PresentationUnknown Analyst Good morning. It's a pleasure today to welcome Reckitt back to CAGNY. Today, we have CEO, Kris Licht; and CFO, Shannon Eisenhardt, with us. Reckitt has been on an incredible journey since he last joined the CAGNY stage in 2024. First, in announcing a strategy update that very summer and then successfully delivering against that plan and exceeding it with asset sales, productivity savings, strong performance in core Reckitt and home to many of the brands that we know near and dear ...

Summary of Reckitt's Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Reckitt - **Key Brands**: Lysol, Mucinex, Dettol, Finish, Durex - **Core Business**: Focused on health, hygiene, and home care products Strategic Updates - **Portfolio Simplification**: Reckitt has exited two non-core segments, including the sale of the Essential Home segment (Vestasy), which comprised over 90 brands, resulting in a more focused core business with approximately GBP 10 billion in net sales or over $13 billion [4][6] - **Management Restructuring**: Multiple management layers have been removed, leading to increased accountability and streamlined operations [5][39] - **Growth Ambition**: Reckitt aims for a 4%-5% like-for-like growth, particularly driven by emerging markets, which currently represent 40% of the core business [9][12] Market Insights - **Emerging Markets Growth**: Emerging markets have surpassed North America and Europe in terms of households with incomes over $25,000, indicating a significant growth opportunity [10][11] - **Consumer Trends**: Increased consumer engagement in self-care and hygiene products, with only 14% of households globally owning dishwashers, presents a growth opportunity for brands like Finish [12][13] Financial Performance - **Sales Growth**: Emerging markets delivered a 14% top-line growth in the first three quarters of 2025, with China being the largest contributor [42] - **Cost Management**: The "Fuel for Growth" program aims for a 300 basis point improvement in fixed costs by the end of 2027, targeting 19% of net revenue [41][42] Innovation and Product Development - **Product Launches**: Reckitt is set to launch a 12-hour cold and fever relief product in 2026, the first of its kind in the category, which has been in development for over 15 years [36][37] - **AI Utilization**: Reckitt is leveraging AI for concept generation and market insights, significantly reducing the time needed for product development and increasing success rates [29][30] Brand Strategy - **Power Brands**: Reckitt's 11 Power Brands are positioned as premium offerings with strong consumer trust, allowing for higher growth margins and reinvestment in marketing and innovation [8][9] - **Consumer Engagement**: The company emphasizes iconic brand building and consumer obsession, utilizing data and AI to enhance product offerings and marketing strategies [22][27] Regional Focus - **North America**: Represents about 25% of core Reckitt's revenue, with a focus on expanding premium categories and improving supply chain execution [45][46] - **Europe**: Accounts for about one-third of core Reckitt's revenue, facing decelerating growth but focusing on premiumization and competitive positioning [42][43] Conclusion - Reckitt is positioned for sustainable growth through a simplified structure, strong brand equity, and a focus on emerging markets. The company is committed to delivering consistent revenue growth and enhancing shareholder value through disciplined capital allocation and innovation [55][56][61]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Core Reckitt achieved 3.1% like-for-like net revenue growth and 0.3% volume growth, with a closer estimate of 1% when excluding the SAP pull-forward impact from the previous year [3][9] - Group like-for-like net revenue growth was reported at 1.1%, driven by the strong performance of Core Reckitt [9] - Emerging Markets saw a significant growth of 10.7%, with volume growth of 6.8% and a price/mix impact of 3.9% [10][21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Intimate Wellness and Germ Protection categories experienced double-digit growth, particularly in China and India [10][15] - Seasonal OTC brands in Self Care declined mid-single digits due to higher retailer inventory levels at the start of the period, while VMS portfolio saw strong double-digit growth [15][19] - Essential Home reported a decline of 7% in like-for-like net revenue, attributed to a tough comparative period and SAP implementation impacts [18][21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - North America experienced a volume decline of 1.8% and a like-for-like net sales decline of 0.9%, with a positive price/mix of 0.9% [13] - Europe saw a 1.7% like-for-like net revenue decline, with volume down 4.7% and a price/mix increase of 3% [12] - Emerging Markets continued to show strong performance, with expectations of mid- to high-single-digit growth in Q2 and the second half of the year [22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on transforming Reckitt into a more efficient, world-class consumer health and hygiene company, with a sharpened focus on Powerbrands [3][24] - The Fuel for Growth program is expected to drive adjusted operating profit ahead of net revenue growth, with a target of 3% to 4% revenue growth for Core Reckitt for the year [21][23] - The planned exit from Essential Home is progressing, with the management team focused on improving performance and completing the separation process [6][7] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management remains confident in the ability to mitigate tariff impacts through strong gross margins and diversified supply chains [5] - Despite macroeconomic uncertainties, the company maintains its fiscal '25 guidance, expecting group like-for-like net revenue growth of 2% to 4% [21][22] - The management team is optimistic about the performance of Intimate Wellness and Germ Protection, expecting sustained strong volume growth [44][61] Other Important Information - The company has initiated a GBP 1 billion share buyback program, with GBP 815 million already repurchased [20] - The new organizational structure is functioning effectively, with a focus on operational excellence and growth [8] Q&A Session Summary Question: What drove the delta versus expectations in Europe and North America? - Management noted a steeper drop-off in seasonal demand and significant retailer destocking impacting North America, while Europe faced macro volatility affecting consumer behavior [29][30][32] Question: What gives confidence in offsetting Essential Home's negative performance in Q2? - Management highlighted the stability of the Essential Home business and expected sequential improvement in Q2, supported by promotional activities and calendar launches [34][35][61] Question: Are there any one-offs in the strong volume performance of Intimate Wellness and Germ Protection? - Management confirmed that the strong performance was due to genuine underlying demand and market share gains, with no significant one-offs [43][44] Question: What are the sell-out trends in North America and Europe? - Sell-out trends in Europe are mid-single-digit growth, while North America has seen a slowdown to low single digits, primarily due to destocking and seasonal resets [51][52][53] Question: How will the Essential Home sale impact cash returns and buyback plans? - Management clarified that there is no announced delay in the Essential Home sale process, but acknowledged that market conditions could affect the timeline [91] Question: Is destocking becoming apparent outside of OTC and VMS? - Management indicated that the most pronounced impact has been in OTC and VMS, with different retailers making varied decisions based on their market performance [95][96]