The Marzetti Company Reports First Quarter Sales and Earnings
WESTERVILLE, Ohio--( BUSINESS WIRE)--The Marzetti Company (Nasdaq: MZTI) reported results today for the company’s fiscal first quarter ended September 30, 2026.
Summary
CEO David A. Ciesinski commented, “The cyclospora outbreak had a significant impact on this quarter’s top and bottom-line results. The outbreak resulted in lower sales for both our Retail and Foodservice segments, with the impact on Retail segment net sales more notable, accounting for an estimated year-over-year net sales decline of approximately 4% due to lower demand for our Retail dressing, dip and crouton products. On a positive note, other areas of our business continued to perform well and the cyclospora impact has moderated in recent weeks.”
“The newly acquired Bachan’s brand added $17.8 million in incremental sales to our Retail segment. Retail scanner data sourced from Circana for the quarter ended September shows continued momentum for the Bachan’s brand, with sales up 10.7% as the brand continues to gain share in the barbecue sauce category. Consumer demand for our Texas Roadhouse ® dinner rolls also remained strong, with sales up 21.3% per Circana. In the Foodservice segment, with the cyclospora outbreak a headwind to growth, the segment’s reported net sales declined 6.9% and Adjusted Foodservice Net Sales, which exclude the non-core TSA sales, decreased 2.6%.”
“The decrease in consolidated operating income was driven by the lower sales and associated impact of lower production volumes on our plant operations; significantly higher diesel and freight costs; and commissioning costs for the addition of new production capacity at our sauce and dressing facility in Atlanta, Georgia.”
“Looking ahead to our fiscal second quarter and the remainder of the fiscal year, we anticipate Retail segment sales will continue to benefit from incremental sales attributed to the Bachan’s acquisition in addition to contributions from new items that we recently launched or have planned for introduction later this year. In the Foodservice segment, we expect sales to remain supported by select quick-service restaurant customers in our mix of national chain restaurant accounts. We continue to anticipate a moderate level of commodity cost inflation, in addition to significantly higher diesel and freight costs, most or all of which we expect to mitigate through inflationary pricing and our cost savings programs as we remain focused on margin improvement.”
First Quarter Results
Consolidated net sales decreased 2.4% to $481.5 million versus $493.5 million last year. Excluding the prior-year quarter’s $10.7 million in non-core sales attributed to the TSA with Winland Foods, Inc., Adjusted Consolidated Net Sales declined 0.3%. Our newly acquired Bachan’s business added $17.8 million in net sales, or about 360 basis points of consolidated net sales growth. Retail segment net sales grew 2.0% to $252.7 million while the segment’s sales volume, measured in pounds shipped, increased 0.4%. Bachan’s accounted for 720 basis points of Retail segment net sales growth and 750 basis points of Retail segment volume growth. The impact of the cyclospora outbreak is estimated to have reduced Retail segment net sales by approximately 4%. In the Foodservice segment, net sales declined 6.9% to $228.8 million while the segment’s sales volume, measured in pounds shipped, fell 7.6%. Excluding the non-core TSA sales, Foodservice segment net sales decreased 2.6% while the segment’s core sales volume declined 4.1%. The impact of the cyclospora outbreak is estimated to have reduced Foodservice segment net sales by approximately 2%.
Consolidated gross profit decreased $8.0 million to $110.8 million driven by the sales decline and associated impact of lower production volumes on our plant operations; higher freight costs; and costs for the addition of new production capacity at our sauce and dressing facility in Atlanta, Georgia.
SG&A expenses increased $10.9 million to $69.3 million. In addition to the incremental core SG&A expenses attributed to Bachan’s, the higher SG&A costs also include $2.4 million in noncash amortization expense attributed to Bachan’s intangible assets.
In the prior-year quarter, restructuring and impairment charges of $1.1 million are attributed to the closure of our sauce and dressing facility in Milpitas, California.
Consolidated operating income decreased $17.8 million to $41.4 million. Excluding the $2.4 million in noncash amortization expense for Bachan’s intangible assets and last year’s restructuring and impairment charges of $1.1 million, Adjusted Operating Income declined $16.6 million to $43.9 million. The decrease in Adjusted Operating Income reflects the lower gross profit and higher SG&A expenses.
