Core Viewpoint - Central Garden & Pet reported a decline in net sales for fiscal 2026 first quarter, primarily due to shipment timing shifts and ongoing portfolio optimization, but achieved improved gross margins and solid earnings per share [3][6][19] Financial Performance - Net sales totaled $617 million, down 6% year over year, attributed to retailer spring inventory shipment shifts and portfolio rationalization [2][6] - Non-GAAP gross margin improved by 100 basis points to 30.8%, driven by productivity gains and improved product mix [6][7] - Non-GAAP diluted EPS held steady at $0.21, above internal expectations, with GAAP diluted EPS at $0.11 [8][19] Segment Analysis - The Pet segment reported net sales of $416 million, down 3%, with strengths in rawhide and animal health, while the Garden segment saw net sales of $202 million, down 12%, affected by shipment timing and category exits [5][12] - The Garden segment experienced a small operating loss of $2 million compared to a profit of $2 million in the prior year, primarily due to shipment timing [13] Operational Initiatives - The company is transitioning to a more profitable direct export model in Europe and rationalizing lower-margin categories [2][19] - Central completed the tuck-in acquisition of Champion USA, enhancing its professional portfolio with environmentally responsible solutions [4][18] Balance Sheet and Capital Allocation - Cash and cash equivalents plus short-term investments totaled $721 million, with total debt at $1.2 billion and gross leverage at 2.9x [17] - The company repurchased approximately 660,000 shares for $18.5 million, with $28 million remaining under its authorization [17] Outlook - The company reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 guidance for non-GAAP diluted EPS of at least $2.70 and expects capital expenditures of $50 million to $60 million [4][19] - Management indicated stronger shipment trends in January, consistent with the timing shift into the second quarter, and expects to remain active in M&A and share repurchases [20]

First Quarter ended December 27, 2025 Quarterly Earnings Report Supplemental Financial Presentation January 28, 2026 Please view this presentation in conjunction with our Q1 2026 earnings release, which is furnished on Form 8-K, our related pre-recorded remarks and additional information regarding our non-GAAP financial measures, including GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations, available on our website at https://investor.scotts.com. 1 Safe Harbor Disclosure Statements contained in this presentation, which addre ...

Fiscal Year 2025 Performance - The company met or exceeded all previously provided financial guidance[21] - The company's share of the total Lawn & Garden category increased by 1%[21, 24] - Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA grew by $71 million, a 14% increase, reaching $581 million[21] - Non-GAAP adjusted EPS grew by 63% to $3.74 per share[21] - Free cash flow was $274 million in excess of Non-GAAP adjusted earnings[21] - Debt paydown of $120 million drove interest expense down by $30 million, reducing the leverage ratio to 4.1x[21] - Full year net sales reached $3.41 billion, a 4% decrease compared to the previous year[62] Q4 2025 Performance - Net sales were $387.4 million, a 7% decrease compared to Q4 2024[59] - Adjusted gross margin rate improved by 1,030 bps to 7.2%[59] - Adjusted net loss was $(113.1) million, an improvement compared to $(131.5) million in Q4 2024[59] Fiscal Year 2026 Outlook - The company expects low single-digit sales growth in the U S Consumer segment[87] - The company anticipates a non-GAAP adjusted gross margin rate of at least 32%[86, 87] - The company projects adjusted EPS to be between $4.15 and $4.35 per share[87]