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Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-07-30Quad Graphics Q2 Earnings Call Highlights
MarketBeat
Quad Graphics Q2 Earnings Call Highlights
Quad Graphics (NYSE:QUAD) reported second-quarter results that were in line with its expectations, with net sales rising 1% year over year to $578 million and adjusted EBITDA declining modestly to $42 million from $43 million a year earlier. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Joel Quadracci said the company remains on track to meet its full-year 2026 guidance and is continuing to invest in targeted print categories, packaging, agency services and in-store retail media as part of its transformation into a marketing experience company. → Why SK hynix Could Be the Best AI Chip Stock to Buy Now “During the quarter, net sales increased compared to the second quarter of 2025, representing progress toward our 2028 projected full-year revenue growth,” Quadracci said. He also cited strong second-quarter free cash flow and a balance sheet that enabled the company to return $13 million to shareholders during the first half, including $10 million in dividends and $3 million in share repurchases. Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Tony Staniak said second-quarter sales growth was driven primarily by higher paper sales through Quad Supplied Paper and higher logistics revenue. Direct mail and in-store print operations also posted growth during the quarter, according to Staniak. → 3 Value ETFs to Consider as Growth Stocks Lag Behind For the first six months of 2026, net sales totaled $1.2 billion. Sales declined 2% from the prior-year period when excluding the effect of the February 2025 divestiture of Quad’s European operations. The year-to-date decline reflected lower large-scale print volumes and agency solution sales, partly offset by paper sales. Revenue mix improved in some of the company’s targeted categories. Targeted print offerings, including direct mail, packaging and install, represented a 2% larger share of total sales in the first half than a year earlier. Logistics increased by 1% as a percentage of sales, supported by fuel surcharges, volumes and expanded list services through co-mail operations. → 5 AI Stocks Are Pulling Back—Which Growth Catalysts Still Look Strongest? Those gains were offset by an expected 2% organic decline in large-scale print product lines, including magazines and retail inserts, as well as a 1% decline in agency solutions. Staniak said agency sales continued to be affected by spending pullbacks from certain existing clients and t…Read full documentShow less
Quad Graphics (NYSE:QUAD) reported second-quarter results that were in line with its expectations, with net sales rising 1% year over year to $578 million and adjusted EBITDA declining modestly to $42 million from $43 million a year earlier. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Joel Quadracci said the company remains on track to meet its full-year 2026 guidance and is continuing to invest in targeted print categories, packaging, agency services and in-store retail media as part of its transformation into a marketing experience company. → Why SK hynix Could Be the Best AI Chip Stock to Buy Now “During the quarter, net sales increased compared to the second quarter of 2025, representing progress toward our 2028 projected full-year revenue growth,” Quadracci said. He also cited strong second-quarter free cash flow and a balance sheet that enabled the company to return $13 million to shareholders during the first half, including $10 million in dividends and $3 million in share repurchases. Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Tony Staniak said second-quarter sales growth was driven primarily by higher paper sales through Quad Supplied Paper and higher logistics revenue. Direct mail and in-store print operations also posted growth during the quarter, according to Staniak. → 3 Value ETFs to Consider as Growth Stocks Lag Behind For the first six months of 2026, net sales totaled $1.2 billion. Sales declined 2% from the prior-year period when excluding the effect of the February 2025 divestiture of Quad’s European operations. The year-to-date decline reflected lower large-scale print volumes and agency solution sales, partly offset by paper sales. Revenue mix improved in some of the company’s targeted categories. Targeted print offerings, including direct mail, packaging and install, represented a 2% larger share of total sales in the first half than a year earlier. Logistics increased by 1% as a percentage of sales, supported by fuel surcharges, volumes and expanded list services through co-mail operations. → 5 AI Stocks Are Pulling Back—Which Growth Catalysts Still Look Strongest? Those gains were offset by an expected 2% organic decline in large-scale print product lines, including magazines and retail inserts, as well as a 1% decline in agency solutions. Staniak said agency sales continued to be affected by spending pullbacks from certain existing clients and the company’s evolution from project-based work toward omnichannel agency-of-record relationships. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 7.3% in the second quarter, down from 7.6% a year earlier, largely because paper, ink and fuel-related revenue carries lower margins. Staniak said fuel and ink surcharges had a low-double-digit-million-dollar impact during the first half, helping preserve EBITDA dollars but not providing incremental profitability. Adjusted diluted earnings per share rose to $0.24 from $0.14 in the prior-year quarter. The increase reflected higher net earnings, lower interest expense from debt reduction, and lower depreciation and amortization, Staniak said. Quad is opening a 100,000-square-foot packaging facility in Salt Lake City that is expected to begin operations in the fourth quarter. The facility will complement packaging operations in Franklin, Wisconsin, and Spartanburg, South Carolina, while giving the company a Western U.S. presence. Quadracci said the site is intended to reduce lead times and improve logistics for customers, while positioning Quad near consumer packaged goods companies and co-manufacturers in the region. The company expects the facility to ramp with existing customer work and new opportunities. Staniak said the project requires less than $10 million of capital expenditures, is included in the company’s 2026 capital spending guidance, and could contribute low-double-digit millions of revenue in 2027. At full scale, Quad’s packaging plants generally generate roughly $45 million to $50 million in revenue, he said. Packaging currently represents about $135 million in annual revenue, according to Staniak. Quadracci said the company sees opportunity in folding cartons, including demand associated with consumer brands’ efforts to shift away from plastic packaging. Quad is targeting higher-value packaging categories rather than more commoditized products. The company also highlighted expansion in its In-Store Connect retail media offering. Wakefern Food Corp. selected Quad’s Rise agency as its media agency of record and plans to deploy In-Store Connect at 30 ShopRite locations later this year. Vallarta, a California grocery chain, has decided to more than double its in-store count following an initial test, while another unnamed West Coast grocer plans to deploy the offering across an initial 25 stores. Quadracci said Quad expects its in-store retail media network to grow from about 70 stores currently to nearly 130 stores as the new deployments are completed. Revenue from the offering remains low at this stage, Staniak said, but Quadracci emphasized that expanding the store network can attract more consumer packaged goods advertising budgets and additional retail partners. Year-to-date free cash flow was negative $66 million, unchanged from the first half of 2025, reflecting the seasonal nature of Quad’s business. However, second-quarter free cash flow improved by approximately $7 million year over year to $41 million. The company generally expects negative free cash flow through the first nine months, followed by significant fourth-quarter generation as collections rise after its production peak. Quad reduced net debt by $54 million, or 12%, from June 30, 2025, after adjusting for seasonal factors. Its second-quarter debt carried a blended interest rate of 6.6%, and available liquidity was $208 million. Its next significant debt maturity, totaling $205 million, is due in October 2029. The company has not received the first approximately $6 million installment due under a note receivable associated with the sale of its European operations to Capmont. Staniak said Quad received limited payments in the second quarter and expects additional limited payments in the third quarter as Capmont pursues alternatives to meet its obligation. Quad also recorded a $17 million accrual following an adverse income tax and value-added tax litigation ruling related to a 2011 audit assessment involving a Mexican subsidiary acquired in the World Color transaction. The final settlement amount and timing remain uncertain. Management said proceeds from the planned sale of its Lima, Peru, building are expected to substantially offset cash payments related to the Mexico tax matter, although timing is uncertain. Quad reaffirmed its 2026 outlook despite the planned wind-down of Peru operations. The company continues to expect net sales to decline 1% to 5% from 2025, excluding $23 million of prior-year sales tied to the European business divestiture. It forecast adjusted EBITDA of $175 million to $215 million and free cash flow of $40 million to $60 million. Management expects sales and EBITDA to increase in the third and fourth quarters as the company enters its seasonal production peak. Full-year capital expenditures are projected at $55 million to $65 million, including investments in automation, digital presses, direct mail and In-Store Connect. Quadracci said geopolitical instability and related pressures on petrochemical supply chains continue to raise costs, particularly for ink, while energy and transportation costs remain volatile. The company is responding through supplier diversification, inventory planning and targeted price actions. He also pointed to postage as a significant challenge for mailing customers after the U.S. Postal Service implemented a July 12 increase that Quad estimates will raise postage costs by up to 10% for many clients. Quad supports Postmaster General David Steiner’s proposal for public-service reimbursement tied to universal service obligations, which Quadracci said could reduce the Postal Service’s reliance on price increases over time. Quad Graphics, Inc (NYSE: QUAD) is a global provider of print and related marketing services, serving a diverse range of clients in the publishing, retail, e-commerce and consumer packaged goods sectors. The company offers end-to-end solutions that span traditional print production, supply chain management and digital marketing support. Quad Graphics leverages a network of production facilities and distribution centers to deliver high-quality printed materials and integrated marketing programs that help clients reach their target audiences across multiple channels. The company's core offerings include magazine and catalog printing, direct mail, retail inserts, shopper marketing materials, custom packaging and point-of-sale displays. This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected]. The article "Quad Graphics Q2 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat. View MarketBeat's top stocks for July 2026.
