Campbell Reports Third-Quarter Fiscal 2023 Results

CAMDEN, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) today reported results for its third-quarter fiscal 2023 ended April 30, 2023.

CEO Comments

“Our third-quarter results were in line with our expectations and were driven by in-market momentum, continued best-in-class supply chain execution and favorable inflation-driven net price realization, all despite the anticipated challenging comparison from the prior year’s retailer inventory rebuild,” said Campbell’s President and CEO, Mark Clouse. “Our year-to-date results and execution give us continued confidence in our ability to deliver our full-year guidance, with adjusted EPS currently tracking to the upper end of our guidance range.”

Items Impacting Comparability

The table below presents a summary of items impacting comparability in each period. A detailed reconciliation of the reported (GAAP) financial information to the adjusted information is included at the end of this news release.

Third-Quarter Results

Net sales in the quarter, both reported and organic, increased 5% versus the prior year to $2.2 billion. Favorable inflation-driven net price realization was partially offset by an expected decline in volume / mix, which was driven by lapping the prior year retailer inventory rebuild as well as lower volume consumption due to elasticities.

Gross profit increased to $668 million from $665 million in the prior year. As a percent of sales, gross profit margin was 30.0% compared to 31.2% in the prior year. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted gross profit increased to $689 million from $671 million. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted gross profit margin decreased 60 basis points to 30.9% primarily driven by unfavorable volume / mix, with favorable net price realization and supply chain productivity improvements more than offsetting higher cost inflation and other supply chain costs. The third quarter of fiscal 2022 benefited from a 50-basis point insurance settlement.

Marketing and selling expenses increased 3% to $194 million and represented approximately 9% of net sales. The increase was driven by higher selling expenses, partially offset by increased benefits from cost savings initiatives.

Administrative expenses increased 11% to $167 million. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted administrative expenses increased 5% to $154 million due to higher general administrative costs and inflation, higher incentive compensation costs and higher benefit-related costs, partially offset by lower expenses related to the settlement of certain legal claims.

Other expenses were $23 million compared to $10 million in the prior year. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted other expenses were $6 million compared to adjusted other income of $6 million in the prior year primarily due to lower pension and postretirement benefit income this year.

As reported EBIT decreased to $254 million from $294 million in the prior year. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted EBIT decreased 2% compared to the prior year to $313 million primarily due to higher adjusted other expenses, related to lower pension and postretirement benefit income this year. Higher adjusted gross profit more than offset higher adjusted administrative expenses and higher marketing and selling expenses. Lower pension and postretirement benefit income this year drove an approximate $12 million headwind to adjusted EBIT in the quarter.

Net interest expense was $46 million compared to $50 million in the prior year. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted net interest expense was $46 million in the prior year. The effective tax rate was 23.1% compared to 23.0% in the prior year. Excluding items impacting comparability, the adjusted effective tax rate increased 70 basis points to 23.6% compared to 22.9% in the prior year.

As reported EPS decreased to $0.53 per share compared to $0.62 per share in the prior year. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted EPS decreased $0.02, or 3%, to $0.68 per share compared to $0.70 per share in the prior year, primarily reflecting the decrease in adjusted EBIT and a higher adjusted effective tax rate. Lower pension and postretirement benefit income this year drove an approximate $0.03 headwind to adjusted EPS in the quarter.

Nine-Month Results

Net sales, both reported and organic, increased 11% versus the prior year to $7.3 billion driven by favorable inflation-driven net price realization, partially offset by volume / mix declines.

As reported EBIT increased 5% compared to the prior year to $1.04 billion. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted EBIT increased 9% compared to the prior year to $1.13 billion primarily due to higher adjusted gross profit, partially offset by higher marketing and selling expenses, higher adjusted other expenses and higher adjusted administrative expenses.

Net interest expense was $137 million compared to $143 million in the prior year. Excluding items impacting comparability in the prior year, adjusted net interest expense was $139 million. The effective tax rate was 23.7% compared to 22.2% in the prior year. Excluding items impacting comparability, the adjusted effective tax rate increased 150 basis points to 23.8% compared to 22.3% in the prior year, primarily due to the favorable resolution of several tax matters and the impact of state tax law changes in the prior year.

As reported EPS increased to $2.29 per share compared to $2.18 per share in the prior year. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted EPS increased $0.22, or 10%, compared to the prior year to $2.50 per share primarily reflecting the increase in adjusted EBIT and a reduction in the weighted average diluted shares outstanding, partially offset by a higher adjusted effective tax rate.

Cash flow from operations decreased from $1.1 billion in the prior year to $918 million primarily due to changes in working capital, partially offset by higher cash earnings. Capital expenditures were $257 million compared to $179 million in the prior year. In line with Campbell’s commitment to return value to its shareholders, the company paid $336 million of cash dividends and repurchased common stock of approximately $141 million. At the end of the third quarter, the company had approximately $301 million remaining under the current $500 million strategic share repurchase program and approximately $104 million remaining under its $250 million anti-dilutive share repurchase program.

Cost Savings Program from Continuing Operations

Through the third quarter, Campbell has achieved $880 million of total savings under its multi-year cost savings program, inclusive of Snyder’s-Lance synergies. Campbell remains on track to deliver savings of $1 billion by the end of fiscal 2025.

Full-Year Fiscal 2023 Guidance

Campbell is reaffirming its full-year fiscal 2023 net sales, adjusted EBIT and adjusted EPS outlook from the guidance provided on March 8, 2023.

