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Elanco Animal Health Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 6 raised, 1 lowered, 6 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue up 15%, organic growth 10%: Revenue rose from $1,193 million a year earlier. Organic constant currency growth was 10%, and management said all major species grew. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up 21%: Adjusted EBITDA was $334 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 24.5% against 23.1% a year earlier. Source
  • Farm Animal revenue up 18%: Farm Animal revenue was $642 million, up 18% reported and 13% organic constant currency, including a 2% contribution from price. Source
  • Credelio Quattro gained clinic share: Credelio Quattro has penetrated over 40% of the U.S. clinic base. Its share in clinics that carry it rose to 53%. Source
  • Zenrelia reached blockbuster status: Zenrelia reached trailing 4-quarter blockbuster status, with over 2 million dogs treated. Over 50% share of the JAK market in Brazil was reported. Source
  • Adjusted gross margin down 40 basis points: Adjusted gross margin was 57.0%, a 40 basis point decrease the company said was expected. Drivers were product mix, timing of inflation and higher inventory costs. Source
  • Net leverage ratio at 3.5x: Net leverage was 3.5x adjusted EBITDA, down 0.1x from year-end 2025, on net debt of $3,335 million and trailing adjusted EBITDA of $958 million. Source
  • Revenue and EBITDA guidance raised: Full-year revenue guidance rose to $5,010 million to $5,085 million, and adjusted EBITDA guidance to $975 million to $1,005 million, both from February ranges. Source

“Elanco's strong first quarter results demonstrate the significant momentum of our innovation-led strategy,”

Jeff Simmons, President and CEO of Elanco

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFull year 2026$5,010 million to $5,085 millionRaised from $4,950 million to $5,020 million
Organic constant currency revenue growth SourceFull year 20265% to 7%Raised from 4% to 6%
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull year 2026$975 million to $1,005 millionRaised from $955 million to $985 million
Adjusted EPS SourceFull year 2026$1.03 to $1.09Raised from $1.00 to $1.06
Innovation revenue SourceFull year 2026$1.2 billionRaised from $1.15 billion
Year-end net leverage ratio target SourceYear-end 20263.0x to 3.2x Adjusted EBITDALowered from 3.1x to 3.3x
Foreign exchange tailwind to revenue SourceFull year 2026approximately $60 millionRaised from $55 million
Adjusted gross margin SourceFull year 202655.1% to 55.5%Kept
Revenue SourceSecond quarter 2026$1,300 million to $1,325 millionNew
Adjusted EBITDA SourceSecond quarter 2026$240 million to $260 millionNew
Adjusted EPS SourceSecond quarter 2026$0.25 to $0.28New
Organic constant currency revenue growth SourceSecond quarter 20264% to 6%New
Foreign exchange tailwind to revenue SourceSecond quarter 2026approximately $10 millionNew
Operating expenses growth, constant currency SourceSecond quarter 2026up approximately 8% year over yearNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year revenue guidance raised to $5,010 million to $5,085 million from $4,950 million to $5,020 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year adjusted EBITDA guidance raised to $975 million to $1,005 million from $955 million to $985 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year adjusted EPS guidance raised to $1.03 to $1.09 from $1.00 to $1.06. Source
  • Guidance raised: Innovation revenue target raised to $1.2 billion from $1.15 billion. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Year-end net leverage ratio target moved to 3.0x to 3.2x from 3.1x to 3.3x, a lower range. Source
  • New guidance: Second-quarter 2026 guidance given for the first time, covering revenue, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EPS. Source
  • New: Acquisition of AHV International closed on April 30. Source
  • New: Costco and Dollar General added as new retail customers for parasiticides in the U.S. Source
  • New: Advantage Collar for Dogs launched in April with four-month flea and tick protection across several retail channels. Source
  • New: Credelio Quattro launched in Australia and approved in Canada, both in April 2026. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue up 15%, organic growth 10%: Revenue rose from $1,193 million a year earlier. Organic constant currency growth was 10%, and management said all major species grew. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 8%, reported EPS down: Adjusted EPS was $0.40 against $0.37, and adjusted net income was $204 million. Reported diluted EPS was $0.11 against $0.13 a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA up 21%: Adjusted EBITDA was $334 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 24.5% against 23.1% a year earlier. Source
  • Interest costs rose on imputed liability: Reported net interest expense rose $17 million to $57 million, mainly from $14 million of imputed interest on the sale of future revenue liability. Source

