Lamb Weston Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2026 Results; Increases Midpoint of Fiscal Year 2026 Net Sales and EBITDA Outlook and Reduces Expected 2026 Capital Expenditures

Board of Directors Declares Quarterly Dividend of $0.38 per Share

Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:LW) announced today its results for the third quarter of fiscal 2026 and updated its full year financial targets for fiscal 2026.

"Driven by continued solid performance in our North America segment, we delivered another quarter in line with our expectations," said Mike Smith, Lamb Weston president and CEO. "Our team's disciplined execution of our Focus to Win strategy continues to strengthen Lamb Weston and position us to drive long-term shareholder value. We are taking proactive steps to better align supply and demand, and we are acting with urgency to navigate the competitive international environment. Our focus on operational rigor and cost discipline continues to drive strong productivity, and we now expect to exceed our cost reduction target of at least $250 million by fiscal year-end 2028."

Q3 2026 Commentary

Q3 Results of Operations

Net sales increased $44.3 million, to $1,564.8 million versus the prior year quarter, including a favorable foreign currency impact of $47.4 million. Net sales at constant currency⁽²⁾ was essentially flat, as a 7 percent increase in volume was offset by a 7 percent decline in price/mix. Volume growth was driven by North America customer wins, share gains and strong retention. The decline in price/mix reflects continued price and trade support for customers and consumer shifts toward value-oriented channels and brands, including increased sales to chain customers, which generally carry lower pricing. The Company also experienced softer industry demand in key international markets as well as increased competitive industry dynamics, which most notably affected the Company's EMEA business.

Gross profit declined $90.9 million versus the prior year quarter to $331.6 million. Adjusted Gross Profit⁽¹⁾ declined $92.9 million to $327.5 million, primarily reflecting unfavorable global price/mix, as well as a net $32.5 million pre-tax charge related to the write-off of excess raw potatoes in the International segment due to lower than planned sales volumes resulting from softer market demand. Total manufacturing cost per pound increased, which reflected the raw potato write-off, increased fixed factory burden costs associated with underutilized international production facilities and inflationary pressures across key input categories globally. These higher costs were partially offset by the benefits of the Company's cost savings initiatives as well as improved operating efficiencies in the North America segment.

Selling, general and administrative expenses ("SG&A") declined $7.4 million versus the prior year quarter to $156.8 million. Adjusted SG&A⁽¹⁾ increased $9.4 million versus the prior year quarter to $157.4 million. Adjusted SG&A⁽¹⁾ continues to benefit from ongoing cost savings initiatives; however, these savings were more than offset by normalized compensation and benefit accruals tied to performance achievement, and $12.7 million of write-offs of capitalized costs associated with certain projects no longer under development.

Net income declined $92.0 million from the prior year quarter to $54.0 million, and Diluted EPS declined $0.64 versus the prior year quarter to $0.39. Adjusted Net Income⁽¹⁾ declined $64.4 million over the prior year quarter to $100.0 million, and Adjusted Diluted EPS⁽¹⁾ declined $0.43 from the prior year quarter to $0.72. The decline in Adjusted Net Income⁽¹⁾ and Adjusted Diluted EPS⁽¹⁾ reflects the lower Adjusted Gross Profit⁽¹⁾ and higher Adjusted SG&A⁽¹⁾, partially offset by lower income tax expense.

Adjusted EBITDA⁽¹⁾ declined $101.3 million from the prior year quarter to $271.7 million, also reflecting the reduction in Adjusted Gross Profit⁽¹⁾ and higher Adjusted SG&A⁽¹⁾.

The Company's effective tax rate⁽³⁾ for the third quarter of 2026 was 35.9 percent, versus 28.3 percent in the third quarter of fiscal 2025. The effective tax rate for the current quarter reflects impacts of the comparability items, most notably the expenses related to the Company's Cost Savings Program and Restructuring Plan, as discussed in more detail in the Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Financial Measures in the tables accompanying this press release. Excluding these items, the Company's effective tax rate⁽³⁾ was 21.8 percent for the third quarter of 2026, versus 28.1 percent for the prior year quarter. Compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2025, the effective tax rate excluding the impact of these items is lower primarily due to having a smaller proportion of losses with no expected tax benefits in certain jurisdictions.

Q3 2026 Segment Highlights

North America Summary

Net sales for the North America segment, which includes all sales to customers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, increased 5 percent to $1,035.0 million compared to the prior year quarter. Volume increased 12 percent, driven by customer contract wins, share gains and growth. Price/mix declined 7 percent, reflecting price and trade support for customers and a mix shift toward faster-growing chain customers and private-label products, which generally carry lower pricing than other channels.

North America Segment Adjusted EBITDA declined $12.8 million to $289.8 million compared to the prior year quarter. Higher volumes, lower manufacturing costs per pound, and lower Adjusted SG&A⁽¹⁾, reflecting cost savings initiatives and improved operating efficiencies, were more than offset by continued price and trade support for customers and an unfavorable mix.

