The J. M. Smucker Company (SJM) Q1 2025 Earnings Call August 27, 2025 07:00 AM ET Company ParticipantsCrystal Beiting - VP - IR & FP&AMark Smucker - CEO & Chair of the BoardTucker Marshall - CFOCrystal BeitingGood morning. This is Crystal Beiting, Vice President, Investor Relations and Financial Planning and Analysis for The J. M. Smucker Company. Thank you for listening to our prepared remarks on our fiscal twenty twenty six first quarter earnings call.After this brief introduction, Mark Smucker, Chief Exe ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a 1% decrease in net sales for the first quarter, while comparable net sales increased by 2%, excluding prior year sales related to divested businesses and foreign currency exchange [31] - Adjusted gross profit decreased by $89 million or 11% compared to the prior year, primarily due to higher commodity costs and unfavorable volume mix [33] - Adjusted earnings per share was $1.90, a decrease of 22% versus the prior year, but exceeded expectations due to better-than-anticipated net sales [34] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the US retail coffee segment, net sales increased by 15%, driven by an 18 percentage point increase from net price realization [34] - The US retail pet foods segment saw a decrease in net sales by 8%, primarily due to a decline in dog snacks and lower contract manufacturing sales related to divested pet food brands [36] - The Sweet Baked Snacks segment experienced a 24% decrease in net sales, with a 54% decrease in segment profit reflecting unfavorable volume mix and higher costs [37] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The away from home business grew net sales by 14% on a comparable basis, driven by coffee and Uncrustables sandwiches [39] - International net sales decreased by 6% on a comparable basis, primarily reflecting a decrease in the coffee portfolio [39] - The company anticipates a higher US tariff impact on green coffee costs, which is expected to be a 50¢ headwind for the fiscal year [29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on three strategic priorities: accelerating organic growth, embedding transformation in everyday operations, and fostering a bold mindset [5] - The Uncrustables brand is projected to generate over $1 billion in net sales by the end of the fiscal year, continuing strong double-digit growth [11] - The company is reducing SKU count by 25% for the Hostess brand to improve operational efficiencies and drive margin expansion [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the external environment remains dynamic, with ongoing input inflation and changes in consumer behavior impacting the fiscal year outlook [41] - The company is revising its full-year net sales expectations to increase by 3% to 5%, primarily due to the strength of the coffee portfolio [28] - Management remains confident in the long-term growth outlook and the ability to deliver shareholder value despite external challenges [30] Other Important Information - The company achieved $100 million in total run rate synergies from the Hostess Brands acquisition [16] - Free cash flow for the first quarter was negative $94.9 million, reflecting a decrease in cash provided by operating activities [39] - The company plans to prioritize debt reduction, aiming to pay down approximately $500 million of debt in each of the next two fiscal years [40] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the expectations for the coffee segment? - The coffee segment is expected to remain resilient despite inflationary pressures, with approximately 70% of coffee drinking occasions occurring at home [21] Question: How is the company addressing the impact of tariffs? - The company is working to mitigate cost increases through alternative sourcing strategies and responsible pricing [45] Question: What is the outlook for the Sweet Baked Snacks segment? - The Sweet Baked Snacks segment is anticipated to improve sequentially, with increased dollar sales and volume growth noted in the Hostess brand [25]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) guidance for fiscal year 2026 at the midpoint of $9, which reflects a decline year-over-year when excluding impacts from coffee inflation and tariffs [10][32] - The adjusted EPS was impacted by $0.80 from green coffee inflation and $0.25 from tariffs, indicating a cautious outlook for the upcoming fiscal year [10][32] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Sweet Baked Snacks segment is expected to see a decline in segment profit on a comparable basis, contributing an additional $0.20 impact to the adjusted EPS [11] - The company is focusing on core brands like Donuts and Cupcakes for growth, emphasizing the need for innovation and marketing investments in these areas [20][22] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The coffee segment is experiencing a net pricing increase of around 20% for fiscal year 2026, with a negative volume impact of approximately 10% due to price elasticity of demand [14][37] - The away-from-home coffee business is expected to see high single-digit pricing increases, indicating a strong focus on recovering costs in this segment [29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is committed to investing in key growth platforms, particularly around brands like Cafe Bustelo and Uncrustables, to support long-term growth [10][102] - A strategic focus on optimizing the portfolio and enhancing brand building efforts is emphasized, particularly in the Sweet Baked Snacks and coffee segments [22][102] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the