“While a challenging consumer environment and the cyclospora disruption affected the quarter, we recognize the need to improve our performance and are taking action to strengthen execution and drive traffic,” said
Third Quarter Highlights:
- Net sales totaled
$2.3 billion , a 5% increase from the same period in 2025 - Comparable store sales of (0.9)%
- Diluted earnings per share of
$1.21 , compared to diluted earnings per share of$1.22 in the same period in 2025 - Opened 15 new stores, resulting in 504 stores in 25 states as of
September 27, 2026
Leverage and Liquidity in Third Quarter 2026
- Ended the quarter with
$229 million in cash and cash equivalents and zero balance on our$600 million revolving credit facility - Repurchased 1.1 million shares of common stock for a total investment of
$89 million , excluding excise tax - Generated cash from operations of
$555 million and invested$275 million in capital expenditures, net of landlord reimbursement, year-to-date throughSeptember 27, 2026
Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2026 Outlook
The following provides information on our fourth quarter 2026 outlook (on a 13-week basis):
- Comparable store sales: (2.0)% to (4.0)%
- Diluted earnings per share:
$0.47 to$0.51
The Company notes that fiscal year 2026 will be a 53-week year, with the extra week falling in the fourth quarter.
We estimate the impact from the 53rd week to be approximately
The following provides information on our full year 2026 outlook (on a 52-week basis):
- Net sales growth: ~4.3%
- Comparable store sales: ~(1.7)%
- EBIT:
~$605 million - Diluted earnings per share:
~$4.80 - Unit growth: 42 net new stores
- Capital expenditures (net of landlord reimbursements):
~$310 million
Third Quarter 2026 Conference Call
Sprouts will hold a conference call at
A webcast of the conference call will be available through Sprouts’ investor relations webpage, accessible via the following link. Participants should register on the website approximately ten minutes prior to the start of the webcast.
A webcast replay will be available at approximately
Important Information Regarding Outlook
There is no guarantee that Sprouts will achieve its projected financial expectations, which are based on management estimates, currently available information and assumptions that management believes to be reasonable. These expectations are inherently subject to significant economic, competitive and other uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of management. See “Forward-Looking Statements” below.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact (including, but not limited to, statements to the effect that
Corporate Profile
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED) (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS) | |||||||||||||||
| Thirteen weeks ended |
| Thirty-nine weeks ended | ||||||||||||
| 2026 |
| 2025 |
| 2026 |
| 2025 | ||||||||
Net sales | $ | 2,304,720 |
|
| $ | 2,200,430 |
|
| $ | 6,959,703 |
| $ | 6,657,468 |
| |
Cost of sales |
| 1,423,926 |
|
|
| 1,349,379 |
|
|
| 4,260,985 |
|
|
| 4,057,454 |
|
Gross profit |
| 880,794 |
|
|
| 851,051 |
|
|
| 2,698,718 |
|
|
| 2,600,014 |
|
Selling, general and administrative expenses |
| 683,262 |
|
|
| 653,329 |
|
|
| 2,024,676 |
|
|
| 1,921,682 |
|
Depreciation and amortization (exclusive of depreciation included in cost of sales) |
| 44,916 |
|
|
| 38,862 |
|
|
| 130,024 |
|
|
| 110,567 |
|
Store closure and other costs/(credits), net |
| (169 | ) |
|
| 1,462 |
|
|
| 1,752 |
|
|
| 4,679 |
|
Income from operations |
| 152,785 |
|
|
| 157,398 |
|
|
| 542,266 |
|
|
| 563,086 |
