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Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 raised, 1 lowered, 2 new, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales declined 4.1 percent: Net sales were $1,153.9 million against $1,203.3 million a year earlier. Water fell 6.5 percent and Outdoors 3.8 percent; Security rose 3.8 percent. Source
  • GAAP operating loss in the quarter: GAAP operating loss was $9.0 million against income of $171.6 million a year earlier. GAAP diluted EPS was ($0.19), against $0.83. Source
  • EPS before charges rose to $1.35: EPS before charges and gains was $1.35, against $1.00 a year earlier, an increase of 35.0 percent. Source
  • Outdoors GAAP margin turned negative: Outdoors net sales were $364.5 million, down 3.8 percent, and down 1.5 percent excluding Fiberon. GAAP operating margin was (48.7%); before charges and gains it was 15.2 percent. Source
  • Quarter free cash flow $179.3 million: Operating cash flow was $202.8 million and capital expenditure was $23.5 million in the quarter. Free cash flow for 26 weeks was $39.8 million, against $6.1 million. Source
  • Net debt and leverage ratio: Net debt was $2.3 billion at quarter end. Net debt to EBITDA before charges and gains was 2.7x, against 2.9x at the first quarter. Source
  • CEO sets execution priorities: Teams are to serve customers better, bring cost discipline, refocus on core businesses and generate sustainable growth, the CEO said. Source

“Our second quarter results were in line with expectations, and we continue to focus on improving execution.”

Jesse Singh, Fortune Brands Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
EPS before charges / gains SourceFull year 2026$3.22 to $3.52Raised from $3.00 to $3.30
Net tariff refund benefit to EPS SourceFull year 2026$0.52New
Net tariff refund benefit to operating income SourceFull year 2026$81 millionNew
Operating margin before charges / gains SourceFull year 202614.0% to 15.0%Raised from 13.5% to 14.5%
Cash flow from operations SourceFull year 2026$495 million to $530 millionRaised from $475 million to $510 million
Free cash flow SourceFull year 2026$370 million to $420 millionRaised from $350 million to $400 million
Interest expense SourceFull year 2026$108 million to $112 millionLowered from $110 million to $115 million
Capex SourceFull year 2026$110 million to $125 millionKept
Tax rate SourceFull year 202624.0% to 24.5%Kept
Share count SourceFull year 2026120 million to 120.5 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year EPS before charges and gains range raised to $3.22 to $3.52 from $3.00 to $3.30. Source
  • Guidance raised: Operating margin before charges and gains range raised to 14.0 to 15.0 percent from 13.5 to 14.5 percent. Source
  • Guidance raised: Cash flow from operations range raised to $495 million to $530 million from $475 million to $510 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Free cash flow range raised to $370 million to $420 million from $350 million to $400 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Interest expense range lowered to $108 million to $112 million from $110 million to $115 million. Source
  • New guidance: Net tariff refund benefit added to full-year guidance: $81 million to operating income and $0.52 to EPS. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year net sales guidance is unchanged at down low single digits. Source
  • New: Jesse Singh is Chief Executive Officer. The first-quarter release had David Barry as interim Chief Executive Officer. Source
  • New: The company initiated a formal strategic review of the Fiberon business on May 27, 2026. Source

Second quarter results and drivers

  • Net sales declined 4.1 percent: Net sales were $1,153.9 million against $1,203.3 million a year earlier. Water fell 6.5 percent and Outdoors 3.8 percent; Security rose 3.8 percent. Source
  • GAAP operating loss in the quarter: GAAP operating loss was $9.0 million against income of $171.6 million a year earlier. GAAP diluted EPS was ($0.19), against $0.83. Source
  • EPS before charges rose to $1.35: EPS before charges and gains was $1.35, against $1.00 a year earlier, an increase of 35.0 percent. Source
  • Margin before charges reached 20.4 percent: Operating income before charges and gains was $235.6 million, up 18.4 percent. Operating margin before charges and gains was 20.4 percent, up 390 basis points. Source
  • Six-month net sales declined 3.2 percent: For the 26 weeks, net sales were $2,165.2 million against $2,236.5 million. GAAP diluted EPS was $0.01 against $1.24. Source

