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Mondelez International, Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 2 lowered, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Adjusted EPS fell 24.2 percent: Adjusted EPS was $0.73, down 24.2 percent at constant currency; reported diluted EPS was $0.57, down 9.5 percent. Operating declines were partly offset by lower taxes and fewer shares. Source
  • Adjusted gross margin fell 1,010 basis points: Adjusted gross profit margin fell 1,010 basis points to 30.4 percent, driven by raw material and transportation costs and unfavorable mix, partly offset by higher pricing. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin fell 690 basis points: Adjusted operating income margin fell 690 basis points to 12.0 percent, driven by input cost inflation and unfavorable product mix. Source
  • Volume and mix subtracted 4.6 points: Volume/mix reduced organic net revenue growth by 4.6 points, while pricing added 8.0 points; volume/mix was negative in each of the four regions in the quarter. Source
  • Free cash flow $1.2 billion year-to-date: Year-to-date operating cash flow was $2.1 billion, and free cash flow was $1.2 billion after $881 million of capital expenditures, against $2.5 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Organic growth guidance cut to 4%+: Full-year organic net revenue growth is now expected at 4% or more, from approximately 5% previously; Adjusted EPS is now expected to decline about 15% at constant currency, from about 10%. Source

“We delivered solid top-line growth despite the impact of record-high cocoa cost inflation, with the third quarter representing peak costs of the year,”

Dirk Van de Put, Chair and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Organic Net Revenue growth SourceFY 20254%+Lowered from approximately 5 percent
Adjusted EPS growth, constant currency SourceFY 2025decline approximately 15%Lowered from decline approximately 10%
Free Cash Flow SourceFY 2025$3+ billionKept
Currency effect on net revenue growth SourceFY 2025approximately 0.5 percentRaised from no impact
Currency effect on Adjusted EPS SourceFY 2025$0.05Raised from no impact

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Organic Net Revenue growth guidance changed to 4%+ from approximately 5 percent in the prior release. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Adjusted EPS decline guidance changed to approximately 15% at constant currency from approximately 10% in the prior release. Source
  • Guidance raised: Currency estimate changed from no impact to an increase of about 0.5 percent in net revenue growth and $0.05 in Adjusted EPS. Source
  • Guidance kept: Free Cash Flow guidance of $3+ billion for 2025 was maintained. Source
  • New: In the third quarter the company bought out retiree obligations for two Canadian pension plans, producing a non-cash loss. Source
  • New: A cash payment of €145 million ($169 million) from JAB was received in the third quarter after a Keurig Dr Pepper agreement to acquire JDE Peet's. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Adjusted EPS fell 24.2 percent: Adjusted EPS was $0.73, down 24.2 percent at constant currency; reported diluted EPS was $0.57, down 9.5 percent. Operating declines were partly offset by lower taxes and fewer shares. Source
  • Reported operating income fell 35.5 percent: Reported operating income was $744 million, down 35.5 percent, with a 7.6 percent margin. Adjusted operating income was $1,171 million, down $582 million at constant currency. Source
  • Share count lower year over year: Diluted average shares were 1,296 million in the quarter, against 1,344 million a year earlier. Net earnings attributable to the company were $743 million, down 12.9 percent. Source

Segments and regions

  • Europe grew fastest on pricing: Europe net revenues rose 10.6 percent to $3,674 million, with organic growth of 5.1 percent: pricing added 12.6 points and volume/mix took away 7.5 points. Source
  • Europe profit fell most: Europe's adjusted operating margin fell 14.7 points to 8.2 percent, and its adjusted operating income dropped 63.2 percent at constant currency. Source
  • Adjusted margins by region: Adjusted operating margins were 12.2 percent in Latin America, 12.3 percent in AMEA, 8.2 percent in Europe and 19.4 percent in North America; the total was 12.0 percent. Source
  • Asia, Middle East and Africa growth: AMEA net revenues rose 9.0 percent to $2,017 million, with organic growth of 5.3 percent and pricing of 9.3 points, while its adjusted operating income fell 28.2 percent at constant currency. Source
  • Latin America organic growth: Latin America net revenues rose 2.8 percent to $1,238 million; organic growth of 4.7 percent came from pricing of 8.7 points, partly offset by volume/mix of 4.0 points. Source
  • Emerging markets grew; North America flat: Emerging markets rose 9.9 percent to $3,881 million and developed markets rose 3.3 percent to $5,863 million. North America net revenues fell 0.4 percent to $2,815 million. Source

“Although we anticipate challenging conditions to continue in some markets, we are encouraged by recent moderation in cocoa prices, as well as promising signs for a strong cocoa crop this fall.”