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-07-29Quad/Graphics Inc (QUAD) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong EPS Growth Amidst Cost Pressures
GuruFocus.com
Quad/Graphics Inc (QUAD) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong EPS Growth Amidst Cost Pressures
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Net Sales: $578 million in Q2 2026, a 1% increase compared to Q2 2025. First Half Net Sales: $1.2 billion, a 2% decline compared to the first half of 2025. Adjusted EBITDA: $42 million in Q2 2026, compared to $43 million in Q2 2025; margin declined from 7.6% to 7.3%. Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share: $0.24 in Q2 2026, up from $0.14 in Q2 2025, a 71% increase. Free Cash Flow: Negative $66 million year-to-date as of June 30, 2026, with $41 million generated in Q2 2026. Share Repurchases: 445,000 shares repurchased year-to-date for approximately $3 million. Dividend: $0.10 per share quarterly, increased by 33% in Q1 2026. Net Debt Reduction: Reduced by $54 million or 12% from June 30, 2025, to June 30, 2026. Debt Maturity: Next significant maturity of $205 million due in October 2029. 2026 Guidance: Net sales expected to decline 1% to 5% compared to 2025; adjusted EBITDA expected between $175 million and $215 million. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Signs with QUAD. Is QUAD fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Release Date: July 29, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Quad/Graphics Inc (NYSE:QUAD) reported net sales of $578 million in Q2 2026, marking a 1% increase compared to Q2 2025. The company generated strong free cash flow in the second quarter, improving by approximately $7 million from Q2 2025. Quad/Graphics Inc (NYSE:QUAD) returned $13 million to shareholders in the first half of 2026, including $10 million in regular cash dividends and $3 million in share repurchases. The expansion of the packaging business into Salt Lake City is expected to enhance logistics efficiency and reduce lead times for clients. Quad/Graphics Inc (NYSE:QUAD) continues to invest in AI and automation to optimize production schedules and improve client outcomes. Adjusted EBITDA margin declined from 7.6% in Q2 2025 to 7.3% in Q2 2026, primarily due to the mix of net sales. The company experienced cost pressures, particularly in ink, due to ongoing geopolitical instability and volatility in energy markets. Postage remains a significant macroeconomic challenge, with the USPS implementing a recent increase that could impact mailing clients. Quad/Graphics Inc (NYSE:QUAD) reported a year-to-date free cash flow of negative $66 million as…Read full documentShow less
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Net Sales: $578 million in Q2 2026, a 1% increase compared to Q2 2025. First Half Net Sales: $1.2 billion, a 2% decline compared to the first half of 2025. Adjusted EBITDA: $42 million in Q2 2026, compared to $43 million in Q2 2025; margin declined from 7.6% to 7.3%. Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share: $0.24 in Q2 2026, up from $0.14 in Q2 2025, a 71% increase. Free Cash Flow: Negative $66 million year-to-date as of June 30, 2026, with $41 million generated in Q2 2026. Share Repurchases: 445,000 shares repurchased year-to-date for approximately $3 million. Dividend: $0.10 per share quarterly, increased by 33% in Q1 2026. Net Debt Reduction: Reduced by $54 million or 12% from June 30, 2025, to June 30, 2026. Debt Maturity: Next significant maturity of $205 million due in October 2029. 2026 Guidance: Net sales expected to decline 1% to 5% compared to 2025; adjusted EBITDA expected between $175 million and $215 million. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Signs with QUAD. Is QUAD fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. Release Date: July 29, 2026 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Quad/Graphics Inc (NYSE:QUAD) reported net sales of $578 million in Q2 2026, marking a 1% increase compared to Q2 2025. The company generated strong free cash flow in the second quarter, improving by approximately $7 million from Q2 2025. Quad/Graphics Inc (NYSE:QUAD) returned $13 million to shareholders in the first half of 2026, including $10 million in regular cash dividends and $3 million in share repurchases. The expansion of the packaging business into Salt Lake City is expected to enhance logistics efficiency and reduce lead times for clients. Quad/Graphics Inc (NYSE:QUAD) continues to invest in AI and automation to optimize production schedules and improve client outcomes. Adjusted EBITDA margin declined from 7.6% in Q2 2025 to 7.3% in Q2 2026, primarily due to the mix of net sales. The company experienced cost pressures, particularly in ink, due to ongoing geopolitical instability and volatility in energy markets. Postage remains a significant macroeconomic challenge, with the USPS implementing a recent increase that could impact mailing clients. Quad/Graphics Inc (NYSE:QUAD) reported a year-to-date free cash flow of negative $66 million as of June 30, 2026. The company is dealing with a past due payment of approximately $6 million from the divestiture of its European operations. Q: Did you witness any growth outside of paper and logistics, and why didn't you tighten the annual revenue guidance with the upside? A: Anthony Staniak, CFO: We saw revenue growth in direct mail and in-store print operations, in addition to paper sales and ink surcharges due to increased petrochemical rates. The gross margin was impacted by these surcharges, which are more like pass-through at lower profit rates. We typically don't narrow revenue guidance until after the third quarter due to the seasonal nature of our business. Q: Can you discuss the new business with Wakefern and how you plan to scale it from the starting point at 30 ShopRite stores? A: J.Joel Quadracci, CEO: Wakefern is expanding its relationship with us, including a full test of 30 stores for in-store Connect. This is significant as it enhances our presence in the Northeast, a key geography for CPGs. The more stores we add, the more attractive we become to CPGs, allowing us to potentially secure larger national budgets. Q: How are the price increases you've implemented to offset cost pressures contributing to sales, and how should we think about this in the second half? A: J.Joel Quadracci, CEO: We've implemented surcharges for logistics and ink due to volatility in diesel and petrochemical costs. These adjustments help maintain our adjusted EBITDA dollars. We expect these trends to continue into the second half, influenced by geopolitical factors. Q: Can you elaborate on the packaging plant in Salt Lake City and its expected impact on capacity utilization and revenue? A: J.Joel Quadracci, CEO: The new plant will start with existing work and has a lot of potential in the pipeline. We expect it to ramp up quickly, contributing to revenue growth in 2027. The plant is part of our strategy to offer integrated solutions and capitalize on the shift from plastics to folding cartons. Q: How does the packaging business fit into your long-term strategy, and what is its current revenue contribution? A: J.Joel Quadracci, CEO: Packaging is part of our marketing flywheel, offering integrated solutions to clients. It currently contributes around $135 million in revenue. We see growth opportunities due to environmental shifts away from plastics and our ability to offer high-value packaging solutions. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
TranscriptFY2026 Q22026-07-29FY2026 Q2 earnings call transcript
Earnings source - 112 paragraphs
FY2026 Q2 earnings call transcript
Good morning, and welcome to Quad's second quarter 2026 conference call. During today's call, all participants will be in listen-only mode. Should you need assistance at any time, please signal a conference specialist by pressing the star key followed by zero. A slide presentation accompanies today's webcast, and participants are invited to follow along, advancing the slides themselves. To access the webcast, follow the instructions posted in the earnings release. Alternatively, you can access the slide presentation on the Investors section of Quad's website under the Events and Presentations link. After today's presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions. To ask a question, please press star then one. To withdraw your question, please press star and then two. Please note this event is being recorded. I will now like to turn the conference over to Julie Fraundorf, Quad's Executive Director of Corporate Development and Investor Relations.
Julie, please go ahead.
Thank you, Operator. With me today are Joel Quadracci, Quad's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Tony Staniak, Quad's Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Joel will lead today's call with a business update, and Tony will follow with a summary of Quad's second quarter and year-to-date financial results, followed by Q&A. I would like to remind everyone that this call is being webcast, and forward-looking statements are subject to Safe Harbor provisions as outlined in our quarterly news release and in today's slide presentation on slide two. Quad's financial results are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. However, this presentation also contains non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted diluted earnings per share, free cash flow, net debt, and net debt leverage ratio. We've included in the slide presentation reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP financial measures.
Finally, a replay of the call will be available on the Investors section of quad.com shortly after our call concludes today. I will now hand over the call to Joel.
Thank you, Julie, and good morning, everyone. I will begin with key highlights as shown on slide three. Quad's second quarter results were in line with our expectations. We remain on track to achieve our full year 2026 guidance. During the quarter, net sales increased compared to the second quarter of 2025, representing progress toward our 2028 projected full-year revenue growth. We also generated strong free cash flow in the second quarter. Our strong balance sheet continues to provide financial flexibility, enabling us to return $13 million to shareholders in the first half of 2026, including $10 million in regular cash dividends and $3 million in share repurchases. We continue to make strategic investments in growth areas across agency solutions and targeted print categories that support our revenue diversification strategy. One example is the expansion of our packaging business into Salt Lake City, which we have highlighted on slide four.
Our packaging business continues to scale, delivering year-over-year growth in 2025 and expected growth for full year 2026. To build on that momentum, we are rounding out our national packaging footprint with a new facility in the Western U.S. Joining existing operations in Franklin, Wisconsin, and Spartanburg, South Carolina, the Salt Lake City facility enhances our ability to serve clients across the country and pursue additional packaging opportunities with both existing and new clients. For our clients, the expansion will help reduce lead times, improve logistics efficiency, and support packaging programs across multiple regions while maintaining the quality, consistency, and partnership our clients expect from us. The 100,000 sq ft facility is expected to be operational in the fourth quarter of this year. Its location provides direct access to major transportation routes and key markets across the Western United States.
Additionally, Salt Lake City is an established hub for high-growth consumer packaged goods companies and is near to co-manufacturers that work with producers like Quad to print, fill, and package goods on behalf of CPG brands. As we grow our national presence, we continue to invest in our global packaging operations, which serve clients through our facility in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, alongside strategic packaging partnerships in Central America and across Asia. Transitioning to slide five, Quad's MX offering features a suite of integrated solutions across creative production and media that are supported by cutting-edge intelligence and technology. Our unified marketing platform helps clients simplify complex workflows and improve their marketing effectiveness across physical and digital channels. As more clients adopt Quad's creative media and marketing solutions, we continue to deepen existing account relationships with longtime partners. A recent example is Wakefern Food Corp., which is highlighted on slide six.
We have significantly expanded our work with Wakefern, the nation's largest retailer-owned grocery cooperative. As Wakefern pursues a more banner-driven marketing strategy, it selected Quad for our ability to deliver integrated solutions at scale. Building on our longstanding work supporting Wakefern's print retail circulars, we now provide paid media strategy, content creation, and in-store retail media services. These solutions are designed to strengthen each of Wakefern's eight supermarket banners while preserving the local identity of their 400 member-owned stores. A key component of this expansion is Rise, which now serves as Wakefern's media agency of record. Powered by our proprietary data capabilities, Rise leads the client's media strategy, planning and buying, and is enabling more precise shopper targeting, localized media execution, and improved media effectiveness. Wakefern will also deploy In-Store Connect by Quad in 30 ShopRite locations later this year.
ShopRite is Wakefern's flagship banner with 298 locations across the Northeast, making it the largest retailer to date to adopt our In-Store Connect retail media solution. This deployment is significant as it expands opportunities for consumer packaged goods to scale their campaigns right at the point of purchase. Examples like Wakefern demonstrate how we can expand existing print relationships into broader, higher-value marketing partnerships. These engagements typically increase share of wallet, diversify revenue streams, and create opportunities for more recurring client relationships. We continue to expand our in-store retail media network with regional grocers, as shown on slide seven. I am pleased to share that we will be increasing our In-Store Connect footprint with Vallarta, a fast-growing grocery chain in California known for providing high-quality, authentic Latin American ingredients to its customers.
Following successful CPG adoption across the client's initial test stores, Vallarta has decided to more than double its in-store count. Once we complete the rollout later this year, the majority of Vallarta stores will leverage our in-store media network. Additionally, we just signed a leading grocer on the West Coast that plans to deploy In-Store Connect across an initial 25 stores. This partnership will further extend our reach in California, one of the nation's largest grocery markets, alongside our existing partnerships with Vallarta and the Save Mart Companies. Combined with the 30 new Wakefern stores, this represents meaningful progress in scaling our in-store retail media offering. By adding new retailers and stores to the network, we increase the offering's value to consumer brands seeking broader reach.
Growing advertising interest, in turn, attracts new retail partners, creating a powerful flywheel that supports continued expansion of and revenue generated from our retail media network. Moving to slide eight, we spotlight our work for Jelmar and its CLR brands as an example of how our integrated agency model is helping heritage brands drive measurable business results by connecting with a new generation of consumers. Since 2023, Rise and Betty have served as Jelmar's media and creative agencies of record, working together to reposition the appeal of CLR brands. Rather than focusing solely on product performance, our strategy is centered on building stronger emotional connections through culturally relevant creative and more effective media activation. Most recently, the agencies collaborated on So Clean. So Hot., a campaign that combined creative storytelling, influencer partnerships, and cross-channel media activation to drive brand awareness, engagement, and sales.
Betty developed the creative platform and messaging while Rise activated the campaign across influencer marketing, addressable TV, paid social, and programmatic media. Following the campaign's launch, CLR brands experienced notable sales growth along with significant gains in consumer engagement, including a 106% increase in Instagram reach, strong TikTok audience growth, and video completion rates exceeding 50%. Through continuous optimization of audiences, channel mix, and creative assets, we improved the efficiency of the client's media throughout the campaign, significantly decreasing its cost per thousand impressions across quarters. These outcomes earned Betty & Rise an Effie Award, one of the advertising industry's most respected awards for marketing effectiveness. This success demonstrates the value of Quad's integrated approach. By combining creative media, data, and analytics connected with execution, we're helping clients deliver strong business outcomes while expanding opportunities for long-term agency growth.
Turning to slide nine, Quad also received notable industry recognitions during the second quarter, providing independent acknowledgment of our integrated marketing model. Quad was named to Ad Age's Agency Report for the seventh consecutive year, placing us among the world's largest agency companies. We were also included in MM+M's agency 100 for the third straight year, reflecting our expertise and continued momentum in healthcare marketing. Additionally, Rise was recognized as one of 35 notable providers in Forrester's report, The Media Management Services Landscape: Q2 2026. We believe this kind of independent recognition is an acknowledgment of the agency's full-service, omnichannel offering, including strengths across audience development and insights, media activation, and measurement. This increases awareness of our capabilities among prospective clients at a time when many brands are evaluating agency partners.
As a result, it helps strengthen visibility in the marketplace and supports continued growth of our media and agency pipeline. While we remain focused on accelerating our transformation as a marketing experience company, we continue to navigate a dynamic macroeconomic environment with disciplined operational execution, as shown on slide 10. As a result of the renewed conflict and continued geopolitical instability in the Middle East, certain petrochemical-based supply chains remain under pressure. Volatility in energy markets persist, particularly for diesel and other transportation-related costs. Ongoing security concerns continue to create uncertainty for global shipping routes, including traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, contributing to longer lead times and elevated logistics costs in some markets. As a result, we continue to experience cost pressures in certain areas of our business, most notably ink.
We are actively managing these challenges by diversifying our supplier base, optimizing inventory planning, and implementing targeted price actions where appropriate. In addition to supply chain volatility, postage remains a significant macroeconomic challenge for many of our clients as it represents the single largest marketing expense for mailers. On July 12th, the United States Postal Service implemented its most recent increase, which we estimate will result in an average postage increase of up to 10% for many of our mailing clients. While the USPS continues to rely on price increases as one of its primary levers to address its financial challenges, Postmaster General David Steiner is pursuing solutions to address what he calls a broken USPS business model. Among other changes, the Postmaster General is advocating for the return of the public service reimbursement that once compensated USPS for its universal service obligations.
