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Newell Brands Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 1 lowered, 7 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 3.7%: Net sales were $1.9 billion, up 3.7% from the prior year, with core sales up 3.3% and favorable currency. Source
  • Growth broad across businesses: Management said four of six businesses and seven of the top 10 brands grew, with both U.S. and International up. Source
  • Normalized EPS at high end: Normalized diluted EPS was $0.20, up from $0.17; the CFO said it came in at the high end of guidance. Source
  • Learning & Development led on margin: Learning & Development net sales were $692 million; normalized operating income was $157 million, or 22.7% of sales. Source
  • Normalized gross margin rose: Normalized gross margin was 35.2%, against 34.5%; management said higher sales and gross productivity more than offset inflation. Source
  • Normalized operating margin expanded: Normalized operating margin was 9.8%, against 8.9%, on higher net sales and improved gross margin. Source
  • Operating cash flow near prior year: Year-to-date operating cash flow was $93 million, against $103 million in the prior year period. Source
  • $600 million notes issued: The company issued $600 million of 6.250% notes due 2031 and used proceeds to redeem 6.375% notes due 2027. Source

“Top-line growth accelerated sequentially as Newell Brands delivered its second consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth in sales.”

Chris Peterson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales growth Sourcefourth quarter 20261% to 3%New
Core sales growth Sourcefourth quarter 20261% to 3%New
Normalized operating margin Sourcefourth quarter 20268.4% to 9.0%New
Normalized diluted EPS Sourcefourth quarter 2026$0.17 to $0.19New
Currency impact and divestitures Sourcefourth quarter 2026FlatNew
Net sales growth Sourcefull year 20262% to 3%Raised from 1% to 2%
Core sales growth Sourcefull year 20261% to 2%Raised from Flat to 1%
Normalized operating margin Sourcefull year 202610.0% to 10.4%Kept
Normalized diluted EPS Sourcefull year 2026$0.74 to $0.76Kept
Operating cash flow Sourcefull year 2026approximately $150 millionLowered from around $400 million
Operating cash flow effect of pension plan termination Sourcefull year 2026approximately $85 million lowerNew
Net cash benefit of pension plan termination Sourcefull year 2026approximately $60 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 net sales growth range raised to 2% to 3% from 1% to 2%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 core sales growth range raised to 1% to 2% from flat to 1%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year operating cash flow guidance lowered to approximately $150 million from around $400 million. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter guidance initiated. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year normalized operating margin and normalized EPS midpoints maintained. Source
  • New: Issued $600 million of 6.250% senior notes due 2031 and redeemed 6.375% senior notes due 2027. Source
  • New: Termination of the non-qualified defined benefit plans, described as previously announced, affects operating cash flow. Source
  • New: Company is reducing its reliance on receivables factoring programs following its upsized bond refinancing. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales rose 3.7%: Net sales were $1.9 billion, up 3.7% from the prior year, with core sales up 3.3% and favorable currency. Source
  • Growth broad across businesses: Management said four of six businesses and seven of the top 10 brands grew, with both U.S. and International up. Source
  • Operating income fell on impairment: Operating income was $27 million, against $119 million, and included a $101 million non-cash tradename impairment. Source
  • Net loss and loss per share: Net loss was $81 million and diluted loss per share $0.19, against net income of $21 million and EPS of $0.05. Source
  • Normalized EPS at high end: Normalized diluted EPS was $0.20, up from $0.17; the CFO said it came in at the high end of guidance. Source
  • Normalized EBITDA increased: Normalized EBITDA was $248 million, up from $225 million in the prior year period. Source

Segments and regions

  • Home & Commercial sales grew: Home & Commercial Solutions net sales were $1.01 billion, with core sales up 6.0%. Source
  • Home & Commercial margin improved: Home & Commercial Solutions normalized operating income was $86 million, or 8.5% of sales, against $64 million, or 6.8%. Source
  • Learning & Development led on margin: Learning & Development net sales were $692 million; normalized operating income was $157 million, or 22.7% of sales. Source
  • Outdoor & Recreation core sales fell: Outdoor & Recreation net sales were $169 million, with core sales down 6.4% and a normalized operating loss of $10 million. Source
  • International sales grew: International net sales rose 5.5% reported and core sales rose 4.4%, with a currency impact of (1.5)%. Source