We anticipate that the recent Emerald nuts business divestiture, which closed on May 30, 2023, will not have a material impact on our fiscal year adjusted 2023 results, and accordingly, our full year guidance is inclusive of the lost sales and profits of that business for the remaining two months of the fiscal year.

Our reaffirmed adjusted EBIT and adjusted EPS guidance reflects planned investments in the fourth quarter to sustain momentum and value for consumers.

Our fiscal year 2023 pre-tax pension and postretirement benefit income outlook is expected to be lower by approximately $45 million, or $0.12 per share, compared to the prior year. This represents approximately 3.5% of adjusted EBIT growth and approximately 4% of adjusted EPS growth. The plans continue to be well funded.

The full-year fiscal 2023 guidance is set forth in the table below:

Segment Operating Review

An analysis of net sales and operating earnings by reportable segment follows:

Meals & Beverages

Net sales in the quarter decreased 2% and organic net sales decreased 1% in the quarter primarily due to declines in U.S. soup, partially offset by gains in foodservice. The price-driven in-market growth was more than offset by an expected decline in volume / mix driven by lapping prior year retailer inventory rebuild as well as lower volume consumption due to elasticities and increased competitive pressure. The retailer inventory impact was most pronounced in U.S. soup which had a net sales decline of 11% in comparison to relatively flat in-market performance.

Operating earnings in the quarter decreased 17% primarily due to lower gross profit. Gross profit margin decreased due to unfavorable volume / mix with favorable net price realization and supply chain productivity improvements largely offsetting higher cost inflation and other supply chain costs.

Snacks

Net sales in the quarter, both reported and organic, increased 12% driven by sales of its 8 power brands, which were up 16%. Sales growth was driven by increases in cookies and crackers, primarily Goldfish crackers and Lance sandwich crackers, and in salty snacks, primarily Kettle Brand potato chips, Snack Factory pretzel crisps, Cape Cod potato chips and Snyder’s of Hanover pretzels. Sales benefited from favorable net price realization, partially offset by modest volume / mix declines.

Operating earnings in the quarter increased 41% primarily due to higher gross profit, partially offset by slightly higher marketing and selling expenses. Gross profit margin increased due to the impact of favorable net price realization and supply chain productivity improvements more than offsetting higher cost inflation and other supply chain costs as well as unfavorable volume / mix.

Corporate

Corporate expense was $101 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2023 compared to $53 million in the prior year. Corporate expense in the current quarter included costs of $27 million related to cost savings initiatives, pension actuarial losses of $17 million and unrealized mark-to-market losses on outstanding undesignated commodity hedges of $9 million. Corporate expense in the third quarter of fiscal 2022 included pension actuarial losses of $16 million, costs of $6 million related to cost savings initiatives and unrealized mark-to-market losses on outstanding undesignated commodity hedges of $5 million. After factoring in these items, the remaining increase in Corporate expense was primarily due to lower pension and postretirement benefit income and higher administrative expenses.

Conference Call and Webcast

Campbell will host a conference call to discuss these results today at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Participants calling from the U.S. may dial in using the toll-free phone number (888) 210-3346. Participants calling from outside the U.S. may dial in using phone number +1 (646) 960-0253. The conference access code is 2518868. In addition to dial-in, access to a live listen-only audio webcast and accompanying slide presentation, as well as a replay of the webcast, will be available at investor.campbellsoupcompany.com/events-and-presentations.

Reportable Segments

Campbell Soup Company earnings results are reported as follows:

Meals & Beverages, which consists of our soup, simple meals and beverage products in retail and foodservice in U.S. and Canada. The segment includes the following products: Campbell’s condensed and ready-to-serve soups; Swanson broth and stocks; Pacific Foods broth, soups and non-dairy beverages; Prego pasta sauces; Pace Mexican sauces; Campbell’s gravies, pasta, beans and dinner sauces; Swanson canned poultry; V8 juices and beverages; and Campbell’s tomato juice. The segment also includes snacking products in foodservice and Canada.

Snacks, which consists of Pepperidge Farm cookies*, crackers, fresh bakery and frozen products, including Goldfish crackers*, Snyder’s of Hanover pretzels*, Lance sandwich crackers*, Cape Cod potato chips*, Kettle Brand potato chips*, Late July snacks*, Snack Factory pretzel crisps*, Pop Secret popcorn, and other snacking products in retail in the U.S. We refer to the * brands as our “power brands.” The segment also includes the retail business in Latin America. The segment included the results of our Emerald nuts business, which was sold on May 30, 2023.

About Campbell Soup Company

For more than 150 years, Campbell (NYSE:CPB) has been connecting people through food they love. Generations of consumers have trusted Campbell to provide delicious and affordable food and beverages. Headquartered in Camden, N.J. since 1869, Campbell generated fiscal 2022 net sales of nearly $8.6 billion. Our portfolio includes iconic brands such as Campbell’s, Cape Cod, Goldfish, Kettle Brand, Lance, Late July, Milano, Pace, Pacific Foods, Pepperidge Farm, Prego, Snyder’s of Hanover, Swanson and V8. Campbell has a heritage of giving back and acting as a good steward of the environment. The company is a member of the Standard & Poor’s 500 as well as the FTSE4Good and Bloomberg Gender-Equality Indices. For more information, visit www.campbellsoupcompany.com or follow company news on Twitter via @CampbellSoupCo.