Seneca Foods Reports Sales and Earnings for the Quarter and Nine Months Ended December 27, 2025
Rhea-AI Summary
Seneca Foods (NASDAQ: SENEA) reported results for the third quarter and nine months ended December 27, 2025. Nine-month net sales were $1,265.8 million, up $32.8 million versus prior year. Gross margin improved to 14.8% YTD (from 10.9%) and to 16.4% in Q3 (from 9.8%), driven by higher selling prices, product mix and normalized costs.
Management cited record sales in the quarter, strong holiday demand, robust cash flow, reductions in working capital and continued decreases in net debt.
Positive
- Gross margin +390 bps year‑to‑date to 14.8% (Sep–Dec 2025)
- Gross margin +660 bps in Q3 to 16.4% (three months ended Dec 27, 2025)
- Robust cash flow and reductions in net debt reported for the period
- Record quarterly sales during the holiday season (Q3 fiscal 2026)
Negative
- Third‑quarter sales volume declined, partially offsetting price/mix gains
- Nine‑month net sales growth was modest (+$32.8M, ~2.7% YoY)
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
SENEA fell 1.19% with mixed peer moves: JBSS up 0.76%, UTZ up 2.24%, THS down 0.89%, HLF down 0.24%, and SENEB flat. No clear, unified sector direction.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 05 | Earnings update | Positive | -1.7% | Six‑month net sales and margins improved versus prior year. |
| Aug 07 | Earnings update | Neutral | +0.4% | Q1 sales dipped slightly while gross margin remained stable year over year. |
Recent fundamental updates with improving margins have seen muted or negative next-day price reactions.
This announcement continues a series of fundamental updates highlighting margin improvement and disciplined operations. On Aug 07, 2025, Q1 FY2026 results showed slightly lower net sales of $297.5M but steady 14.1% gross margin, with a modest 0.41% price gain. On Nov 05, 2025, six‑month results featured higher net sales of $757.5M and gross margin of 13.7%, yet the stock fell 1.7%. Today’s stronger nine‑month and Q3 margins extend that earlier improvement trend.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights continued momentum, with nine‑month net sales of $1,265.8M and gross margin improving to 14.8% from 10.9%. Third‑quarter sales of $508.3M and a 16.4% gross margin extend the margin gains seen in prior periods. In context of earlier reports showing stronger operating income and lower interest expense, key factors to monitor include sales volume trends, cost normalization after the 2024 harvest, and ongoing cash flow and net debt reduction.
Key Terms
fifo financial
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
FAIRPORT, N.Y., Feb. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Seneca Foods Corporation (NASDAQ: SENEA, SENEB) today announced financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended December 27, 2025.
Executive Summary (vs. year-ago, year-to-date results):
- Net sales for the nine months ended December 27, 2025 totaled
$1,265.8 million compared to$1,233.0 million for the nine months ended December 28, 2024. The year-over-year increase of$32.8 million was driven by higher sales volume and the impact of higher selling prices and product mix. - Gross margin as a percentage of net sales is
14.8% for the nine months ended December 27, 2025, as compared to10.9% for the nine months ended December 28, 2024.
“The third quarter delivered record sales and near-record FIFO profitability, driven by an excellent holiday selling season and more normalized costs following a poor 2024 harvest season,” stated Paul Palmby, President and Chief Executive Officer of Seneca Foods Corporation. “Strong operating results and necessary reductions in working capital have driven robust cash flow and continued decreases in net debt.”
Executive Summary (vs. year-ago, third quarter results):
- Net sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2026 totaled
$508.3 million compared to$502.9 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2025. The year-over-year increase of$5.4 million was driven by the impact of selling prices and product mix, partially offset by lower sales volume. - Gross margin as a percentage of net sales is
16.4% for the three months ended December 27, 2025, as compared to9.8% for the three months ended December 28, 2024.
About Seneca Foods Corporation
Seneca Foods is one of North America’s leading providers of packaged fruits and vegetables, with facilities located throughout the United States. Its high quality products are primarily sourced from more than 1,100 American farms and are distributed to approximately 55 countries. Seneca holds a large share of the market for retail private label, food service, restaurant chains, international, contracting packaging, industrial, chips and cherry products. Products are also sold under the highly regarded brands of Libby’s®, Green Giant®, Aunt Nellie’s®, Green Valley®, CherryMan®, READ®, and Seneca labels, including Seneca snack chips. Seneca’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbols “SENEA” and “SENEB”. SENEA is included in the S&P SmallCap 600, Russell 2000 and Russell 3000 indices.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Adjusted net earnings excludes the non-cash charges related to the last-in, first-out (LIFO) inventory valuation method, net of applicable income taxes. The Company believes this non-GAAP financial measure provides for a better comparison of year over year operating performance. The Company does not intend for this information to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for other measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Set forth below is a reconciliation of reported earnings before income taxes to adjusted net earnings (in thousands).
| Three Months Ended | Nine Months Ended | |||||||||||||
| December 27, | December 28, | December 27, | December 28, | |||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | |||||||||||
| Earnings before income taxes, as reported | $ | 58,642 | $ | 19,348 | $ | 117,047 | $ | 52,917 | ||||||
| LIFO (credit) charge | (2,644 | ) | 10,919 | (22,116 | ) | 22,978 | ||||||||
| Adjusted earnings before income taxes | 55,998 | 30,267 | 94,931 | 75,895 | ||||||||||
| Income taxes | 13,221 | 7,353 | 22,192 | 17,901 | ||||||||||
| Adjusted net earnings | $ | 42,777 | $ | 22,914 | $ | 72,739 | $ | 57,994 | ||||||
Set forth below is a reconciliation of reported net earnings to EBITDA and FIFO EBITDA (earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization and non-cash charges related to the LIFO inventory valuation method). The Company does not intend for this information to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for other measures prepared in accordance with GAAP (in thousands).