“Stronger sales and world-class productivity efforts allowed third quarter normalized gross and operating margins to expand significantly versus last year”

Mark Erceg, Newell Brands Chief Financial Officer

Costs, margins and inflation

  • Normalized gross margin rose: Normalized gross margin was 35.2%, against 34.5%; management said higher sales and gross productivity more than offset inflation. Source
  • Normalized operating margin expanded: Normalized operating margin was 9.8%, against 8.9%, on higher net sales and improved gross margin. Source
  • Cost containment offset inflation: The CFO said higher sales and additional cost containment supported keeping the full-year margin and EPS midpoints despite inflation. Source
  • Overheads eased as share of sales: Normalized overheads were $347 million, or 18.5% of net sales, against 18.7% a year earlier. Source

Demand and sales expectations

  • Positive sales growth expected: Management expects positive net sales growth in the fourth quarter and full year 2026. Source
  • Distribution gains from investment: Management credited investment in consumer understanding, brand building, innovation and marketing with expanding distribution. Source
  • Second-quarter sales growth was 3.0%: Net sales rose 3.0% in the second quarter, with core sales up 2.3%, per the earlier release.

“Deleveraging remains a top priority and, consistent with that, we anticipate reducing total debt and factoring by a couple hundred million dollars this year.”

Mark Erceg, Newell Brands Chief Financial Officer

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Operating cash flow near prior year: Year-to-date operating cash flow was $93 million, against $103 million in the prior year period. Source
  • Inventories and prepaid assets rose: Inventories were $1,596 million, from $1,281 million at December 31, 2025; prepaid and other current assets were $529 million, from $237 million. Source
  • Debt and cash at quarter-end: Debt outstanding was $4.8 billion and cash was $249 million, against $229 million a year earlier. Source
  • Net debt at quarter-end: Net debt was $4,592 million at September 30, 2026, against $4,548 million a year earlier. Source

Debt refinancing and facilities

  • $600 million notes issued: The company issued $600 million of 6.250% notes due 2031 and used proceeds to redeem 6.375% notes due 2027. Source
  • New $800 million revolving facility: A new $800 million asset-based revolver replaced the secured facility and extended its general maturity to 2031. Source
  • Deleveraging named top priority: The CFO said deleveraging remains a top priority, with total debt and factoring expected to fall this year. Source

Capital returns

  • Dividend held at $0.07: Dividends were $0.07 per share in the quarter and $0.21 year to date, unchanged from the prior year. Source
  • Cash dividends paid rose: Cash dividends paid were $97 million year to date, against $90 million a year earlier. Source
  • Basic share count increased: Basic weighted average shares were 425.9 million in the quarter, against 419.1 million a year earlier. Source

Turnaround and strategy

  • Productivity plan drives restructuring: Restructuring charges relate to the Global Productivity Plan announced in December 2025 and the 2024 Realignment Plan. Source
  • Non-qualified pension plans terminated: The company said the non-qualified defined benefit plans are being terminated, a step it described as previously announced. Source
  • Reliance on factoring reduced: The company said it is reducing reliance on receivables factoring programs after its upsized bond refinancing. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 October 2026

  • Plan termination cash timing: Benefit payments from the plan termination are operating outflows, and the associated proceeds are investing inflows. Source

Risks management discussed

  • External: Inflation exceeded management's expectations in the quarter, which the CFO cited alongside the normalized EPS result. Source
  • Financial: Management plans to reduce total debt and factoring, with total debt of $4.8 billion at quarter-end. Source
  • Financial: Lower-than-anticipated receivables factoring proceeds reduced the full-year operating cash flow guidance. Source
  • Financial: A $101 million impairment on an indefinite-lived tradename was recorded in the quarter. Source
  • Regulatory: Recall costs for certain French Door Countertop Ovens are among items excluded from normalized results. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The CFO said the company will maintain the midpoints of its normalized operating margin and normalized EPS outlooks. Source
  • Not stated: The company said it anticipates reducing total debt and factoring as deleveraging remains a top priority. Source
  • Not stated: The termination of the non-qualified defined benefit plans is described as previously announced. 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.