Quad supports the PMG's proposal in its entirety, as we believe it will provide the USPS with the necessary financial flexibility to pursue growth through avenues beyond price increases. As always, Quad's Postal Affairs team remains actively engaged with policymakers in Washington, as well as the Postal Service, working on behalf of our clients and the broader mailing ecosystem. In addition to our Postal Affairs work, we continue to help mitigate ongoing rate increases by deploying the same two-pronged approach we've done for decades, which focuses on maximizing postal cost savings while improving response rates. Our layered postal optimization model combines various co-mail sortation and bundling solutions to generate substantial client savings. Meanwhile, audience identification services and innovative mail solutions like At-Home Connect, our self-service direct mail automation platform, are designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the mail clients' spend.
By generating stronger mail response rates, clients are often able to more than offset increased mailing costs. On slide 11, we show how Quad is embedding AI across our agency operations, manufacturing processes, and workflows to create lasting cost efficiencies while improving client outcomes. We view AI as an integral part of each business unit's infrastructure that we deploy to improve efficiency, reduce manual processes, accelerate speed to market, and drive better business outcomes for both Quad and our clients. At Betty, the agency supports clients by using a blend of AI technology and traditional studio capabilities, creating scalable, high-quality assets at fast speeds and low cost. For example, the team can use AI to create realistic models, apply actual product images to those models, and generate set imagery. At Rise, the agency has embedded AI into Connex, a proprietary agency platform.
Connex analyzes campaign performance in real time across any online and offline physical media investment and provides a suite of custom AI agents to help support media analysis and optimization. That reduces manual work while allowing our media experts to spend more time strategically advising clients. In manufacturing, we're applying AI and automation to optimize production schedules, anticipate maintenance needs before equipment failures occur, and reduce manual intervention, helping improve throughput and reduce downtime. Before I turn the call over to Tony, I would like to thank our employees for their continued dedication and hard work. Earlier this month, we celebrated Quad's 55th anniversary. Each employee has played a role in building the business we are today, and their continued commitment to urgent innovation and obsessive collaboration are the key to achieving Quad's long-term goals. With that, I'll turn the call over to Tony.
Thanks, Joel, good morning, everyone. On slide 12, we show our diverse revenue mix. Net sales were $578 million in the second quarter of 2026, an increase of 1% compared to the second quarter of 2025. The increase in net sales was primarily due to higher paper sales from an increase in Quad Supplied Paper and higher logistics sales. Net sales were $1.2 billion in the first half of 2026, a 2% decline compared to the first half of 2025, when excluding the 2% impact of the February 28, 2025, divestiture of our European operations. On a year-to-date basis, the decline in net sales was primarily due to lower large-scale print volumes and agency solution sales, partially offset by higher paper sales.
Consistent with first quarter performance, our agency solution sales were impacted by pullback in spend from certain existing clients and our continued evolution from project-based work toward omni-channel agency of record engagements. Comparing our net sales breakdown between the first half of 2025 and 2026, our revenue mix as a percentage of total net sales increased 2% in our targeted print offerings, driven by direct mail, packaging, and install, also increased 1% in our logistics business due to fuel surcharges during 2026 and increased volume and additional list services provided through our enhanced co-mail operations. These increases were offset by a 2% expected organic decline in the large-scale print product lines due to magazines and retail inserts, also a 1% decrease in agency solutions. Slide 13 provides a snapshot of our second quarter 2026 financial results.
Adjusted EBITDA was $42 million in the second quarter of 2026 as compared to $43 million in the second quarter of 2025, adjusted EBITDA margin declined from 7.6% to 7.3%. The decrease in adjusted EBITDA margin in the second quarter was primarily due to the mix of net sales, including higher paper revenue from an increase in Quad Supplied Paper. On a year-to-date basis, adjusted EBITDA was $87 million in 2026 compared to $89 million in 2025, while adjusted EBITDA margin increased from 7.4% to 7.5%. Adjusted diluted earnings per share was $0.24 in the second quarter of 2026 as compared to $0.14 in the second quarter of 2025, an increase of $0.10 or 71%. Year-to-date, adjusted diluted earnings per share was $0.48 in 2026 compared to $0.34 in 2025, an increase of $0.14 or 41%.
The increases are primarily due to higher net earnings, including lower interest expense due to reduced debt and lower depreciation and amortization. On a year-to-date basis, also from the beneficial impact of share buybacks. Beginning in 2022, we have repurchased 7.9 million Quad shares at an average price of $4.27 per share, representing 14.1% of our total outstanding common stock as of that time. This includes 445,000 shares repurchased year-to-date for approximately $3 million. Quad's board of directors authorized a share repurchase program of up to $100 million of our outstanding Class A common stock in 2018. As of June 30th, 2026, there was $66.3 million of authorized repurchases remaining under the program. Year-to-date free cash flow was consistent with last year at -$66 million in the six months ended June 30th, 2026.
This included $41 million of free cash flow generation in the second quarter of 2026, an improvement of approximately $7 million from the second quarter of 2025. During the first quarter of 2026, we saw a $7 million decline in free cash flow year-over-year, mainly from higher inventories that were then utilized during the second quarter. We show the seasonality of our free cash flow and debt leverage on slide 14. We typically generate negative free cash flow in the first nine months of the year, followed by large positive free cash flow in the fourth quarter with higher collections after our production peak. In 2026, we anticipate a similar seasonal pattern for our free cash flow and debt leverage. When removing the impact of seasonality, we have reduced our net debt by $54 million or 12% from June 30th, 2025 to June 30th, 2026.
As previously reported, we completed the divestiture of our European operations to Capmont in February 2025. The total sales price included a three-year note receivable. As of June 30th, 2026, we had not received payment of principal and interest for the first annual installment of the note receivable totaling approximately $6 million, and as a result, our net debt balance was $6 million higher than we expected. We are working with Capmont on this past due payment and received limited payments in the second quarter. We expect to continue receiving limited payments in the third quarter as Capmont pursues various alternatives to meet their obligation under the note receivable. Slide 15 presents our balanced capital allocation strategy, which is fueled by our free cash flow and our ability to generate proceeds from asset sales.
We expect to generate future cash proceeds from buildings we currently have for sale in Waukee, Iowa, Thomaston, Georgia, and Lima, Peru. We began the process of closing our Peruvian operations and selling our building in Lima in the second quarter of 2026. With this strong cash generation, we intend to continue investing to drive growth as a marketing experience company, maintain low debt balances, and return capital to shareholders through our quarterly dividend and share repurchases. In the first quarter of this year, we increased our quarterly dividend by 33% to $0.10 per share, or $0.40 per share on an annual basis. Our next quarterly dividend is payable on September 4th. We are pleased to return capital to shareholders through the quarterly dividend and opportunistic share repurchases. Slide 16 includes a summary of our debt capital structure.
At the end of the second quarter, our debt had a blended interest rate of 6.6%, and our total available liquidity, including cash on hand under our most restrictive debt covenant, was $208 million. Our next significant debt maturity of $205 million is not due until October of 2029. As a reminder, given uncertainty regarding interest rates, we hold four interest rate swaps with notional value of $130 million and one interest rate collar agreement with notional value of $75 million. Including all interest derivatives, we have 53% of our interest rate exposure capped if interest rates rise, and with the interest rate collar, we would pay lower interest expense on 66% of our debt if interest rates decline.
We reaffirm our 2026 guidance despite winding down operations in Peru, as shown on Slide 17, and are pleased that our guidance represents another step on our way to our 2028 outlook for revenue growth. We continue to expect 2026 net sales to decline 1%-5% compared to 2025, excluding $23 million of 2025 net sales from the divestiture of our European operations. The 3% sales decline at the midpoint of the guidance range reflects the ongoing improvement trend from a 10% net sales decrease from 2023 to 2024 and a 5% decrease from 2024 to 2025, excluding the European divestiture. Consistent with the trend from last year, net sales achieved in the second quarter of $578 million are expected to be the lowest of the year, followed by increasing net sales in the third and fourth quarters during our production peak.
Full year 2026 adjusted EBITDA is expected to be between $175 million and $215 million, with $195 million at the midpoint of that range being essentially equal with the 2025 adjusted EBITDA of $196 million. As expected, adjusted EBITDA of $42 million in the second quarter of 2026 was lower compared to the first quarter, and now we expect higher adjusted EBITDA in the third and fourth quarters, consistent with the projected net sales trend. We expect 2026 free cash flow to be in the range of $40 million-$60 million, with $50 million at the midpoint of that range also essentially equal with the 2025 free cash flow of $51 million. We expect increased net cash from operating activities due to higher cash earnings and timing of working capital, despite an additional week of payroll payments for 53 Thursday paydays falling in the 2026 calendar year.
We will have a year-over-year benefit of approximately $9 million as we return to 52 weekly payrolls in 2027. The next time we will pay 53 payrolls in a calendar year will not occur until 2032. The projected higher net cash from operating activities is expected to be offset by higher capital expenditures, which are expected to be in the range of $55 million-$65 million. Over many years, we have invested in robotics and automation on the plant floor and across our postal optimization solutions to have what we believe is one of the most technologically advanced platforms in the industry. We intend to continue investing in growth and automation, both in our print platform, such as digital presses and direct mail, as well as in our service lines, including In-Store Connect by Quad.
During the quarter ending June 30th, 2026, the company received an adverse income tax and value-added tax litigation ruling related to a 2011 audit assessment of a Mexican subsidiary obtained through the World Color acquisition. There are a range of outcomes on the final settlement amount, as well as uncertainty regarding the timing of payments. We have accrued $17 million as of June 30th, 2026, which will be adjusted in subsequent periods when a final settlement is reached. As mentioned earlier, we expect to generate net proceeds from the sale of our Lima, Peru building, in addition to smaller proceeds from selling equipment and other assets. From a net debt standpoint, while timing is uncertain, we believe that for these second quarter 2026 events, the cash proceeds received from the sale of assets in Peru will substantially offset the cash payments for the Mexico tax settlement.
Our net debt leverage ratio is expected to decrease to approximately 1.5 times by the end of 2026, achieving the low end of our long-term targeted net debt leverage range of 1.5 times-2.0 times. As a reminder, we may operate above this range at certain times of the year due to the seasonality of our business, investments or acquisitions, the timing of proceeds from asset sales, or the Mexico tax settlement payments. We continue to closely monitor the ever-changing business climate driven by factors including ongoing inflationary pressures, evolving global trade dynamics, geopolitical tensions, and cautious business spending. These factors, in addition to postal rate increases, could affect print and marketing spend. We will remain agile and adapt to the shifting environment as needed to preserve profitability.
Slide 18 includes a summary of our 2028 financial outlook and long-term financial goals as we continue to build on our momentum as a marketing experience company. We continue to expect the rate of net sales decline to improve as it has since 2024, then reach an inflection point of net sales growth for full year 2028 with a sales mix of higher targeted print, multi-mail, and paper sales. In addition, by 2028, we continue to expect to see increased adjusted EBITDA margin over our current margin. As our sales mix changes, the size of the adjusted EBITDA margin increase will depend on the components of our sales growth.
Regarding free cash flow, we expect to improve our free cash flow conversion as a percentage of adjusted EBITDA from approximately 26% in 2025 to 35% by 2028, primarily due to lower interest payments on decreasing debt balances and lower restructuring payments. Finally, we expect to maintain our current long-term targeted net debt leverage ratio in the range of 1.5 times-2.0 times as part of our balanced capital allocation strategy. As we look ahead, we believe the combination of improving revenue trends, resilient cash generation, low debt leverage, and targeted investments in higher growth offerings positions Quad well to create long-term shareholder value. With that, I'd like to turn the call back to our Operator for questions.
We will now begin the question-and-answer session. To ask a question, you may press star, then one on your touch tone phone. If you are using a speakerphone, please pick up your handset before pressing the keys. To withdraw your question, please press star and then two. Our first question comes from Mark Zgutowicz from Benchmark. Please go ahead.
Morning, Mark.
