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Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 11 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 new, 5 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales rose 2.3%, comparables 1.3%: Consolidated net sales were $903 million, up 2.3% from $883 million; comparable sales rose 1.3%. Six-month net sales were $1.85 billion, up 1.4%, with comparable sales up 0.6%. Source
  • Diluted EPS up 13%, adjusted up 5%: GAAP diluted EPS was $0.43, up 13%; adjusted diluted EPS was $0.44, up 5%. Six-month GAAP diluted EPS was $0.88, down 8.3%. Source
  • Sally net sales rose 4.1%: Sally segment net sales rose 4.1% to $521.2 million. Segment comparable sales grew 2.5%, against a 0.3% decline a year earlier. Segment operating earnings rose 1.1%; operating margin was 15.0%, down 40 basis points. Source
  • BSG operating earnings rose 7.8%: BSG net sales were $382.1 million, down 0.1%; comparable sales fell 0.3%, against a 2.7% decline. Gross margin rose 110 basis points to 40.9%, and operating earnings rose 7.8% to $47.4 million. Source
  • Gross margin expanded 70 basis points: GAAP gross margin was 52.7%, up 70 basis points; adjusted gross margin was 52.8%, up 80 basis points. Six-month GAAP gross margin was 51.9%, up 50 basis points. Source
  • E-commerce sales rose 13%: Global e-commerce sales rose 13% to $108 million, or 12% of net sales, against $111 million and 11.7% of net sales in the first quarter. Source
  • Free cash flow rose 37% in quarter: Operating cash flow was $73.3 million, up 43.5%; free cash flow was $44.1 million, up 37.1%. Six-month free cash flow was $101.6 million, up 14.0%. Source

“Our second quarter results reflect solid execution and the resilience of our operating model amid a dynamic macroeconomic environment,”

Denise Paulonis, president and chief executive officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Consolidated net sales SourceThird quarter fiscal 2026$932 million to $942 millionNew
Comparable sales SourceThird quarter fiscal 2026Approximately flatNew
Adjusted operating earnings SourceThird quarter fiscal 2026$83 million to $89 millionNew
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceThird quarter fiscal 2026$0.52 to $0.56New
Consolidated net sales SourceFiscal 2026$3.725 billion to $3.750 billion
Comparable sales SourceFiscal 2026Flat to up 1%Kept
Adjusted operating earnings SourceFiscal 2026$328 million to $342 millionKept
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFiscal 2026$2.02 to $2.10Kept
Capital expenditures SourceFiscal 2026Approximately $100 millionKept
Free cash flow SourceFiscal 2026Approximately $200 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Third-quarter guidance given for net sales, comparable sales, adjusted operating earnings and adjusted diluted EPS. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year comparable sales, adjusted operating earnings, adjusted diluted EPS, capital expenditures and free cash flow guidance held; net sales range narrowed. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales rose 2.3%, comparables 1.3%: Consolidated net sales were $903 million, up 2.3% from $883 million; comparable sales rose 1.3%. Six-month net sales were $1.85 billion, up 1.4%, with comparable sales up 0.6%. Source
  • GAAP operating earnings rose 3.7%: Operating earnings were $71.9 million, up 3.7%, with operating margin of 8.0%, up 10 basis points. Six-month operating earnings fell 12.9% to $147.9 million. Source
  • Diluted EPS up 13%, adjusted up 5%: GAAP diluted EPS was $0.43, up 13%; adjusted diluted EPS was $0.44, up 5%. Six-month GAAP diluted EPS was $0.88, down 8.3%. Source

Segments: Sally and Beauty Systems

  • Sally net sales rose 4.1%: Sally segment net sales rose 4.1% to $521.2 million. Segment comparable sales grew 2.5%, against a 0.3% decline a year earlier. Segment operating earnings rose 1.1%; operating margin was 15.0%, down 40 basis points. Source
  • BSG operating earnings rose 7.8%: BSG net sales were $382.1 million, down 0.1%; comparable sales fell 0.3%, against a 2.7% decline. Gross margin rose 110 basis points to 40.9%, and operating earnings rose 7.8% to $47.4 million. Source
  • Comparable sales improved in both segments: Sally comparable sales improved 280 basis points and BSG comparable sales improved 240 basis points, year on year. Source

“As we enter the second half of fiscal 2026, we remain confident in our full-year outlook and believe the Company is positioned to deliver consistent, profitable growth and shareholder value over the long-term.”