Interest expense totaled $2.8 million in the current year versus no interest expense last year, as a portion of the Bachan’s acquisition purchase price was financed with a $200 million term loan.
Net income decreased $17.9 million to $29.3 million, or $1.07 per diluted share, versus $47.2 million, or $1.71 per diluted share, last year. In the current-year quarter, the incremental noncash amortization expense for the Bachan’s intangible assets decreased net income by $1.9 million, or $0.07 per diluted share. In the prior-year quarter, restructuring and impairment charges reduced net income by $0.9 million, or $0.03 per diluted share. Resulting Adjusted Diluted EPS was $1.14 in the current-year quarter versus $1.74 last year.
Conference Call on the Web
The company’s first quarter conference call is scheduled for this morning, November 3, at 10:00 a.m. ET. Access to a live webcast and subsequent replay of the call is available through a link on the company’s website at investors.marzetticompany.com.
About The Marzetti Company
The Marzetti Company is a manufacturer and marketer of specialty food products for the retail and foodservice channels.
Forward-Looking Statements
We desire to take advantage of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “PSLRA”). This news release contains various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the PSLRA and other applicable securities laws. Such statements can be identified by the use of the forward-looking words “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “believe,” “intend,” “plan,” “expect,” “hope” or similar words. These statements discuss future expectations; contain projections regarding future developments, operations or financial conditions; or state other forward-looking information. Such statements are based upon assumptions and assessments made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments; and other factors we believe to be appropriate. These forward-looking statements involve various important risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Some of the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include:
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update such forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Management believes these forward-looking statements to be reasonable; however, you should not place undue reliance on statements that are based on current expectations.
The Marzetti Company
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
(Unaudited, In thousands except per-share amounts)
Three Months Ended
September 30,
2026
2025
Net sales
$
481,522
$
493,472
Cost of sales
370,748
374,653
Gross profit
110,774
118,819
Selling, general & administrative expenses
69,330
58,416
Restructuring, impairment and other, net
—
1,143
Operating income
41,444
59,260
Interest expense
(2,797
)
—
Other, net
129
1,529
Income before income taxes
38,776
60,789
Taxes based on income
9,476
13,607
Net income
$
29,300
$
47,182
Net income per common share: (a)
Basic
$
1.08
$
1.71
Diluted
$
1.07
$
1.71
Cash dividends per common share
$
1.00
$
0.95
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic
27,226
27,455
Diluted
27,275
27,494
(a) Based on the weighted average number of shares outstanding during each period.
The Marzetti Company
Business Segment Information
(Unaudited, In thousands)
Three Months Ended
September 30,
2026
2025
Net Sales
Retail
$
252,721
$
247,845
Foodservice
228,801
245,627
Total Net Sales
$
481,522
$
493,472
Operating Income
Retail
$
37,176
$
50,611
Foodservice
30,393
34,768
Nonallocated Restructuring, Impairment and Other
—
(1,143
)
Corporate Expenses
(26,125
)
(24,976
)
Total Operating Income
$
41,444
$
59,260
The Marzetti Company
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited, In thousands)
September 30,
2026
June 30,
2026
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and equivalents
$
17,521
$
25,096
Receivables
110,370
105,488
Inventories
215,794
205,062
Other current assets
36,744
25,315
Total current assets
380,429
360,961
Net property, plant and equipment
555,954
551,554
Other assets
687,744
692,505
Total assets
$
1,624,127
$
1,605,020
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable
$
180,893
$
156,785
Accrued liabilities
57,035
64,751
Current portion of long-term debt
10,000
10,000
Total current liabilities
247,928
231,536
Long-term debt
186,813
189,276
Other noncurrent liabilities and deferred income taxes
137,759
131,058
Shareholders’ equity
1,051,627
1,053,150
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity
$
1,624,127
$
1,605,020
Reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP Financial Measures
The Marzetti Company prepares its consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”). However, from time to time, the corporation may present in its public statements, press releases and SEC filings, non-GAAP financial measures such as Adjusted Consolidated Net Sales, Adjusted Foodservice Net Sales, Adjusted Cost of Sales, Adjusted Gross Profit, Adjusted Gross Margin, Adjusted Operating Income, and Adjusted Net Income Per Diluted Share (“Adjusted Diluted EPS”). Management considers such non-GAAP financial measures to provide useful supplemental information to investors in facilitating year-over-year comparisons by removing non-recurring items or other items that management believes do not directly reflect the underlying operations. Management uses these non-GAAP measures in the preparation of our annual operating plan and for our monthly analysis of operating results. Reconciliations of the non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures are provided below. The corporation’s definitions of these non-GAAP measures may differ from similarly titled measures used by other companies. These non-GAAP measures should be considered supplemental to, and not a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.
