greeksoup/ stock research

Marzetti Co.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 3 February 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Sales rose 1.7% on TSA sales: Reported net sales rose 1.7% to $518.0 million. Excluding $8.2 million of non-core TSA sales, adjusted net sales rose 0.1% to $509.8 million. Source
  • Gross profit reached second-quarter record: Gross profit rose $4.5 million, or 3.4%, to $137.3 million, a second-quarter record. Reported gross margin rose 40 basis points. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: Net income rose $10.1 million to $59.1 million, or $2.15 per diluted share, compared with $1.78 a year earlier. Restructuring and impairment charges reduced EPS by $0.05. Source
  • Retail sales fell on lower volume: Retail net sales fell 1.1% to $277.5 million. Pounds shipped fell 3.1%, partly offset by inflationary pricing. Source
  • Foodservice sales up on adjusted basis: Reported Foodservice net sales rose 5.2% to $240.4 million, including $8.2 million of TSA sales. Adjusted Foodservice net sales rose 1.6% to $232.2 million, with pounds shipped down 0.4%. Source
  • Adjusted gross margin up 80 bps: Adjusted gross margin rose 80 basis points to 26.9%. Cost savings initiatives drove gross profit, and inflationary pricing offset cost inflation. Source
  • Retail demand softer during shutdown: Management attributed the 1.1% Retail sales decline to softer demand during the U.S. government shutdown, against prior-year Retail growth of 6.3%. Source
  • Bachan's acquisition agreed after quarter: Management signed a definitive agreement to acquire Bachan's, a Japanese barbecue sauce brand, after quarter end, and refers to separate materials for details. Source

“We were pleased to complete the quarter with record gross profit and higher gross profit margin.”

CEO David A. Ciesinski

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Entered a definitive agreement to acquire Bachan's, Inc. after quarter end. Source
  • Ended: Sauce and dressing production at the Milpitas, California facility concluded as planned.

Results and growth drivers

  • Sales rose 1.7% on TSA sales: Reported net sales rose 1.7% to $518.0 million. Excluding $8.2 million of non-core TSA sales, adjusted net sales rose 0.1% to $509.8 million. Source
  • Gross profit reached second-quarter record: Gross profit rose $4.5 million, or 3.4%, to $137.3 million, a second-quarter record. Reported gross margin rose 40 basis points. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS rose: Net income rose $10.1 million to $59.1 million, or $2.15 per diluted share, compared with $1.78 a year earlier. Restructuring and impairment charges reduced EPS by $0.05. Source
  • Operating income slightly lower: Operating income declined $0.5 million, or 0.6%, to $75.2 million. Adjusted operating income declined $0.4 million to $76.9 million, excluding restructuring charges and prior-year acquisition costs. Source
  • Six-month sales up 3.6%: For the six months, consolidated net sales rose 3.6% to $1,011.4 million. Excluding $18.9 million of TSA sales, adjusted net sales rose 1.7% to $992.5 million. Source

Segments and regions

  • Retail sales fell on lower volume: Retail net sales fell 1.1% to $277.5 million. Pounds shipped fell 3.1%, partly offset by inflationary pricing. Source
  • Retail operating income lower: Retail operating income was $62.8 million, against $69.0 million a year earlier. Six-month Retail operating income was $113.4 million, versus $125.2 million. Source
  • Foodservice sales up on adjusted basis: Reported Foodservice net sales rose 5.2% to $240.4 million, including $8.2 million of TSA sales. Adjusted Foodservice net sales rose 1.6% to $232.2 million, with pounds shipped down 0.4%. Source
  • Foodservice operating income higher: Foodservice operating income rose to $36.8 million from $30.3 million. Six-month Foodservice operating income was $71.6 million, versus $54.6 million. Source

“The 1.1% decline in Retail segment net sales compares to strong prior-year growth of 6.3% and reflects softer demand during the timeframe of the U.S. government shutdown.”

