Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:LW) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

And as we continue to evaluate opportunities in the marketplace, Andrew, I think, and get our operations running back to a higher throughput level, that’s going to give us opportunities to take on business or going forward. So the other thing to remember is we’ve got a lot of capacity coming on. Our first capacity turn off is going to be this fall in China, so we’re evaluating how that’s going to look in terms of production shifts from North America to China. And then shortly after that, we’ll have American falls, Argentina again over the next directionally 18 to 24 months. So we’re getting prepared as we turn that capacity on to evaluate opportunities around the globe.

Andrew Lazar: Great. Thank you so much.

Tom Werner: Yes.

Operator: We’ll hear next from Tom Palmer from JPMorgan.

Tom Palmer: Good morning and thanks for the question.

Tom Werner: Good morning, Tom.

Bernadette Madarieta: Good morning.

Tom Palmer: Maybe I could just start off clarifying expectations for the Europe business. You noted normal EBITDA of about $100 million and then the fourth quarter guidance is pretty consistent with that. But I think the business has been doing a bit better than this over the past couple of quarters at least. Are there reasons such as certain costs that are not excluded from adjusted earnings or other cost headwinds or seasonality that might make this figure a bit lower in the fourth quarter? And then when we look at results this year, would the general assumption be that next year EBITDA grows year-over-year on top of that?

Bernadette Madarieta: Yes. Good morning, Tom. As we take a look at our fourth quarter guidance that we provided, excluding EMEA, you will typically see a step down in our gross margins as you move from third order to fourth quarter just based on seasonality. And then we’re also going to be lapping prior year price increases. And so we’re going to see a deceleration of the effects of that as we continue to move forward. Again, we also mentioned that we did see some pricing pull forward as well. And so there’s some effect of that, that you’re noting in third quarter that we wouldn’t see in fourth quarter. And as we always do, we take a step back and take a prudent approach as we guide to where we think we’re going to end at the end of the fourth quarter. But those are the main triggers that are going to affect what you’re seeing in guidance for the fourth quarter.

Tom Palmer: Understood. Thank you. And then just maybe on the gross margin, I know you noted, kind of, a more normal seasonal decline in the fourth quarter. I think a quarter ago, you were talking about maybe less than a normal quarterly decline in the fourth quarter. I know Bernadette, you mentioned it being prudent in your prepared remarks. Is there anything to consider that has shifted that expected cadence beyond that? I mean, for instance, was 3Q much better than you expected and therefore you’re expecting more than normalization or anything with the timing of pricing, because it would seem like you’re getting a bit of help at least on the retail side given the late quarter pricing action?

Bernadette Madarieta: Yes, I think there was a couple of things. There was a little bit more pull forward and benefit in the prior quarter and then also we are seeing more open market purchases that we ended up bringing in at much higher prices. Just given the way that the crop ended up this year from a yield perspective. So those are the two items that I would say are impacting that the greatest.

Tom Palmer: Great. Thank you.

Operator: Adam Samuelson from Goldman Sachs. Your line is open.

Adam Samuelson: Yes. Thank you. Good morning, everyone.

Tom Werner: Good morning, Adam.

Bernadette Madarieta: Good morning.