International Summary

Net sales for the International segment, which includes all sales to customers outside of North America, declined 1 percent, or $4.4 million, to $529.8 million compared to the prior year quarter, including a favorable foreign currency impact of $43.7 million. Net sales at constant currency⁽²⁾ declined 9 percent. Volume declined 2 percent, driven by softer demand in key international markets. Price/mix at constant currency⁽²⁾ declined 7 percent, primarily reflecting ongoing price and trade to support customers and, to a lesser extent, an unfavorable mix that favors lower priced geographies and products.

International Segment Adjusted EBITDA declined $75.6 million to $18.5 million compared to the prior year quarter. The decrease was primarily attributable to lower sales, higher manufacturing costs per pound, including a net $32.5 million pre-tax charge for the write-off of excess raw potatoes due to lower than planned sales volumes and increased fixed factory burden costs associated with underutilized international production facilities. The higher manufacturing costs were partially offset by benefits from cost savings initiatives.

To improve utilization and respond to the challenging operating environment in the International segment, the Company closed its Munro, Argentina plant during the third quarter and consolidated Latin America production into its new, modern facility in Mar del Plata, Argentina. As previously disclosed, the Company also temporarily curtailed a production line in the Netherlands beginning early in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2026.

Cash Flows, Capital Expenditures and Liquidity

Compared with the first three quarters of fiscal 2025, cash provided by operating activities increased $110.3 million to $595.6 million. The increase largely relates to $130.0 million of favorable changes in working capital, led by lower inventories in North America and timing of collections of trade receivables, partially offset by a $19.7 million decrease in net income, adjusted for non-cash items.

Capital expenditures were $256.6 million during the first three quarters of fiscal 2026, down $306.5 million from the prior year period. The decrease in capital expenditures reflects completion of major growth initiatives as well as the Company's ongoing initiatives to reduce structural capital intensity as part of its Focus to Win strategy.

As of February 22, 2026, the Company had $57.5 million of cash and cash equivalents, with $1.26 billion of additional available liquidity under its revolving credit facility.

Capital Returned to Shareholders

In the third quarter of fiscal 2026, the Company returned $51.4 million to shareholders through cash dividends.

In the first three quarters of fiscal 2026, the Company returned a total of $204.7 million to shareholders. This includes $154.7 million to shareholders through cash dividends and $50.0 million through repurchases of common stock, with an aggregate of 804,882 shares repurchased at an average price of $62.12 per share.

The Company did not repurchase shares during the third quarter due to trading restrictions associated with certain announcements that have since been disclosed. Following the end of the restrictions, the Company implemented a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan for future purchases. As of March 30, 2026, 1,053,429 shares of common stock were repurchased under the Company's share repurchase program for an aggregate purchase price of $43.7 million. As of that date, approximately $264 million remained authorized for repurchase under our share repurchase program.

On March 31, 2026, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.38 per share of Lamb Weston common stock. The dividend is payable on June 5, 2026, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 8, 2026.

Fiscal 2026 Outlook

The Company updated its financial targets for fiscal 2026 as follows:

The Company's net sales guidance includes an approximate 1.8% benefit from an anticipated favorable foreign currency translation. The guidance also reflects the Company's current assessment of the anticipated impact of enacted tariffs by the U.S. and other countries but does not include potential effects of evolving trade policies or the potential for refunds, if any, relating to legal challenges or policy reversals. The guidance range takes into account the current expectation for ongoing disruption in certain markets in the Middle East. In addition, the fiscal 2026 outlook includes the contribution of a 53^rd week in the fiscal period, which occurs in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026.

End Notes

Webcast and Conference Call Information

Lamb Weston will host a conference call to review its third quarter fiscal 2026 results at 10:00 a.m. ET on April 1, 2026. Participants in the U.S. and Canada may access the conference call by dialing 1-800-330-6710 and participants outside the U.S. and Canada should dial +1 213-279-1505. The conference ID is 5641976. The conference call and accompanying presentation also may be accessed live on the internet. Participants can register for the event at: https://investors.lambweston.com/news-events/events-and-presentations.

A rebroadcast of the conference call will be available beginning on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, after 2:00 p.m. ET at https://investors.lambweston.com/news-events/events-and-presentations.

