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Church & Dwight Co. Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 4 lowered, 4 new, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Organic sales rose 5.1%: Organic sales rose 5.1%, with growth in all three divisions. Management described the organic growth as above the 3% it had forecast for the quarter. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 13.6%: Reported diluted EPS was $0.89 against $0.75 a year earlier. Management said stronger sales drove earnings growth and supported added SG&A investment and incentive compensation. Source
  • Gross margin rose 170 basis points: Gross margin was 46.8%, with adjusted gross margin also 46.8%. Management cited volume, productivity, tariff refunds and mix, which offset inflation and transportation costs. Source
  • Nine-month operating cash fell 1.3%: Cash from operations was $841 million for the first nine months, down 1.3%. Capital expenditures were $92 million through the third quarter, up $24 million. Source
  • New $1 billion buyback authorized: The Board approved a $1 billion repurchase program with no expiration date, replacing the existing program. Management said it adds flexibility to return capital while investing. Source
  • 2030 growth initiatives named: Management said the 2030 initiatives center on expanding ARM & HAMMER, increasing THERABREATH in oral care and scaling International. Source

“Our power brands continue to perform exceptionally well despite a challenging macroeconomic environment, driving our third consecutive quarter of industry-leading organic sales growth.”

Rick Dierker, Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Reported net sales growth Sourcefull year 2026approximately +0.5%Raised from flat to +1%
Organic sales growth Sourcefull year 2026approximately 5%Raised from 4% to 5%
Adjusted gross margin expansion Sourcefull year 2026approximately 100 basis pointsLowered from 100 to 120 basis points
Adjusted EPS growth Sourcefull year 2026approximately 7%Kept
Reported EPS growth Sourcefull year 2026approximately 20%Lowered from approximately 20% to 22%
Reported diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$3.63
Adjusted diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$3.76
Adjusted tax rate Sourcefull year 2026approximately 21%Lowered from 21.5%
Marketing expense as percent of net sales Sourcefull year 2026approximately 11% of salesKept
SG&A as percent of net sales Sourcefull year 2026above 2025 levelsKept
Capital expenditures Sourcefull year 2026approximately $125 million or 2% of salesLowered from approximately $130 million or 2% of sales
Share repurchases Sourceno expiration dateup to $1 billionNew
Reported sales growth Sourcefourth quarter 2026decline of approximately 0.5%New
Organic sales growth Sourcefourth quarter 2026approximately 4.0%New
Adjusted EPS growth Sourcefourth quarter 202617% to 19%New

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year reported sales guidance raised. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year organic sales growth guidance raised to the high end of the prior range. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year adjusted gross margin expansion guidance moved from a range to a lower point figure. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year reported EPS growth guidance trimmed from a 20% to 22% range to about 20%. Source
  • Guidance kept: Adjusted EPS guidance range tightened; the midpoint is unchanged. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year capital expenditure guidance reduced from the prior figure. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year adjusted tax rate guidance reduced from the prior 21.5%. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter guidance introduced for reported sales, organic sales and adjusted EPS. Source
  • New: New share repurchase program replaces the existing program. Source
  • New: 2030 growth initiatives referred to in this release; the prior release did not mention them. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year cash from operations guidance held at the prior figure. Source

Quarter results and growth

  • Organic sales rose 5.1%: Organic sales rose 5.1%, with growth in all three divisions. Management described the organic growth as above the 3% it had forecast for the quarter. Source
  • Reported net sales rose 1.0%: Reported net sales were $1,602.1 million, up 1.0%. Management tied the reported growth to benefits from the 2025 strategic portfolio actions. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 13.6%: Reported diluted EPS was $0.89 against $0.75 a year earlier. Management said stronger sales drove earnings growth and supported added SG&A investment and incentive compensation. Source

Segments and regions

  • Domestic organic growth was 4.4%: Consumer Domestic net sales were $1,225 million, up 0.4%. Management named ARM & HAMMER liquid laundry, THERABREATH, cat litter and WATERPIK as growth drivers. Source
  • International organic growth was 7.8%: Consumer International net sales were $297 million, up 2.5%, with organic sales up 7.8%. Management named THERABREATH, BATISTE, TOUCHLAND and OXICLEAN as growth drivers. Source
  • Specialty Products grew 5.0%: Specialty Products net sales were $80 million, up 5.0%, with organic growth also 5.0%. Management said the division delivered balanced results across regions. Source

“Our improved sales outlook reflects the strength of our operating fundamentals, which underpin our volume growth, market share gains and gross margin expansion.”