importance of ongoing marketing investments to support growth platforms and indicated a cautious approach to guidance due to external factors impacting profitability [11][62] - The company remains optimistic about stabilizing the Hostess brand and believes that focusing on core products will drive future growth [25][80] Other Important Information - The company reported free cash flow of $817 million for fiscal year 2025, which was below expectations due to higher inventory balances and green coffee inflation [99] - Fiscal year 2026 free cash flow guidance is set at $875 million, with expectations of improved management of working capital and lower capital expenditures [99] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of higher green coffee costs on EPS growth - Management confirmed that higher green coffee costs and tariffs have significantly impacted the EPS outlook, leading to a more subdued forecast for fiscal year 2026 [10][32] Question: Details on SKU and display rationalizations for Hostess - Management indicated a focus on core brands like Donuts and Cupcakes, emphasizing the need for clarity and optimization in the product portfolio [20][22] Question: Pricing strategy for the coffee segment - The company is implementing pricing across the entire coffee portfolio, with a significant focus on recovering costs associated with green coffee inflation and tariffs [37] Question: Long-term growth outlook for Hostess - The long-term growth rate for the Sweet Baked Snacks portfolio has been revised from 4% to 3%, reflecting a more cautious outlook based on category performance [32] Question: Free cash flow guidance and debt management - Management outlined that the anticipated free cash flow for fiscal year 2026 will be used for debt paydown and dividend payments, with a combination of generated cash and excess cash from the balance sheet [99]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a total net sales decline of 3% in the fourth quarter, with comparable net sales decreasing by 1% when excluding divestitures and foreign currency impacts [33][34] - Adjusted earnings per share for the fourth quarter was $2.31, a decrease of 13% compared to the prior year [36] - Free cash flow for the fourth quarter was $299 million, slightly up from $298 million in the prior year, with full-year free cash flow reaching $817 million, an increase of $174 million [42][43] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Uncrustables brand achieved approximately $920 million in net sales, growing over $125 million in fiscal year 2025, driven by advertising and distribution gains [7][8] - The Cafe Bustelo brand grew net sales by 19% in the US retail coffee portfolio, ending fiscal year 2025 with approximately $400 million in net sales [9] - The Sweet Baked Snacks segment saw a significant decline in net sales, decreasing by 26% versus the prior year, with a 72% drop in segment profit [40][41] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the US retail coffee segment, net sales increased by 11%, primarily due to higher net pricing for Folgers and Cafe Bustelo [36] - The US retail pet foods segment experienced a 13% decline in net sales, attributed to unexpected retailer inventory headwinds [20][38] - International and away-from-home net sales grew by 4%, driven by strong performance in the away-from-home business [22][41] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to stabilize and refocus the Sweet Baked Snacks segment for sustainable growth, with a long-term net sales growth expectation of 3% [12][33] - Strategic priorities for fiscal year 2026 include accelerating organic growth by investing in key platforms and embedding transformation in everyday operations [25][26] - The company anticipates that key platforms, including Uncrustables and Cafe Bustelo, will deliver over 80% of the company's growth over the next five years [16][17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the dynamic operating environment, including inflationary pressures and evolving consumer behavior, which necessitates cautious guidance for fiscal year 2026 [26][45] - The company expects full-year net sales to increase by 2% to 4%, with comparable net sales anticipated to grow approximately 4.5% at the midpoint of the guidance range [27][45] - Management expressed confidence in the company's strategy and ability to navigate challenges while focusing on long-term growth and shareholder value [30][51] Other Important Information - The company recognized significant impairment charges totaling $980 million related to the Sweet Baked Snacks segment and Hostess brand [32] - Capital expenditures for the year were $394 million, representing 4.5% of net sales, with a target of approximately 3.5% of net sales in the long term [43][44] - The company plans to prioritize debt reduction, aiming to pay down approximately $500 million of debt annually over the next two years [44] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the expectations for the Sweet Baked Snacks segment? - Management anticipates low single-digit declines in comparable net sales for the Sweet Baked Snacks segment as they work to stabilize the Hostess brand [46] Question: How is the company addressing inflationary pressures? - The company is implementing price increases to recover costs associated with rising green coffee prices and other inflationary pressures [18][49] Question: What is the outlook for free cash flow? - The company projects free cash flow of approximately $875 million at the midpoint of adjusted earnings per share guidance [50]