CEO David A. Ciesinski

Products and customers

  • Garlic bread and rolls expanded: Retail highlights were continued growth from New York Bakery frozen garlic bread and wider distribution for licensed Texas Roadhouse dinner rolls. Source
  • Foodservice demand from national chains: Foodservice growth was led by higher demand from several core national chain restaurant accounts and by increased sales of branded Foodservice products. Source
  • Licensing expected to support Retail: Management projects Retail sales will keep benefiting from the licensing program led by Texas Roadhouse dinner rolls, plus innovation and growth investments in its own brands, excluding the planned acquisition. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Adjusted gross margin up 80 bps: Adjusted gross margin rose 80 basis points to 26.9%. Cost savings initiatives drove gross profit, and inflationary pricing offset cost inflation. Source
  • SG&A rose on Retail marketing: SG&A rose $3.3 million to $60.4 million, driven by higher marketing costs to support Retail brands. Prior-year SG&A included $1.6 million in acquisition-related costs. Source
  • Restructuring tied to equipment impairment: Restructuring and impairment charges of $1.7 million were mainly the impairment of manufacturing equipment. Source
  • Prior-year pension charge lifted comparison: Income before income taxes rose $13.1 million to $76.3 million. The prior year included a $14.0 million noncash charge from terminating legacy pension plans. Source

“Inflationary pricing also contributed to the increase in Foodservice net sales.”

CEO David A. Ciesinski

Demand and the order book

  • Retail demand softer during shutdown: Management attributed the 1.1% Retail sales decline to softer demand during the U.S. government shutdown, against prior-year Retail growth of 6.3%. Source
  • Retail sales timing shifts to Q3: The earlier Easter holiday is expected to pull some Retail segment sales forward into the fiscal third quarter. Source
  • Continued growth from select chains: Management anticipates continued Foodservice growth from select customers within its national chain restaurant accounts. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Quarterly dividend raised to $1.00: The quarterly cash dividend was $1.00 per share, against $0.95 a year earlier, the 63rd consecutive annual increase. Source
  • Dividends and buybacks in quarter: The company paid $27.6 million in cash dividends and repurchased $20.1 million of common stock during the quarter. Source
  • Cash balance higher than June: Cash and equivalents were $201.6 million at December 31, 2025, against $161.5 million at June 30, 2025. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Bachan's acquisition agreed after quarter: Management signed a definitive agreement to acquire Bachan's, a Japanese barbecue sauce brand, after quarter end, and refers to separate materials for details. Source
  • Atlanta facility acquisition from Winland: The Atlanta sauce and dressing facility was acquired from Winland Foods, and the related TSA sales appear in Foodservice segment sales. Source
  • Milpitas plant closure charges continue: Remaining restructuring and impairment charges in the quarter relate to closing the Milpitas, California sauce and dressing facility, as part of network optimization. Source

Non-GAAP measures and reporting

  • TSA sales excluded from adjusted figures: TSA sales are included in reported Foodservice net sales but did not contribute meaningfully to gross profit, so adjusted measures exclude them. Source
  • Six-month adjusted operating income up: Adjusted operating income excludes restructuring and impairment charges and prior-year acquisition costs, and rose 3.1% for the six months to $137.3 million. Source
  • Prior-year acquisition costs excluded: Prior-year SG&A included $1.6 million of acquisition-related costs tied to the Atlanta facility, which the adjusted measures remove. Source

Coming up, as management said on 3 February 2026

  • Bachan's acquisition details provided: Management directed investors to a separate press release and presentation materials for the planned Bachan's acquisition. Source
  • Winland TSA sales to conclude: TSA sales are expected to conclude during the quarter ending March 31, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Retail sales volume, pounds shipped Source3.1% decrease
Adjusted Foodservice sales volume, pounds shipped Source0.4% decline

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Some Retail sales are expected to shift from this quarter into the fiscal third quarter because of the earlier Easter holiday. Source
  • Demand: Retail sales volume, measured in pounds shipped, fell 3.1%, which management linked to softer demand. Source
  • Operational: Restructuring and impairment charges were mainly tied to impairment of manufacturing equipment. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management described the dividend increase as part of its ongoing commitment to return value to shareholders. Source
  • Met: Production at the Milpitas sauce and dressing facility concluded in the quarter ending September 30, 2025, as planned.

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.