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Simply Good Foods Co.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 9 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 lowered, 2 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales fell 9.4%: Net sales were $326.0 million against $359.7 million a year earlier. Atkins and OWYN declined, partly offset by Quest growth. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA fell 18.4%: Adjusted EBITDA was $55.5 million against $68.0 million. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.45, against $0.46 a year earlier. Source
  • Gross margin fell 460 basis points: Gross margin was 31.6%, a decline of 460 basis points. Management attributed it mainly to higher input costs and some one-time effects of OWYN quality actions. Source
  • Cocoa and tariffs drove costs: Gross profit fell 20.8% to $103.0 million. The company cited inflationary costs, most notably cocoa, and tariffs as the drivers. Source
  • Brand impairment of $249.0 million: The company recognized a non-cash charge of $249.0 million on Atkins and OWYN brand intangibles. Management said it reflects fiscal 2026 results and updated revenue projections. Source
  • Full-year sales range lowered: Full-year net sales are now expected at $1.31 to $1.35 billion, or down 10% to 7%, against a prior range of down 2% to up 2%. Source
  • Full-year EBITDA range lowered: Adjusted EBITDA is now expected at $217 to $225 million, or down 22% to 19%, against a prior range of down 4% to up 1%. Source
  • Three near-term priorities set: Management named three priorities: cost structure and margins, organizational clarity and consistent strategic choices, and rebuilt brand investment for household penetration. Source

“I want to make it quite clear that we are not satisfied with our current performance,”

Joe Scalzo, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales Sourcefiscal year 2026$1.31 to $1.35 billion, or -10% to -7% year-over-yearLowered from -2% to +2% year-over-year
Gross margin Sourcefiscal year 2026decline of 300 to 350 basis points year-over-yearLowered from decline of 100 to 150 basis points year-over-year
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefiscal year 2026$217 to $225 million, or -22% to -19% year-over-yearLowered from -4% to +1% year-over-year
Net interest expense Sourcefiscal year 2026$19 to $21 millionKept
Effective tax rate Sourcefiscal year 2026approximately 25%Kept
Weighted average diluted shares Sourcefiscal year 2026approximately 92 million sharesLowered from approximately 96 million shares
Net sales Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 2026$329 to $338 million, or -14% to -11% year-over-yearNew
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 2026$46 to $50 million, or -38% to -32% year-over-yearNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year net sales, gross margin and adjusted EBITDA ranges were updated and now sit below the ranges in the first-quarter release. Source
  • New guidance: Third-quarter net sales and adjusted EBITDA ranges are given in this release; the first-quarter release had no third-quarter range. Source
  • New: The company recognized a $249.0 million non-cash impairment on Atkins and OWYN brand intangible assets this quarter. Source
  • New: Joe Scalzo, President and Chief Executive Officer, is named in this release; the first-quarter release named Geoff Tanner in the same role. Source
  • New: Management named three near-term priorities covering cost structure and margins, organizational clarity, and rebuilt brand investment. Source

Results and profit decline

  • Net sales fell 9.4%: Net sales were $326.0 million against $359.7 million a year earlier. Atkins and OWYN declined, partly offset by Quest growth. Source
  • Net loss after impairment: Reported net loss was $159.7 million against net income of $36.7 million a year earlier, with diluted loss per share of $1.73. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA fell 18.4%: Adjusted EBITDA was $55.5 million against $68.0 million. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.45, against $0.46 a year earlier. Source
  • First-half sales down 5.0%: Year-to-date net sales were $666.2 million. Quest growth of 4.7% was offset by Atkins down 21.6% and OWYN down 10.2%. Source

Brand and region sales

  • Quest sales rose slightly: Quest net sales were $211.4 million against $210.8 million, up 0.3%. Management tied quarter-over-quarter Quest consumption to slower base velocity in chips and bars. Source
  • Atkins decline largely as planned: Atkins net sales fell 26.6% to $79.7 million. The company said the Atkins retail takeaway decline of 23.4% was largely as expected. Source
  • OWYN sales fell 16.8%: OWYN net sales fell 16.8% to $28.1 million. Management cited the lapping of a heavy promotional period and lower base velocities on newly expanded distribution. Source
  • International sales a small share: International net sales were $6.7 million against $6.4 million. North America net sales were $319.3 million against $353.2 million. Source

“Our recent results have not met our expectations, and we have taken immediate and fundamental actions to turnaround both our financial performance and our in-market performance.”

