EBITDA expected to be between $550 million and $580 million [9][10] - The company projects a net loss of $55 million to $80 million for fiscal 2025, contrasting with earlier expectations of a net loss of $13 million and net earnings of $3 million [9]

Core Insights - The J. M. Smucker Company (SJM) reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with net sales missing estimates while adjusted earnings exceeded expectations, both metrics showing a year-over-year decline [1][3][10] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) were $2.31, down 13% year over year, but above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.25 [3][10] - Net sales totaled $2,143.8 million, a 3% decline year over year, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2,191 million [3][10] - Excluding noncomparable sales from divestitures and currency impacts, net sales decreased by 1%, attributed to a 3% drop in volume/mix, partially offset by a 3% increase in net price realization [3][10] Segment Performance - U.S. Retail Pet Foods: Sales fell 13% to $395.5 million, with an 11-percentage-point negative impact from volume/mix [5] - U.S. Retail Coffee: Sales increased 11% to $738.6 million, driven by a 10% rise in net price realization [6] - U.S. Retail Frozen Handheld and Spreads: Sales decreased slightly to $449.8 million, with a profit drop of 5% to $91 million [7] - Sweet Baked Snacks: Sales were $251 million, down 26% year over year, with a profit decline of 72% to $20 million [8] - International and Away From Home: Sales increased 3% to $308.9 million, with a profit increase of 13% to $69.2 million [9] Financial Health - Cash and cash equivalents stood at $69.9 million, with long-term debt of $7,036.8 million and total shareholders' equity of $6,082.6 million [11] - Operating cash flow was $393.9 million, and free cash flow was $298.9 million for the quarter [11] Future Outlook - For fiscal 2026, SJM anticipates net sales growth of 2-4%, factoring in the impact of recent divestitures [13] - Comparable net sales are expected to rise approximately 3.5-5.5%, driven by higher net price realization, despite volume/mix declines [14] - Adjusted EPS guidance for fiscal 2026 is set between $8.50 and $9.50, down from $10.12 in fiscal 2025 [15]

Core Strategy - FEMSA is focused on its Forward Strategy, emphasizing long-term value creation of its core businesses and maximizing shareholder value through prudent financial management [1] Share Repurchase Agreement - The company has entered into an accelerated share repurchase (ASR) agreement to buy back $250 million of its American Depositary Shares (ADS) [2] - The ASR agreement will initially deliver 483,559 ADSs on May 20, 2025, with the total number of repurchased shares based on the daily volume-weighted average price during the agreement term [3] Capital Return Strategy - FEMSA plans to return capital to shareholders as a crucial aspect of its overall strategy, following successful divestments related to FEMSA Forward and considering expected capital needs [4] Market Performance - FEMSA's shares have gained 1.8% over the past year, contrasting with a 1.2% decline in the industry, despite facing a soft consumer environment and rising operating expenses [5] Business Segments and Growth Opportunities - The company is progressing on its FEMSA Forward Strategy to drive value in its core businesses, including Retail, Coca-Cola FEMSA, and Digital@FEMSA, while exploring potential divestments [6] - FEMSA's Proximity and Health retail businesses present significant long-term growth opportunities, with plans to accelerate earnings growth through organic expansion [7]

Core Insights - Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) reported mixed first-quarter 2025 results, with adjusted earnings per share of 70 cents surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 69 cents, but revenues fell short of expectations [1][2][3] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings decreased from $1.46 per share in the year-ago quarter to 70 cents, while reported earnings fell from $1.42 to 61 cents [2][3] - Revenues declined 7.3% year over year to $20.2 billion, missing the consensus estimate of $20.7 billion, impacted by lower revenues across all segments [3][4] - Gross profit decreased 29.4% year over year to $1.2 billion, with gross margin falling 190 basis points to 5.9% [5] Segment Performance - Ag Services & Oilseeds revenues fell 9% year over year to $15.7 billion, while Carbohydrate Solutions revenues decreased 6.2% to $2.6 billion, and Nutrition revenues dipped 1% to $1.8 billion [4] - Adjusted operating profit for Ag Services & Oilseeds plunged 52% year over year to $412 million, affected by lower volumes and margins due to tariff and trade policy uncertainty [6] - Crushing subsegment's operating profit dropped 85% year over year, influenced by lower margins and increased manufacturing costs [7] - Carbohydrate Solutions segment's operating profit dipped 3% to $240 million, with mixed performance across subsegments [9] - Nutrition segment reported an adjusted operating profit of $95 million, up 13% year over year, driven by improvements in Flavors and Animal Nutrition [10] Other Financials - As of March 31, 2025, ADM had cash and cash equivalents of $864 million, long-term debt of $8.3 billion, and shareholders' equity of $22.1 billion [12] - The company used $342 million in cash for operating activities and paid dividends of $247 million in the reported quarter [12] Future Outlook - For 2025, management anticipates adjusted earnings per share to be in the range of $4 to $4.75, with expectations leaning towards the lower end [13]