Financial Results for the First Three Quarters of 2021
Net sales for the first three quarters of 2021 increased $26.8 million, or 1.8%, to $1,484.5 million from $1,457.7 million for the first three quarters of 2020. The increase was primarily due to the Crisco acquisition, largely offset by comparisons against the extraordinary demand resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic during the first three quarters of 2020, as well as one fewer reporting week in the first three quarters of 2021 compared to the first three quarters of 2020. The Company estimates that the additional week in the third quarter of 2020 contributed approximately $35.0 million to the Company’s net sales for the first three quarters of 2020. Net sales of Crisco, acquired on December 1, 2020, contributed $187.7 million to the Company’s net sales for the first three quarters. Net sales for the first three quarters of 2021 were 24.7% higher than pre-pandemic net sales for the first three quarters of 2019. On a two-year compound annual growth basis, relative to pre-pandemic levels, net sales for the first three quarters of 2021 increased 11.7%.
Base business net sales1 for the first three quarters of 2021 decreased $161.1 million, or 11.1%, to $1,296.6 million from $1,457.7 million for the first three quarters of 2020. The decrease in base business net sales for the first three quarters of 2021 reflected a decrease in unit volume of $193.7 million, partially offset by an increase in net pricing and the impact of product mix of $27.3 million and the positive impact of foreign currency of $5.3 million. Base business net sales for the first three quarters of 2021 were 6.8% higher than pre-pandemic base business net sales for the first three quarters of 2019. On a two-year compound annual growth basis, relative to pre-pandemic levels, base business net sales for the first three quarters of 2021 increased 3.3%.
Net sales of the Company’s spices & seasonings3 increased $16.7 million, or 6.0%, and net sales of Maple Grove Farms increased $3.8 million, or 6.7%, in the first three quarters of 2021, as compared to the first three quarters of 2020. Net sales of Green Giant (including Le Sueur) decreased $101.3 million, or 21.1%; net sales of Clabber Girl decreased $14.4 million, or 20.6%; net sales of Cream of Wheat decreased $5.7 million, or 10.7%; and net sales of Ortega decreased $4.2 million, or 3.5%, in the first three quarters of 2021, as compared to the first three quarters of 2020. Net sales of all other brands in the aggregate decreased $56.0 million, or 14.1%, for the first three quarters of 2021.
Net sales for the first three quarters of 2021 for spices & seasonings, Ortega, Green Giant, Maple Grove Farms, Cream of Wheat and Clabber Girl were each higher than the net sales for such brands during the pre-pandemic first three quarters of 2019. Spices & seasonings3 net sales were higher than the first three quarters of 2019 net sales by $45.5 million, or 18.2%; Ortega by $11.1 million, or 10.4%; Green Giant (including Le Sueur) by $10.0 million, or 2.7%; Maple Grove Farms by $7.8 million, or 14.7%; Cream of Wheat by $4.5 million, or 10.5%; and Clabber Girl4 by $1.4 million, or 5.1%. Net sales of all other brands in the aggregate were higher by $0.1 million, or less than 0.1%, compared to the first three quarters of 2019.
Gross profit was $335.0 million for the first three quarters of 2021, or 22.6% of net sales. Excluding the negative impact of a $14.1 million accrual for the estimated present value of a multi-employer pension plan withdrawal liability in connection with the pending sale and closure of the Company’s Portland, Maine manufacturing facility, $3.6 million of acquisition/divestiture-related and non-recurring expenses, and $5.1 million of amortization of acquisition-related inventory fair value step-up included in cost of goods sold, during the first three quarters of 2021, the Company’s gross profit would have been $357.8 million, or 24.1% of net sales. Gross profit was $375.0 million for the first three quarters of 2020, or 25.7% of net sales. Excluding the negative impact of $2.8 million of acquisition/divestiture-related expenses and non-recurring expenses included in cost of goods sold during the first three quarters of 2020, the Company’s gross profit would have been $377.8 million, or 25.9% of net sales.
4 | Compares net sales of Clabber Girl from May 15, 2021 through October 2, 2021 versus May 15, 2019 through September 28, 2019. Clabber Girl was acquired on May 15, 2019. |