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Newell Brands Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 31 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 5 lowered, 5 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales declined 7.2%: Net sales were $1.8 billion, down 7.2%, with core sales down 7.4% and favorable foreign exchange partly offsetting the decline. Source
  • Normalized EPS edged up: Normalized diluted EPS was $0.17 against $0.16. Reported diluted EPS was $0.05 against a $0.48 loss a year earlier, which included a $260 million impairment. Source
  • Home & Commercial core down 9.8%: Home & Commercial Solutions net sales were $942 million against $1.0 billion. Core sales fell 9.8%; normalized operating margin was 6.8% against 11.7%. Source
  • International core sales declined: International core sales fell 6.6% in the quarter and 1.2% over nine months. Management cited softness in international markets, particularly Brazil. Source
  • Gross margin fell on tariffs: Gross margin was 34.1% against 34.9%; normalized gross margin was 34.5% against 35.4%. Excluding a temporary $24 million one-time China tariff impact, gross margin would have expanded 55 basis points. Source
  • Normalized overheads fell 120 basis points: Normalized overheads were 18.7% of sales against 19.9%. Advertising and promotion rose to $124 million from $118 million. Source
  • Full-year guidance lowered: Full-year net sales, core sales, normalized operating margin, normalized EPS and operating cash flow ranges were all lowered, and fourth-quarter guidance was introduced. Source
  • Tariff cost estimate increased: Gross profit impact of tariffs before mitigation estimated at about $115 million, or $0.23 per share after tax, up from $105 million and $0.21. Source

“Our turnaround continues to advance, even as Newell and the broader industry navigated significant trade disruptions in the third quarter.”

Chris Peterson, Newell Brands President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales change (GAAP) SourceQ4 2025(4.0%) to (1.0%)New
Net sales change (GAAP) SourceFull year 2025(5.0%) to (4.5%)Lowered from (3%) to (2%)
Core sales change (non-GAAP) SourceQ4 2025(5.0%) to (3.0%)New
Core sales change (non-GAAP) SourceFull year 2025(5.0%) to (4.0%)Lowered from (3%) to (2%)
Normalized operating margin SourceQ4 20259.0% to 9.5%New
Normalized operating margin SourceFull year 20258.4% to 8.6%Lowered from 9.0% to 9.5%
Normalized EPS SourceQ4 2025$0.16 to $0.20New
Normalized EPS SourceFull year 2025$0.56 to $0.60Lowered from $0.66 to $0.70
Operating cash flow SourceFull year 2025$250 million to $300 millionLowered from $400 million to $450 million
Incremental cash tariff cost versus 2024 SourceFull year 2025approximately $180 millionRaised from approximately $155 million
Gross profit impact of tariffs before mitigation SourceFull year 2025approximately $115 million, or $0.23 per share after taxRaised from approximately $105 million, or $0.21 per share after tax
Currency and divestitures effect on net sales SourceQ4 2025(1.0%) to (2.0%)New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter guidance initiated, with full-year 2025 guidance updated at the same time. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year net sales and core sales ranges reduced from the prior quarter. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year normalized operating margin and normalized EPS ranges reduced from the prior quarter. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year operating cash flow range reduced from $400 million to $450 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Estimated incremental cash tariff cost raised from about $155 million to about $180 million. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales declined 7.2%: Net sales were $1.8 billion, down 7.2%, with core sales down 7.4% and favorable foreign exchange partly offsetting the decline. Source
  • Normalized EPS edged up: Normalized diluted EPS was $0.17 against $0.16. Reported diluted EPS was $0.05 against a $0.48 loss a year earlier, which included a $260 million impairment. Source
  • Operating income turned positive: Operating income was $119 million, a 6.6% margin, against a $121 million loss. Normalized operating income was $162 million, or 8.9% of sales, against $185 million. Source
  • Normalized EBITDA lower: Normalized EBITDA was $225 million against $250 million; nine-month normalized EBITDA was $641 million against $684 million. Net income was $21 million, with net interest expense of $83 million. Source

Segment results

  • Home & Commercial core down 9.8%: Home & Commercial Solutions net sales were $942 million against $1.0 billion. Core sales fell 9.8%; normalized operating margin was 6.8% against 11.7%. Source
  • Learning & Development margin lower: Learning & Development net sales were $681 million, with core sales down 5.6%. Normalized operating income was $130 million, or 19.1% of sales, against 21.5%. Source
  • Outdoor & Recreation near breakeven: Outdoor & Recreation net sales were $183 million in both periods, with core sales down 0.9%. Normalized operating loss narrowed to $1 million from $15 million. Source

“Newell Brands' third quarter results included a number of positives despite a challenging top line.”