Pet Health and Farm Animal segments

  • Farm Animal revenue up 18%: Farm Animal revenue was $642 million, up 18% reported and 13% organic constant currency, including a 2% contribution from price. Source
  • Volume rise led by poultry and cattle: Farm Animal volumes rose 11%. Cattle revenue was $316 million, up 16%, poultry $230 million, up 22%, and swine $96 million, up 13%. Source
  • Pet Health revenue up 12%: Pet Health revenue was $710 million, up 12% reported and 7% organic constant currency. Price added 2%, in line with the company's expectation. Source

“Our strong first quarter results underscore the powerful momentum we are carrying into 2026,”

Bob VanHimbergen, Executive Vice President and CFO of Elanco Animal Health

Products and customers

  • Advantage and Seresto contributed revenue: The Advantage Family of products contributed $163 million and Seresto $159 million of revenue in the quarter. Source
  • Credelio Quattro gained clinic share: Credelio Quattro has penetrated over 40% of the U.S. clinic base. Its share in clinics that carry it rose to 53%. Source
  • Zenrelia reached blockbuster status: Zenrelia reached trailing 4-quarter blockbuster status, with over 2 million dogs treated. Over 50% share of the JAK market in Brazil was reported. Source
  • Zenrelia gained U.S. JAK share: Zenrelia's U.S. JAK market share rose 5 points versus Q4 per Kynetec data. Share was over 35% in Japan and high-teens to 30%+ in key European markets, per internal estimates. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Adjusted gross margin down 40 basis points: Adjusted gross margin was 57.0%, a 40 basis point decrease the company said was expected. Drivers were product mix, timing of inflation and higher inventory costs. Source
  • Operating expenses up 10%: Marketing, selling and administrative expenses rose 12% to $381 million. R&D rose 3% to $97 million, mainly from foreign exchange rates. Source
  • Monheim shut-down charges in special items: Special charges of $16 million included $15 million of non-cash shut-down costs for animal studies facilities in Monheim, Germany, tied to the 2025 Restructuring Plan. Source
  • Adjusted tax rate higher than last year: The reported effective tax rate was 34.6%, against (12.2)% a year earlier. The adjusted rate was 21.2%, against 9.2%. Source
  • Elanco Ascend savings built into guidance: Adjusted EBITDA guidance includes savings from the Elanco Ascend initiative, alongside more investment in innovation launches and the R&D pipeline. Source

“We remain disciplined in our execution of Elanco Ascend, which is already delivering meaningful efficiencies and positions us for significant, sustainable margin expansion starting this year.”

Bob VanHimbergen, Executive Vice President and CFO of Elanco Animal Health

Cash, balance sheet and leverage

  • Operating cash flow positive this quarter: Cash provided by operations was $13 million, compared with cash used in operations of $4 million a year earlier. Source
  • Net leverage ratio at 3.5x: Net leverage was 3.5x adjusted EBITDA, down 0.1x from year-end 2025, on net debt of $3,335 million and trailing adjusted EBITDA of $958 million. Source
  • Gross debt and cash balances: Gross debt was $4,018 million at March 31, 2026, with cash and cash equivalents of $428 million and finance lease liabilities of $255 million. Source

Guidance changes and assumptions

  • Revenue and EBITDA guidance raised: Full-year revenue guidance rose to $5,010 million to $5,085 million, and adjusted EBITDA guidance to $975 million to $1,005 million, both from February ranges. Source
  • Adjusted EPS guidance raised on volume and price: Management tied the full-year raises to outperformance in volume and price, and to confidence in executing the full-year plan. Source
  • Second-quarter guidance introduced: Second-quarter guidance covers revenue of $1,300 million to $1,325 million, adjusted EBITDA of $240 million to $260 million, and adjusted EPS of $0.25 to $0.28. Source
  • Growth assumption excludes currency and royalties: Full-year growth excluding foreign exchange and sold royalty revenue is now expected at 5% to 7%, against 4% to 6% before. Source

Coming up, as management said on 6 May 2026

  • Befrena U.S. commercial launch in Q2: Befrena's phased launch is on track, with commercialization in the U.S. expected in the second quarter of 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Research and development expense Source$97 million, up 3%
Advantage Family of products revenue Source$163 million
Seresto revenue Source$159 million
Credelio Quattro regulatory approval SourceApproved in Canada, April 2026
Zenrelia sales milestone SourceTrailing 4-quarter blockbuster status

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management said it is taking a prudent, balanced approach given the macro environment. Source
  • Operational: Gross margin was affected by inflation timing and higher inventory costs flowing through cost of sales. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The 40 basis point adjusted gross margin decrease was described as in line with expectations. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it continues to expect price to contribute more than in 2025. 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.