1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. (FLWS) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Consolidated Revenue Decreased by 9.5% year-over-year. This was driven by a strategic shift towards more efficient marketing spending and a greater-than-expected decline in direct traffic.
Consumer Floral and Gifts Segment Revenue Declined by 22.7% year-over-year. This was primarily due to the strategic shift in marketing and a decline in direct traffic.
Gourmet Foods and Gift Baskets Segment Revenue Declined by 3.8% year-over-year. This was influenced by the same strategic marketing shift and traffic decline.
BloomNet Segment Revenue Declined by 3.1% year-over-year. This was also due to the strategic marketing changes and traffic decline.
Gross Margin Decreased by 120 basis points to 42.1% from 43.3% in the prior year. This was primarily due to deleveraging on the sales decline, higher tariff, commodity, and shipping costs.
Operating Expenses Decreased by $23.4 million to $221.1 million year-over-year, primarily due to lower marketing and labor costs. Excluding certain items, operating expenses declined by $25.9 million to $213.2 million.
Adjusted EBITDA Decreased to $98.1 million from $116.3 million year-over-year. This was influenced by the decline in revenue and gross margin, despite cost reduction efforts.
Net Cash Position $42.3 million at quarter end. Borrowings under the revolver were fully repaid during the fiscal second quarter.
Cash Balance $193.3 million at quarter end.
Inventory $148.9 million at quarter end.
Annualized Run Rate Cost Savings Achieved approximately $15 million for fiscal 2026. This is part of an ongoing initiative to achieve $50 million in total cost savings across fiscal 2026 and 2027.
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- Record Spending: According to the National Retail Federation's latest survey, Americans are expected to spend a record $29.1 billion this Valentine's Day, surpassing the previous record of $27.5 billion set in 2025 by nearly 6%.
- Increased Average Expenditure: The survey indicates that the average consumer will spend approximately $200 on gifts, up from last year's average of $188.81, reflecting a growing willingness to invest in gifts.
- Diverse Gift Choices: Popular gifts include candy, flowers, greeting cards, dining experiences, and jewelry, with jewelry projected to account for $7 billion in spending, highlighting consumers' preference for luxury items.
- Shift in Shopping Channels: Online shopping remains the primary channel, followed by department stores, discount stores, and specialty shops, indicating a gradual shift towards digital shopping as consumers adapt to new spending trends.
- National Floral Partnership: Instacart announced a nationwide pure-play floral partnership with 1-800-Flowers.com, allowing U.S. customers to order fresh bouquets directly through the Instacart app for the first time, which is expected to significantly enhance user experience and market competitiveness.
- Rapid Delivery Network: The partnership includes fast delivery from over 700 participating florist locations within the 1-800-Flowers.com network, ensuring timely flower delivery during key holidays like Valentine's Day, which meets the high market demand for flowers.
- No Markup Policy: Instacart stated that 1-800-Flowers.com will join its app with no markup, a strategy that not only enhances product appeal but may also strengthen customer loyalty and drive sales growth.
- Positive Stock Reaction: Following the announcement, shares of Instacart's parent company Maplebear rose by 1.7%, while 1-800-Flowers.com shares increased by 2.1%, indicating a positive market reaction and expectations for future growth from this partnership.
- First Partnership: 1-800-Flowers.com becomes the first pure-play floral partner on the Instacart app, allowing customers to quickly order flowers from over 700 participating florists, enhancing convenience and variety for holiday gifting.
- Surge in Holiday Demand: According to 2025 data, orders for flower bouquets surged over 1,000% on Valentine's Day, indicating strong consumer demand for rapid floral delivery, which Instacart meets through this partnership.
- No Markup Strategy: 1-800-Flowers.com offers a no-markup shopping experience on Instacart, ensuring customers receive the same value as direct purchases, thereby enhancing customer willingness to buy and loyalty.
- Year-Round Service Capability: Instacart allows customers to schedule floral deliveries up to five days in advance while still offering same-day delivery options, further increasing customer flexibility in shopping for both holidays and everyday needs.
- Earnings Surprise: 1-800-Flowers.com reported an 11% increase in adjusted net income to $76.7 million, or $1.20 per share, exceeding Wall Street's estimate of $0.86, indicating a significant enhancement in profitability.
- Revenue Decline: Despite a 9.5% year-over-year revenue drop to $702.2 million, management emphasized prioritizing profitability through reduced marketing spend, laying the groundwork for a sustainable demand generation model.
- Cost Optimization: The shift to a function-based operating model allowed the company to cut operating expenses by $23.4 million to $221.1 million, demonstrating substantial progress in cost control and organizational streamlining amid structural challenges.
- Positive Market Reaction: As of 1:35 p.m. EST, shares of 1-800-Flowers.com surged 18.71% to $4.80, reflecting investor optimism regarding the company's potential for future profit growth.
- Profit Growth: 1-800-Flowers.com reported a net profit of $70.55 million for Q2, translating to $1.10 per share, which marks a significant increase from last year's $64.35 million and $1.00 per share, indicating improved profitability.
- Adjusted Earnings: Excluding items, the company reported adjusted earnings of $76.66 million or $1.20 per share, demonstrating strong core business profitability despite the overall revenue decline.
- Revenue Decline: The company's revenue fell 9.5% to $702.18 million from $775.49 million last year, reflecting challenges from weakened market demand and intensified competition.
- Market Outlook: Despite the revenue drop, the improvement in profitability may support the company's future strategic adjustments, particularly in optimizing costs and enhancing customer experience.









