1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. (FLWS) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Consolidated Revenue Decreased by 11.1% year-over-year. This decline was primarily driven by a strategic shift toward emphasizing positive marketing contribution margin and changes in wholesale order timing, which shifted from the first quarter of the previous year to the second quarter of this fiscal year.
Consumer Floral and Gift Segment Revenue Declined by 14.6% year-over-year. This was influenced by the strategic shift in marketing focus and changes in wholesale order timing.
Gourmet Foods and Gift Baskets Segment Revenue Declined by 8.6% year-over-year. This was also influenced by the strategic shift in marketing focus and changes in wholesale order timing.
BloomNet Segment Revenue Remained essentially flat year-over-year, showing no significant change.
Gross Margin Decreased by 240 basis points to 35.7% compared with 38.1% in the prior year period. This decline was primarily due to deleveraging on the sales decline combined with the impact of higher tariffs.
Operating Expenses Decreased by $12 million to $127.3 million year-over-year, primarily due to lower marketing and labor costs. Excluding nonrecurring charges and the impact of the company's nonqualified deferred compensation plan, operating expenses declined $10.9 million to $124.9 million.
Adjusted EBITDA Loss Increased to $32.9 million compared with a loss of $27.9 million in the prior year period. This was influenced by the sales decline and gross margin pressure, despite cost reduction efforts.
Net Debt Increased to $259.3 million compared with $224.1 million a year ago. This increase was in preparation for the upcoming holiday season.
Inventory Decreased slightly to $269.8 million compared with $275.3 million a year ago.
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- Record Spending: According to the National Retail Federation's latest survey, Americans are expected to spend a record $29.1 billion this Valentine's Day, surpassing the previous record of $27.5 billion set in 2025 by nearly 6%.
- Increased Average Expenditure: The survey indicates that the average consumer will spend approximately $200 on gifts, up from last year's average of $188.81, reflecting a growing willingness to invest in gifts.
- Diverse Gift Choices: Popular gifts include candy, flowers, greeting cards, dining experiences, and jewelry, with jewelry projected to account for $7 billion in spending, highlighting consumers' preference for luxury items.
- Shift in Shopping Channels: Online shopping remains the primary channel, followed by department stores, discount stores, and specialty shops, indicating a gradual shift towards digital shopping as consumers adapt to new spending trends.
- National Floral Partnership: Instacart announced a nationwide pure-play floral partnership with 1-800-Flowers.com, allowing U.S. customers to order fresh bouquets directly through the Instacart app for the first time, which is expected to significantly enhance user experience and market competitiveness.
- Rapid Delivery Network: The partnership includes fast delivery from over 700 participating florist locations within the 1-800-Flowers.com network, ensuring timely flower delivery during key holidays like Valentine's Day, which meets the high market demand for flowers.
- No Markup Policy: Instacart stated that 1-800-Flowers.com will join its app with no markup, a strategy that not only enhances product appeal but may also strengthen customer loyalty and drive sales growth.
- Positive Stock Reaction: Following the announcement, shares of Instacart's parent company Maplebear rose by 1.7%, while 1-800-Flowers.com shares increased by 2.1%, indicating a positive market reaction and expectations for future growth from this partnership.
- First Partnership: 1-800-Flowers.com becomes the first pure-play floral partner on the Instacart app, allowing customers to quickly order flowers from over 700 participating florists, enhancing convenience and variety for holiday gifting.
- Surge in Holiday Demand: According to 2025 data, orders for flower bouquets surged over 1,000% on Valentine's Day, indicating strong consumer demand for rapid floral delivery, which Instacart meets through this partnership.
- No Markup Strategy: 1-800-Flowers.com offers a no-markup shopping experience on Instacart, ensuring customers receive the same value as direct purchases, thereby enhancing customer willingness to buy and loyalty.
- Year-Round Service Capability: Instacart allows customers to schedule floral deliveries up to five days in advance while still offering same-day delivery options, further increasing customer flexibility in shopping for both holidays and everyday needs.
- Earnings Surprise: 1-800-Flowers.com reported an 11% increase in adjusted net income to $76.7 million, or $1.20 per share, exceeding Wall Street's estimate of $0.86, indicating a significant enhancement in profitability.
- Revenue Decline: Despite a 9.5% year-over-year revenue drop to $702.2 million, management emphasized prioritizing profitability through reduced marketing spend, laying the groundwork for a sustainable demand generation model.
- Cost Optimization: The shift to a function-based operating model allowed the company to cut operating expenses by $23.4 million to $221.1 million, demonstrating substantial progress in cost control and organizational streamlining amid structural challenges.
- Positive Market Reaction: As of 1:35 p.m. EST, shares of 1-800-Flowers.com surged 18.71% to $4.80, reflecting investor optimism regarding the company's potential for future profit growth.
- Profit Growth: 1-800-Flowers.com reported a net profit of $70.55 million for Q2, translating to $1.10 per share, which marks a significant increase from last year's $64.35 million and $1.00 per share, indicating improved profitability.
- Adjusted Earnings: Excluding items, the company reported adjusted earnings of $76.66 million or $1.20 per share, demonstrating strong core business profitability despite the overall revenue decline.
- Revenue Decline: The company's revenue fell 9.5% to $702.18 million from $775.49 million last year, reflecting challenges from weakened market demand and intensified competition.
- Market Outlook: Despite the revenue drop, the improvement in profitability may support the company's future strategic adjustments, particularly in optimizing costs and enhancing customer experience.
- Earnings Highlights: 1-800 FLOWERS.COM reported a Q2 Non-GAAP EPS of $1.20, while revenue fell to $702.2 million, down 9.5% year-over-year, indicating pressure in market competition.
- Adjusted EBITDA Decline: The adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $98.1 million, a decrease from $116.3 million in the prior year, reflecting challenges in cost control and profitability.
- Future Outlook: The company expects a slight decline in adjusted EBITDA for the second half of Fiscal Year 2026, although normalized figures suggest a modest year-over-year increase, indicating cautious optimism from management regarding future profitability.
- Cost Impact: Anticipated incentive compensation and consultant costs of approximately $12 million in the second half of Fiscal Year 2026 will affect overall profitability, necessitating close monitoring of its potential impact on cash flow.