About Lamb Weston

Lamb Weston is a leading supplier of frozen potato products to restaurants and retailers around the world. For more than 75 years, Lamb Weston has led the industry in innovation, introducing inventive products that simplify back-of-house management for its customers and make things more delicious for their customers. From the fields where Lamb Weston potatoes are grown to proactive customer partnerships, Lamb Weston always strives for more and never settles. Because, when we look at a potato, we see possibilities. Learn more about us at lambweston.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement the financial information included in this press release, the Company has presented Adjusted Gross Profit, Adjusted SG&A, Adjusted Cost Savings Program and Restructuring Expenses, Adjusted Income from Operations, Adjusted Income Tax Expense, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Diluted EPS, Adjusted Equity Method Investment Earnings, and Adjusted EBITDA, each of which is considered a non-GAAP financial measure. The Company also presents net sales and price/mix growth at constant currency, which provide information on the percentage change in net sales and price/mix growth, respectively, as if foreign currency exchange rates had remained constant between the current and prior year periods. The non-GAAP financial measures presented in this press release should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative for, financial measures prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") that are also presented in this press release. These measures are not substitutes for their comparable GAAP financial measures, such as gross profit, SG&A, income from operations, income tax expense, net income, diluted earnings per share, equity method investment earnings, net sales, and other measures prescribed by GAAP, and there are limitations to using non-GAAP financial measures. For example, the non-GAAP financial measures presented in this press release may differ from similarly titled non-GAAP financial measures presented by other companies, and other companies may not define these non-GAAP financial measures the same way as the Company does.

Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures to assist in analyzing what management views as the Company's core operating performance for purposes of business decision making. Management believes that presenting these non-GAAP financial measures provides investors with useful supplemental information because they (i) provide meaningful supplemental information regarding financial performance by excluding impacts of foreign currency exchange translation and unrealized derivative activities and other items affecting comparability between periods; (ii) permit investors to view the Company's operating and financial performance using the same tools that management uses to evaluate performance across periods and to make budgeting, operating, and strategic decisions; and (iii) otherwise provide supplemental information that may be useful to investors in evaluating the Company's operating and financial performance. In addition, the Company believes that the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures, when considered together with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures and corresponding reconciliations to those GAAP financial measures, provides investors with additional tools to understand the factors and trends affecting the Company's underlying business than could be obtained absent these disclosures.

The Company has also provided guidance in this press release with respect to certain non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted EBITDA. The Company cannot predict certain items that are included in reported GAAP results, including items such as costs and other charges relating to the Company's previously announced Cost Savings Program and Restructuring Plan or other cost savings initiatives; strategic developments; impacts of unrealized mark-to-market derivative gains and losses; impacts of foreign currency exchange gains and losses; impacts of blue chip swap transactions; other non-recurring items such as shareholder activism expenses; and other items impacting comparability. This list is not inclusive of all potential items, and the Company intends to update the list as appropriate as these items are evaluated on an ongoing basis. In addition, the items that cannot be predicted can be highly variable and could potentially have significant impacts on the Company's GAAP financial measures. As such, prospective quantification of these items is not feasible without unreasonable efforts, and a reconciliation of forward-looking Adjusted EBITDA to net income has not been provided.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "expect," "continues," "drive," "take," "act," "focus," "deliver," "strengthen," "improve," "exceed," "target," "anticipate," and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Company's business and financial outlook and prospects; the Company's plans and strategies and anticipated benefits therefrom, including with respect to the Company's cost savings initiatives; anticipated capital expenditures and investments and other costs; anticipated conditions in the Company's industry; and global economic conditions. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainties and changes in circumstances. Readers of this press release should understand that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results. Many factors could affect these forward-looking statements and the Company's actual financial results and cause them to vary materially from the expectations contained in the forward-looking statements, including those set forth in this press release. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: consumer preferences, including restaurant traffic in North America and the Company's international markets, and an uncertain general economic environment, including as a result of tariffs and other trade policies, inflationary pressures and recessionary concerns, any of which could adversely impact the Company's business, financial condition or results of operations, including as a result of impacts on the demand and prices for the Company's products; the competitive environment and related conditions in the markets in which the Company operates; the availability and prices of raw materials and other commodities; operational challenges; the Company's ability to successfully implement its previously announced Cost Savings Program and Restructuring Plan or other cost savings or efficiency initiatives, including achieving the expected benefits of those activities and possible changes in the size and timing of related charges; the Company's dependence on information technology and systems, including service interruptions, misappropriation of data, or breaches of security, as well as difficulties, disruptions or delays in implementing new technology; levels of labor and people-related expenses; the Company's ability to successfully execute its long-term value creation strategies, including Focus to Win; the Company's ability to execute on large capital projects, including construction of new production lines or facilities; political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company conducts business and other factors related to its international operations; disruptions in the global economy caused by conflicts such as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and the possible related heightening of the Company's other known risks; the ultimate outcome of litigation or any product recalls or withdrawals; changes in the Company's relationships with its growers or significant customers; impacts on the Company's business due to health pandemics or other contagious outbreaks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, including impacts on demand for its products, increased costs, disruption of supply, other constraints in the availability of key commodities and other necessary services or restrictions imposed by public health authorities or governments; disruption of the Company's access to export mechanisms; risks associated with integrating acquired businesses; risks associated with other possible acquisitions; the Company's debt levels; actions of governments and regulatory factors affecting the Company's businesses; the Company's ability to pay regular quarterly cash dividends or otherwise return capital to shareholders and the amounts and timing of any future dividends or other shareholder returns; and other risks described in the Company's reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements included in this press release, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no responsibility for updating these statements, except as required by law.

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