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Kraft Heinz Co.: 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: 2 lowered, 7 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Organic sales slipped 0.4 percent: Net sales rose 0.8 percent to $6.0 billion, helped by a 1.9 point currency effect and reduced by a 0.7 point divestiture effect. Organic net sales fell 0.4 percent. Source
  • Adjusted operating income fell 11.8%: Adjusted Operating Income decreased 11.8 percent to $1.1 billion. The cost and volume causes are described in the costs and products sections. Source
  • North America profit fell sharply: North America net sales fell 0.7 percent to $4.5 billion, with organic sales down 1.1 percent. Segment Adjusted Operating Income fell from $1,101 million to $974 million. Source
  • Taste Elevation shares improving: Management said market share trends are improving, particularly in must-win parts of the portfolio, with Taste Elevation named as an example. Source
  • Operating cash flow up 39.7%: Operating cash flow was $1.0 billion. Free Cash Flow was $0.8 billion, up 58.9 percent, and Free Cash Flow Conversion rose to 111 percent. Source
  • Full-year guidance kept: Management reaffirmed fiscal 2026 guidance for organic sales, constant currency operating income, margin, Adjusted EPS and Free Cash Flow Conversion, citing a volatile operating environment. Source

“Our first quarter results demonstrate steady progress, and I am encouraged by the early signs of momentum we’re building,”

Steve Cahillane, CEO of Kraft Heinz

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Organic Net Sales Sourcefiscal year 2026down 1.5 percent to down 3.5 percentKept
Constant Currency Adjusted Operating Income Sourcefiscal year 2026down 14 percent to down 18 percentKept
Incremental investment across marketing, sales, R&D Sourcefiscal year 2026approximately $600 millionKept
Adjusted Gross Profit Margin change Sourcefiscal year 2026down 25 basis points to down 75 basis pointsKept
Adjusted EPS Sourcefiscal year 2026$1.98 to $2.10Kept
Effective tax rate on Adjusted EPS Sourcefiscal year 2026approximately 25 percentLowered from approximately 25.5 percent
Interest expense Sourcefiscal year 2026approximately $920 millionLowered from approximately $940 million
Other expense/(income) Sourcefiscal year 2026approximately $200 million of incomeKept
Free Cash Flow Conversion Sourcefiscal year 2026approximately 100 percentKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Expected interest expense for fiscal 2026 changed to about $920 million from about $940 million. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Expected effective tax rate on Adjusted EPS changed to about 25 percent from about 25.5 percent. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Organic sales slipped 0.4 percent: Net sales rose 0.8 percent to $6.0 billion, helped by a 1.9 point currency effect and reduced by a 0.7 point divestiture effect. Organic net sales fell 0.4 percent. Source
  • Pricing rose in every segment: Price added 0.8 percentage points, with increases in each segment, mainly from pricing taken in certain categories to offset higher input costs. Source
  • Adjusted operating income fell 11.8%: Adjusted Operating Income decreased 11.8 percent to $1.1 billion. The cost and volume causes are described in the costs and products sections. Source
  • Diluted EPS up, adjusted EPS down: Diluted EPS rose 13.6 percent to $0.67, mainly on lower income tax expense. Adjusted EPS fell 6.5 percent to $0.58, on lower Adjusted Operating Income. Source

Segments and regions

  • North America profit fell sharply: North America net sales fell 0.7 percent to $4.5 billion, with organic sales down 1.1 percent. Segment Adjusted Operating Income fell from $1,101 million to $974 million. Source
  • International developed markets grew: International Developed Markets net sales rose 3.2 percent to $843 million, while organic sales slipped 0.1 percent. Segment Adjusted Operating Income rose 4.9 percent. Source
  • Emerging Markets sales up, profit down: Emerging Markets net sales rose 7.6 percent to $746 million, with organic sales up 3.8 percent. Segment Adjusted Operating Income fell to $95 million from $99 million. Source

“This is proof that our brands respond well when we invest behind them.”

Steve Cahillane, CEO of Kraft Heinz

Products and demand

  • Taste Elevation shares improving: Management said market share trends are improving, particularly in must-win parts of the portfolio, with Taste Elevation named as an example. Source
  • Coffee, cold cuts and Indonesia declined: Volume/mix declines were led by coffee, cold cuts and Indonesia. A shift in Easter timing gave favorable impact to certain categories. Source
  • Volume/mix down in every segment: Volume/mix fell 1.2 percentage points versus the prior year, with declines in North America, International Developed Markets and Emerging Markets. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Reported gross margin up, adjusted down: Gross profit margin rose 230 basis points to 36.7 percent. Adjusted Gross Profit Margin fell 30 basis points to 34.1 percent. Source
  • Advertising and logistics costs rose: Higher advertising spend and manufacturing and logistics inflation that outpaced efficiency initiatives reduced Adjusted Operating Income, along with lower volume/mix. Source
  • Pricing and procurement recoveries offset: Higher pricing, nonrecurring procurement cost recoveries and a favorable currency impact more than offset the cost pressures, per management. Source
  • Separation and restructuring costs rose: Separation costs were $56 million and restructuring activities $22 million in the quarter, both excluded from Adjusted Operating Income. Source

Capital, cash and returns

  • Operating cash flow up 39.7%: Operating cash flow was $1.0 billion. Free Cash Flow was $0.8 billion, up 58.9 percent, and Free Cash Flow Conversion rose to 111 percent. Source
  • Working capital drove the cash gain: Management attributed the increase mainly to working capital, including inventory optimization and improved supplier payment terms, plus collateral receipts on commodity margin requirements. Source
  • Dividends paid, no buybacks: Dividends paid were $474 million in the quarter. No shares were repurchased; about $1.5 billion of repurchase authorization remains. Source
  • Cash rose, marketable securities fell: Cash and cash equivalents rose to $3,308 million from $2,615 million, while marketable securities fell to $783 million from $1,060 million. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Heinz brand and Emerging Markets: Management described its strategy as leveraging the Heinz brand and capturing white-space opportunities across Emerging Markets, alongside planned incremental investment. Source
  • U.S. turnaround and international growth: Management said 2026 focus is turning around the U.S. business and accelerating growth in international markets. Source
  • Profitable growth through volume recovery: Management stated the goal is profitable growth through volume and market share recovery, while continuing to generate strong Free Cash Flow. Source

Full-year guidance reaffirmed

  • Full-year guidance kept: Management reaffirmed fiscal 2026 guidance for organic sales, constant currency operating income, margin, Adjusted EPS and Free Cash Flow Conversion, citing a volatile operating environment. Source
  • Tax rate and interest expense lowered: The expected Adjusted EPS tax rate moved to about 25 percent and interest expense to about $920 million, both lower than the prior release. Source
  • Investment flexibility retained: Management said it retains flexibility to increase investment in areas delivering strong returns, while reiterating the 2026 plan. Source

Coming up, as management said on 6 May 2026

  • Live question-and-answer session: Management said it would host a live Q&A session on the release date at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Volume/mix change, Kraft Heinz Source(1.2) percentage points

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management described a volatile operating environment with rising inflationary pressures and persistently low consumer sentiment. Source
  • Demand: Volume/mix declines in coffee, cold cuts and Indonesia reduced sales in the quarter. Source
  • Operational: Manufacturing and logistics cost inflation outpaced the company's efficiency initiatives, pressuring margins. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said investments made in 2025 are producing early traction. 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.