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Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 7 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales returned to growth: Net sales rose 4.9% to $708.9 million from $675.7 million. Organic net sales, excluding $22.9 million of favorable foreign exchange, rose 1.5%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EPS rose: Adjusted EBITDA was $84.0 million, up 17.8%, with margin of 11.8% against 10.6%. Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.25 against $0.68. Source
  • Global Pet Care grew on share gains: GPC net sales rose 11.2% to $299.3 million, with organic growth of 7.6%. Adjusted EBITDA was $56.8 million, a 19.0% margin against 18.6%, with higher volume, pricing and cost actions partly offset by tariffs and trade investment. Source
  • Home & Personal Care sales declined: HPC net sales fell 5.5% to $240.1 million. Adjusted EBITDA rose to $8.1 million, a 3.4% margin against 2.9%, on pricing, reduced investment spend and cost improvement, partly offset by lower volumes and higher tariff costs. Source
  • Gross margin rose 60 basis points: Gross profit rose 6.7% to $270.3 million, and gross margin was 38.1% against 37.5%. Management cited pricing, cost improvement and favorable foreign exchange, partly offset by higher trade spend and tariff cost. Source
  • Operating cash flow turned positive: Six-month operating cash flow from continuing operations was $77.9 million against negative $48.6 million. Adjusted free cash flow was $60.6 million against negative $58.4 million. Source
  • Oaktree invests $127 million in HPC: Oaktree Capital is making a $127 million cash investment in preferred equity and debt. Source

“We are pleased with our results this quarter, where we returned to top-line growth for the first time since first quarter of fiscal 2025.”

David Maura, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales SourceFiscal 2026flat to low single digit growthKept
Adjusted free cash flow SourceFiscal 2026approximately 50% of adjusted EBITDAKept
Long-term net leverage SourceLong-term2.0 - 2.5 timesKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Fiscal 2026 adjusted EBITDA expectation raised from low single digit growth to low to mid single digit growth. Source
  • New: Strategic partnership with Oaktree Capital on the Home & Personal Care business. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales returned to growth: Net sales rose 4.9% to $708.9 million from $675.7 million. Organic net sales, excluding $22.9 million of favorable foreign exchange, rose 1.5%. Source
  • Operating income and EPS rose: Operating income rose 123.1% to $43.5 million. Net income from continuing operations was $22.5 million against $1.8 million, and diluted EPS from continuing operations was $0.96 against $0.06. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EPS rose: Adjusted EBITDA was $84.0 million, up 17.8%, with margin of 11.8% against 10.6%. Adjusted diluted EPS was $1.25 against $0.68. Source
  • Weather and retailer orders contributed: Management listed favorable weather and strategic order accelerations by certain retailers as external factors that also contributed to the net sales increase. Source

Segments and regions

  • Global Pet Care grew on share gains: GPC net sales rose 11.2% to $299.3 million, with organic growth of 7.6%. Adjusted EBITDA was $56.8 million, a 19.0% margin against 18.6%, with higher volume, pricing and cost actions partly offset by tariffs and trade investment. Source
  • EMEA pet growth and retailer timing: EMEA GPC growth was attributed to continued brand strength, expanded distribution, and retailers placing orders early ahead of an ERP system change. Source
  • Home & Garden sales rose 11.3%: H&G net sales rose 11.3% to $169.5 million. Adjusted EBITDA was $34.8 million, a 20.5% margin against 17.5%, reflecting higher sales volume, productivity gains and operational efficiencies, partly offset by trade spend and unfavorable mix. Source
  • Home & Personal Care sales declined: HPC net sales fell 5.5% to $240.1 million. Adjusted EBITDA rose to $8.1 million, a 3.4% margin against 2.9%, on pricing, reduced investment spend and cost improvement, partly offset by lower volumes and higher tariff costs. Source
  • North America HPC volumes fell: North American HPC sales fell in the mid teens, reflecting lower volumes from tariff-driven product cost and customer inventory management. LATAM organic net sales rose mid single digits on Personal Care growth. Source

“Our key brands across Global Pet Care and Home & Garden continue to outperform the market driven by strong innovation and distribution gains.”