Thank you. Morning, guys. Nice to see the improvement in targeted print, good to be with you this morning. Just a question on the revenue upside. Did you witness any growth outside of paper and logistics? Perhaps, Tony, you could discuss the gross profit dynamics that came with that revenue upside. Also curious why you didn't perhaps tighten the annual revenue guidance with that upside. Is that just for conservative reasons, or is there anything in the second half we should be aware of?
That's the first question. Thanks.
Good. Yeah, I'll start there. This is Tony. We had revenue growth in direct mail in the second quarter, as well as in our in-store print operations. That's in addition to the paper sales, the impact of ink surcharges that we're doing right now due to how petrochemical rates have increased. We also saw volume and fuel surcharges in logistics. From a gross margin perspective, paper, ink surcharges, fuel surcharges, more like pass-through at lower rates of profit. That's going to impact the gross margin, which you even saw fall through to our EBITDA margin being, I think, 30 basis points lower than prior year. As you look out to the second half of the year, Mark, we typically don't narrow the revenue guidance until we get through the third quarter.
With being a seasonal production business, we like to see how that third quarter and early fourth quarter are shaping up, because customers can add or subtract volumes even in quarter as we go along.
Especially in sort of the retail space, as they see the health of the economy, you'll definitely see them sort of adjust fire. That's why it's just additional color on why we wait.
Got it. That's helpful. On Wakefern, the new business there, curious if you could talk a little bit more about that in terms of any In-Store Connect revenue margin, advertising specifics there, and how you may scale that from the starting point at 30 ShopRite stores. If we could just-
Yeah
Maybe throw my last one in here, just on the same point. If you combine that with Vallarta and the West Coast customer, Joel, that you mentioned, do you feel like you're starting to see some synergies in your retail media go-to-market strategy or is it too early to make that assessment?
Sure.
Thanks.
Sure. Starting with the first one, Wakefern, I refer to sort of the thing that we've assembled here of services and products working together as one big flywheel. Wakefern's a great example where we've been doing business with them. We had a relationship, but now they're looking to shift gears and also looking at the landscape and trying to do it in a much more effective way. That resulted in sort of creating all this revenue into the other agency spaces. In addition, they've been watching how do you activate the in-store traffic, which is where people have intent to buy.
We've been talking to them about In-Store Connect, and we're really excited that they're going to go with a full test of 30 stores relative to their size because the stores that they're going into in the Northeast tend to be a little bit smaller footprint than the big guys, but have significantly more traffic. When I think about Wakefern and what they're doing and us sort of winning the In-Store Connect, the Northeast is a really important geography for us for the CPGs as we build out this platform. I'll remind you that we're assembling a network of lots of medium-sized to lower-sized grocers who can't do it on their own relative to someone like a Walmart who are doing it on their own. The more the merrier for all of them.
For the CPGs, the more we can round out the geography and get more eyeballs by adding more stores, the more they can start to commit more national budget to us versus maybe some local budget and maybe some call it test budget. That kind of leads to your second question of what I like about Vallarta is they're doubling the size. This is after they were pretty early on doing a test, and they've seen it's not just the media that's come in, it's the fact that we're consistently proving we're moving cases. If I'm a CPG, yeah, of course, I want media exposure, but they get a lot of requests from retailers to spend money on in-store media, but not necessarily drawing a direct conclusion to moving product.
In our case, we're able to prove that we're actually increasing spend on moving cases and even having category lift as opposed to individual brand lift. All these wins kind of work together to help round out sort of this national footprint and get us up into a store count and really population exposure that creates those eyeballs, that creates that flywheel where now we can get CPGs more and more interested. I'll remind you that they are watching this. In fact, we were at Path to Purchase earlier this summer or late spring down in Chicago on a panel with Nestlé and talking about the results that we've seen, and they confirmed that this has been a good thing for them, that they really look at the combination of the media exposure, but really the fact that they've seen movement of product.
The other thing about one of the new stores that we just signed, who at some point, hopefully, we can share their name, but they're not only in California, but they also have brands that go into Arizona and Texas. The goal there is how quick can we be testing with them? I'll tell you that they already had a test store up with our latest formats, which was really just a quick test, which resulted in this new 25 store expansion of their test. Did I answer all your questions there?
Yeah, you did, Joel. That's great. Maybe just one final one, I'll hop back in the queue. Just as you mentioned, like Nestlé and some of your other stronger CPG partners, is it a stretch to think that you can possibly use them as some leverage to get into some other stores, or is it really just your feet on the ground and just kind of continuing to press the successes that you're having there?
Yeah, I think it's all the above. Again, one of the things, I wish it goes faster, but one of the things that happens with retailers is it's a complex experience that they have in the stores, and they have just about every part of their company involved in the decisions. In some cases, the cleaning staff get involved in, gee, is a kiosk going to cause problems as they keep the stores tidy? When it comes to new products like this that impact the in-store experience, it just takes longer for them to navigate and get everybody on the same page. I think there'll be a flywheel effect then. As you see known brands that are well-respected like Wakefern come to the table, there are people who are leaders in adopting technology and others who purposely want to be fast followers.
I think you'll see as retailers like Wakefern come on and Vallarta ends up having the majority of their stores on it, you will start to see the people wanting to jump on. That's our hope. Also, I think as you see CPGs respond to it by bringing bigger budget to it rather than just local budget or test budget, that will prove to people that this is something they should be a part of.
That makes sense. Good stuff. Thanks, guys.
All right. Thanks, Mark. Operator, next question.
The next question comes from Kevin Steinke with Barrington Research Associates. Please go ahead.
Hey, Kevin.
Great. Thank you. Good morning. Thanks. Just wanted to start out by asking about some of the price increases you've implemented to offset some of the cost pressures related to the macro environment. Just kind of how meaningful those maybe were in the quarter in terms of contributing to sales and how we should think about that trending in the second half as well, as it relates to sales.
Yeah. I'll start, Tony can kind of expand. When we think about, like for logistics, the big cost variable there is diesel fuel. Quad has had to put in a weekly surcharge to the base rate that we charged several years ago as volatility was around. That's adjusted sort of weekly based on what happens with diesel. You'll see as diesel prices ebb and flow, that makes its way pretty quickly. On the ink side, a lot of the products we use are petroleum-based, but also market-based, based on things like pigments that compete with other industries. Again, as petroleum changes, that changes the cost, and we've had to increase that, not on a weekly basis, it's usually one time. Remember, some of those costs take a while to filter through the supply chain.
Even though you may have had a decrease in diesel at a point in time, it may take significantly longer for that to reflect in the cost that we have to incur. Tony, maybe you could reflect on sort of the meaningfulness of it.
Yeah, I'd say, Kevin, in the first half of the year, you're talking like a low double-digit millions impact from fuel surcharges and then ink surcharges linked to petrochemical. I think the good news there is we're holding on to bottom-line profit dollars. We're not benefiting from it, certainly, but we're holding on to our adjusted EBITDA dollars on that, which were roughly flat year-over-year. Looking out into the second half, I would expect that some of these trends to continue. We'll continue to see on a daily basis how things move with Iran and other issues.
All right, great. That's helpful. You talked about how you expect to be within your guidance despite some of the macro uncertainty, I just want to get a sense of maybe how your clients are feeling at this point in time. I notice, or I note that on your last call, you had said maybe some agency solutions clients took a brief pause, any more thoughts on how your clients are reacting to this volatile environment?
Yeah. I guess it's a little bit of a depends who you ask, and what category. I think the grocery space is under tremendous pressure. A lot from sort of changing trends and people choosing healthy food, and you have the GLP-1 effect. Lots of pressure there for our customers. I think we can still continue to see investment in driving traffic, which they need to do. Again, across a lot of different retailers, I think you still have a lot of pressure on the lower half of the income scale with inflationary costs. Again, I think we're feeling like we're in fairly good place with our clients. We do worry about the follow-on effects on postage. We've gone through a significant time frame of significant increase over the past five years.
While the 10% that just rolled out was a known factor when they were budgeting last year, which is good, what is the net effect? We still see pressure on volumes because of those postal increases. Again, I think that it's sort of nothing significant to report on a pullback here or there other than it depends who you ask right now.
It makes sense. I wanted to ask a little bit more about the packaging plants that you're launching in Salt Lake City. It's certainly an encouraging development there. When you think about capacity utilization, how quickly does that ramp up or how much excess capacity will you have to, I think you mentioned, pursuing new opportunities. Just kind of wondering how you see that dynamic playing out.
Yeah. I'll remind you, we entered packaging through a series of acquisitions because we weren't in the space. If you look back in history, before we started consolidating the print industry, most of Quad's growth came from greenfield growth. The good news in greenfield growth is you put in the technology that you need for the time as opposed to maybe technology that may have been outdated. The other thing is sort of the cultural fit. You're building upon a culture, you're not integrating, having to integrate things. The downside is the revenue comes later. We feel very good about our regional strategy because a lot of the product that we print does have a regional sort of impact in terms of deliverability and cost and timeframe and all that stuff.
We've been looking at this for a while, and obviously, since it's going to be operational in the fourth quarter, we've actually been working on this specific one for a while. We feel very good about it because we're able to start it up with existing work. It's hard to start a plant when you don't have anything to put on the machines. We have customers who have existing work with us that wants to be delivered in that region.
Plus, we have a lot of stuff in the pipeline because I think people are looking for our solution, not just from the standpoint of the traditional packaging, but again, the flywheel effect as they're looking for more help in how their brand appears in packaging, the analytics around making it more responsive to creative content that we can help them with, et cetera, everything that the flywheel has. I'm feeling pretty good that we will come on fairly quickly with that plant having fairly decent capacity. The sales force understands that I always want to grow faster. I think we've made the appropriate investments in personnel and talent and making sure that we are supporting this every which way to make sure we grow this. My goal is to have to add more equipment in the short term.
Yeah. Kevin, I would just add, when you think about 2026 versus 2027 numbers, as Joel said, starting up in the fourth quarter of 2026. Not a ton of impact here in 2026, more skewed towards 2027.
Okay. Right. That makes sense. Is that something we should think of as meaningful? I know it's a new plant, but it's not, I guess, materially large relative to the rest of your footprint. Is that something that you think will kind of have a meaningful impact as you look to 2027?
I do think it'll add top line. I would call it lower double-digit millions as it ramps up. Our packaging plants at full scale are $45 million-$50 million plants, right? This is still in the ramp-up stage. Low double-digit revenue there in 2027, and EBITDA margins in packaging have been roughly 10%.
Okay. That's helpful. Yeah. Okay, great. I guess lastly, just on this topic, and then I'll turn it over. Obviously it's encouraging that you're seeing demand here and on the packaging side and looking to expand in that category. Can you just kind of, again, refresh us on the dynamics you see in that market that are driving the growth and motivating you to build more capacity in that area?
Yeah. One of the things that's happening, we're in folding carton. One of the things that's happening is environmental push to get out of plastics. The space, I think, is growing somewhere around 5% per year, which is healthy growth. We're in the right area. Our knowledge base is in the right area. I sort of reflect on one of the examples I think we shared in the past, where we redesigned the Energizer battery pack to get rid of the plastic and use an entirely folding carton solution. They ended up spending tens of millions, if not $100 million, on re-outfitting their plants that take our packaging to be able to fill the batteries into it based on that design.
That's a good example of how a lot of the CPGs that the retailers are pushing as well to get people out of plastic packaging. The markets that we like to go after are ones that have higher value things that are being packaged, whether it's pharmaceuticals or higher-end things that need more decorative and things like that that have a better margin. Because we don't want to play in sort of the integrated space where it's like pasta boxes, where you have to have a paper plant attached to it to make any money. All those dynamics make us feel very good about our investment in this and where we'll go from here.
Great. Thanks. That's helpful color. Appreciate it.
The next question comes from Barton Crockett with Rosenblatt. Please go ahead.
Morning, Barton.
Good morning. Thanks for taking the question. I was kind of intrigued by the packaging discussion, because this was really, I don't recall this being a particular focus of your 2024 Investor Day with your long-term projections, intermediate term projections for 2028 that you've reiterated here. Is this kind of an area that's really inflected, that you weren't really thinking as much about partly, I guess maybe because of just recognition of this environmental-driven opportunity? Can you give us a sense of the CapEx that goes into this plant and kind of the revenue contribution from packaging right now in your income stream?