Adjusted Consolidated Net Sales, Adjusted Foodservice Net Sales, Adjusted Cost of Sales, Adjusted Gross Profit and Adjusted Gross Margin are non-GAAP financial measures that exclude non-core sales and cost of sales attributed to a temporary supply agreement (“TSA”) made in connection with our February 2025 acquisition of Winland’s Atlanta-based sauce and dressing production facility. The TSA sales are included in the reported net sales for our Foodservice segment and did not contribute meaningfully to gross profit. The TSA sales commenced in March 2025 and concluded during the quarter ended March 31, 2026. The following table presents a reconciliation between net sales, cost of sales, gross profit and gross margin as reported in accordance with GAAP and Adjusted Consolidated Net Sales, Adjusted Foodservice Net Sales, Adjusted Cost of Sales, Adjusted Gross Profit and Adjusted Gross Margin for the three month periods ended September 30, 2026 and 2025.
Three Months Ended September 30, 2026
Three Months Ended September 30, 2025
(Unaudited, Dollars In Thousands)
Reported
TSA-Related
Adjusted
(non-GAAP)
Reported
TSA-Related
Adjusted
(non-GAAP)
Consolidated
Net Sales
$
481,522
$
—
$
481,522
$
493,472
$
10,691
$
482,781
Cost of Sales
370,748
—
370,748
374,653
10,691
363,962
Gross Profit
$
110,774
$
—
$
110,774
$
118,819
$
—
$
118,819
Gross Margin
23.0
%
—
%
23.0
%
24.1
%
—
%
24.6
%
Foodservice Segment
Foodservice Net Sales
$
228,801
$
—
$
228,801
$
245,627
$
10,691
$
234,936
Adjusted Operating Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS are non-GAAP financial measures that exclude certain items affecting comparability, which can impact the analysis of our underlying core business performance and trends. The following table presents a reconciliation between 1) operating income as reported in accordance with GAAP and Adjusted Operating Income and 2) diluted EPS as reported in accordance with GAAP and Adjusted Diluted EPS for the three month periods ended September 30, 2026 and 2025. The current-year adjustment reflects incremental SG&A expenses attributed to the amortization of intangible assets resulting from the Bachan’s acquisition. The prior-year adjustment reflects restructuring and impairment charges resulting from the closure of our sauce and dressing production facility in Milpitas, California.
(Unaudited, Dollars in thousands except per share data)
Reported
SG&A Expenses
- Intangibles Amortization
Restructuring, Impairment and Other, Net
Adjusted
(non-GAAP) *
Three Months Ended September 30, 2026
Operating Income
$
41,444
$
2,409
$
—
$
43,853
Diluted EPS
$
1.07
$
0.07
$
—
$
1.14
Three Months Ended September 30, 2025
Operating Income
$
59,260
$
—
$
1,143
$
60,403
Diluted EPS
$
1.71
$
—
$
0.03
$
1.74
Change:
Operating Income ($)
$
(17,816
)
$
2,409
$
(1,143
)
$
(16,550
)
Operating Income (%)
(30.1
)%
N/M
(100.0
)%
(27.4
)%
Diluted EPS ($)
$
(0.64
)
$
0.07
$
(0.03
)
$
(0.60
)
Diluted EPS (%)
(37.4
)%
N/M
(100.0
)%
(34.5
)%
* The sum of individual per share amounts may not add due to rounding.