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Procter & Gamble Co.: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 29 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 9 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Quarter sales rose, EPS fell: Q4 net sales rose 2% to $21.2 billion with organic sales unchanged. Diluted EPS fell 15% to $1.26 and core EPS fell 3% to $1.43. Source
  • Beauty organic sales grew: Beauty organic sales rose 4% in the quarter. Hair Care and Personal Care grew mid-single digits, while Skin Care was unchanged, held back by a volume decline in Greater China. Source
  • Reported gross margin down, core flat: Reported gross margin fell 60 basis points. Core gross margin was unchanged, as productivity savings offset mix and reinvestment costs. Source
  • SG&A rose on marketing reinvestment: Reported SG&A rose to 29.9% of sales. Core SG&A rose 130 basis points, with 410 basis points of reinvestment, mainly marketing, partly offset by 300 basis points of productivity savings. Source
  • Over $15 billion returned to shareholders: Fiscal 2026 shareholder returns were $10.2 billion in dividends and $5.0 billion in share repurchases. Source
  • Sales growth guided at 1% to 3%: All-in sales growth is guided to one to three percent, with organic sales growth in the same range. Source
  • Core EPS guided in-line to 3%: Core EPS growth is guided to in-line to three percent, a range of $6.89 to $7.11 with a $7.00 midpoint. Source
  • Headwinds total $0.56 per share: Costs, net interest, lower non-operating income and foreign exchange combine for a $0.56 per share headwind, an eight percent drag on core EPS growth. Source

“Fiscal 2026 was a year of foundation building while continuing to grow sales and profit and return high levels of cash to shareowners despite a very challenging geopolitical and economic environment”

Shailesh Jejurikar, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Diluted EPS growth (GAAP) Sourcefiscal 2027one to five percent, from fiscal 2026 GAAP EPS of $6.62New
Core EPS growth Sourcefiscal 2027in-line to three percent; range $6.89 to $7.11, midpoint $7.00 (up 1.5%)New
Non-core restructuring charges in GAAP EPS Sourcefiscal 2027$0.13 to $0.17 per shareNew
Raw materials, energy and transportation costs Sourcefiscal 2027approximately $1 billion after-tax headwindNew
Combined core EPS headwind Sourcefiscal 2027$0.56 per share, an eight percent drag on core EPS growthNew
Core effective tax rate Sourcefiscal 2027approximately 20%New
Adjusted free cash flow productivity Sourcefiscal 202785% to 90%New
Dividend payments Sourcefiscal 2027around $10 billionNew
Share repurchases Sourcefiscal 2027approximately $5 billionNew
Non-core restructuring costs, portfolio plan Sourceover two years from June 2025$1 to $1.6 billion before-tax

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fiscal 2027 guidance issued for all-in sales, organic sales, GAAP and core EPS, tax rate, capital spending, cash productivity and cash returns. Source

Fourth quarter and full-year results

  • Quarter sales rose, EPS fell: Q4 net sales rose 2% to $21.2 billion with organic sales unchanged. Diluted EPS fell 15% to $1.26 and core EPS fell 3% to $1.43. Source
  • Currency-neutral core EPS fell more: Currency-neutral core EPS fell 5% in the quarter. Diluted EPS fell as sales growth was more than offset by higher SG&A and lower gross margin. Source
  • Full-year sales up 3%: Fiscal 2026 net sales were $87.0 billion, up 3%, with organic sales up 1%. Diluted EPS was $6.62, up 2%, and core EPS was $6.89, up 1%. Source
  • Share count lifted full-year EPS: Management said a reduction in shares outstanding partly offset lower gross margin and higher SG&A in full-year EPS growth. Source

Segment and category performance

  • Beauty organic sales grew: Beauty organic sales rose 4% in the quarter. Hair Care and Personal Care grew mid-single digits, while Skin Care was unchanged, held back by a volume decline in Greater China. Source
  • Grooming flat on volume decline: Grooming organic sales were unchanged. Innovation-based pricing offset a volume decline, mainly in IMEA, and unfavorable product mix. Source
  • Oral Care volume fell: Health Care organic sales fell 1%. Oral Care declined mid-single digits on volume, led by North America and Greater China, while Personal Health Care rose on pricing and volume. Source
  • Fabric and Home Care flat: Fabric and Home Care organic sales were unchanged. Fabric Care grew on volume, led by Europe, while Home Care declined on volume in North America. Source
  • Baby, Feminine and Family Care down: Baby, Feminine and Family Care organic sales fell 2%. Family Care declined mid-single digits on volume, merchandising and mix, while Baby Care grew on volume. Source

“We believe the best path to sustainable, balanced growth is to double down on our strategy and put the consumer first in everything we do.”