David Maura, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Products, customers and demand

  • Companion Animal and Aquatics grew: Within Global Pet Care, reported Companion Animal sales rose low double digits and Aquatics sales rose mid single digits. Source
  • Personal Care and appliance sales fell: HPC Personal Care sales fell low single digits on a reported basis, while Home Appliances sales fell high single digits. Source
  • EMEA HPC hit by retailer stock: EMEA HPC organic sales declined in both categories, which management linked to elevated inventory at a key retailer. Source
  • Consumer demand softness in HPC: Management said HPC was affected by consumer demand softness across North America and Europe, which partly offset growth elsewhere in net sales. Source
  • Macro environment remains a focus: Management said it remains focused on the dynamic macroeconomic environment, and described first-half results as progress for the full fiscal year. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin rose 60 basis points: Gross profit rose 6.7% to $270.3 million, and gross margin was 38.1% against 37.5%. Management cited pricing, cost improvement and favorable foreign exchange, partly offset by higher trade spend and tariff cost. Source
  • Operating expenses fell on impairment: SG&A was $226.8 million against $218.2 million. Total operating expenses were $226.8 million against $233.9 million, because the prior year included a $15.7 million impairment of intangible assets. Source
  • Non-GAAP adjustments to adjusted EBITDA: Adjustments included exit and disposal costs of $3.8 million, ERP transformation costs of $2.4 million and litigation costs of $0.7 million tied to the Tristar acquisition. Source

“We believe that a partnership with Oaktree Capital, who has a strong track record in disciplined capital allocation, validates our vision for creating value in our Appliances business through both organic and inorganic growth initiatives.”

David Maura, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Cash, liquidity and capital returns

  • Operating cash flow turned positive: Six-month operating cash flow from continuing operations was $77.9 million against negative $48.6 million. Adjusted free cash flow was $60.6 million against negative $58.4 million. Source
  • Liquidity and net debt leverage: Cash was $125.1 million and total liquidity $595.9 million, including $470.8 million of undrawn revolver capacity. Debt was $599.7 million, including $24.0 million drawn on the revolver, and net debt leverage was 1.66x adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Inventories rose from year-end: Inventories were $487.1 million at March 29, 2026, against $446.1 million at September 30, 2025, and trade receivables were $560.5 million against $521.7 million. Source
  • Buybacks and dividends fell: Six-month treasury stock purchases were $42.3 million against $232.8 million, and dividends paid to shareholders were $21.8 million against $25.3 million. Source

Strategy and the Oaktree partnership

  • Oaktree invests $127 million in HPC: Oaktree Capital is making a $127 million cash investment in preferred equity and debt. Source
  • HPC becomes unrestricted subsidiaries: Upon closing, the HPC subsidiaries will have their own capital structure, designated as unrestricted and non-recourse to Spectrum Brands Holdings. Source
  • Company keeps 73% of Appliances: Spectrum Brands will continue to own about 73% of the Appliances business after the transaction. Source
  • Separation strategy takes a step: Management described the transaction as a step in its previously announced plan to separate the HPC business from the Pet and Home & Garden businesses. Source

Coming up, as management said on 7 May 2026

  • Oaktree closing expected later this month: Closing of the Oaktree transaction is expected later this month, after which the HPC subsidiaries become unrestricted. Source
  • ERP work runs through calendar 2026: ERP transformation costs are expected through further deployments in calendar 2026, now extended to include the HPC segment. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management pointed to HPC demand softness as a factor limiting sales in North America and Europe. Source
  • External: Management said it remains focused on the dynamic macroeconomic environment, which it cited as an ongoing area of attention. Source
  • Regulatory: Management said litigation tied to the Tristar acquisition will continue to generate costs until those matters are resolved. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said it is maintaining its fiscal 2026 net sales expectation. Source
  • Not stated: Management said the HPC actions taken over the past year demonstrated a positive impact, with adjusted EBITDA up while net sales declined. Source
  • Not stated: Management described the Oaktree transaction as a step in a previously announced separation strategy. 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.