Mark Erceg, Newell Brands Chief Financial Officer

Regions and demand

  • International core sales declined: International core sales fell 6.6% in the quarter and 1.2% over nine months. Management cited softness in international markets, particularly Brazil. Source
  • North America core sales fell: North America net sales declined 8.3% as reported and 7.8% on a core basis; nine-month North America core sales fell 6.6%. Source
  • Retail inventory reduction weighed: Management cited reduced retail inventory levels and said the retailer inventory adjustment was a one-time event. Retailer delivery preferences moved away from direct import. Source
  • Writing pricing gaining traction: Management said competitive pricing actions are gaining traction in categories such as Writing, where its domestic manufacturing base gives a distinct advantage. Source

Margins and costs

  • Gross margin fell on tariffs: Gross margin was 34.1% against 34.9%; normalized gross margin was 34.5% against 35.4%. Excluding a temporary $24 million one-time China tariff impact, gross margin would have expanded 55 basis points. Source
  • Normalized overheads fell 120 basis points: Normalized overheads were 18.7% of sales against 19.9%. Advertising and promotion rose to $124 million from $118 million. Source
  • Restructuring savings and lower charges: Operating income improvement reflected restructuring savings and lower restructuring and restructuring-related charges, partly offset by higher advertising and promotion spend. Source

“We are confident that our decisive actions are paving the way for the company to return to sustainable top-line growth in the future.”

Chris Peterson, Newell Brands President and Chief Executive Officer

Cash, debt and capital

  • Operating cash flow fell: Nine-month operating cash flow was $103 million against $346 million, also reflecting a lower cash bonus payout a year earlier. Source
  • Debt and cash position: Debt outstanding was $4.8 billion and cash $229 million, against $5.0 billion and $494 million a year earlier. Source
  • Dividends and share count: Dividends were $0.07 per share in the quarter and $90 million over nine months. Diluted weighted average shares were 423.5 million against 416.0 million. Source
  • Capital expenditures rose: Nine-month capital expenditures were $177 million against $163 million. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Sourcing and pricing measures used: Management said sourcing changes, pricing actions and productivity initiatives were used to mitigate the impact of trade disruptions. Source
  • AI tools across operations: Management said it plans to deploy leading edge AI tools across the organization as it works to improve operating model efficiency. Source
  • Innovation and brand investment: Advertising and promotion was the highest share of sales in nearly 10 years, which management linked to investment behind innovation and brand building. Source

Full-year guidance changes

  • Full-year guidance lowered: Full-year net sales, core sales, normalized operating margin, normalized EPS and operating cash flow ranges were all lowered, and fourth-quarter guidance was introduced. Source
  • Tariff cost estimate increased: Gross profit impact of tariffs before mitigation estimated at about $115 million, or $0.23 per share after tax, up from $105 million and $0.21. Source
  • Fourth-quarter EPS range set: Fourth-quarter normalized EPS is guided to $0.16 to $0.20 and normalized operating margin to 9.0% to 9.5%. Source

Coming up, as management said on 31 October 2025

  • International growth expected in Q4: Management expects the international business to return to growth in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Overhead decline expected to continue: Management expects the decline in normalized overheads as a share of sales to continue. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Reduced retail inventory levels, softness in international markets and moderated demand after tariff-driven pricing weighed on sales. Source
  • External: A temporary one-time China tariff cost of $24 million reduced gross margin in the quarter. Source
  • Financial: Working capital use and cash tariff costs reduced year-to-date operating cash flow. Source
  • Regulatory: Returns tied to the French Door Countertop Ovens recall of $5 million were excluded from sales used in normalized margin calculations. 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.