Shailesh Jejurikar, President and Chief Executive Officer

Pricing, volume and mix

  • Quarter volume, pricing and mix neutral: Volume, pricing and mix each had a neutral effect on Q4 sales growth. Foreign exchange and rounding each contributed one percent. Source
  • Full-year growth from FX and pricing: Fiscal 2026 net sales growth of 3% came from a 2% favorable foreign exchange effect and a 1% increase from higher pricing. Source
  • Full-year volume and mix flat: Full-year volume and mix were unchanged versus the prior year. Organic sales growth of 1% came from higher pricing. Source

Margins and SG&A

  • Reported gross margin down, core flat: Reported gross margin fell 60 basis points. Core gross margin was unchanged, as productivity savings offset mix and reinvestment costs. Source
  • Mix and reinvestment offset savings: Core gross margin offsets included 120 basis points of unfavorable product mix, 70 basis points of product and package reinvestment, and 40 basis points of higher commodity costs. Source
  • SG&A rose on marketing reinvestment: Reported SG&A rose to 29.9% of sales. Core SG&A rose 130 basis points, with 410 basis points of reinvestment, mainly marketing, partly offset by 300 basis points of productivity savings. Source
  • Reported operating margin down 220 basis points: Reported operating margin fell 220 basis points in the quarter versus the prior year. Source
  • Core operating margin down 130 basis points: Excluding 90 basis points of non-core restructuring charges, core operating margin fell 130 basis points. Gross productivity savings were 460 basis points. Source

Portfolio and productivity plan

  • Plan streamlines portfolio and organization: The June 2025 plan aims to streamline the portfolio and organization, improve cost structure and invest in growth. Source
  • Over half of plan costs incurred: More than half of the plan's costs were incurred in fiscal 2026, with the remainder expected in fiscal 2027. Source
  • Plan costs set at $1 to $1.6 billion: Non-core restructuring costs under the plan are expected at approximately $1 to $1.6 billion before-tax over a two-year period. Source

Cash flow and capital returns

  • Full-year operating cash flow $19.6 billion: Fiscal 2026 operating cash flow was $19.6 billion and net earnings were $16.1 billion. Source
  • Full-year cash productivity at 100%: Adjusted free cash flow productivity was 100% for fiscal 2026, measured against net earnings excluding the Glad gain. Source
  • Quarter cash productivity at 133%: Q4 operating cash flow was $5.1 billion and net earnings $3.1 billion, with adjusted free cash flow productivity of 133%. Source
  • Over $15 billion returned to shareholders: Fiscal 2026 shareholder returns were $10.2 billion in dividends and $5.0 billion in share repurchases. Source
  • Dividend raised for 70th year: The April 2026 dividend increase marks the 70th consecutive year of dividend increases and the 136th year of dividend payments. Source

Balance sheet and non-operating items

  • Capital spending and tax payments: Fiscal 2026 capital spending was $4.4 billion. Adjusted free cash flow was $15.8 billion after $688 million of 2017 U.S. Tax Act payments. Source
  • Cash rose, receivables and inventory steady: Cash and cash equivalents were $9.9 billion at June 30, 2026, up from $9.6 billion. Inventories were $8.2 billion, up from $7.6 billion. Source
  • Diluted share count lower: Diluted weighted average shares were 2,422.5 million for fiscal 2026, versus 2,454.4 million a year earlier. Source
  • Glad joint venture dissolved with gain: The Glad joint venture was dissolved after Clorox bought the minority interest, and the Company recorded an after-tax gain of $261 million. Source
  • Full-year other income rose; interest fell: Full-year other non-operating income was $1,076 million, versus $154 million, including the Glad gain. Full-year interest expense fell 3%. Source

Fiscal 2027 guidance and headwinds

  • Sales growth guided at 1% to 3%: All-in sales growth is guided to one to three percent, with organic sales growth in the same range. Source
  • Core EPS guided in-line to 3%: Core EPS growth is guided to in-line to three percent, a range of $6.89 to $7.11 with a $7.00 midpoint. Source
  • Headwinds total $0.56 per share: Costs, net interest, lower non-operating income and foreign exchange combine for a $0.56 per share headwind, an eight percent drag on core EPS growth. Source
  • GAAP EPS guided at 1% to 5%: GAAP diluted EPS growth is guided to one to five percent from $6.62, including $0.13 to $0.17 per share of non-core restructuring charges. Source
  • Discontinuations weigh on organic sales: The organic sales guidance includes a headwind of 30 to 50 basis points from brand, product form and go-to-market discontinuations. Source
  • Capital spending and tax rate set: Capital spending is estimated at four and a half to five and a half percent of net sales, and the core tax rate at approximately 20%. Source

Coming up, as management said on 29 July 2026

  • Growth to accelerate semester to semester: Management said it is confident in its plans to accelerate growth from one semester to the next. No dated events were given. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total P&G volume growth, fourth quarter fiscal 2026 Sourceneutral ( - %)
Total P&G volume growth, fiscal 2026 Sourceunchanged ( - %)

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Discontinuations are a 30 to 50 basis point headwind to organic sales growth in fiscal 2027. Source
  • Financial: Higher net interest expense, lower non-operating income and unfavorable foreign exchange are estimated as after-tax headwinds in fiscal 2027. Source
  • External: Management said it expects progress in fiscal 2027 despite continued volatility in the environment. Source
  • Operational: Higher raw materials, energy and transportation costs are estimated at about $1 billion after-tax in fiscal 2027. Source
  • Demand: Oral Care organic sales fell mid-single digits on a volume decline, led by North America and Greater China. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Over half of the plan's costs were incurred in fiscal 2026, with the remainder expected in fiscal 2027. 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.