It's not that we weren't sort of looking at it and thinking well of it. I think we actually have reflected on it over time that the approach in packaging is not just because it has better growth space than the other areas of print that we're in, but because it's a part of that marketing flywheel, right? It's a brand awareness thing. It's an advertising piece in addition to a practical product to be able to encase product that moves on the shelves. As we sort of built the packaging platform through the different acquisitions we did, the thing that we're really focused on is how you include packaging in the flywheel of marketing services that we have, where we can supply something integrated to our marketing clients.
Because a lot of times, if you're just playing in packaging, you're playing with one part of the company that you're dealing with. When you're dealing with the marketing aspect, you're dealing with a whole bunch of other parts that intertwine. Suddenly, we're doing the, like we've talked about with Pura and some of the other CPGs that are trying to get in store where we're doing the end caps and doing the creative, and they're suddenly putting product in the end cap that is packaged. Suddenly now we can offer a very integrated solution where we can do it all.
As we've seen that speed up and people really like the integrated aspect, which has allowed us to win work, without just being a singular product coming to the table, that was sort of the signal to us that, okay, now let's go further and faster on packaging because we're not just coming to table as a packaging company. Again, this has been part of the plan, but you have to finish a few steps before you can make that integration work. We've seen that sort of accelerate over the past year or so.
Barton, I'd add that when you look at the packaging space, acquisitions in that space, multiples on those are like eight to nine times, right? Looking at Greenfield, where we have existing clients that want to go out there, brings us this West Coast presence that will get logistics benefits. It was better for us to do it in a Greenfield fashion and expand that way on a lower capital amount.
Yeah. We still look at M&A, but again, I think that the pace of being able to adapt this plant without all the distraction that comes with integrating acquisitions is a benefit to how we're doing this.
Can you give us a sense of how much CapEx this project is?
Yeah
Size and revenue?
Under $10 million.
Okay.
In this case, we're leasing a plant, as opposed to building it, which in our early stages of the company was usually owned, but there's lots of good facilities that we found, and we picked one that fits our bill. It's about putting in the right equipment, which, again, versus spending eight to nine times on an acquisition, we're getting this for a much more efficient use of our capital.
Yeah. Size of CapEx, Barton, we've talked before about this, but it's roughly 2% of our revenue every year we put into it. More than half of that goes to growth and automation. This was within our CapEx guidance here for 2026.
Just packaging overall in your revenue stream, you talked about what this plant will do in success, but what is it?
It's like around $135 million in revenue, roughly speaking.
Okay. All right. That's interesting. You were talking a lot about In-Store Connect. Can you just give us an update, like how many stores total are you in? I know you've got these new deals, expansions, but how large is the network right now, and just how big are the revenues in your mix, would you say?
Well, I think the number of stores is important, and not all stores are created equally. I'd probably put a weighting on Wakefern stores because they have such a significant store traffic that they have relative to the normal store. Call it we've gone from, if we have 70 stores today, we're going to be up close to 130 as these new wins roll out.
What are the
Again, the important thing is geographically diverse. Building out that Northeast and sort of continue to grow out California in some interesting spaces is really cool.
What is kind of the revenue contribution at this point? Some sense of that for In-Store Connect.
Still low, Barton. This is still in the early stages of ramping up.
Okay. All right. The final thing is, Joel, you were talking about that Quad stands behind the Postmaster General's idea plans for reform. You said that that could lessen the need to kind of lean on just rate hikes. If Steiner's approach were just kind of the plan where it's kind of the normal run rate going forward over the years. Where do you think normalized postage rate increases would settle in? What do you think would be-
If I-
We'd get?
Yeah, I think you could look at his legislative agenda. It's not just. Remember, they're mandated, and this started in 1971, they're mandated to go to every address in the country, which there's over a million new ones every year, much of it rural. They're mandated to go to it. The challenge that we have is they've, in the past five years, they've used pricing to try and fix it. You increase pricing dramatically, which lowers the volume using that whole infrastructure, which means then you have to increase pricing because volume went down, and it's sort of this spiral. When they first established this back in the 1970s, they recognized that the taxpayer has to pay for this infrastructure to some degree because you can't support it. There already was taxpayer support back then to the tune of $460 million in 1971 dollars.
What part of his thing is, look, if you insist on the mandate continuing and you don't allow us to adjust based on what revenue can support, you're going to have to pay for it. We're going to have to go back to that. If you watch these hearings, and the last one became a little bit overly political with some of the voter stuff that was going on. When each of the individual senators kind of opine, they each talk about, Could you please increase the performance of my local towns and cities? Politically, they all seem to think that it's a very important thing to have this mandate. I think his goal is to try and make it less political in being able to do this because it's very bipartisan in terms of what the taxpayer tells them.
There's a series of other things involved there, including some relief on what happens with retirement costs. What we'd expect as an industry and what we would ask the Post Office as a part of strings attached, so to speak, is get back to increases that the rest of the world gets, which is really associated with inflation, which used to be measured by CPI, and they were capped at CPI. We think that there's a fighting chance to get back to that if pricing is not the only mechanism to handle this. If it is the only mechanism, it's problematic, and I think people recognize that. That's a long answer, but it's a very complicated topic.
Appreciate that. Do you think it takes years to get to a CPI, back to a CPI regime, or any chance that could happen?
I think he's trying to get this pushed pretty quickly. I'm going to be spending some time in Washington. I've spent time with him, with our customers, a lot of different people. There's a lot of different users of this, there's a lot of opinions. We have to get people to coalesce around that if we have a fighting chance to have the Post Office be effective for all of us, they need to get behind supporting this legislative agenda because it's very important. Time is of the essence. They bought some time here, if they don't do it quickly, they're going to come to a bailout that they can't ignore, and it truly would be a bailout as opposed to paying for infrastructure that the taxpayer wants.
Okay, great. Just one final question here. With the exit of Lima pending, could you give us a sense of what the revenue and EBITDA impact is of that exit and also just what the size is of that facility in square feet?
It's a little over a 200,000 sq ft facility, Barton. We've had good discussions so far, multiple potential buyers. It potentially could be a bit higher than the $40 per square foot that we historically use as an average. Outcome is uncertain yet, right? There's a lot to play out here. From a revenue perspective, it's about $25 million-$30 million of revenue, and small adjusted EBITDA.
Okay, great. Thank you.
This concludes our question-and-answer session. I would like to turn the conference back over to Joel Quadracci for any closing remarks.
Thank you, operator, and thank you everyone for joining today's call. I want to close by reiterating that Quad remains committed to our strategic vision, leveraging our integrated marketing platform to drive diversified growth, improve print and marketing efficiencies, and create meaningful value for all of our stakeholder groups. With that, thank you again, and have a great day.
The conference has now concluded. Thank you for attending today's presentation. You may now disconnect.
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-07-28Quad/Graphics: Q2 Earnings Snapshot
Associated Press
Quad/Graphics: Q2 Earnings Snapshot
SUSSEX, Wis. (AP) — SUSSEX, Wis. (AP) — Quad/Graphics Inc. (QUAD) on Tuesday reported earnings of $3.7 million in its second quarter. The Sussex, Wisconsin-based company said it had net income of 7 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 24 cents per share. The printing company posted revenue of $577.5 million in the period. _____ This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on QUAD at https://www.zacks.com/ap/QUAD
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-07-28Quad/Graphics (QUAD) Q2 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
Zacks
Quad/Graphics (QUAD) Q2 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
Quad/Graphics (QUAD) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.24 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.2 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.14 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +20.00%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this printing company would post earnings of $0.22 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.25, delivering a surprise of +13.64%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. Quad/Graphics, which belongs to the Zacks Advertising and Marketing industry, posted revenues of $577.5 million for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.33%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $571.9 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Quad/Graphics shares have added about 35.6% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 8.3%. While Quad/Graphics has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Quad/Graphics was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks…Read full documentShow less
Quad/Graphics (QUAD) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.24 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.2 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.14 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +20.00%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this printing company would post earnings of $0.22 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.25, delivering a surprise of +13.64%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. Quad/Graphics, which belongs to the Zacks Advertising and Marketing industry, posted revenues of $577.5 million for the quarter ended June 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.33%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $571.9 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Quad/Graphics shares have added about 35.6% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 8.3%. While Quad/Graphics has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Quad/Graphics was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.34 on $572.3 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $1.20 on $2.32 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Advertising and Marketing is currently in the bottom 38% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. Another stock from the same industry, Gambling.com Group Limited (GRSD), has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2026. The results are expected to be released on August 13. This company is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.04 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -110.8%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. Gambling.com Group Limited's revenues are expected to be $37.5 million, down 5.3% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Quad Graphics, Inc (QUAD) : Free Stock Analysis Report Gambling.com Group Limited (GRSD) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-07-28Quad Reports Second Quarter and Year-to-Date 2026 Results
PR Newswire
Quad Reports Second Quarter and Year-to-Date 2026 Results
Realizes Net Sales Increase in the Second Quarter and Reaffirms Full-Year 2026 Financial Guidance SUSSEX, Wis., July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Quad/Graphics, Inc. (NYSE: QUAD) ("Quad" or the "Company"), a marketing experience company that solves complex marketing challenges for its clients, today reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026. Recent Highlights Realized Net Sales of $578 million in the second quarter of 2026 compared to $572 million in the second quarter of 2025, representing a 1% increase in Net Sales. Recognized Net Earnings of $4 million and $0.07 Diluted Earnings Per Share in the second quarter of 2026, compared to a Net Loss of $0.1 million and $0.00 Diluted Loss Per Share in 2025. Reported Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA of $42 million in the second quarter of 2026, compared to $43 million in 2025. Achieved $0.24 Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share in the second quarter of 2026, an increase of 71% from $0.14 per share in 2025. Earned industry recognition for Rise media agency through inclusion in Forrester's report, "The Media Management Services Landscape, Q2 2026."* Named strategic marketing partner to Wakefern Food Corp., with Rise serving as client's media AOR and In-Store Connect by Quad to deploy across 30 ShopRite locations later this year. Enhancing the national footprint of Quad's Packaging business with the addition of a new 100,000 square-foot facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. Repurchased 0.4 million shares of Quad Class A common stock in 2026, bringing total repurchases to 7.9 million shares since commencing buybacks in 2022, representing 14.1% of Quad's March 31, 2022, outstanding shares. Declared quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share payable September 4, 2026. Reaffirms full-year 2026 financial guidance. Joel Quadracci, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Quad, said: "We continue to execute our long-term strategy by investing in growth-oriented offerings across our agency solutions and targeted print businesses. We announced the westward expansion of our Packaging division with a new facility in Salt Lake City, which is expected to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2026. This investment rounds out a national manufacturing footprint for our Packaging business, enhancing our ability to serve both national brands and regional packaging clients with greater speed, flexibility and reach. "We also continue to dee…Read full documentShow less
