McCormick raises FY24 adjusted EPS view to $2.85-$2.90 from $2.80-$2.85

Consensus $2.86. Raises FY24 revenue view to down 1% to up 1% from down 2% to flat. The company said, “McCormick’s 2024 outlook reflects the Company’s commitment to strengthen volume trends and prioritize investments to drive profitable results and return to differentiated volume-led growth as the year progresses. The Company’s CCI and GOE programs are fueling growth investments while also driving operating margin expansion. The Company expects the impact of foreign currency rates in 2024 to be minimal. In 2024, McCormick expects sales to range between (1)% to 1% compared to 2023, with minimal impact from currency. The Company expects a favorable impact from the prior year’s pricing actions. Through the power of its brands and its targeted investments, the Company expects to improve volume trends as the year progresses. The Company’s strategic decisions in 2023 to discontinue low margin business and divest a small canning business will impact volume growth in 2024. Operating income in 2024 is expected to grow by 9% to 11% from $963 million in 2023. The Company anticipates approximately $15 million of special charges in 2024 that relate to previous organizational and streamlining actions. Excluding the impact of special charges in 2024 and 2023, adjusted operating income is expected to increase 4% to 6%, with minimal impact from currency, driven by gross margin expansion partially offset by a significant increase in brand marketing investments. McCormick projects 2024 earnings per share to be in the range of $2.81 to $2.86, compared to $2.52 of earnings per share in 2023. The Company expects special charges to lower earnings per share by $0.04 in 2024. Excluding these impacts in 2024 and 2023, the Company projects 2024 adjusted earnings per share to be in the range of $2.85 to $2.90, compared to $2.70 of adjusted earnings per share in 2023, which represents an expected increase of 5% to 7%, with minimal impact from currency. For fiscal 2024, the Company expects strong cash flow driven by profit and working capital initiatives and anticipates returning a significant portion of cash flow to shareholders through dividends.”