• Flowers Foods posted a transcript of prepared remarks for its first-quarter 2026 results discussion, with EVP of Finance and Investor Relations J.T. Rieck joined by Chairman and CEO Ryals McMullian and CFO Anthony Scaglione.
• Management reset the dividend to an annual rate of $0.50 per share to accelerate debt reduction, with net leverage at 3.2x adjusted EBITDA and a stated objective to move below 3.0x on a sustainable basis.
• Net sales rose 1.1% as price/mix added 210 basis points, while volume fell 3.3% on weakness in branded traditional loaf and store-branded cake and loaf; adjusted diluted EPS was $0.29 versus $0.35 a year earlier.
• Gross margin excluding depreciation and amortization slipped 50 basis points to 49.4%, while adjusted SD&A improved 20 basis points to 39.3% of net sales on lower marketing and distributor fees.
• McMullian highlighted a major Nature’s Own relaunch with fewer, simpler ingredients and a nationwide campaign featuring John Cena, while Scaglione cited a new $400 million delayed-draw facility to fund bonds maturing in October 2026; 2026 capex was guided at $115 million to $125 million with full-year guidance reiterated.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Flowers Foods Inc. published the original content used to generate this news brief on May 22, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.