Realizes Net Sales Increase in the Second Quarter and Reaffirms Full-Year 2026 Financial Guidance SUSSEX, Wis., July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Quad/Graphics, Inc. (NYSE: QUAD) ("Quad" or the "Company"), a marketing experience company that solves complex marketing challenges for its clients, today reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026. Recent Highlights Realized Net Sales of $578 million in the second quarter of 2026 compared to $572 million in the second quarter of 2025, representing a 1% increase in Net Sales. Recognized Net Earnings of $4 million and $0.07 Diluted Earnings Per Share in the second quarter of 2026, compared to a Net Loss of $0.1 million and $0.00 Diluted Loss Per Share in 2025. Reported Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA of $42 million in the second quarter of 2026, compared to $43 million in 2025. Achieved $0.24 Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share in the second quarter of 2026, an increase of 71% from $0.14 per share in 2025. Earned industry recognition for Rise media agency through inclusion in Forrester's report, "The Media Management Services Landscape, Q2 2026."* Named strategic marketing partner to Wakefern Food Corp., with Rise serving as client's media AOR and In-Store Connect by Quad to deploy across 30 ShopRite locations later this year. Enhancing the national footprint of Quad's Packaging business with the addition of a new 100,000 square-foot facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. Repurchased 0.4 million shares of Quad Class A common stock in 2026, bringing total repurchases to 7.9 million shares since commencing buybacks in 2022, representing 14.1% of Quad's March 31, 2022, outstanding shares. Declared quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share payable September 4, 2026. Reaffirms full-year 2026 financial guidance. Joel Quadracci, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Quad, said: "We continue to execute our long-term strategy by investing in growth-oriented offerings across our agency solutions and targeted print businesses. We announced the westward expansion of our Packaging division with a new facility in Salt Lake City, which is expected to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2026. This investment rounds out a national manufacturing footprint for our Packaging business, enhancing our ability to serve both national brands and regional packaging clients with greater speed, flexibility and reach. "We also continue to deepen existing account relationships and expand opportunities as clients adopt more of our integrated creative, media and marketing solutions. For example, we have broadened our work with long-time print client Wakefern, the nation's largest retailer-owned grocery cooperative, to include Rise's media services; content creation; and In-Store Connect, our in-store retail media network solution, in 30 of its ShopRite stores. "As we continue to invest in long-term growth, we remain equally focused on driving productivity and operational excellence. Through automation, AI-enabled tools and disciplined cost management, we continue to strengthen our operating model and drive strong productivity in our print business lines. Supported by these efforts, we remain on track to achieve our full-year guidance despite ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty." Added Tony Staniak, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Quad: "Net Sales grew year-over-year in the second quarter of 2026, driven by higher paper sales and logistics sales, representing progress toward our 2028 projected full-year revenue growth. Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow were essentially flat compared to 2025 and consistent with our full-year financial guidance. We continue to monitor inflation, economic and global trade dynamics, and geopolitical tensions, and are adjusting as necessary to mitigate their impact on our business and our clients. While continuing to invest to drive long-term growth, we returned $13 million to shareholders during the first half of 2026 through our quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share and share repurchases. We expect to remain opportunistic in terms of future share repurchases." Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results Net Sales were $578 million in the second quarter of 2026, an increase of 1% compared to the same period in 2025. The increase in Net Sales was primarily due to higher paper sales and higher logistics sales. Net Earnings were $4 million, or $0.07 Diluted Earnings Per Share, in the second quarter of 2026 compared to a Net Loss of $0.1 million, or $0.00 Diluted Loss Per Share, in the second quarter of 2025. The improvement was primarily due to lower interest expense, lower depreciation and amortization, and lower selling, general and administrative expenses, partially offset by the impact from increased income tax expense and increased restructuring, impairment and transaction-related charges, net. Diluted Earnings Per Share were also higher due to the increase in Net Earnings. Adjusted EBITDA was $42 million in the second quarter of 2026, compared to $43 million in the same period in 2025. The decrease was primarily due to the mix of Net Sales. Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share was $0.24 in the second quarter of 2026, as compared to $0.14 in the second quarter of 2025. Year-to-Date 2026 Financial Results Net Sales were $1.2 billion in the six months ended June 30, 2026, a decrease of 4% compared to the same period in 2025. Excluding the 2% impact of the divestiture of the Company's European operations, Net Sales declined 2%. The decline in Net Sales was primarily due to lower print volumes and lower agency solutions sales, partially offset by higher paper sales. Net Earnings were $10 million, or $0.20 Diluted Earnings Per Share, in the six months ended June 30, 2026, compared to Net Earnings of $6 million, or $0.11 Diluted Earnings Per Share, in the same period in 2025. The improvement was primarily due to lower interest expense, lower selling, general and administrative expenses, and lower depreciation and amortization, partially offset by the impact from lower Net Sales, higher income tax expense, and higher restructuring, impairment and transaction-related charges, net. Adjusted EBITDA was $87 million in the six months ended June 30, 2026, as compared to $89 million in the same period in 2025. The decrease was primarily due to the impact of lower Net Sales and the impact from the mix of Net Sales, partially offset by lower selling, general and administrative expenses. Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share was $0.48 in the six months ended June 30, 2026, as compared to $0.34 in the same period in 2025, an increase of 41%. Net Cash Used in Operating Activities was $41 million in the six months ended June 30, 2026, compared to $42 million year-to-date in 2025. Free Cash Flow was negative $66 million in both year-to-date 2026 and 2025. As a reminder, the Company historically generates most of its Free Cash Flow in the fourth quarter of the year. Net Debt was $394 million at June 30, 2026, as compared to $308 million at December 31, 2025, and $448 million at June 30, 2025. Compared to December 31, 2025, Net Debt increased primarily due to negative $66 million in Free Cash Flow and the payment of cash dividends and share repurchases. When removing seasonality, Net Debt decreased $54 million or 12%. Dividend Quad's next quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share will be payable on September 4, 2026, to shareholders of record as of August 17, 2026. 2026 Guidance The Company's full-year 2026 financial guidance is unchanged and is as follows: Conference Call and Webcast Information Quad will hold a live webcast and conference call to discuss the results on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. ET. Those wishing to participate via the webcast should access the call through the investor relations section of Quad's website at quad.com/investor-relations. Those wishing to participate via telephone may dial in at 877-328-5508 (USA) or 412-317-5424 (International). Participants may pre-register for the conference call at https://dpregister.com/sreg/10210027/104504e2940. The webcast replay will be available through the investor relations section of Quad's website. *Forrester Objectivity Statement Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. This report is part of a broader collection of Forrester resources, including interactive models, frameworks, tools, data, and access to analyst guidance. For more information, read about Forrester's objectivity here. About Quad Quad (NYSE: QUAD) is a marketing experience, or MX, company that helps brands make direct consumer connections, from household to in-store to online. The company does this through its MX Solutions Suite, a comprehensive range of marketing and print services that seamlessly integrate creative, production and media solutions across online and offline channels. Supported by state-of-the-art technology and data-driven intelligence, Quad simplifies the complexities of marketing by removing friction wherever it occurs along the marketing journey. The company tailors its uniquely flexible, scalable and connected solutions to each client's objectives, driving cost efficiencies, improving speed-to-market, strengthening marketing effectiveness and delivering value on client investments. Quad employs approximately 10,000 people in 10 countries and serves approximately 2,100 clients including industry leading blue-chip companies that serve both businesses and consumers in multiple industry verticals, with a particular focus on commerce, including retail, consumer packaged goods, and direct-to-consumer; financial services; and health. Quad is ranked among the largest agency companies in the U.S. by Ad Age, buoyed by its full-service media agency, Rise, and creative agency, Betty. Quad is also one of the largest commercial printers in North America, according to Printing Impressions. For more information about Quad, including its commitment to operating responsibly, intentional innovation and values-driven culture, visit quad.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding, among other things, our current expectations about the Company's future results, financial condition, sales, earnings, free cash flow, capital expenditures, leverage, margins, objectives, goals, strategies, beliefs, intentions, plans, estimates, prospects, projections and outlook of the Company, including information under the heading "2026 Guidance," and can generally be identified by the use of words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "plan," "foresee," "project," "believe," or "continue" or the negatives of these terms, variations on them and other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based largely on the Company's expectations and judgments and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are unforeseeable and beyond our control. The factors that could cause actual results to materially differ include, among others: the impact of increased business complexity as a result of the Company's transformation to a marketing experience company, including adapting marketing offerings and business processes as required by new markets; the impact of decreasing demand for printing services and significant overcapacity in a highly competitive environment creating downward pricing pressures and potential under-utilization of assets; the impact of changes in postal rates, service levels or regulations; the impact of rapid changes in technology, including artificial intelligence, and the risk the Company is unable to adapt its marketing offerings to compete in this technology-driven environment; the impact of increases in its operating costs, including the cost and availability of raw materials (such as paper, ink components and other materials), inventory, parts for equipment, labor, fuel and other energy costs and freight rates, and the risk the Company is unable to pass along such increases to clients; the impact macroeconomic conditions, including elevated interest rates, postal rate increases, tariffs, trade restrictions, cost pressures and the price and availability of paper, have had, and may continue to have, on the Company's business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations (including future uncertain impacts); the risk the Company is unable to reduce costs and improve operating efficiency rapidly enough to meet market conditions; the impact of a data-breach of sensitive information, ransomware attack or other cyber incident on the Company; the fragility and decline in overall distribution channels; the failure to attract and retain qualified talent across the enterprise; the impact of digital media and similar technological changes, including digital substitution by consumers; the failure of clients to perform under contracts or to renew contracts with clients on favorable terms or at all; the failure to successfully identify, manage, complete and integrate acquisitions, investment opportunities or other significant transactions, as well as the successful identification and execution of strategic divestitures; the impact negative publicity could have on our business and brand reputation; the impact of risks associated with the operations outside of the United States ("U.S."), including trade restrictions, currency fluctuations, the global economy, costs incurred or reputational damage suffered due to improper conduct of its employees, contractors or agents, and geopolitical events like war and terrorism; the impact of significant capital expenditures and investments that may be needed to sustain and grow the Company's platforms, processes, systems, client and product technology, marketing and talent, to remain technologically and economically competitive, and to adapt to future changes, such as artificial intelligence; the impact of the various restrictive covenants in the Company's debt facilities on the Company's ability to operate its business, as well as the uncertain negative impacts macroeconomic conditions may have on the Company's ability to continue to be in compliance with these restrictive covenants; the impact of an other than temporary decline in operating results and enterprise value that could lead to non-cash impairment charges due to the impairment of property, plant and equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets; the impact of regulatory matters and legislative developments or changes in laws, including changes in cybersecurity, consumer protection, safety, privacy and environmental laws; and the impact on the holders of Quad's class A common stock of a limited active market for such shares and the inability to independently elect directors or control decisions due to the voting power of the class B common stock; and the other risk factors identified in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which may be amended or supplemented by subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except to the extent required by the federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Non-GAAP Financial Measures This press release contains financial measures not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (referred to as non-GAAP), specifically EBITDA, EBITDA Margin, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Free Cash Flow, Net Debt, Net Debt Leverage Ratio and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net earnings (loss) excluding interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), restructuring, impairment and transaction-related charges, net and the settlement charge from defined benefit pension plan annuitization. EBITDA Margin and Adjusted EBITDA Margin are defined as EBITDA or Adjusted EBITDA divided by Net Sales. Free Cash Flow is defined as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less purchases of property, plant and equipment. Net Debt Leverage Ratio is defined as total debt and finance lease obligations less cash and cash equivalents (Net Debt) divided by the trailing twelve months Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share is defined as earnings (loss) before income taxes excluding restructuring, impairment and transaction-related charges, net, and adjusted for income tax expense at a normalized tax rate, divided by diluted weighted average number of common shares outstanding. The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures, when presented in conjunction with comparable GAAP measures, provide additional information for evaluating Quad's performance and are important measures by which Quad's management assesses the profitability and liquidity of its business. These non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or superior to, net earnings (loss) as a measure of operating performance or to cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities as a measure of liquidity. These non-GAAP measures may be different than non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. Reconciliations to the GAAP equivalent of these non-GAAP measures are contained in tabular form on the attached unaudited financial statements. Investor Relations ContactJulie FraundorfExecutive Director, Corporate Development & Investor [email protected] Media ContactClaire HoDirector, Corporate [email protected] In addition to financial measures prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), this earnings announcement also contains non-GAAP financial measures, specifically EBITDA, EBITDA Margin, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Free Cash Flow, Net Debt, Net Debt Leverage Ratio and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share. The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures, when presented in conjunction with comparable GAAP measures, provide additional information for evaluating Quad's performance and are important measures by which Quad's management assesses the profitability and liquidity of its business. These non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or superior to, net earnings (loss) as a measure of operating performance or to cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities as a measure of liquidity. These non-GAAP measures may be different than non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. In addition to financial measures prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), this earnings announcement also contains non-GAAP financial