IFF Reports First Quarter 2026 Results

IFF (NYSE: IFF) reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026.

First Quarter 2026 Consolidated Summary:

Management Commentary

“IFF is off to a solid start in 2026, with first quarter results that reflect the customer focus and operational execution we’ve been building across the company,” said Erik Fyrwald, CEO of IFF. “We delivered volume growth in all four segments, improved profitability, and generated strong cash flow in the first quarter.

As we look ahead, we are maintaining a disciplined approach to how we are planning the balance of the year as the current operating environment remains unsettled. We remained focused on advancing our commercial and innovation pipelines, driving productivity, and working with customers to offset inflation. This – when combined with our solid start to the year – derisks the balance of the year and gives us the confidence to reaffirm our full-year 2026 financial guidance ranges in an uncertain environment. At the same time, we are running a disciplined sale process for Food Ingredients to ensure we maximize value for shareholders.”

First Quarter 2026 Consolidated Financial Results

• Reported net sales for the first quarter were $2.74 billion, a decrease of 4% versus the prior-year period. On a comparable basis², currency neutral sales¹ increased 3% versus the prior-year period with broad based growth across all businesses.
• Income before taxes on a reported basis for the first quarter was $209 million. Adjusted operating EBITDA¹ for the first quarter was $568 million. On a comparable basis², currency neutral adjusted operating EBITDA¹ improved 8% versus the prior-year period, driven by volume growth and productivity gains.
• Reported earnings per share (EPS) for the first quarter was $0.66. Adjusted EPS excluding amortization¹ was $1.25 per diluted share.
• Cash flows from operations for the first quarter were $257 million, increasing $130 million year-over-year, and free cash flow¹ defined as cash flows from operations less capital expenditures totaled $92 million, increasing $144 million year-over-year. Total debt to trailing twelve months net income at the end of the first quarter was 7.2x. Net debt to credit adjusted EBITDA¹ at the end of the first quarter was 2.5x.

First Quarter 2026 Segment Summary: Growth vs. Prior Year

Taste Segment

• On a reported basis, first quarter sales were $656 million. On a comparable basis², currency neutral sales¹ increased 2% with broad-based growth in all regions.
• Taste adjusted operating EBITDA¹ was $153 million and adjusted operating EBITDA margin¹ was 23.3% in the first quarter. On a comparable basis², currency neutral adjusted operating EBITDA¹ increased 18% led by volume growth, favorable net pricing and productivity gains.

Health & Biosciences Segment

• On a reported basis, first quarter sales were $595 million. On a comparable basis², currency neutral sales¹ increased 5% with growth in nearly all businesses, led by Animal Nutrition and Food Biosciences.
• Health & Biosciences adjusted operating EBITDA¹ was $153 million and adjusted operating EBITDA margin¹ was 25.7% in the first quarter. On a comparable basis², currency neutral adjusted operating EBITDA¹ increased 7% primarily driven by volume growth.

Scent Segment

• On a reported basis, first quarter sales were $651 million. On a comparable basis², currency neutral sales¹ increased 1% as growth in Consumer Fragrances and Fine Fragrances was partially offset by a decline in Fragrance Ingredients.
• Scent adjusted operating EBITDA¹ was $148 million and adjusted operating EBITDA margin¹ was 22.7% in the first quarter. On a comparable basis², currency neutral adjusted operating EBITDA¹ decreased (2)% as volume growth and productivity gains were more than offset by unfavorable price to input cost.

Food Ingredients Segment

• On a reported basis, first quarter sales were $839 million. On a comparable basis², currency neutral sales¹ increased 3% led by volume growth in nearly all businesses.
• Food Ingredients adjusted operating EBITDA¹ was $114 million and adjusted operating EBITDA margin¹ was 13.6% in the first quarter. On a comparable basis², currency neutral adjusted operating EBITDA¹ increased 12% driven by volume growth and productivity gains.

Financial Guidance

The Company continues to expect full year 2026 sales to be in the range of $10.5 billion to $10.8 billion and full year 2026 adjusted operating EBITDA to be in the range of $2.05 billion to $2.15 billion. Full year guidance now includes two months (previously three months) of Soy Crush, Concentrates, and Lecithin business results with the divestiture closing on March 2, 2026 (previously expected to close on April 1, 2026).

The Company continues to expect comparable currency neutral sales growth to be between 1% to 4%, and comparable currency neutral adjusted operating EBITDA growth to be 3% to 8%.

Based on recent market foreign exchange rates, the Company continues to expect that foreign exchange will have an approximately 1% positive impact on sales growth and have no impact on adjusted operating EBITDA growth in 2026.

The Company also continues to expect that divestitures will have an approximately 5% adverse impact on both sales and adjusted operating EBITDA growth in 2026.

Audio Webcast

A live webcast to discuss the Company’s first quarter 2026 financial results will be held on May 6, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. ET. The webcast and accompanying slide presentation may be accessed on the Company’s IR website at ir.iff.com. For those unable to listen to the live webcast, a recorded version will be made available on the Company’s website approximately one hour after the event and will remain available on IFF’s website for one year.

Cautionary Statement Under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This press release includes statements that are not historical facts and are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based on management’s current assumptions, estimates and expectations, including with respect to our financial and operational outlook (sales, adjusted operating EBITDA and cash flow), portfolio optimization initiatives (including the ongoing sale process for our Food Ingredients division), pricing, productivity and cost-discipline actions, capital allocation, future operations, growth potential, strategic investments and the expected effects of foreign exchange. These statements reflect management’s present views, are based on a series of expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about the Company, are subject to change, and involve uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially.

