Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company delivered less than expected top-line results for FY 2025 but exceeded expectations on margin and earnings due to a strong margin transformation program [2] - The company expects to be at the low end of its range for Q1, with shipments rebounding and consumption expected to improve in September [6][7] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S. business, which constitutes 85% of the company's operations, performed well in Q4, but there were challenges in order fulfillment and inventory management in August [4][5] - The company noted that while some categories are performing well, others, like food, have experienced unexpected volatility [11][12][23] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company anticipates U.S. retail growth to average 0% to 1% for the year, with category growth expected to be lower than historical averages [71] - The company observed that consumers are trading down to larger sizes and more value-oriented SKUs, which compresses category growth [15][16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on strong category investments and aims to return to a growth rate of 2% to 2.5% once consumer conditions stabilize [16][33] - The company is undergoing a significant transformation, investing over $550 million to modernize its digital foundation and improve operational capabilities [27][28] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged that the consumer is under stress due to inflation and uncertainty, which is affecting spending behavior [14][71] - The company is optimistic about its innovation pipeline and expects to launch new platforms in the back half of the year [48][75] Other Important Information - The company is implementing a new ERP system, which has created some short-term noise in sales figures but is expected to drive long-term productivity improvements [70][78] - The company is focused on maintaining brand superiority and has a framework in place to assess and improve its brand performance [53][54] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the long-term category growth expectations? - The company expects categories in the U.S. to grow at about 2% to 2.5% historically, but recent volatility has made predictions more challenging [9][12] Question: Why is Clorox losing market share in several categories? - The company identified execution issues in certain categories, particularly in adapting to rapid consumer changes, but noted strong performance in international and professional segments [18][20][23] Question: How is the organization managing the transformation amidst operational challenges? - Management emphasized that the transformation is crucial and not a distraction, focusing on building capabilities to better respond to consumer needs [25][32] Question: What is the outlook for promotional activity in the current competitive environment? - The company sees a rational competitive environment overall but acknowledges increased promotional activity in specific categories like litter and trash [61][62] Question: What are the key assumptions in the guidance for the upcoming quarters? - The guidance includes expectations for organic sales growth to be between -1% to +2%, with a focus on improving consumption trends in the back half of the year [71][73]