| Three Months Ended | Nine Months Ended | ||||||||||||||
| December 27, | December 28, | December 27, | December 28, | ||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Net earnings | $ | 44,768 | $ | 14,659 | $ | 89,392 | $ | 40,623 | |||||||
| Income taxes | 13,874 | 4,689 | 27,655 | 12,294 | |||||||||||
| Interest expense, net | 4,128 | 7,841 | 14,222 | 27,199 | |||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 11,923 | 12,611 | 36,368 | 37,573 | |||||||||||
| Interest amortization | (149 | ) | (177 | ) | (451 | ) | (408 | ) | |||||||
| EBITDA | 74,544 | 39,623 | 167,186 | 117,281 | |||||||||||
| LIFO (credit) charge | (2,644 | ) | 10,919 | (22,116 | ) | 22,978 | |||||||||
| FIFO EBITDA | $ | 71,900 | $ | 50,542 | $ | 145,070 | $ | 140,259 | |||||||
Forward-Looking Information
This release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they address future events, developments, and results and do not relate strictly to historical facts. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate, or imply future results, performance, or achievements, and may contain the words "will," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "seeks," "should," "likely," "targets," "may," "can” and variations thereof and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed. We believe important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations include, but are not limited to, the following:
- the effects of rising costs and availability of raw fruit and vegetables, steel, ingredients, packaging, other raw materials, distribution and labor;
- crude oil prices and their impact on distribution, packaging and energy costs;
- the impact of tariffs and other governmental trade restrictions;
- an overall labor shortage, ability to retain a sufficient seasonal workforce, lack of skilled labor, labor inflation or increased turnover impacting our ability to recruit and retain employees;
- climate and weather affecting growing conditions and crop yields;
- our ability to successfully implement sales price increases and cost saving measures to offset cost increases;
- the loss of significant customers or a substantial reduction in orders from these customers;
- effectiveness of our marketing and trade promotion programs;
- competition, changes in consumer preferences, demand for our products and local economic and market conditions;
- the impact of a pandemic on our business, suppliers, customers, consumers and employees;
- unanticipated expenses, including, without limitation, litigation or legal settlement expenses;
- product liability claims;
- the anticipated needs for, and the availability of, cash;
- the availability of financing;
- leverage and the ability to service and reduce debt;
- foreign currency exchange and interest rate fluctuations;
- the risks associated with the expansion of our business;
- the ability to successfully integrate acquisitions into our operations;
- our ability to protect information systems against, or effectively respond to, a cybersecurity incident or other disruption;
- other factors that affect the food industry generally, including:
- recalls if products become adulterated or misbranded, liability if product consumption causes injury, ingredient disclosure and labeling laws and regulations and the possibility that consumers could lose confidence in the safety and quality of certain food products;
- competitors’ pricing practices and promotional spending levels;
- fluctuations in the level of our customers’ inventories and credit and other business risks related to our customers operating in a challenging economic and competitive environment; and
- the risks associated with third-party suppliers, including the risk that any failure by one or more of our third-party suppliers to comply with food safety or other laws and regulations may disrupt our supply of raw materials or certain finished goods products or injure our reputation; and
- changes in, or the failure or inability to comply with, U.S., foreign and local governmental regulations, including health, environmental, and safety regulations.
Except for ongoing obligations to disclose material information as required by the federal securities laws, the Company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of the filing of this report or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Contact:
Michael Wolcott, Chief Financial Officer
585-495-4100
| Seneca Foods Corporation | ||||||||||||||||
| Unaudited Selected Financial Data | ||||||||||||||||
| For the Periods Ended December 27, 2025 and December 28, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||
| (In thousands of dollars, except share data) | ||||||||||||||||
| Three Months Ended | Nine Months Ended | |||||||||||||||
| December 27, | December 28, | December 27, | December 28, | |||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | |||||||||||||
| Net sales | $ | 508,348 | $ | 502,856 | $ | 1,265,828 | $ | 1,233,048 | ||||||||
| Operating income (note 1) | 59,967 | 25,660 | 124,654 | 75,782 | ||||||||||||
| Other non-operating income | (2,803 | ) | (1,529 | ) | (6,615 | ) | (4,334 | ) | ||||||||
| Interest expense, net | 4,128 | 7,841 | 14,222 | 27,199 | ||||||||||||
| Earnings before income taxes | $ | 58,642 | $ | 19,348 | $ | 117,047 | $ | 52,917 | ||||||||
| Income taxes | 13,874 | 4,689 | 27,655 | 12,294 | ||||||||||||
| Net earnings | $ | 44,768 | $ | 14,659 | $ | 89,392 | $ | 40,623 | ||||||||
| Basic earnings per common share (note 2) | $ | 6.54 | $ | 2.12 | $ | 13.02 | $ | 5.86 | ||||||||
| Diluted earnings per common share | $ | 6.48 | $ | 2.10 | $ | 12.89 | $ | 5.81 | ||||||||
| Note 1: | The effect of the LIFO inventory valuation method on the third quarter pre-tax results increased operating income by |
| Note 2: | The Company used the “two-class” method for basic earnings per share by dividing the earning attributable to common shareholders by the weighted average of common shares outstanding during the period. |
FAQ
What were Seneca Foods (SENEA) net sales for the nine months ended December 27, 2025?
How did Seneca Foods' gross margin change in fiscal 2026 Q3 (SENEA)?
Did Seneca Foods (SENEA) report stronger cash flow or debt reduction in this release?
Why did Seneca Foods' Q3 net sales change year‑over‑year for fiscal 2026 (SENEA)?
Are the reported margin improvements at Seneca Foods (SENEA) due to one‑time effects?
