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Marzetti Co.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 November 2025: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Record first-quarter net sales: Reported net sales rose 5.8% to $493.5 million from $466.6 million a year earlier, a first-quarter record. Source
  • Operating income reached $59.3 million: Reported operating income rose $3.4 million to $59.3 million. Excluding $1.1 million of restructuring and impairment charges, adjusted operating income rose 8.1% to $60.4 million. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $1.71: Net income was $47.2 million, or $1.71 per diluted share, against $1.62 a year earlier. Source
  • Retail sales grew 3.5%: Retail net sales rose 3.5% to $247.8 million, up from $239.6 million a year earlier. Source
  • Foodservice reported sales rose 8.2%: Reported Foodservice sales rose 8.2% to $245.6 million, including TSA sales. Excluding TSA sales, Foodservice sales rose 3.5% to $234.9 million. Source
  • Retail profit fell; Foodservice profit rose: Retail operating income was $50.6 million against $56.2 million a year earlier. Foodservice operating income was $34.8 million against $24.3 million. Source
  • Gross profit rose on savings and volume: Gross profit rose $8.0 million to $118.8 million, which the company attributed to cost savings programs and higher sales volumes. Source
  • SG&A rose on higher marketing: SG&A rose $3.5 million to $58.4 million, mainly from higher marketing costs. Source

“We were pleased to report record sales, gross profit and operating income for our fiscal first quarter.”

CEO David A. Ciesinski

What changed from last quarter

  • Ended: Milpitas sauce and dressing production concluded during the quarter ended September 30, 2025, as planned. Source
  • New: This release presents Adjusted Gross Margin and Adjusted Operating Income as non-GAAP measures. The prior release did not report either measure. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Record first-quarter net sales: Reported net sales rose 5.8% to $493.5 million from $466.6 million a year earlier, a first-quarter record. Source
  • Sales growth excluding TSA was 3.5%: Excluding $10.7 million of non-core TSA sales from Winland Foods, adjusted consolidated net sales rose 3.5% to $482.8 million. Source
  • Operating income reached $59.3 million: Reported operating income rose $3.4 million to $59.3 million. Excluding $1.1 million of restructuring and impairment charges, adjusted operating income rose 8.1% to $60.4 million. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $1.71: Net income was $47.2 million, or $1.71 per diluted share, against $1.62 a year earlier. Source

Segments and regions

  • Retail sales grew 3.5%: Retail net sales rose 3.5% to $247.8 million, up from $239.6 million a year earlier. Source
  • Foodservice reported sales rose 8.2%: Reported Foodservice sales rose 8.2% to $245.6 million, including TSA sales. Excluding TSA sales, Foodservice sales rose 3.5% to $234.9 million. Source
  • Retail profit fell; Foodservice profit rose: Retail operating income was $50.6 million against $56.2 million a year earlier. Foodservice operating income was $34.8 million against $24.3 million. Source
  • Corporate expenses rose slightly: Corporate expenses were $25.0 million against $24.6 million a year earlier. Source

“Looking ahead to our fiscal second quarter and the remainder of our fiscal year, we anticipate Retail segment sales will continue to benefit from the growth of our licensing program and contributions from our own brands.”

CEO David A. Ciesinski

Products and customers

  • Frozen garlic bread led Retail growth: Retail growth was led by New York Bakery frozen garlic bread, including gluten-free Texas Toast launched last fall. Source
  • Licensed brands added volume: Licensing volume added to Retail growth, with Chick-fil-A sauces, Olive Garden dressings and Buffalo Wild Wings sauces cited. Source
  • National chain accounts drove Foodservice: Foodservice demand rose from several core national chain restaurant accounts, alongside inflationary pricing. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross profit rose on savings and volume: Gross profit rose $8.0 million to $118.8 million, which the company attributed to cost savings programs and higher sales volumes. Source
  • SG&A rose on higher marketing: SG&A rose $3.5 million to $58.4 million, mainly from higher marketing costs. Source
  • Personnel spending also raised SG&A: SG&A also reflects increased investment in personnel. Source
  • Restructuring charges cut EPS by $0.03: Restructuring and impairment charges of $1.1 million reduced net income by $0.9 million, or $0.03 per diluted share. Source

Demand and volumes

  • Retail pounds shipped rose 3.2%: Retail volume, measured in pounds shipped, rose 3.2% while Retail net sales rose 3.5%. Source
  • Foodservice pounds shipped rose 0.5%: Excluding TSA sales, Foodservice pounds shipped rose 0.5%. The company attributed the sales increase to inflationary pricing and a more favorable sales mix. Source

Capital, cash and returns to shareholders

  • Cash rose to $182.2 million: Cash and equivalents were $182.2 million at September 30, 2025, up from $161.5 million at June 30, 2025. Source
  • Noncurrent liabilities increased: Noncurrent liabilities and deferred income taxes rose to $118.2 million from $89.9 million. Shareholders’ equity was $1,018.8 million. Source
  • Dividend per share was $0.95: Cash dividends per common share were $0.95 against $0.90 in the year-earlier quarter. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Winland Atlanta facility feeds Foodservice: Non-core TSA sales come from the Winland Foods sauce and dressing facility in Atlanta, which the company acquired, and are booked in Foodservice. Source
  • Milpitas closure part of network work: The Milpitas sauce and dressing closure is part of an ongoing initiative to better optimize the manufacturing network. Source
  • Retail brand investment continued: Marketing spending was made to support continued growth of the Retail brands. Source

Reporting basis and non-GAAP measures

  • Adjusted gross margin 24.6% vs reported 24.1%: Reported gross margin was 24.1% and adjusted gross margin was 24.6%. The TSA adjustment removes $10.7 million from both net sales and cost of sales, with no gross profit effect. Source
  • Adjusted operating income excludes restructuring: Adjusted operating income excludes items affecting comparability. In this quarter, the only adjustment reflects restructuring and impairment charges for the Milpitas closure. Source
  • Management uses non-GAAP measures internally: The company said it uses these non-GAAP measures in its annual operating plan and its monthly analysis of operating results. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 November 2025

  • Winland TSA sales expected to end: TSA sales from Winland Foods are expected to conclude during the quarter ending March 31, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Retail sales volume, pounds shipped Source+3.2%
Foodservice sales volume excluding TSA, pounds shipped Source+0.5%

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said production at the Milpitas facility concluded during the quarter ending September 30, 2025, as planned. Source
  • Not stated: The earlier release described the TSA as running for up to twelve months. This release gives an expected conclusion during the quarter ending March 31, 2026.

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.