Segment results

  • Water sales fell, margin rose: Water net sales were $605.0 million, down 6.5 percent. Operating margin was 28.9 percent, up 480 basis points, and 29.5 percent before charges and gains. Source
  • Outdoors GAAP margin turned negative: Outdoors net sales were $364.5 million, down 3.8 percent, and down 1.5 percent excluding Fiberon. GAAP operating margin was (48.7%); before charges and gains it was 15.2 percent. Source
  • Security sales and margin rose: Security net sales were $184.4 million, up 3.8 percent. Operating margin was 26.6 percent, and 26.8 percent before charges and gains, up 1,200 basis points. Source
  • Sales excluding China shown separately: Net sales excluding China were down 3.5 percent, against 4.1 percent reported. Water excluding China was down 5.4 percent, against 6.5 percent reported. Source

“Our teams are moving with urgency to serve our customers better, bring greater discipline to our cost base, refocus resources on our core businesses and generate sustainable growth.”

Jesse Singh, Fortune Brands Chief Executive Officer

Costs and charges

  • Cost of products sold fell: Cost of products sold was $563.2 million against $660.1 million a year earlier, down 14.7 percent. Source
  • Selling, general and administrative costs rose: Selling, general and administrative expenses were $343.8 million against $338.8 million, up 1.5 percent. For 26 weeks they were $696.5 million, up 6.5 percent. Source
  • Restructuring charges fell: Restructuring charges were $8.1 million against $13.7 million. For 26 weeks they were $12.5 million against $38.5 million. Source

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Quarter free cash flow $179.3 million: Operating cash flow was $202.8 million and capital expenditure was $23.5 million in the quarter. Free cash flow for 26 weeks was $39.8 million, against $6.1 million. Source
  • Net debt and leverage ratio: Net debt was $2.3 billion at quarter end. Net debt to EBITDA before charges and gains was 2.7x, against 2.9x at the first quarter. Source
  • Cash and revolver availability: Cash was $210 million at quarter end, and $858 million was available under the revolving credit facility. Source
  • Receivables and debt rose: Accounts receivable were $607.1 million, up from $513.1 million at December 27, 2025. Long-term debt was $2,551.5 million against $2,544.9 million. Source

“Overall, the commercial performance of our business and the operating environment have been consistent with our previous outlook.”

Ashley George, Fortune Brands Interim Chief Financial Officer

Shareholder returns

  • Buybacks slowed in the quarter: The company repurchased $2 million of shares in the quarter, against $43.5 million in the first quarter. Treasury stock purchases were $45.2 million for 26 weeks, against $237.8 million. Source
  • Diluted share count declined: Diluted average shares outstanding were 119.5 million in the quarter, down 1.0 percent from 120.7 million a year earlier. Source
  • Dividends paid over 26 weeks: Dividends to stockholders were $62.2 million for 26 weeks, against $60.6 million a year earlier. Source

Strategy, customers and leadership

  • CEO sets execution priorities: Teams are to serve customers better, bring cost discipline, refocus on core businesses and generate sustainable growth, the CEO said. Source
  • Fund near-term service investment: Excluding the tariff benefit, full-year guidance funds incremental near-term investment to improve service levels and accelerate new product development. Source
  • Early customer and partner talks: The CEO has spent time with business teams and held initial conversations with customers and channel partners since taking the role. Source
  • Brands and portfolio as a base: The CEO sees the underlying brands and portfolio as a base to expand market position across all businesses. Source
  • Interim CFO remains in role: Ashley George is Fortune Brands Interim Chief Financial Officer, as in the first-quarter release. Source
  • Governance costs excluded from EPS: Governance advisory and leadership transition costs were $1.3 million this quarter and $43.6 million for 26 weeks, excluded from EPS before charges and gains. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: A $228.7 million impairment of Fiberon asset group within Outdoors was recorded and affected GAAP results. Source
  • Operational: A fire at an Outdoors manufacturing facility led to $3.0 million of costs in the quarter and $6.6 million for 26 weeks. Source
  • Operational: Management said it continues to focus on improving execution, and is funding investment to improve service levels. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said underlying EPS for the second quarter was delivered in line with expectations. Source
  • On track: The CFO said commercial performance and the operating environment were consistent with prior expectations. 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.