Rick Dierker, Chief Executive Officer

Products and brands

  • Household up, personal care down: Household Products rose 10.0% to $711.6 million, while Personal Care Products fell 10.4% to $513.5 million, per the product line table. Source
  • THERABREATH Complete leads new rinses: Management said THERABREATH Complete is the top-selling new rinse nationally. The new toothpaste line has four variants, and portable rinse sachets launched recently. Source
  • Cat litter launch rated 4.6 stars: ARM & HAMMER DUAL DEFENSE cat litter, with Microban protection, earned a 4.6-star consumer rating, according to management. Source
  • HERO enters cleanser category: HERO is launching a cleanser lineup, including Mighty Cleanser, Pore Cleanser and Gentle Cleansers, aimed at acne-prone consumers. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin rose 170 basis points: Gross margin was 46.8%, with adjusted gross margin also 46.8%. Management cited volume, productivity, tariff refunds and mix, which offset inflation and transportation costs. Source
  • Marketing spend fell to 11.9%: Marketing expense was $191 million, down 90 basis points as a share of sales. Management said it continues to invest in brands and new products. Source
  • Adjusted SG&A rose 110 basis points: Adjusted SG&A was $261 million, or 16.3% of net sales. Management attributed the rise to acquisition amortization, SG&A investments and higher incentive compensation. Source
  • Adjusted operating income rose 10.1%: Adjusted income from operations was $298 million, up $27 million, against $291 million reported income from operations. Source
  • Adjusted tax rate eased slightly: The adjusted effective tax rate was 21.5% in the quarter, compared with 21.6% a year earlier. Source

“the Company is confident it can continue to mitigate this cost pressure”

Rick Dierker, Chief Executive Officer

Demand and e-commerce

  • Volume drove most organic growth: Management said organic growth was driven primarily by volume, with price and mix contributing a smaller share. Source
  • Leading brands gained share: Management said its leading brands again increased share, driven by innovation, distribution wins and targeted marketing investments. Source
  • E-commerce revenue grew 20%: Management attributed the e-commerce gain to its digital capabilities and brands. Source

Cash, capital and shareholder returns

  • Nine-month operating cash fell 1.3%: Cash from operations was $841 million for the first nine months, down 1.3%. Capital expenditures were $92 million through the third quarter, up $24 million. Source
  • New $1 billion buyback authorized: The Board approved a $1 billion repurchase program with no expiration date, replacing the existing program. Management said it adds flexibility to return capital while investing. Source
  • Debt $2.2 billion, cash $447 million: Management reported total debt of $2.2 billion and cash on hand of $447 million at September 30, 2026. Source
  • Dividend per share rose to $0.31: Dividends per share were $0.31 for the quarter, up from $0.30, and $0.93 for nine months, up from $0.89. Source

Strategy and investment

  • 2030 growth initiatives named: Management said the 2030 initiatives center on expanding ARM & HAMMER, increasing THERABREATH in oral care and scaling International. Source
  • 2025 portfolio actions now complete: Management said the 2025 portfolio actions are complete and that teams focused through 2026 on the 2030 initiatives. Source
  • Acquisitions focused on consumables: Management said it will pursue acquisitions meeting strict criteria, with an emphasis on fast-moving consumable products. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 October 2026

  • January update on 2030 initiatives: Management plans its first formal update on the 2030 initiatives at its January investor meeting. Source
  • Fourth-quarter AI and growth investment: Management said fourth-quarter investments will focus on future growth and targeted AI capabilities. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Volume growth, total company Source+4.6%
Volume growth, Consumer Domestic Source+3.6%
Volume growth, Consumer International Source+9.1%
Volume growth, Specialty Products Source+2.9%
Global e-commerce revenue growth Source20%
Global online sales share of total consumer sales Source25.9%

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management noted growing inflation linked to the Middle East conflict and rising global transportation rates. Source
  • Regulatory: Management listed higher tariff-related costs among items it expects volume, productivity and mix to more than offset. Source
  • External: Management described the operating environment as volatile. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Earlier forecast of $0.89 adjusted EPS for the quarter; the release reports $0.92.
  • Ahead: Earlier forecast of about 3% organic growth for the quarter; the release reports 5.1%.
  • Met: Earlier plan for continued gross margin expansion and marketing near 12% of sales; the release reports marketing at 11.9% and gross margin up 170 basis points.
  • Not stated: Earlier view that transitory Middle East cost pressure could be offset in 2026; the release says it is confident it can continue to mitigate the pressure.
  • Not stated: Management said it continues to expect the full-year cash from operations figure. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.