Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Year-to-date EBITDA increased by 9%, and EPS rose by 24% [9][53] - Gross margin is above 30%, with a GAAP gross margin rate of 31.8% compared to 29.5% in the prior year [52][50] - Total company net sales for the third quarter were $1,190 million, down 1% from $1,200 million a year ago [46] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - POS units across categories are up 8% year-to-date, with branded lawn fertilizers POS units up 1% [9][48] - Soils POS units increased by 12%, mulch by 8%, and grass seed by 16% year-to-date [9][48] - Hawthorne net sales were $31 million for the quarter, down from $68 million in the prior year [45] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.S. Consumer net sales for the quarter were $1,030 million, an increase of 1% year-over-year [41] - The lawn and garden market has grown about 5% year-to-date, with the company gaining about 2% market share [74][75] - E-commerce sales increased by 54% in online POS unit sales [22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on internal initiatives to improve cost structure and efficiency while also shifting to outward-facing initiatives to enhance consumer engagement [6][7] - Plans to invest in technology, AI, and automation to drive operational efficiencies [57][16] - The transformation initiative aims to create a world-class consumer goods company and expand marketing efforts to younger consumers [17][21] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management reaffirmed EBITDA guidance and expects to deliver on top and bottom line metrics [8] - The company is optimistic about the lawn and garden category's growth and its ability to capture market share [62][88] - Management highlighted the importance of partnerships with retailers and the positive outlook for the lawn and garden market [32][66] Other Important Information - The company plans to take pricing in the next fiscal year to help drive margins [36] - The transformation of the lawns business is underway, focusing on a revamped product line and new media strategies [26][29] - The company is committed to sustainability and meeting consumer demands for organic and natural products [23][19] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the pricing strategy for '26? - The company took a pricing increase of just under 1.5% in '25 and plans to pursue pricing in '26, considering commodity costs [71][72] Question: What is the category growth at retail in '25? - The lawn and garden market has grown about 5% year-to-date, with the company gaining about 2% of that share [74][75] Question: How are retailers responding to the activation strategy? - Retailers that engaged with the company's activation strategy saw relative outperformance, and the company plans to continue investing in those partnerships [79][80] Question: What is the visibility into achieving mid-30s gross margin? - The company expects to achieve mid-30s gross margin through supply chain savings and net pricing strategies over the next few years [85][86]