Denise Paulonis, president and chief executive officer

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin expanded 70 basis points: GAAP gross margin was 52.7%, up 70 basis points; adjusted gross margin was 52.8%, up 80 basis points. Six-month GAAP gross margin was 51.9%, up 50 basis points. Source
  • GAAP SG&A rose $14 million: GAAP SG&A was $403.8 million, up 3.7%; SG&A was 44.7% of net sales, up 60 basis points. Adjusted SG&A was $404 million, up $20 million. Source
  • Fuel for Growth costs fell: Fuel for Growth and other costs were $1.1 million against $3.8 million a year earlier; HQ relocation costs were $19,000 against $207,000. Source
  • Prior-year six months included Denton gain: Six-month SG&A rose 5.9% to $811.2 million. The prior-year six months included a $26.6 million gain on the sale of the Denton headquarters. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin eased 40 basis points: Adjusted EBITDA was $104.3 million, down 0.5%; adjusted EBITDA margin was 11.5%, down 40 basis points. Source

Customers, e-commerce and consultants

  • E-commerce sales rose 13%: Global e-commerce sales rose 13% to $108 million, or 12% of net sales, against $111 million and 11.7% of net sales in the first quarter. Source
  • BSG consultant count fell 72: BSG salon business consultants numbered 560 at March 31, 2026, down from 632; 191 sales consultants are employed by franchisees. Source
  • Sally and BSG product ranges: Sally stores carry up to 7,000 products; BSG stores and consultants offer up to 8,000 professionally branded products. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow rose 37% in quarter: Operating cash flow was $73.3 million, up 43.5%; free cash flow was $44.1 million, up 37.1%. Six-month free cash flow was $101.6 million, up 14.0%. Source
  • Term loan repaid, shares bought back: The company repaid $20 million of term loan B and repurchased 1.7 million shares for $25 million, compared with 1.4 million shares for $21 million in the first quarter. Source
  • Cash $157 million, leverage 1.5x: Cash was $157 million at March 31, with no borrowings under the asset-based revolving line of credit; net debt leverage ratio was 1.5x. Source
  • Inventory down 2% year on year: Inventory was $987 million, down 2% from a year earlier. Source
  • Capital expenditures rose 54%: Capital expenditures were $29.2 million in the quarter, up 54.4%, and $64.9 million for six months, up 66.7%. Source

Store footprint

  • Sally store count down 38: Sally stores totalled 3,079, down 38 from 3,117; BSG company-operated stores were 1,189, down 9 from 1,198. Source
  • Franchise stores held at 131: Franchise stores were flat at 131; total BSG stores were 1,320, down 9 from 1,329. Source
  • Total stores down 47 year on year: Total consolidated stores were 4,399, down 47 from 4,446 a year earlier and down from 4,415 at December 31. Source

Strategy, investment and headquarters

  • Cash deployed to growth and returns: Management said operating cash flow was deployed to invest for growth, strengthen the balance sheet and return value to shareholders. Source
  • HQ relocation duplicate rent costs: Corporate HQ relocation costs were $19,000 in the quarter and $1.9 million for six months, mainly duplicate rent on the new office before leaving Denton. Source
  • Share repurchases tied to free cash flow: Adjusted EPS guidance assumes 50% of free cash flow goes to share repurchases; free cash flow is GAAP operating cash flow less capital expenditures. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Comparable sales growth by segment SourceConsolidated 1.3% (Q2); Sally 2.5%; BSG (0.3)%
Inventory Source$987 million, down 2% year on year
Store count Source4,399 total at March 31, 2026, down 47 year on year (Sally 3,079; BSG company-operated 1,189; franchise 131)
E-commerce share of net sales Source12%; e-commerce sales $108 million, up 13%
Gross margin Source52.7% GAAP; 52.8% adjusted; Sally segment 61.3%; BSG segment 40.9%

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Guidance assumes favorable currency effects of about 40 basis points in the third quarter and about 50 basis points for the full year. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management reiterated all full-year guidance metrics other than net sales, for which the range was narrowed. 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.