|
Interest expense/(income), net |
| 1,419 |
|
|
| (690 | ) |
|
| 1,358 |
|
|
| (2,045 | ) |
Income before income taxes |
| 151,366 |
|
|
| 158,088 |
|
|
| 540,908 |
|
|
| 565,131 |
|
Income tax provision |
| 37,945 |
|
|
| 37,972 |
|
|
| 134,568 |
|
|
| 131,286 |
|
Net income | $ | 113,421 |
|
| $ | 120,116 |
|
| $ | 406,340 |
|
| $ | 433,845 |
|
Net income per share: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||
Basic | $ | 1.22 |
|
| $ | 1.23 |
|
| $ | 4.32 |
|
| $ | 4.43 |
|
Diluted | $ | 1.21 |
|
| $ | 1.22 |
|
| $ | 4.30 |
|
| $ | 4.38 |
|
Weighted average shares outstanding: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||
Basic |
| 93,128 |
|
|
| 97,672 |
|
|
| 93,976 |
|
|
| 98,023 |
|
Diluted |
| 93,666 |
|
|
| 98,715 |
|
|
| 94,556 |
|
|
| 99,086 |
|
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED) (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS) | |||||||
| 2026 |
| 2025 | ||||
ASSETS |
|
|
| ||||
Current assets: |
|
|
| ||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 228,664 |
| $ | 257,282 | ||
Accounts receivable, net |
| 31,539 |
|
|
| 65,221 |
|
Inventories |
| 440,434 |
|
|
| 427,095 |
|
Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
| 35,229 |
|
|
| 60,306 |
|
Total current assets |
| 735,866 |
|
|
| 809,904 |
|
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation |
| 1,246,011 |
|
|
| 1,085,356 |
|
Operating lease assets, net |
| 1,863,438 |
|
|
| 1,652,732 |
|
Intangible assets |
| 208,215 |
|
|
| 208,215 |
|
| 381,750 |
|
|
| 381,750 |
| |
Other assets |
| 23,781 |
|
|
| 20,692 |
|
Total assets | $ | 4,459,061 |
|
| $ | 4,158,649 |
|
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |
|
|
| ||||
Current liabilities: |
|
|
| ||||
Accounts payable | $ | 224,740 |
|
| $ | 291,033 |
|
Accrued liabilities |
| 272,845 |
|
|
| 304,419 |
|
Accrued salaries and benefits |
| 65,501 |
|
|
| 96,017 |
|
Current portion of operating lease liabilities |
| 192,553 |
|
|
| 177,263 |
|
Current portion of finance lease and other finance obligations |
| 3,509 |
|
|
| 2,071 |
|
Total current liabilities |
| 759,148 |
|
|
| 870,803 |
|
Long-term operating lease liabilities |
| 1,909,922 |
|
|
| 1,682,425 |
|
Long-term debt and other finance obligations |
| 129,577 |
|
|
| 81,585 |
|
Other long-term liabilities |
| 44,656 |
|
|
| 40,283 |
|
Deferred income tax liability |
| 86,430 |
|
|
| 80,479 |
|
Total liabilities |
| 2,929,733 |
|
|
| 2,755,575 |
|
Commitments and contingencies |
|
|
| ||||
Stockholders’ equity: |
|
|
| ||||
Undesignated preferred stock, |
| — |
|
|
| — |
|
Common stock, |
| 93 |
|
|
| 96 |
|
Additional paid-in capital |
| 863,652 |
|
|
| 841,848 |
|
Retained earnings |
| 665,583 |
|
|
| 561,130 |
|
Total stockholders’ equity |
| 1,529,328 |
|
|
| 1,403,074 |
|
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | $ | 4,459,061 |
|
| $ | 4,158,649 |
|
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED) (IN THOUSANDS) | |||||||
| Thirty-nine weeks ended | ||||||
| 2026 |
| 2025 | ||||
Operating activities |
|
|
| ||||
Net income | $ | 406,340 |
|
| $ | 433,845 |
|
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: |
|
|
| ||||
Depreciation and amortization expense |
| 137,671 |
|
|
| 116,003 |
|
Operating lease asset amortization |
| 121,171 |
|
|
| 107,866 |
|
Share-based compensation |
| 19,465 |
|
|
| 22,045 |
|
Deferred income taxes |
| 5,951 |
|
|
| (488 | ) |
Other non-cash items |
| 3,819 |
|
|
| 1,643 |
|
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
|
|
| ||||
Accounts receivable |
| 8,495 |
|
|
| 24,688 |
|
Inventories |
| (13,339 | ) |
|
| (56,608 | ) |
Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
| 25,836 |
|
|
| 5,310 |
|
Other assets |
| (3,647 | ) |
|
| (3,928 | ) |
Accounts payable |
| 4,819 |
|
|
| 23,231 |
|
Accrued liabilities |
| (34,660 | ) |
|
| 23,496 |
|
Accrued salaries and benefits |
| (30,516 | ) |
|
| (8,397 | ) |
Accrued income tax |
| — |
|
|
| 11,522 |
|
Operating lease liabilities |
| (102,885 | ) |
|
| (123,680 | ) |
Other long-term liabilities |
| 6,607 |
|
|
| 923 |
|
Cash flows provided by operating activities |
| 555,127 |
|
|
| 577,471 |
|
Investing activities |
|
|
| ||||
Purchases of property and equipment |
| (284,210 | ) |
|
| (176,081 | ) |
Cash flows used in investing activities |
| (284,210 | ) |
|
| (176,081 | ) |
Financing activities |
|
|
| ||||
Payments on finance lease liabilities |
| (598 | ) |
|
| (793 | ) |
Repurchase of common stock |
| (299,221 | ) |
|
| (341,925 | ) |
Payments of excise tax on repurchases of common stock |
| (4,172 | ) |
|
| (2,091 | ) |
Proceeds from exercise of stock options |
| 2,339 |
|
|
| 1,686 |
|
Other financing activities |
| 1,100 |
|
|
| — |
|
Cash flows used in financing activities |
| (300,552 | ) |
|
| (343,123 | ) |
(Decrease)/increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash |
| (29,635 | ) |
|
| 58,267 |
|
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of the period |
| 260,894 |
|
|
| 267,213 |
|
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at the end of the period | $ | 231,259 |
|
| $ | 325,480 |
|
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In addition to reporting financial results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in
The company defines EBITDA as net income before interest (income) expense, net, provision for income tax, and depreciation, amortization and accretion. The company defines EBIT as net income before interest (income) expense, net and provision for income tax.
Non-GAAP measures are intended to provide additional information only and do not have any standard meanings prescribed by GAAP. Use of these terms may differ from similar measures reported by other companies. Because of their limitations, non-GAAP measures should not be considered as a measure of discretionary cash available to use to reinvest in the growth of the company’s business, or as a measure of cash that will be available to meet the company’s obligations. Each non-GAAP measure has its limitations as an analytical tool, and they should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the company’s results as reported under GAAP.
The following table shows a reconciliation of EBIT and EBITDA to net income for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended
NON-GAAP MEASURE RECONCILIATION (UNAUDITED) (IN THOUSANDS) | |||||||||||||||
| Thirteen weeks ended |
| Thirty-nine weeks ended | ||||||||||||
| 2026 |
| 2025 |
| 2026 |
| 2025 | ||||||||
Net income | $ | 113,421 |
| $ | 120,116 |
| $ | 406,340 |
| $ | 433,845 | ||||
Income tax provision |
| 37,945 |
|
|
| 37,972 |
|
|
| 134,568 |
|
|
| 131,286 |
|
Interest (income)/expense, net |
| 1,419 |
|
|
| (690 | ) |
|
| 1,358 |
|
|
| (2,045 | ) |
Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) |
| 152,785 |
|
|
| 157,398 |
|
|
| 542,266 |
|
|
| 563,086 |
|
Depreciation, amortization and accretion |
| 47,720 |
|
|
| 40,739 |
|
|
| 137,671 |
|
|
| 116,003 |
|
EBITDA | $ | 200,505 |
|
| $ | 198,137 |
|
| $ | 679,937 |
|
| $ | 679,089 |
|
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261028815125/en/
Investor Contact:
(602) 682-1584
susannahlivingston@sprouts.com
Media Contact:
media@sprouts.com
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