measures, specifically EBITDA, EBITDA Margin, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Free Cash Flow, Net Debt, Net Debt Leverage Ratio and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share. The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures, when presented in conjunction with comparable GAAP measures, provide additional information for evaluating Quad's performance and are important measures by which Quad's management assesses the profitability and liquidity of its business. These non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or superior to, net earnings (loss) as a measure of operating performance or to cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities as a measure of liquidity. These non-GAAP measures may be different than non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. In addition to financial measures prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), this earnings announcement also contains non-GAAP financial measures, specifically EBITDA, EBITDA Margin, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Free Cash Flow, Net Debt, Net Debt Leverage Ratio and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share. The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures, when presented in conjunction with comparable GAAP measures, provide additional information for evaluating Quad's performance and are important measures by which Quad's management assesses the profitability and liquidity of its business. These non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or superior to, net earnings (loss) as a measure of operating performance or to cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities as a measure of liquidity. These non-GAAP measures may be different than non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. In addition to financial measures prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), this earnings announcement also contains non-GAAP financial measures, specifically EBITDA, EBITDA Margin, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Free Cash Flow, Net Debt, Net Debt Leverage Ratio and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share. The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures, when presented in conjunction with comparable GAAP measures, provide additional information for evaluating Quad's performance and are important measures by which Quad's management assesses the profitability and liquidity of its business. These non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or superior to, net earnings (loss) as a measure of operating performance or to cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities as a measure of liquidity. These non-GAAP measures may be different than non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. In addition to financial measures prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), this earnings announcement also contains non-GAAP financial measures, specifically EBITDA, EBITDA Margin, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Free Cash Flow, Net Debt, Net Debt Leverage Ratio and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share. The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures, when presented in conjunction with comparable GAAP measures, provide additional information for evaluating Quad's performance and are important measures by which Quad's management assesses the profitability and liquidity of its business. These non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or superior to, net earnings (loss) as a measure of operating performance or to cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities as a measure of liquidity. These non-GAAP measures may be different than non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. In addition to financial measures prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), this earnings announcement also contains non-GAAP financial measures, specifically EBITDA, EBITDA Margin, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Free Cash Flow, Net Debt, Net Debt Leverage Ratio and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share. The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures, when presented in conjunction with comparable GAAP measures, provide additional information for evaluating Quad's performance and are important measures by which Quad's management assesses the profitability and liquidity of its business. These non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or superior to, net earnings (loss) as a measure of operating performance or to cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities as a measure of liquidity. These non-GAAP measures may be different than non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/quad-reports-second-quarter-and-year-to-date-2026-results-302836977.html
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-07-21Quad declares quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share
PR Newswire
Quad declares quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share
SUSSEX, Wis., July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Quad/Graphics, Inc. (NYSE: QUAD) ("Quad" or the "Company"), a marketing experience company that solves complex marketing challenges for its clients, today announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend on the Company's common stock of $0.10 per share. The dividend is payable on September 4, 2026, to shareholders of record as of August 17, 2026. About Quad Quad (NYSE: QUAD) is a marketing experience, or MX, company that helps brands make direct consumer connections, from household to in-store to online. The company does this through its MX Solutions Suite, a comprehensive range of marketing and print services that seamlessly integrate creative, production and media solutions across online and offline channels. Supported by state-of-the-art technology and data-driven intelligence, Quad simplifies the complexities of marketing by removing friction wherever it occurs along the marketing journey. The company tailors its uniquely flexible, scalable and connected solutions to each client's objectives, driving cost efficiencies, improving speed-to-market, strengthening marketing effectiveness and delivering value on client investments. Quad employs approximately 10,000 people in 10 countries and serves approximately 2,100 clients including industry leading blue-chip companies that serve both businesses and consumers in multiple industry verticals, with a particular focus on commerce, including retail, consumer packaged goods, and direct-to-consumer; financial services; and health. Quad is ranked among the largest agency companies in the U.S. by Ad Age, buoyed by its full-service media agency, Rise, and creative agency, Betty. Quad is also one of the largest commercial printers in North America, according to Printing Impressions. For more information about Quad, including its commitment to operating responsibly, intentional innovation and values-driven culture, visit quad.com. Investor Relations Contact Julie FraundorfExecutive Director, Investor [email protected] Media Contact Claire HoDirector, Corporate [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/quad-declares-quarterly-dividend-of-0-10-per-share-302829151.html
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-07-08Quad to Host Call to Discuss Second Quarter and Year-to-Date 2026 Results; Present at an Upcoming Investor Conference
PR Newswire
Quad to Host Call to Discuss Second Quarter and Year-to-Date 2026 Results; Present at an Upcoming Investor Conference
SUSSEX, Wis., July 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Quad/Graphics,Inc.(NYSE:QUAD)("Quad"or the"Company"), a marketing experience company that solves complex marketing challenges for its clients, announced today the date for the release of its second quarter 2026 earnings and its presentation at an upcoming investor conference. Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Date Quad will release its second quarter and year-to-date 2026 financial results after the close of regular market trading on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, and hold a live webcast and conference call to discuss results on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. ET. Those wishing to participate via the webcast should access the call through the investor relations section of Quad's website at quad.com/investor-relations. Those wishing to participate via telephone may dial 877-328-5508 (U.S.) or 412-317-5424 (international). Participants may pre-register for the conference call at: https://dpregister.com/sreg/10210027/104504e2940. The webcast replay will be available through the investor relations section of Quad's website. Upcoming Investor Conference Members of Quad management will participate in the Midwest IDEAS Investor Conference at The InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile in Chicago on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Tony Staniak, Quad Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, will present and host one-on-one and small group meetings with investors. The presentation will be accessible through the conference host's main website at https://www.threepartadvisors.com/midwest. For additional information or to schedule a meeting with management, please contact Quad's investor relations team at [email protected]. About QuadQuad (NYSE: QUAD) is a marketing experience, or MX, company that helps brands make direct consumer connections, from household to in-store to online. The company does this through its MX Solutions Suite, a comprehensive range of marketing and print services that seamlessly integrate creative, production and media solutions across online and offline channels. Supported by state-of-the-art technology and data-driven intelligence, Quad simplifies the complexities of marketing by removing friction wherever it occurs along the marketing journey. The company tailors its uniquely flexible, scalable and connected solutions to each client's objectives, driving cost efficiencies, improving speed-to-market, strengthening mar…Read full documentShow less
SUSSEX, Wis., July 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Quad/Graphics,Inc.(NYSE:QUAD)("Quad"or the"Company"), a marketing experience company that solves complex marketing challenges for its clients, announced today the date for the release of its second quarter 2026 earnings and its presentation at an upcoming investor conference. Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Date Quad will release its second quarter and year-to-date 2026 financial results after the close of regular market trading on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, and hold a live webcast and conference call to discuss results on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. ET. Those wishing to participate via the webcast should access the call through the investor relations section of Quad's website at quad.com/investor-relations. Those wishing to participate via telephone may dial 877-328-5508 (U.S.) or 412-317-5424 (international). Participants may pre-register for the conference call at: https://dpregister.com/sreg/10210027/104504e2940. The webcast replay will be available through the investor relations section of Quad's website. Upcoming Investor Conference Members of Quad management will participate in the Midwest IDEAS Investor Conference at The InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile in Chicago on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Tony Staniak, Quad Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, will present and host one-on-one and small group meetings with investors. The presentation will be accessible through the conference host's main website at https://www.threepartadvisors.com/midwest. For additional information or to schedule a meeting with management, please contact Quad's investor relations team at [email protected]. About QuadQuad (NYSE: QUAD) is a marketing experience, or MX, company that helps brands make direct consumer connections, from household to in-store to online. The company does this through its MX Solutions Suite, a comprehensive range of marketing and print services that seamlessly integrate creative, production and media solutions across online and offline channels. Supported by state-of-the-art technology and data-driven intelligence, Quad simplifies the complexities of marketing by removing friction wherever it occurs along the marketing journey. The company tailors its uniquely flexible, scalable and connected solutions to each client's objectives, driving cost efficiencies, improving speed-to-market, strengthening marketing effectiveness and delivering value on client investments. Quad employs approximately 10,000 people in 10 countries and serves approximately 2,100 clients including industry leading blue-chip companies that serve both businesses and consumers in multiple industry verticals, with a particular focus on commerce, including retail, consumer packaged goods, and direct-to-consumer; financial services; and health. Quad is ranked among the largest agency companies in the U.S. by Ad Age, buoyed by its full-service media agency, Rise, and creative agency, Betty. Quad is also one of the largest commercial printers in North America, according to Printing Impressions. For more information about Quad, including its commitment to operating responsibly, intentional innovation and values-driven culture, visit quad.com. Investor Relations Contact Julie FraundorfExecutive Director, Corporate Development & Investor Relations [email protected] Media Contact Claire HoDirector, Corporate [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/quad-to-host-call-to-discuss-second-quarter-and-year-to-date-2026-results-present-at-an-upcoming-investor-conference-302819662.html
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-05-02Quad Graphics Q1 Earnings Call Highlights
MarketBeat
Quad Graphics Q1 Earnings Call Highlights
Quad reported Q1 net sales of $581 million (down ~4.3% ex‑Europe) with adjusted EBITDA of $45 million and margin expansion to 7.7%, adjusted EPS of $0.25, negative free cash flow of $107 million (seasonal), and management reiterated full‑year guidance — net sales down 1%–5%, adjusted EBITDA $175M–$215M, and FCF $40M–$60M while targeting ~1.5x net debt leverage by end‑2026. Management highlighted material macro headwinds, notably a USPS rate change expected July 12 that could mean an average postage increase of up to 10% for many Co‑mail clients, plus higher distribution and ink costs from geopolitically driven oil/gas price moves — Quad has instituted a temporary ink surcharge and uses fuel surcharges for freight. Quad is pushing product and optimization initiatives to offset inflation — including Co‑mail pooling, postal optimization and the At‑Home Connect automation platform (citing a 27% postage saving example and a 33% cost reduction case with a client) — while returning capital to shareholders ($7M this quarter) and retaining $68.4M available under its repurchase program. Interested in Quad Graphics, Inc? Here are five stocks we like better. Quad Graphics (NYSE:QUAD) said its first-quarter fiscal 2026 results were in line with internal expectations and that it remains on track to achieve its full-year guidance, even as it navigates higher postage rates and supply-chain cost pressure tied to geopolitics. Chairman and CEO Joel Quadracci said the company maintained “steady profitability” in the quarter and expanded margins compared with the prior-year period. He also highlighted shareholder returns supported by what he called a strong balance sheet. → Meta Posted Its Best Sales Growth Since 2021—So Why Did Shares Fall? During the quarter, Quad returned $7 million to shareholders, including $6 million in regular cash dividends and $1 million in share repurchases, Quadracci said. Management spent significant time discussing postage inflation and input-cost volatility. Quadracci described postage as “the single largest marketing expense for mailers,” and said the U.S. Postal Service “continues to rely on price increases as one of its primary levers to address its financial challenges.” → 5 Stocks to Buy in May Before the Next AI Surge Hits Quadracci said the USPS has announced details of its next rate increase, expected to take effect July 12, and that Quad e…Read full documentShow less
