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Freshpet, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 23 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth-quarter sales rose 8.6%: Fourth-quarter net sales were $285.2 million against $262.7 million. Volume gains of 9.7% were partly offset by price/mix down 1.1%. Source
  • Net income lifted by tax benefit: Full-year net income was $139.1 million against $46.9 million, with diluted EPS of $2.64. A $68.4 million income tax benefit from releasing the valuation allowance was cited as the main reason. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA reached $195.7 million: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA was $195.7 million, a 17.8% margin, against $161.8 million. Fourth-quarter Adjusted EBITDA was $61.2 million, 21.4% of net sales. Source
  • Island fridge testing began: Testing of island fridges began. Management called it the company's most significant step change in retail visibility and availability. Source
  • New-technology manufacturing line started: The first manufacturing line using a new technology was started up. Management said the technology can enhance product quality and profitability. Source
  • Fourth-quarter gross margin rose: Fourth-quarter gross margin was 43.3% against 42.5%; adjusted gross margin was 48.4% against 48.1%. Management attributed the increase to reduced quality costs and better plant leverage. Source
  • Free cash flow turned positive: Free cash flow was $12.4 million for 2025, against negative $32.8 million for 2024. Source

“Fiscal year 2025 taught us some very important lessons and challenged the resilience of our business and our organization.”

Billy Cyr, Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales growth SourceFull year 20267% to 10%New
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFull year 2026$205 million to $215 millionNew
Capital expenditures SourceFull year 2026~$150 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 guidance issued covering net sales growth, Adjusted EBITDA, positive free cash flow and capital expenditures. Source
  • New: Testing of island fridges began; the release does not give a start date. Source
  • New: The first manufacturing line using a breakthrough technology was started up recently. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Fourth-quarter sales rose 8.6%: Fourth-quarter net sales were $285.2 million against $262.7 million. Volume gains of 9.7% were partly offset by price/mix down 1.1%. Source
  • Full-year sales passed $1 billion: Full-year net sales were $1,102.0 million, up 13.0% and above $1 billion for the first time, with volume up 12.0% and price/mix up 1.0%. Source
  • Net income lifted by tax benefit: Full-year net income was $139.1 million against $46.9 million, with diluted EPS of $2.64. A $68.4 million income tax benefit from releasing the valuation allowance was cited as the main reason. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA reached $195.7 million: Full-year Adjusted EBITDA was $195.7 million, a 17.8% margin, against $161.8 million. Fourth-quarter Adjusted EBITDA was $61.2 million, 21.4% of net sales. Source

Products and customers

  • Island fridge testing began: Testing of island fridges began. Management called it the company's most significant step change in retail visibility and availability. Source
  • New-technology manufacturing line started: The first manufacturing line using a new technology was started up. Management said the technology can enhance product quality and profitability. Source
  • Marketing retooled for household growth: Marketing was retooled to drive household penetration growth. Management said e-commerce momentum is building. Source

“Importantly, we strengthened our foundation for future growth.”

Billy Cyr, Chief Executive Officer

Channels and distribution

  • Pet specialty distributor replaced: After one pet specialty distributor was liquidated, the company moved to a new distribution partner that it expects will serve pet specialty stores. Source
  • Distributor liquidation charge recorded: Distributor transition costs of $10.7 million were recorded, a non-recurring loss from an accounts receivable write-off, with transitory impact in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • International go-to-market change charges: Termination costs of $1.3 million were recorded due to a change in the company's international go-to-market strategy. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Fourth-quarter gross margin rose: Fourth-quarter gross margin was 43.3% against 42.5%; adjusted gross margin was 48.4% against 48.1%. Management attributed the increase to reduced quality costs and better plant leverage. Source
  • Full-year gross margin edged higher: Full-year gross margin was 40.8% against 40.6%, and adjusted gross margin 46.7% against 46.5%. Lower input costs and reduced quality costs were partly offset by reduced plant leverage. Source
  • Fourth-quarter SG&A ratio fell: Fourth-quarter SG&A was 27.7% of net sales against 35.1%; adjusted SG&A was 27.0% against 28.0%. Lower share-based and variable compensation accrual drove the decline, partly offset by media spend. Source
  • Media spend and charges rose for year: Net income was partly offset by higher SG&A, including media spend up $29.2 million and $17.7 million of non-recurring charges in 2025. Source

“We believe these efforts position us well to deliver outsized growth and improve profitability while fulfilling our mission to help dogs and cats live longer, happier and healthier lives with the people who love them.”

Billy Cyr, Chief Executive Officer

Cash, capital and returns

  • Year-end cash and debt: At December 31, 2025, cash and cash equivalents were $278.0 million and debt outstanding was $397.3 million, net of $5.2 million of unamortized issuance costs. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose $6.3 million: Cash from operations was $160.6 million for 2025, up $6.3 million, driven largely by higher net sales. A higher first-quarter incentive payment partly offset that gain. Source
  • Free cash flow turned positive: Free cash flow was $12.4 million for 2025, against negative $32.8 million for 2024. Source
  • Capital spending was $148.2 million: Capital expenditures for 2025 were $148.2 million, against $187.1 million in 2024. Source

Guidance and prior-year comparison

  • No net income guidance given: The company does not give net income guidance, the GAAP measure closest to Adjusted EBITDA, and says it cannot reconcile forecast Adjusted EBITDA to net income without unreasonable effort. Source
  • November Adjusted EBITDA range versus actual: The November 2025 guidance for Adjusted EBITDA was $190 million to $195 million; full-year Adjusted EBITDA was $195.7 million.
  • November capex plan versus actual: The November 2025 capital expenditure plan was about $140 million; full-year capital expenditures were $148.2 million.

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Volume gains, fourth quarter 2025 Source9.7%
Volume gains, full year 2025 Source12.0%

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Higher input costs partly offset the fourth-quarter gross margin gain. Source
  • Operational: Reduced leverage on plant expenses offset part of the full-year gross margin gain. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The company reports positive free cash flow for 2025; the November update had said this would come a year earlier than the original goal. Source
  • Not stated: The company says it will use its balance sheet for ongoing capital needs tied to its long-term capacity plan. 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.