Campbell Reports First-Quarter Fiscal 2024 Results

CAMDEN, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) today reported results for its first-quarter fiscal 2024 ended October 29, 2023.

CEO Comments
“Our first-quarter results were in line with our expectations, as we continue to effectively navigate the current consumer landscape, while lapping 15% growth rates from a year ago,” said Mark Clouse, Campbell’s President and CEO. “We are off to an encouraging start in our important holiday season, and we expect to build momentum for the balance of the fiscal year behind disciplined execution, stepped up innovation, and the overall relevance of our brands in this current environment. As a result, we are confident in reaffirming our full-year guidance. Lastly, we remain excited about adding the Sovos Brands portfolio and expect to close the transaction in calendar year 2024.”

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.

First-Quarter Results
Net sales in the quarter decreased 2%. Organic net sales decreased 1% to $2.5 billion, following a 15% increase in the prior year that reflected double-digit inflation driven pricing and supply chain recovery. As expected, volume / mix in the first quarter was down 5% versus prior year and was partially offset by net price realization of 3%.

Gross profit decreased to $788 million from $834 million. Gross profit margin was 31.3% compared to 32.4%. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted gross profit was $808 million compared to $829 million in the prior year. Adjusted gross profit margin declined 10 basis points to 32.1% and was primarily driven by unfavorable volume / mix, with net price realization, supply chain productivity improvements and cost savings initiatives offsetting higher cost inflation and other supply chain costs.

Marketing and selling expenses increased 10% to $222 million. Excluding items impacting comparability in the current year, adjusted marketing and selling expenses increased 9% to $220 million. The increase included higher advertising and consumer promotion expense (A&C), which increased 6%, primarily driven by increased spend in Snacks. On both a reported and adjusted basis, marketing and selling expenses represented approximately 9% of net sales.

Administrative expenses were comparable to the prior year at $158 million. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted administrative expenses decreased 3% to $150 million primarily due to lower general administrative costs, partially offset by inflation.

Other expenses were $24 million compared to other expenses of $18 million in the prior year. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted other expenses were $8 million compared to adjusted other expenses of $3 million in the prior year primarily due to lower benefits from pension and postretirement income.

As reported EBIT decreased to $358 million from $436 million. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted EBIT decreased 9% to $407 million primarily due to lower adjusted gross profit, higher adjusted marketing and selling expenses and changes in pension and postretirement benefit income, partially offset by lower adjusted administrative expenses.

Net interest expense was $48 million compared to $46 million. The effective tax rate was 24.5% compared to 23.8%. Excluding items impacting comparability, the adjusted effective tax rate increased 40 basis points to 24.2%.

As reported EPS decreased to $0.78 per share compared to $0.99 per share. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted EPS decreased $0.11, or 11%, to $0.91 per share compared to $1.02 per share primarily reflecting the decrease in adjusted EBIT and slightly higher interest expense, partially offset by a reduction in the weighted average diluted shares outstanding.

Cash flow from operations was $174 million compared to $227 million primarily due to lower cash earnings. Capital expenditures were $143 million compared to $77 million. In line with Campbell’s commitment to return value to its shareholders, the company paid $114 million of cash dividends and repurchased common stock of approximately $28 million. At the end of the first quarter, the company had approximately $301 million remaining under the current $500 million strategic share repurchase program and approximately $76 million remaining under its $250 million anti-dilutive share repurchase program.

Cost Savings Program from Continuing Operations
Through the first quarter, Campbell has achieved $895 million of total savings under its multi-year cost savings program, inclusive of Snyder’s-Lance synergies. The company remains on track to deliver savings of $1 billion by the end of fiscal 2025.

Full-Year Fiscal 2024 Guidance:
Based on the company’s first quarter performance, Campbell is reaffirming its full-year fiscal 2024 guidance range provided on August 31, 2023. Net sales for the full year are expected to reflect volume declines in the first half of fiscal 2024 with sequential improvement leading to positive volume trends in the second half. Additionally, net sales growth will reflect lower contribution from pricing and disciplined levels of promotion. The company continues to expect modest earnings and margin progress in fiscal 2024, weighted to the second half, reflecting a moderating inflationary environment and on-going productivity improvements. Other additional guidance assumptions can be found in the accompanying investor presentation available at investor.campbellsoupcompany.com/events-and-presentations.

The pending acquisition of Sovos Brands is currently expected to close in calendar 2024 and is not included in Campbell’s current fiscal 2024 outlook. After the transaction closes, the company expects to update guidance expectations for the combined business.

The full-year fiscal 2024 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 4% and organic net sales decreased 3% as declines in U.S. retail products, primarily declines in U.S. soup and beverages, were partially offset by an increase in foodservice. Volume / mix declines of 6% were partially offset by net price realization of 2%. Following an 11% increase in the prior year, sales of U.S. soup decreased 5% primarily due to decreases in condensed soups and ready-to-serve soups, partially offset by an increase in broth. On a two-year CAGR basis, Meals & Beverages reported and organic net sales grew approximately 5% and 6%, respectively.

Operating earnings in the quarter decreased 13% primarily due to lower gross profit. Gross profit margin decreased due to higher cost inflation and other supply chain costs as well as unfavorable volume / mix, net of supply chain productivity improvements and net price realization.

Snacks
Net sales in the quarter decreased 1%. Excluding the impact from the divestiture of the Emerald nuts business, organic net sales increased 1% driven by sales of its 8 power brands, which were up 5%. Sales growth was driven by increases in cookies and crackers, primarily Lance sandwich crackers and Goldfish crackers, partially offset by declines in sales of third-party partner brands. Sales benefited from net price realization of 5%, partially offset by volume / mix declines of 4%. On a two-year CAGR basis, Snacks reported and organic net sales grew approximately 7% and 8%, respectively.

Operating earnings in the quarter increased 5% primarily due to higher gross profit, partially offset by planned higher marketing and selling expenses. Gross profit margin increased due to net price realization and supply chain productivity improvements more than offsetting higher cost inflation and other supply chain costs.

Corporate
Corporate expense was $88 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2024 compared to $48 million in the prior year.

Corporate expense in the current quarter included the following:

• $15 million of unrealized mark-to-market losses on outstanding undesignated commodity hedges;
• $11 million of costs related to cost savings initiatives;
• $9 million of costs associated with the pending acquisition of Sovos Brands;
• $7 million of accelerated amortization;
• $3 million of costs associated with the cybersecurity incident; and
• $2 million of Plum litigation expenses.

Corporate expense in the first quarter of fiscal 2023 included:

• $15 million of pension actuarial losses;
• $3 million of costs related to cost savings initiatives; and
• $5 million of unrealized mark-to-market gains on outstanding undesignated commodity hedges.

After factoring in these items, the remaining increase in Corporate expense was primarily changes in pension and postretirement benefit income.

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
For more than 150 years, Campbell (NYSE:CPB) has been connecting people through food they love. Generations of consumers have trusted us to provide delicious and affordable food and beverages. Headquartered in Camden, N.J. since 1869, the company generated fiscal 2023 net sales of $9.4 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.