Joe Scalzo, President and Chief Executive Officer

Gross margin and cost pressure

  • Gross margin fell 460 basis points: Gross margin was 31.6%, a decline of 460 basis points. Management attributed it mainly to higher input costs and some one-time effects of OWYN quality actions. Source
  • Cocoa and tariffs drove costs: Gross profit fell 20.8% to $103.0 million. The company cited inflationary costs, most notably cocoa, and tariffs as the drivers. Source
  • Margin excluding one-time items: Excluding $3.9 million of one-time OWYN integration expenses and a $0.4 million prior-year step-up adjustment, gross margin was 32.8%. Source
  • Selling and marketing spend fell: Selling and marketing expense was $28.2 million, down 19.7%, mainly from planned Atkins declines that more than offset Quest and OWYN increases. Source
  • G&A fell excluding one-time items: G&A was $34.9 million, down 3.2%. Excluding restructuring, integration and fee items, G&A declined 12.0% to $29.3 million. Source

Impairment, interest and shares

  • Brand impairment of $249.0 million: The company recognized a non-cash charge of $249.0 million on Atkins and OWYN brand intangibles. Management said it reflects fiscal 2026 results and updated revenue projections. Source
  • Interest expense and tax rate: Net interest expense was $5.0 million, down 12.1% on lower interest rates. The effective tax rate was 26.8% for the quarter. Source
  • Share count down on buybacks: Weighted average diluted shares were 92.3 million, down modestly, reflecting share repurchases. Source

“The long-term fundamentals of our category, our portfolio and our company capabilities are compelling,”

Joe Scalzo, President and Chief Executive Officer

Cash, debt and buybacks

  • Net debt 1.2 times trailing EBITDA: Cash was $107.4 million against a $400.0 million term loan, giving net debt to trailing adjusted EBITDA of 1.2 times, up from 0.8 times at first-quarter end. Source
  • Operating cash flow lower: Year-to-date operating cash flow was $58.2 million against $63.3 million. Capital spending was about $7.6 million, against $0.8 million a year earlier. Source
  • Quarter buybacks of $89 million: The company bought back about 4.6 million shares for about $89 million in the quarter, after about $100 million in the first quarter. Source
  • Extra $150 million borrowed: The company borrowed an additional $150.0 million alongside a three-year extension of its credit facilities, which closed in November 2025. Source

Full-year and third-quarter ranges

  • Full-year sales range lowered: Full-year net sales are now expected at $1.31 to $1.35 billion, or down 10% to 7%, against a prior range of down 2% to up 2%. Source
  • Gross margin decline widened: Full-year gross margin is expected to decline 300 to 350 basis points, against a prior range of 100 to 150 basis points. Source
  • Full-year EBITDA range lowered: Adjusted EBITDA is now expected at $217 to $225 million, or down 22% to 19%, against a prior range of down 4% to up 1%. Source
  • Third-quarter ranges given: Third-quarter net sales are expected at $329 to $338 million, or down 14% to 11%, and adjusted EBITDA at $46 to $50 million, or down 38% to 32%. Source
  • Interest, tax and share count set: Diluted share count is now about 92 million, against about 96 million before. Net interest expense stays at $19 to $21 million and the tax rate at about 25%. Source

Strategy and leadership

  • Chief executive differs from first quarter: Joe Scalzo, President and Chief Executive Officer, is named in this release; the first-quarter release named Geoff Tanner in the same role. Source
  • Three near-term priorities set: Management named three priorities: cost structure and margins, organizational clarity and consistent strategic choices, and rebuilt brand investment for household penetration. Source
  • Results did not meet expectations: Management said recent results did not meet its expectations and that immediate and fundamental actions have been taken across financial and in-market performance. Source
  • Long-term category view retained: Management said the long-term fundamentals of the category, portfolio and company capabilities remain, with the near-term focus on execution. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total retail takeaway, Quest, Atkins and OWYN combined (Circana) Sourcedecreased about 6.4%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management attributed net sales mainly to retail takeaway that was lower than in the first quarter. Source
  • External: Input cost inflation, cocoa and tariffs were named as the main pressures on gross profit. Source
  • Operational: Actions to mitigate OWYN product quality issues produced one-time effects on gross margin. Source
  • External: The ranges assume current economic conditions, consumer purchasing and prevailing tariff rates stay generally consistent through the fiscal year. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Missed: Management said recent results did not meet its expectations. Source
  • Not stated: The first-quarter release expected margin expansion and adjusted EBITDA growth to begin in the third quarter; this release sets third-quarter adjusted EBITDA down 38% to 32%.

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.