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J&J Snack Foods Corp.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales declined 6.2% to $426.0 million: Sales decreased from $454.3 million prior year, primarily due to anticipated bakery reductions and lower Frozen Beverage machine and service sales. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA of $67.4 million despite headwinds: Adjusted EBITDA fell 6.4% from $72.0 million prior year despite freight and fuel cost increases of approximately $4.7 million during the quarter. Source
  • Gross margin expanded 240 basis points to 35.5%: Gross margin improved from 33.0% prior year to 35.5%, reflecting Apollo transformation initiatives and favorable product mix improvements. Source
  • Food Service sales down 8.3% year-over-year: Food Service net sales decreased $22.9 million to $254.3 million. Anticipated bakery reductions represented approximately $16.0 million of the decline. Source
  • Plant consolidation savings running ahead of schedule: Apollo-driven plant consolidation savings are running ahead of plan, enabling management to raise annualized target by $5 million to at least $20 million and full program target to $25 million. Source
  • Distribution expenses up 11.0% with freight headwinds: Distribution expenses increased to $49.6 million or 11.6% of sales, up from 9.8% prior year. Higher fuel and freight costs of approximately $5.0 million, excluding fuel surcharge collections, created significant headwind. Source

“Fiscal 2026 has been a year of disciplined transformation, and that work continued to pay off in the third quarter”

Dan Fachner, President and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Apollo plant consolidation savings annualized target Sourcefiscal 2026at least $20 millionRaised from $15 million
Apollo full program savings target Sourcetotal program$25 millionRaised

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Apollo plant consolidation annualized savings target raised by $5 million to at least $20 million from prior $15 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Apollo full program savings target raised to $25 million total. Source
  • New: Fiscal 2027 guidance for return to top-line growth following transformation year. Source

Third Quarter Results and Performance

  • Net sales declined 6.2% to $426.0 million: Sales decreased from $454.3 million prior year, primarily due to anticipated bakery reductions and lower Frozen Beverage machine and service sales. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA of $67.4 million despite headwinds: Adjusted EBITDA fell 6.4% from $72.0 million prior year despite freight and fuel cost increases of approximately $4.7 million during the quarter. Source
  • Adjusted earnings per share at $1.96: Adjusted EPS of $1.96 compared to $2.00 in prior year, down 2.0% despite transformation benefits in gross profit and mix. Source

Gross Margin Expansion

  • Gross margin expanded 240 basis points to 35.5%: Gross margin improved from 33.0% prior year to 35.5%, reflecting Apollo transformation initiatives and favorable product mix improvements. Source
  • Gross profit increased modestly to $151.0 million: Gross profit increased $1.0 million to $151.0 million despite net sales decline, showing strong operational leverage from mix and efficiency. Source

“We delivered Adjusted EBITDA of $67.4 million and Adjusted earnings per diluted share of $1.96, even as freight and fuel costs increased approximately $4.7 million during the quarter”

Dan Fachner, President and CEO

Food Service Segment Performance

  • Food Service sales down 8.3% year-over-year: Food Service net sales decreased $22.9 million to $254.3 million. Anticipated bakery reductions represented approximately $16.0 million of the decline. Source
  • Pretzels and churros showed modest growth: Modest growth in pretzels and churros was offset by continued softness in cookies and handhelds, similar to the second quarter pattern. Source
  • Food Service operating income essentially flat: Food Service operating income increased $0.2 million to $28.1 million as higher distribution costs mostly offset improvements in gross profit. Source

Retail Supermarket and Frozen Beverages Segments

  • Retail Supermarket net sales up 1.7% to $64.9 million: Net sales increased $1.1 million despite incurring $2 million increase in slotting fees to support innovation rollout. Operating income decreased $3.5 million to $2.7 million. Source
  • Frozen Beverages sales down 5.8% to $106.7 million: Net sales decreased $6.5 million with beverage sales up $4.2 million offset by machine sales decline of $7.3 million and service sales decline of $3.4 million. Source

“Apollo-driven plant consolidation savings are running ahead of plan, giving us the confidence to raise our annualized plant savings target by $5 million to at least $20 million and the full program target to $25 million”

Dan Fachner, President and CEO

Apollo Transformation Ahead of Plan

  • Plant consolidation savings running ahead of schedule: Apollo-driven plant consolidation savings are running ahead of plan, enabling management to raise annualized target by $5 million to at least $20 million and full program target to $25 million. Source
  • Mix improvements supporting transformation benefits: Product mix improvements contributed alongside Apollo initiatives to drive the 240 basis point gross margin expansion, demonstrating profitability gains from transformation work. Source

Operating Expense Pressures

  • Distribution expenses up 11.0% with freight headwinds: Distribution expenses increased to $49.6 million or 11.6% of sales, up from 9.8% prior year. Higher fuel and freight costs of approximately $5.0 million, excluding fuel surcharge collections, created significant headwind. Source
  • Marketing and selling expenses up 2.3%: Marketing and selling expenses increased 2.3% to $34.6 million or 8.1% of sales, up from 7.5% in the prior year quarter. Source
  • Administrative expenses essentially flat at $20.1 million: Administrative expenses were materially flat at $20.1 million or 4.7% of sales, up from 4.4% prior year, reflecting implementation of savings initiatives. Source

Share Repurchases and Capital Allocation

  • Repurchased 135,852 shares for $10 million in Q3: During the third quarter, the company repurchased shares under the $50 million authorized program. As of June 27, 2026, $18 million remained available under the authorization. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 August 2026

  • Q4 sales environment to improve: Management expects sales environment to improve in the fourth quarter as pipeline fills for core products and recent headwinds diminish. Source
  • Return to top-line growth in fiscal 2027: Company expects business repositioning will support return to top-line growth beginning in fiscal 2027. Source
  • Continued Apollo transformation execution: Apollo program continues executing with plant consolidation savings running ahead of plan and annualized target of at least $20 million. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Food Service segment net sales Source$254.3 million (down 8.3% year-over-year)
Retail Supermarket segment net sales Source$64.9 million (up 1.7% year-over-year)
Frozen Beverages segment net sales Source$106.7 million (down 5.8% year-over-year)
Food Service segment operating income Source$28.1 million (essentially flat year-over-year)
Retail Supermarket segment operating income Source$2.7 million (down $3.5 million year-over-year)
Frozen Beverages segment operating income Source$22.8 million (down $0.9 million year-over-year)

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead of plan: Apollo-driven plant consolidation savings are running ahead of plan, enabling management to raise annualized target by $5 million to at least $20 million and full program target to $25 million. Source
  • On track: Anticipated reductions in bakery business represented approximately $16.0 million of the quarterly sales decline, executing as planned strategic reductions. Source
  • On track: Innovative product launches discussed in prior quarters are now reaching customers with positive early reception and robust pipeline ahead.
  • Not stated: Company remains confident that business repositioning progress will support return to top-line growth in fiscal 2027 after transformation year. 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.