Joining me now is Jennifer Finny Boland. She's the Pen America Board of Trustees President. The Prof.. She's a professor. She's an advocate and the author of 19 books including Good Boy, My Life in Seven Dogs, which we featured as part of our band book club. Uh Jennifer, great to see you.Thank you for being with us. >> Hi Ally. It's great to be back.I'm I'm sorry that we have to talk again uh and that we have to talk about this, but uh your report, your important report found what what you call a disturbing ...

Entertainment Releases - New music from Taylor Swift with 'The Life of a Showgirl' [1] - 'Good Boy' offers a dog's-eye view of a haunted house [1] - Glen Powell stars in 'Chad Powers' [1]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net sales increased by 1.2%, with organic net sales up 1.9% excluding unfavorable foreign exchange impacts [9][27] - Adjusted EBITDA was $77.8 million, a decrease of 7.7% driven by prior year investment income and increased brand-focused investments [29] - Gross margins improved by 140 basis points to 36.8%, supported by cost improvements and operational efficiencies [28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Global Pet Care reported a net sales decrease of 6.1%, with organic sales down 6.4% due to a strategic pull forward of sales from the previous quarter [31] - Home and Garden net sales increased by 27.9%, driven by seasonal inventory builds and a warm fall season [38] - Home and Personal Care saw reported net sales increase by 1.4%, with organic net sales up 3.1% [44] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - E-commerce sales accounted for over 30% of Home and Personal Care's quarterly global sales, significantly outpacing brick-and-mortar sales [44] - In North America, consumer trade downs impacted premium brands in the pet category, leading to low double-digit sales declines [33] - EMEA markets experienced high single-digit growth in both personal care and home appliances, with strong e-commerce performance [45] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on brand-driven investments to drive long-term growth, particularly in advertising, marketing, and R&D [14] - Strategic investments are being made in inventory to support sales growth, especially in e-commerce [15] - The company is actively working to mitigate tariff impacts by moving production out of China and redesigning supply chains [19][20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the start of fiscal 2025, highlighting strong operational performance and healthy inventory levels [55] - The company anticipates cautious consumer behavior due to the evolving international trade environment and potential price implications [53] - Future sales growth is expected to be low single digits, driven by brand-building investments despite geopolitical and economic pressures [49] Other Important Information - The company repurchased approximately 800,000 shares in the first quarter, with a total of $1.2 billion returned to shareholders since the close of the HHI transaction [22][23] - The company plans to launch new products in the pet care segment, including health and wellness products, to capture market growth [16][90] Q&A Session Summary Question: Retailer commitment to the Home and Garden category - Management noted that retailers appear committed to the category, with incremental off-shelf seasonal space being allocated [61][66] Question: Potential delay in HPC business - Management acknowledged the delay but emphasized the importance of improving the business fundamentals and the potential for higher valuations in the future [70][72] Question: E-commerce growth in Global Pet Care - Management reported double-digit growth in POS for e-commerce, despite some capacity issues with a major retailer impacting shipments [76][78] Question: M&A strategy and needs - Management has been evaluating numerous transactions but is cautious about price points, focusing on organic growth and maintaining discipline in M&A [87][90] Question: Tariff impacts and competitive dynamics - Management highlighted the limited tariff impact on Home and Garden and the ongoing efforts to reduce exposure in the HPC segment [95][98]