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Primo Brands Corp.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 26 February 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Q4 net sales rose 11.2%: Net sales were $1,554.1 million, up from $1,397.2 million, mainly from including Primo Water for the full 2025 period after the merger. Source
  • Q4 Adjusted EBITDA margin rose to 21.5%: Adjusted EBITDA was $334.1 million, up 31.1%. Margin was 21.5% against 18.2%, an increase of 330 basis points. Source
  • Q4 gross margin fell to 27.7%: Gross margin was 27.7% against 30.8%. Management attributed the decline to lower Primo Water margin after the merger and to BlueTriton integration costs. Source
  • Q4 free cash flow was $42.5 million: Operating cash flow was $203.1 million. After $160.6 million of capital spending, free cash flow was $42.5 million. Adjusted Free Cash Flow was $214.8 million against $171.8 million. Source
  • Net debt $4.9 billion, leverage 3.37x: Total debt was $5.2 billion and unrestricted cash was $376.7 million, giving net debt of $4.9 billion and a net debt to underlying EBITDA ratio of 3.37x. Source

“2025 was a year of transition as we continued to integrate two companies to form a leader in healthy hydration and across the US Liquid Refreshment Beverage category”

Eric Foss, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Eric Foss stepped into the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer role in November. Source
  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 guidance for Organic Net Sales, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Free Cash Flow is in the slide presentation. The release itself gives no figures. Source

Fourth quarter results

  • Q4 net sales rose 11.2%: Net sales were $1,554.1 million, up from $1,397.2 million, mainly from including Primo Water for the full 2025 period after the merger. Source
  • Q4 Adjusted EBITDA margin rose to 21.5%: Adjusted EBITDA was $334.1 million, up 31.1%. Margin was 21.5% against 18.2%, an increase of 330 basis points. Source
  • Q4 net loss narrowed: Net loss from continuing operations was $25.3 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, against $153.9 million, or $0.49, a year earlier. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.26 against $0.13. Source

Full year results

  • Full-year sales and Adjusted EBITDA rose: Full-year net sales were $6,664.0 million, up 29.3%. Adjusted EBITDA was $1,446.8 million, up 45.5%, at a 21.7% margin, up 240 bps from 19.3%. Source
  • Full-year net income from continuing operations: Net income from continuing operations was $80.4 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, against a net loss of $12.6 million, or $0.05, in 2024. Source
  • Full-year gross margin declined: Gross margin was 30.3% against 31.5%. Management cited lower gross margin at Primo Water after the merger as the main driver. Source

“Our fourth quarter performance indicates early signs that our initiatives are resulting in an improved trajectory for the business.”

Eric Foss, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Margins and costs

  • Q4 gross margin fell to 27.7%: Gross margin was 27.7% against 30.8%. Management attributed the decline to lower Primo Water margin after the merger and to BlueTriton integration costs. Source
  • Q4 SG&A rose, integration costs fell: SG&A rose 1.5% to $341.0 million, mainly from Primo Water after the merger. Acquisition, integration and restructuring expenses fell to $33.8 million from $175.1 million. Source
  • Full-year SG&A rose 32.3%: Full-year SG&A rose to $1.4 billion, mainly from Primo Water costs after the merger, partly offset by prior-year management fees. Source

Cash flow and leverage

  • Q4 free cash flow was $42.5 million: Operating cash flow was $203.1 million. After $160.6 million of capital spending, free cash flow was $42.5 million. Adjusted Free Cash Flow was $214.8 million against $171.8 million. Source
  • Full-year Adjusted Free Cash Flow of $750.3 million: Full-year free cash flow was $245.9 million and Adjusted Free Cash Flow was $750.3 million, against $456.2 million in 2024. Source
  • Net debt $4.9 billion, leverage 3.37x: Total debt was $5.2 billion and unrestricted cash was $376.7 million, giving net debt of $4.9 billion and a net debt to underlying EBITDA ratio of 3.37x. Source

Capital returns

  • 2025 dividends paid $151.3 million: Cash dividends paid totaled $151.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2025. Source
  • 2025 share repurchases about $192.9 million: Share repurchases under the plan, including brokerage commissions, were about $192.9 million in 2025. Source
  • Q3 quarterly dividend of $0.10: In the previous release, the board declared a $0.10 per share dividend, payable December 5, 2025, to holders of record on November 25, 2025.

Products and footprint

  • Exchange reach of 26,500 locations: Exchange lets consumers buy pre-filled multi-use bottles at approximately 26,500 retail locations and exchange them later for a discount. Source
  • Premium brands grew at double-digit rates: In the third quarter, net sales of premium water brands Saratoga and The Mountain Valley grew at double-digit rates.
  • Refill network described as over 23,500: Refill is offered at over 23,500 self-service stations, against approximately 23,500 in the prior release. Source

Comparability and portfolio

  • Ontario plant sale reduced sales: Net sales growth was partly offset by lower sales from the sale of the Ontario, Canada production facility in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Current figures reflect Primo Brands only: The fourth quarter and full year 2025 figures reflect Primo Brands results, while 2024 comparatives include BlueTriton Brands before the combination. Source
  • Discontinued operations loss for year: Net loss from discontinued operations was $20.3 million for the full year, against $3.8 million a year earlier. The quarter showed income of $12.3 million. Source

Integration progress and priorities

  • 49 facilities closed to date: As of the third-quarter release, the company had closed 49 facilities and was continuing to optimize headcount.
  • Direct delivery service improved: In home and office direct delivery, service levels, last-mile execution and customer satisfaction improved during the third quarter.
  • Planned revenue growth to support 2026: The third-quarter release said planned revenue growth initiatives were intended to support performance in 2026.
  • Reinvesting in the business: Management said it will keep reinvesting in the business to support growth, margin expansion, free cash flow and long-term value. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Retail outlets served Sourcemore than 200,000
Exchange retail locations Sourceapproximately 26,500
Refill self-service stations Sourceover 23,500
Springs in portfolio Sourceover 80

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Management said the company must keep improving its customer experience and leveraging its brands and go-to-market system. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The third-quarter release reaffirmed these synergy capture targets. The fourth-quarter release does not restate them.

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.