Dirk Van de Put, Chair and Chief Executive Officer

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Adjusted gross margin fell 1,010 basis points: Adjusted gross profit margin fell 1,010 basis points to 30.4 percent, driven by raw material and transportation costs and unfavorable mix, partly offset by higher pricing. Source
  • Productivity and pricing offset some costs: Higher pricing and lower manufacturing costs from productivity partly offset input cost inflation in adjusted gross profit. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin fell 690 basis points: Adjusted operating income margin fell 690 basis points to 12.0 percent, driven by input cost inflation and unfavorable product mix. Source
  • Lower marketing and overhead helped: Lower advertising and consumer promotion costs, manufacturing productivity and lower overhead partly offset the margin decline, alongside higher net pricing. Source
  • Reported gross profit fell $387 million: Reported gross profit was $2,612 million. The reported margin change was partly offset by a favorable year-over-year change in derivative mark-to-market effects. Source

Volume, mix and demand

  • Volume and mix subtracted 4.6 points: Volume/mix reduced organic net revenue growth by 4.6 points, while pricing added 8.0 points; volume/mix was negative in each of the four regions in the quarter. Source
  • Challenging conditions in some markets: Management said it expects challenging conditions to continue in some markets. Source
  • Pricing by region: Pricing added 8.7 points in Latin America, 9.3 in AMEA, 12.6 in Europe and 1.5 in North America, giving 8.0 points across the company. Source

“Our teams are focused on executing clear plans for volume improvement, significantly increasing growth investments, and driving meaningful cost efficiencies.”

Dirk Van de Put, Chair and Chief Executive Officer

Cash, debt and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow $1.2 billion year-to-date: Year-to-date operating cash flow was $2.1 billion, and free cash flow was $1.2 billion after $881 million of capital expenditures, against $2.5 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Returned $3.7 billion to shareholders: The company returned $3.7 billion to shareholders through dividends and buybacks in the first nine months of 2025. Source
  • Net debt rose $3.6 billion: Net debt was $19,955 million at September 30, 2025, up $3,557 million from December 31, 2024; total debt was $21,322 million. Source
  • Buybacks and dividends paid: Share repurchases were $1,893 million and dividends paid were $1,842 million in the nine months, with repurchases up from $1,187 million a year earlier. Source

Cocoa costs and growth plans

  • Cocoa costs peaked in third quarter: Management described the third quarter as the peak cost period of the year for cocoa, which carried record-high cocoa cost inflation. Source
  • Cocoa prices have moderated: Management cited recent moderation in cocoa prices and signs of a cocoa crop this fall. Source
  • Volume, growth and efficiency plans: Management said its teams are executing plans for volume improvement, significantly higher growth investment and meaningful cost efficiencies. Source

Full-year 2025 guidance and currency

  • Organic growth guidance cut to 4%+: Full-year organic net revenue growth is now expected at 4% or more, from approximately 5% previously; Adjusted EPS is now expected to decline about 15% at constant currency, from about 10%. Source
  • Currency now expected to add: Currency translation is estimated to add about 0.5 percent to 2025 net revenue growth and $0.05 to Adjusted EPS; the prior release assumed no currency impact. Source
  • Free cash flow target held: The company continues to expect 2025 free cash flow of $3 billion or more, unchanged from the prior release. Source
  • Tariff changes excluded from guidance: Guidance is given amid greater than usual volatility, and it does not reflect any potential tariff changes to USMCA-compliant trade. Source

Pension, tax and other items

  • Canadian pension buyout caused loss: A non-cash loss related to Canadian pension settlements was recorded and excluded from Adjusted EPS, where the pension participation change was $0.03 per share. Source
  • JDE Peet's sale yields cash payment: The company received a €145 million ($169 million) cash payment from JAB after Keurig Dr Pepper agreed to acquire JDE Peet's; this gain is excluded from Adjusted EPS. Source
  • Indirect tax resolution helped reported EPS: A favorable resolution of an indirect tax matter added to reported results and is excluded from Adjusted EPS; the reported effective tax rate was 19.7 percent. Source
  • Derivative mark-to-market excluded: Mark-to-market impacts from commodity and currency derivatives changed favorably year over year in reported results and are excluded from Adjusted results. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 October 2025

  • ERP program completion by 2028: The ERP System Implementation program runs in several phases over four years, with completion expected by year-end 2028. Source
  • Positioned for next year: Management said the company's business fundamentals position it well for next year and beyond. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Volume/mix change, consolidated Source-4.6 pp

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Cocoa cost inflation peaked in the third quarter, a cost exposure that weighed on the quarter's margins. Source
  • Demand: Management expects challenging conditions to continue in some markets, where volume/mix reduces revenue growth. Source
  • External: Management cited greater than usual volatility from geopolitical, trade and regulatory uncertainty, and from commodity prices. Source
  • Regulatory: Possible tariff changes to USMCA-compliant trade are not reflected in the guidance, a trade-policy exposure. Source
  • Financial: Currency translation is estimated from published rates on October 22, 2025; exchange-rate moves could change reported results. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said its teams are focused on executing these plans, without giving a status. Source
  • Not stated: The company continues to expect this figure, as it did in the prior release. Source
  • Not stated: The company describes the ERP program as expected to complete by year-end 2028, in several phases. 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.