The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company reports developments in branded consumer lawn and garden products in North America, including the Scotts®, Miracle-Gro®, Ortho® and Tomcat® brands. Company news centers on sales trends, gross margin recovery, leverage, cash generation, dividends and capital allocation, along with guidance for its core U.S. Consumer lawn and garden business.
Updates also cover product and channel initiatives, such as patio and container gardening collaborations, community gardening grants through The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, and completed portfolio actions. The completed sale of The Hawthorne Gardening Company shifted the company's public updates toward its North American consumer lawn and garden franchise after Hawthorne's indoor and hydroponic gardening supplies were treated as discontinued operations.
ScottsMiracle-Gro (SMG) named Prathima Hegde senior vice president and chief information officer to lead enterprise IT and technology modernization.
Hegde reports to President and CEO Nate Baxter. Her responsibilities include AI integration and digital capabilities, as well as supporting implementation of SAP S/4HANA, an enterprise software system. The company aims to use technology upgrades to advance its multi-year SMG 2.0 growth strategy, including operational efficiencies and expansion across retail channels. Hegde has more than two decades of enterprise technology leadership experience and most recently served as CIO of Del Monte Foods.
ScottsMiracle-Gro (SMG) has executed key capital allocation actions, achieved its free cash flow target of $275 million for Fiscal 2026, and reaffirmed full-year guidance.
The company redeemed all $250 million of its 5.250% senior notes due 2026 on September 11, 2026, funded with available revolver debt and planned excess free cash flow. It renewed a $750 million accounts receivable facility with JPMorgan Chase Bank, extending maturity to August 31, 2027. ScottsMiracle-Gro also began its Board-authorized $500 million share repurchase program with $25 million of buybacks in August.
Fiscal 2026 guidance is reaffirmed, including U.S. Consumer net sales low single-digit growth, non-GAAP adjusted gross margin of at least 32%, non-GAAP adjusted EPS of $4.30–$4.45, mid single-digit non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA growth, and free cash flow of $275 million, expected to reduce leverage to the high 3s.
ScottsMiracle-Gro (SMG) plans to acquire the Black Kow brand, advancing its SMG 2.0 growth strategy and expanding its growing media and soil amendment portfolio. The company exercised its purchase option with Organics Management and expects the deal to close in October; financial terms were not disclosed.
ScottsMiracle-Gro became exclusive producer, distributor and marketer of Black Kow in January 2026 under a licensing agreement. Management describes Black Kow, a 57-year-old soil amendment brand, as complementary to Miracle-Gro premium ready-to-use products and key to broadening national distribution and demographic reach. The company links this transaction to its mid-range growth algorithm for fiscal 2027–2029, targeting average annual total net sales growth of 2–4%, adjusted gross margin rate improvement of 50–100 basis points, adjusted EPS growth of 5–8%, and free cash flow above $275 million.
Scotts (NYSE: SMG) partnered with the Columbus Crew to host an exclusive Mowing Clinic for 50 Ohio 4-H youth, ages 11–16, at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus. The pitch was turned into a “living classroom” focused on turfgrass science, lawn care skills and related careers.
Participants observed the 2024 MLS Grounds Team of the Year demonstrate professional pitch maintenance, heard Scotts R&D experts explain turfgrass science and learned about Scotts consumer lawn-care products. Activities included a relay race, mascot interaction and career-focused discussions, with each youth receiving a limited-edition Columbus Crew t-shirt.
ScottsMiracle-Gro (NYSE: SMG) is partnering with America250 to host the Our American Story Airstream mobile studio outside ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., collecting oral and visual histories for the nation’s Semiquincentennial.
ScottsMiracle-Gro (NYSE: SMG) is partnering with America250 to host the Our American Story Airstream mobile storytelling studio outside ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
The public can explore interactive exhibits and record oral or visual stories highlighting Ohio’s innovation, heritage and community impact. Submissions become part of the official Our American Story collection, with selected entries preserved permanently in the Library of Congress.
ScottsMiracle-Gro (NYSE: SMG) outlined mid-range financial targets and a capital allocation strategy for fiscal 2027–2029 ahead of Investor Day 2026 at the NYSE. Management tied these goals to its SMG 2.0 strategy, focused on portfolio optimization, omnichannel expansion, category growth and technology-driven efficiencies.
The Company’s mid-range algorithm targets average annual net sales growth of 2–4%, adjusted gross margin rate improvement of 50–100 bps, adjusted EPS growth of 5–8%, and free cash flow above $275 million, with a leverage ratio goal of 3–3.5x in 2027–2029 and below 3x longer term. Capital allocation plans include SG&A reinvestment, capex of 2.5–3.5% of net sales, ongoing dividends, anti-dilutive and opportunistic buybacks, and low-risk tuck-in acquisitions.
ScottsMiracle-Gro also reiterated key elements of its fiscal 2026 outlook, including non-GAAP adjusted EPS of $4.30–$4.45, U.S. Consumer net sales growth in the low single digits, an adjusted gross margin rate of at least 32%, mid single-digit adjusted EBITDA growth, and $275 million in free cash flow, expected to reduce leverage to the high 3s.
ScottsMiracle-Gro (NYSE: SMG) will host an Investor Day on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at the New York Stock Exchange, beginning at 9 a.m. ET. The event will be available to investors and media via livestream on Vimeo, with a replay posted on the company’s Investor Relations website.
Presentations and Q&A will feature senior leaders including president and CEO Nate Baxter and CFO Mark Scheiwer, along with executives overseeing brand, North America operations, growth, R&D, operations & technology, and the Gardens business. Topics include the SMG 2.0 multi-year growth strategy, disciplined capital allocation (leverage, SG&A, capex, tuck-in M&A, shareholder actions) and a longer-term growth algorithm with key financial targets.
ScottsMiracle-Gro (NYSE: SMG) reported fiscal third quarter 2026 net sales of $1.17 billion, up 1% year over year. GAAP diluted EPS from continuing operations was $1.75, down 34%, while non-GAAP adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations rose 8% to $2.82. GAAP and non-GAAP gross margin rates declined about 90–100 basis points to 31.2% and 31.3%, pressured by higher freight and commodity costs tied to the Iran conflict. Adjusted net income from continuing operations increased 9% to $166.9 million and adjusted EBITDA was $246.3 million. The net leverage ratio improved to 3.78x, 0.37x better than last year. The company raised full-year non-GAAP adjusted EPS guidance to $4.30–$4.45 and reaffirmed targets for U.S. Consumer sales growth, adjusted gross margin of at least 32%, mid single-digit adjusted EBITDA growth, and $275 million of free cash flow.
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE: SMG) announced that its Board of Directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.66 per share. The dividend will be paid on September 4, 2026, to shareholders of record as of August 21, 2026.