10-QPeriod: Q1 FY2017

CHURCH & DWIGHT CO INC /DE/ Quarterly Report for Q1 Ended Mar 31, 2017

Filed May 4, 2017For Securities:CHD

Summary

Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (CHD) reported solid financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2017. Net sales increased by 3.3% to $877.2 million, driven by volume growth in its Consumer Domestic and International segments, supported by recent acquisitions. The company demonstrated strong operational efficiency, with gross profit increasing by 5.4% and gross margin expanding by 90 basis points, largely due to cost improvement initiatives and higher margins on acquired products. Net income saw a significant increase of 16.4% to $131.5 million, or $0.51 per diluted share, up from $0.43 in the prior year. This growth was supported by higher operating income, favorable tax rate changes due to accounting standard adoption, and strategic management of expenses. The company also continued its return of capital to shareholders through share repurchases and dividend payments, underscoring its commitment to shareholder value.

Financial Highlights

53 data points
Beta

Revenue

$877.20M

45.5% Gross Margin

Net Income

$131.50M

15.0% Net Margin

EPS (Diluted)

$0.51

Total Assets

$4.49B

Cash & Equivalents

$139.50M

Free Cash Flow

$128.70M

Financial Statements
Beta
Revenue$877.20M
Cost of Revenue$477.90M
Gross Profit$399.30M
R&D Expenses$14.10M
SG&A Expenses$112.40M
Operating Income$196.10M
Interest Expense$8.20M
Net Income$131.50M
EPS (Basic)$0.52
EPS (Diluted)$0.51
Shares Outstanding (Basic)254.10M
Shares Outstanding (Diluted)259.70M

Key Highlights

  • 1Net sales increased 3.3% year-over-year to $877.2 million, driven by volume and strategic acquisitions.
  • 2Gross profit rose 5.4% to $399.3 million, with gross margin improving by 90 basis points to 45.5%.
  • 3Net income increased significantly by 16.4% to $131.5 million, resulting in diluted EPS of $0.51, up from $0.43.
  • 4The company successfully integrated the Viviscal and Anusol acquisitions, contributing to sales growth.
  • 5Operating expenses were managed effectively, with marketing expenses decreasing as a percentage of sales, while SG&A increased slightly due to acquisition-related costs.
  • 6Cash flow from operations remained strong at $131.5 million, though slightly lower than the prior year due to working capital changes, but the cash conversion cycle improved significantly.
  • 7The company continued its capital allocation strategy with $157.1 million in share repurchases and $48.4 million in dividend payments during the quarter.

Frequently Asked Questions

The 3.3% increase in net sales to $877.2 million was primarily driven by a 2.7% increase in product volumes sold across the Consumer Domestic and Consumer International segments. Additionally, sales from recently acquired product lines, specifically the Viviscal and Anusol acquisitions, contributed approximately 1.6% to the sales growth.

Marketing expenses decreased by 1.8% year-over-year to $90.8 million and represented 10.3% of net sales, down from 10.9% in the prior year, indicating improved efficiency. Selling, General & Administrative (SG&A) expenses increased by 5.0% to $112.4 million, primarily due to one-time and ongoing costs associated with the Viviscal and Anusol acquisitions, as well as higher IT costs. However, SG&A as a percentage of net sales saw a modest increase of 20 basis points to 12.8%.

The adoption of a new accounting standard for share-based payment awards in the first quarter of 2017 resulted in excess tax benefits of $8.7 million (or $0.03 per share) being recorded as a reduction to income tax expense, rather than in equity. This significantly reduced the effective tax rate to 30.9% from 34.7% in the prior year. This change also affected the classification of cash flows, increasing operating cash flow and decreasing financing cash flow by the same amount.

As of March 31, 2017, Church & Dwight had $139.5 million in cash and cash equivalents. The company also has substantial borrowing capacity available through its credit facilities and commercial paper program. Management anticipates that cash from operations, combined with existing borrowing capacity, will be sufficient to cover capital expenditures, share repurchases, and dividends, and potentially fund future acquisitions.