Petco Q1 2026 Earnings Highlights
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
0mins
Source: seekingalpha
- Sales Growth Resurgence: Petco reported net sales of $1.5 billion in Q1 2026, reflecting a 0.2% year-over-year increase, marking a return to positive comp sales of 0.7%, indicating early validation of its 'Reach for the Sky' strategy and boosting market confidence.
- Profitability Enhancement: Adjusted EBITDA rose by $7.9 million to $97.3 million, an 8.8% year-over-year increase, showcasing effective cost control and operational optimization measures that further solidify the company's financial health.
- Gross Margin Improvement: The first quarter gross profit reached $574.4 million, with the gross margin rate expanding by 21 basis points to 38.4%, indicating positive progress in product pricing and cost management, which aids in enhancing overall profitability.
- Full-Year Outlook Reaffirmed: Management reaffirmed its full-year sales and adjusted EBITDA guidance, expecting net sales to be flat to up 1.5%, demonstrating confidence in future performance while reflecting a cautious stance towards market environment changes.
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Analyst Views on WOOF
Wall Street analysts forecast WOOF stock price to rise
7 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
4 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 2.960
Low
3.00
Averages
3.55
High
4.53
Current: 2.960
Low
3.00
Averages
3.55
High
4.53
About WOOF
Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. is a pet health and wellness company focused on improving the lives of pets, pet parents, and its own Petco partners. It offers pet parents a full spectrum of product choices with products to address ongoing humanization and premiumization trends in the market. It integrates its product offering with its services business, building on the foundation of treating the whole pet, including their physical, mental and social well-being. Its service offering includes veterinary care, grooming, and training. It operates a network of full-service, general practice veterinary hospitals complemented by prescription and insurance offerings. It operates more than 1,500 pet care centers across the United States, Mexico and Puerto Rico and a growing network of on-site veterinary hospitals and mobile veterinary clinics. It offers a complete pet health and wellness ecosystem accessible through its pet care centers and digitally at petco.com and on the Petco app.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Sales Growth Resurgence: Petco reported net sales of $1.5 billion in Q1 2026, reflecting a 0.2% year-over-year increase, marking a return to positive comp sales of 0.7%, indicating early validation of its 'Reach for the Sky' strategy and boosting market confidence.
- Profitability Enhancement: Adjusted EBITDA rose by $7.9 million to $97.3 million, an 8.8% year-over-year increase, showcasing effective cost control and operational optimization measures that further solidify the company's financial health.
- Gross Margin Improvement: The first quarter gross profit reached $574.4 million, with the gross margin rate expanding by 21 basis points to 38.4%, indicating positive progress in product pricing and cost management, which aids in enhancing overall profitability.
- Full-Year Outlook Reaffirmed: Management reaffirmed its full-year sales and adjusted EBITDA guidance, expecting net sales to be flat to up 1.5%, demonstrating confidence in future performance while reflecting a cautious stance towards market environment changes.
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- Earnings Report: Petco's Q1 GAAP EPS of -$0.05 misses expectations by $0.04, indicating challenges in profitability that may affect investor confidence moving forward.
- Revenue Growth: The company reported Q1 revenue of $1.5 billion, reflecting a 0.7% year-over-year increase, surpassing market expectations by $10 million, suggesting a steady sales momentum despite broader challenges.
- 2026 Outlook: Petco anticipates flat to 1.5% growth in net sales for 2026, with adjusted EBITDA projected between $415 million and $430 million, reflecting cautious optimism about future performance amid competitive pressures.
- Capital Expenditure Plans: The company plans approximately $140 million in capital expenditures for 2026 while also expecting to close 15 to 20 stores, which could impact market coverage and long-term growth potential.
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- Financial Performance: Petco reported a net loss of $15.1 million in Q1, translating to a loss of $0.05 per share, which widened from a $11.7 million loss last year, primarily due to an $11.8 million loss on debt extinguishment and modification, indicating financial management challenges.
- Sales Growth: Despite the losses, Petco's net sales edged up 0.2% year-over-year to $1.50 billion, with comparable sales increasing by 0.7%, reflecting growth in services and other revenue that offset a slight decline in product sales, showcasing the company's efforts in diversifying revenue streams.
- Margin Improvement: The company saw its gross margin expand by 21 basis points to 38.4%, while operating margin improved from 1.1% to 1.6%, indicating progress in cost control and operational efficiency despite the ongoing losses.
- Future Outlook: Petco reaffirmed its fiscal 2026 sales outlook, projecting net sales to remain flat or increase by 1.5% year-over-year, and forecasts a net sales growth of about 0.3% for Q2, reflecting a cautiously optimistic view on future market conditions.
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- Sales Growth Resurgence: Petco reported Q1 2026 net sales of $1.497 billion, reflecting a 0.2% year-over-year increase, marking a return to positive comparable sales growth that validates the effectiveness of its 'Reach for the Sky' strategy and boosts investor confidence.
- Profitability Improvement: The adjusted EBITDA for Q1 reached $97.3 million, an 8.5% increase from the previous year, demonstrating significant enhancements in operational efficiency and cost control, which support sustainable profit growth.
- Financial Outlook Reaffirmed: Petco reaffirmed its full-year 2026 net sales outlook of flat to up 1.5%, with Q2 net sales expected to grow approximately 0.3% year-over-year, indicating confidence in future performance and stability.
- Leverage Ratio Target: The company aims to reduce its leverage ratio to 2x, reflecting its commitment to financial management and risk control, which is intended to enhance long-term financial health and investor trust.
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