Certain of such forward-looking information may be identified by such terms as “expect”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “intend”, “outlook”, “may”, “will”, “would”, “estimate”, “should”, “predict”, “plan”, “project”, “could”, “potential”, “seek”, “target”, “continue”, “future”, and similar terms or variations thereof. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could lead to materially different outcomes.

Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, the following: (1) demand trends, competitive dynamics and customer concentration in our end markets; (2) execution of our strategic transformation and other strategic transactions, divestitures, acquisitions, collaborations and joint ventures; (3) working capital and inventory management; (4) outcomes of legal claims, disputes, regulatory investigations and litigation; (5) tariffs and trade actions, supply chain disruptions and macro events, including geopolitical developments, climate events, natural disasters, public health crises; (6) volatility in input costs (such as raw materials, transportation and energy); (7) attraction, retention and turnover of key employees and executives; (8) product innovation, time-to-market, product safety and quality; (9) cybersecurity incidents, artificial intelligence related risks, data privacy and compliance with data protection laws; (10) exposure to emerging markets, foreign currency fluctuations and international regulatory and political risks; (11) capital allocation, dividend policy and potential impairments of tangible or intangible assets; (12) our indebtedness, credit rating, liquidity, and access to capital; (13) pension and postretirement obligations; (14) compliance with federal, state, local and international rules and regulations, and regulatory, environmental, anti-corruption and sanctions laws and related ethical business practices; (15) protection and enforcement of intellectual property; (16) changes in tax laws and policies, tax audits and outcomes, including potential tax liabilities related to prior transactions; and (17) changes in federal, state, local and international rules and regulations.

The foregoing list of important factors does not include all such factors, nor necessarily present them in order of importance. Important factors are described under “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our subsequent filings with the SEC, and those disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.

We intend our forward-looking statements to speak only as of the time of such statements and do not undertake or plan to update or revise them as more information becomes available or to reflect changes in expectations, assumptions or results, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. We can give no assurance that such expectations or forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. An occurrence of, or any material adverse change in, one or more of the risk factors or risks and uncertainties referred to in this press release or included in our other periodic reports filed with the SEC could materially and adversely impact our operations and our future financial results.

Any public statements or disclosures made by us following this press release that modify or impact any of the forward-looking statements contained in or accompanying this press release will be deemed to modify or supersede such outlook or other forward-looking statements in or accompanying this press release.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We provide in this press release non-GAAP financial measures, including: (i) comparable currency neutral sales; (ii) adjusted operating EBITDA and comparable currency neutral adjusted operating EBITDA; (iii) adjusted operating EBITDA margin; (iv) adjusted EPS ex amortization; (v) free cash flow; and (vi) net debt to credit adjusted EBITDA.

Our non-GAAP financial measures are defined below.

Currency Neutral metrics eliminate the effects that result from translating non-U.S. currencies to U.S. dollars. We calculate currency neutral numbers by translating current year invoiced sale amounts at the exchange rates used for the corresponding prior year period. We use currency neutral results in our analysis of segment performance. We also use currency neutral numbers when analyzing our performance against that of our competitors.

Comparable results for the first quarter exclude the impact of divestitures.

Adjusted operating EBITDA and adjusted operating EBITDA margin exclude depreciation and amortization, interest expense, other expense, net, and certain non-recurring or unusual items that are not part of recurring operations such as impairment of goodwill, restructuring and other charges, divestiture costs, strategic initiatives costs, regulatory costs and other items.

Adjusted EPS ex Amortization excludes the impact of non-operational items including restructuring and other charges, divestiture costs, losses (gains) on business disposals, strategic initiatives costs, regulatory costs and other items that are not a part of recurring operations.

Free Cash Flow is operating cash flow (i.e., cash flow from operations) less capital expenditures.

Net debt to credit adjusted EBITDA is the leverage ratio used in our credit agreements and defined as net debt (which is debt for borrowed money less cash and cash equivalents) divided by the trailing 12-month credit adjusted EBITDA. Credit adjusted EBITDA is defined as income (loss) before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, specified items and non-cash items.

These non-GAAP measures are intended to provide additional information regarding our underlying operating results and comparable year-over-year performance. Such information is supplemental to information presented in accordance with GAAP and is not intended to represent a presentation in accordance with GAAP. In discussing our historical and expected future results and financial condition, we believe it is meaningful for investors to be made aware of and to be assisted in a better understanding of, on a period-to-period comparable basis, financial amounts both including and excluding these identified items, as well as the impact of exchange rate fluctuations. These non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation or as substitutes for analysis of the Company’s results under GAAP and may not be comparable to other companies’ calculation of such metrics.

The Company cannot reconcile its expected adjusted operating EBITDA under "Financial Guidance" without unreasonable effort because certain items that impact net income and other reconciling metrics are out of the Company's control and/or cannot be reasonably predicted at this time. These items include but are not limited to divestiture costs, gains (losses) on business disposals, and regulatory costs.

Welcome to IFF

At IFF (NYSE: IFF), we make joy through science, creativity and heart. As the global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, health and biosciences, we deliver groundbreaking, sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products—advancing wellness, delighting the senses and enhancing the human experience. Learn more at iff.com, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

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1Schedules at the end of this release contain reconciliations of reported GAAP to Non-GAAP metrics. See Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures for explanations of our Non-GAAP metrics.

2Comparable results for the first quarter exclude the impact of divestitures.

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