SG&A increased $162.4 million versus fiscal 2022, and included a net $21.8 million gain ($12.2 million after-tax, or $0.08 per share) related to actions taken to mitigate the effect of changes in currency rates on the purchase price of LW EMEA, net of other acquisition-related costs. Excluding this net gain, SG&A increased $184.2 million to $571.8 million, primarily due to higher compensation and benefits expense, incremental expenses attributable to the consolidation of the financial results of LW EMEA in the fiscal fourth quarter, higher expenses related to improving the Company’s information systems and ERP infrastructure, and a $15.5 million increase in A&P expenses.
Net income was $1,008.9 million, up $808.0 million versus the prior year, and Diluted EPS was $6.95, up $5.57 versus the prior year. Net income in fiscal 2023 included a total net benefit of $329.8 million ($364.1 million before tax), or $2.27 per share, of items impacting comparability, including: a $356.6 million ($405.5 million before tax), or $2.46 per share, non-cash net gain related to the LW EMEA Acquisition and a $15.1 million (before and after-tax), or $0.10 per share, non-cash gain related to the Company’s acquisition of LWAMSA, with these gains partially offset by a $41.9 million ($56.5 million before tax), or $0.29 per share, unrealized loss related to mark-to-market adjustments associated with natural gas and electricity hedging contracts at LW EMEA. Net income in fiscal 2022 was partially offset by a total net loss of $79.7 million ($84.3 million before tax), or $0.54 per share, of items impacting comparability, including: a $62.7 million (before and after-tax), or $0.43 per share, non-cash impairment charge to write-off the Company’s portion of LW EMEA’s net investment in its former joint venture in Russia; a $40.5 million ($53.3 million before tax), or $0.27 per share, loss associated with the extinguishment of debt; and a $23.5 million ($31.7 million before tax), or $0.16 per share, unrealized gain related to mark-to-market adjustments associated with natural gas and electricity hedging contracts at LW EMEA.
Adjusted Net Income(1) was $679.1 million, up $398.5 million versus the prior year, and Adjusted Diluted EPS(1) was $4.68, up $2.76 versus the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA including unconsolidated joint ventures(1) increased $532.0 million to $1,226.0 million, up 77 percent compared to the prior year. Higher income from operations drove the increases.
The Company’s effective tax rate(2) for fiscal 2023 was 18.2 percent, versus 26.3 percent in fiscal 2022. Excluding $34.3 million of net tax expense and a $4.6 million benefit from items impacting comparability in fiscal 2023 and 2022, respectively, the Company’s effective tax rate was 21.8 percent for fiscal 2023, and 21.4 percent in fiscal 2022. The Company’s effective tax rate varies from the U.S. statutory tax rate of 21 percent principally due to the impact of U.S. state taxes, foreign taxes and currency, permanent differences, and discrete items.
Fiscal Year 2023 Segment Highlights
Global Summary
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Year-Over-Year | | | | |
| | | FY 2023 | | Growth Rates | | Price/Mix | | Volume |
| | | (dollars in millions) | | | | | | |
Net sales | | $ | 2,934.4 | | 42% | | 27% | | 15% |
Segment product contribution margin(3) | | $ | 595.5 | | 136% | | | | |
Net sales for Global increased $870.2 million to $2,934.4 million, up 42 percent compared to the prior year, with the current year including $421.0 million of incremental sales attributable to the consolidation of the financial results of LW EMEA and LWAMSA. Net sales, excluding the incremental sales attributable to the Acquisitions, grew 22 percent versus the prior year. The benefit of domestic and international pricing actions to counter multi-year inflationary pressures, as well as favorable mix, drove a 27 percent increase in price/mix. Volume declined 5 percent, largely reflecting the Company’s efforts to exit certain lower-priced and lower-margin business in international and domestic markets, and to a lesser extent, lower shipments in response to inventory destocking by certain customers in international markets late in fiscal 2023.
Global product contribution margin increased $343.3 million to $595.5 million, up 136 percent compared to the prior year, and included $27.0 million ($20.0 million after-tax, or $0.14 per share) of costs associated with the sale of inventory stepped-up in the LW EMEA Acquisition.
Excluding this item, product contribution margin increased $370.3 million to $622.5 million, up 147 percent versus the prior year. Pricing actions, incremental earnings from the consolidation of the financial results of LW EMEA, and favorable mix drove the increase, which was partially offset by higher costs per pound.