Quad reported Q1 net sales of $581 million (down ~4.3% ex‑Europe) with adjusted EBITDA of $45 million and margin expansion to 7.7%, adjusted EPS of $0.25, negative free cash flow of $107 million (seasonal), and management reiterated full‑year guidance — net sales down 1%–5%, adjusted EBITDA $175M–$215M, and FCF $40M–$60M while targeting ~1.5x net debt leverage by end‑2026. Management highlighted material macro headwinds, notably a USPS rate change expected July 12 that could mean an average postage increase of up to 10% for many Co‑mail clients, plus higher distribution and ink costs from geopolitically driven oil/gas price moves — Quad has instituted a temporary ink surcharge and uses fuel surcharges for freight. Quad is pushing product and optimization initiatives to offset inflation — including Co‑mail pooling, postal optimization and the At‑Home Connect automation platform (citing a 27% postage saving example and a 33% cost reduction case with a client) — while returning capital to shareholders ($7M this quarter) and retaining $68.4M available under its repurchase program. Interested in Quad Graphics, Inc? Here are five stocks we like better. Quad Graphics (NYSE:QUAD) said its first-quarter fiscal 2026 results were in line with internal expectations and that it remains on track to achieve its full-year guidance, even as it navigates higher postage rates and supply-chain cost pressure tied to geopolitics. Chairman and CEO Joel Quadracci said the company maintained “steady profitability” in the quarter and expanded margins compared with the prior-year period. He also highlighted shareholder returns supported by what he called a strong balance sheet. → Meta Posted Its Best Sales Growth Since 2021—So Why Did Shares Fall? During the quarter, Quad returned $7 million to shareholders, including $6 million in regular cash dividends and $1 million in share repurchases, Quadracci said. Management spent significant time discussing postage inflation and input-cost volatility. Quadracci described postage as “the single largest marketing expense for mailers,” and said the U.S. Postal Service “continues to rely on price increases as one of its primary levers to address its financial challenges.” → 5 Stocks to Buy in May Before the Next AI Surge Hits Quadracci said the USPS has announced details of its next rate increase, expected to take effect July 12, and that Quad estimates “an average postage increase of up to 10% for many of our Co-mail clients.” He added that clients have generally budgeted for increases in the “3%-10%” range, and said he does not expect “a big pullback through the end of the year,” though he noted the cumulative impact could influence planning for 2027. Quadracci also cited cost pressures from the supply chain related to the ongoing Middle East conflict, noting that late in the quarter oil and gas prices increased sharply, driving up distribution costs and certain petrochemical-linked inputs, “most notably ink.” In response, Quad implemented a temporary ink surcharge. Later in the Q&A, he said investors should not view the surcharge as a meaningful revenue benefit, describing it as an offset to higher costs and “not a highly significant item” relative to the company’s broader cost structure. → Verizon’s Signal Strength: The Turnaround Call Is Loud and Clear He added that freight exposure to diesel price increases is addressed through an existing weekly fuel surcharge mechanism, saying it has been in place for years and is “really important.” Quadracci emphasized Quad’s investments in its marketing experience offering, which he described as “a suite of integrated solutions across creative, production, and media,” spanning digital and physical channels. He also pointed to postal optimization initiatives aimed at helping clients offset postage inflation. Quadracci walked through an example of layered savings that, according to management, reduced a client’s postage costs by 27% in a week of mailings. The steps included participation in Quad’s Co-mail program, additional savings through advanced sortation in high-density areas, use of the Household Fusion program (combining eligible publications or catalogs into a single mail piece), and qualification for USPS promotions. Quadracci said the company believes savings generally increase as the weekly Co-mail pool grows and noted that some clients still do not participate in the company’s optimization programs. He also discussed At-Home Connect, the company’s direct mail automation platform launched last year, saying it enables personalized and trigger-based mail tied to online consumer interactions or life events. As an example, Quadracci cited a case study with Fidium, a fiber internet provider, which he said reduced its mail cycle from two weeks to five days, eliminated about 45 labor hours per month, and reduced direct mail production costs by 33% using the platform. He quoted a Fidium executive as calling the switch “a game-changer” that reduced print and postage costs “without sacrificing volume.” Quadracci also described a direct mail program with Monogram, a financial services firm scaling a private student loan product, Abe. He said Quad supported the effort from strategy through execution using its household-based data stack for audience selection, along with testing, modeling, creative optimization, and response analysis. Quadracci said the program met Abe’s 2025 growth objectives, with booked loans increasing six-fold year-over-year while maintaining its target cost per application. He added that Quad received a Financial Services Strategy Award in the personal finance category from the Gramercy Institute for the work. Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Tony Staniak reported first-quarter net sales of $581 million, down 4.3% versus the prior year when excluding the February 2025 divestiture of the company’s European operations. Staniak attributed the decline primarily to lower print volumes and lower agency solution sales. He said agency solution sales were impacted by “pullback in spend from certain existing clients” and Quad’s “ongoing evolution from project-based work toward agency of record engagements.” Staniak noted that as a percentage of total net sales, the revenue mix increased in targeted print offerings—direct mail, packaging, and in-store—as well as in logistics due to increased volume and added lift services through enhanced Co-mail operations, offset by declines in magazines, catalogs, and agency solutions. Adjusted EBITDA was $45 million versus $46 million a year ago, while adjusted EBITDA margin increased from 7.2% to 7.7%. Staniak attributed the margin improvement to cost realignment actions taken in response to print volume declines and improved manufacturing productivity. Adjusted diluted earnings per share rose to $0.25 from $0.20, which Staniak said reflected higher net earnings, including lower interest expense due to reduced debt, lower depreciation and amortization, and the impact of a lower share count. He said Quad has repurchased 7.6 million shares since 2022 at an average price of $4.16 per share, representing about 13.6% of the then-outstanding Class A common stock, including 167,000 shares repurchased year-to-date for about $1 million. As of March 31, 2026, $68.4 million remained authorized under the company’s $100 million repurchase program approved in 2018. Free cash flow was negative $107 million in the quarter, compared with negative $100 million in the prior-year period. Staniak said the decline was driven by a $5 million increase in net cash used in operating activities, mainly from higher inventories, and a $2 million increase in capital expenditures. He emphasized the seasonality of the business, saying Quad typically generates negative free cash flow in the first nine months, followed by “large positive free cash flow in the Q4 with higher collections after our production peak.” On leverage, Staniak said net debt was down $36 million year-over-year when adjusting for seasonality. He also disclosed a past-due payment tied to the European divestiture: the company did not receive the first annual installment of principal and interest on a three-year note receivable from buyer Capmont totaling $6 million that was due Feb. 28, 2026, leaving net debt $6 million higher than expected. Staniak said Quad is working with Capmont and that he expects the note receivable to be paid “in full,” adding there is no performance benchmark tied to the payment schedule. Staniak reaffirmed Quad’s full-year 2026 guidance, including expectations for net sales to decline 1% to 5% versus 2025 (excluding $23 million of 2025 net sales from the European divestiture). Adjusted EBITDA guidance remains $175 million to $215 million, and free cash flow is expected to be $40 million to $60 million. The company also expects its net debt leverage ratio to decrease to about 1.5x by the end of 2026, reaching the low end of its long-term target range of 1.5x to 2.0x. Staniak said adjusted EBITDA margin is expected to increase by 30 basis points to 8.4% in 2026, driven by disciplined cost management and changes in revenue mix. He also discussed expected higher capital expenditures of $55 million to $65 million, as Quad continues investments in automation and growth initiatives across its print platform and service lines. In response to a question on agency results and the path to growth, Staniak said management expects growth in agency in 2027 and beyond, framing the first-quarter agency decline as tied to the company’s shift toward agency-of-record engagements. Quadracci added that the company’s move from more “transactional” performance media to “full stack media” comes with longer sales cycles, and he said he feels good about ramping progress “towards the end of the year, but certainly into 2027.” Management reiterated its longer-term view that net sales trends should improve and reach an “inflection point” to growth in 2028. Quadracci closed the call by saying Quad remains committed to its strategic vision of leveraging an integrated marketing platform to drive diversified growth and improve print and marketing efficiencies. Quad Graphics, Inc (NYSE: QUAD) is a global provider of print and related marketing services, serving a diverse range of clients in the publishing, retail, e-commerce and consumer packaged goods sectors. The company offers end-to-end solutions that span traditional print production, supply chain management and digital marketing support. Quad Graphics leverages a network of production facilities and distribution centers to deliver high-quality printed materials and integrated marketing programs that help clients reach their target audiences across multiple channels. The company's core offerings include magazine and catalog printing, direct mail, retail inserts, shopper marketing materials, custom packaging and point-of-sale displays. The article "Quad Graphics Q1 Earnings Call Highlights" was originally published by MarketBeat.
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-29Quad/Graphics, Inc. Q1 2026 Earnings Call Summary
Moby
Quad/Graphics, Inc. Q1 2026 Earnings Call Summary
Performance in Q1 2026 aligned with internal expectations, characterized by steady profitability and margin expansion despite a 4.3% decline in net sales. Revenue declines were primarily driven by lower print volumes and a pullback in agency solutions spend as the company transitions from project-based work to long-term agency of record engagements. Management implemented a temporary ink surcharge in response to rising petrochemical and distribution costs triggered by Middle East conflict volatility. The company is aggressively leveraging its proprietary household-based data stack to drive its 'audience strategy' services, which enhances the effectiveness of physical and digital marketing channels. Postal rate increases remain the primary macroeconomic challenge for clients, with management advocating for USPS structural reform while deploying optimization programs to mitigate costs. Strategic growth was observed in targeted print offerings, including direct mail, packaging, and in-store solutions, which are central to the company's diversification strategy. Reaffirmed full-year 2026 guidance with net sales expected to decline 1% to 5%, representing a continued moderation of the downward trend seen in previous years. Management projects an inflection point in 2028 where the company will return to net sales growth and achieve an adjusted EBITDA margin of 9.4%. Free cash flow for 2026 is projected between $40 million and $60 million, with typical seasonality expected to result in negative cash flow until the fourth quarter production peak. The company aims to reach the low end of its long-term net debt leverage ratio target of 1.5x by the end of 2026 through disciplined capital allocation. Future growth is predicated on scaling agency services and high-growth print segments to outweigh secular declines in legacy magazine and catalog lines. The USPS announced a rate increase effective July 12, 2026, which management estimates will raise postage costs by up to 10% for many Co-mail clients. Quad reported a $6 million shortfall in expected net debt reduction due to a missed first annual installment payment from Capmont regarding the European operations divestiture. Management is monitoring the USPS liquidity situation, noting that while recent financial flexibility extends solvency beyond 2027, the 'universal service obligation' remains a structural risk. The 2026…Read full documentShow less
Performance in Q1 2026 aligned with internal expectations, characterized by steady profitability and margin expansion despite a 4.3% decline in net sales. Revenue declines were primarily driven by lower print volumes and a pullback in agency solutions spend as the company transitions from project-based work to long-term agency of record engagements. Management implemented a temporary ink surcharge in response to rising petrochemical and distribution costs triggered by Middle East conflict volatility. The company is aggressively leveraging its proprietary household-based data stack to drive its 'audience strategy' services, which enhances the effectiveness of physical and digital marketing channels. Postal rate increases remain the primary macroeconomic challenge for clients, with management advocating for USPS structural reform while deploying optimization programs to mitigate costs. Strategic growth was observed in targeted print offerings, including direct mail, packaging, and in-store solutions, which are central to the company's diversification strategy. Reaffirmed full-year 2026 guidance with net sales expected to decline 1% to 5%, representing a continued moderation of the downward trend seen in previous years. Management projects an inflection point in 2028 where the company will return to net sales growth and achieve an adjusted EBITDA margin of 9.4%. Free cash flow for 2026 is projected between $40 million and $60 million, with typical seasonality expected to result in negative cash flow until the fourth quarter production peak. The company aims to reach the low end of its long-term net debt leverage ratio target of 1.5x by the end of 2026 through disciplined capital allocation. Future growth is predicated on scaling agency services and high-growth print segments to outweigh secular declines in legacy magazine and catalog lines. The USPS announced a rate increase effective July 12, 2026, which management estimates will raise postage costs by up to 10% for many Co-mail clients. Quad reported a $6 million shortfall in expected net debt reduction due to a missed first annual installment payment from Capmont regarding the European operations divestiture. Management is monitoring the USPS liquidity situation, noting that while recent financial flexibility extends solvency beyond 2027, the 'universal service obligation' remains a structural risk. The 2026 fiscal year includes 53 weekly payroll paydays, a non-recurring timing event that will impact annual cash flow before returning to 52 weeks in 2027. Our analysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here. Management does not expect a significant pullback in volume through the end of 2026 as clients had budgeted for anticipated rate increases. Clients are increasingly joining Quad's optimization programs to offset the 10% postage hikes, effectively lowering their realized rate increases. The ink surcharge is described as a necessary pass-through of costs that is less impactful to client budgets than postage volatility. Growth will be driven by 'targeted print' (direct mail, packaging, in-store) and agency services becoming large enough to outweigh declines in catalogs and publications. In-store solutions showed significant growth in Q1, supporting the long-term thesis. The transition in agency services from transactional media to holistic 'full stack' media involves longer sales cycles but higher profitability. Management expects to be paid in full on the note receivable and is actively working with Capmont to resolve the delay. The payment is not tied to any performance benchmarks; it is a straightforward principal and interest installment that was due February 28. Management expressed 'renewed optimism' that the Postmaster General is successfully clarifying the USPS's structural funding issues to Congress. The core argument is that the government must either subsidize the 'universal service obligation' or allow for more pricing and operational flexibility to avoid a 'death spiral' of rate hikes. One stock. Nvidia-level potential. 30M+ investors trust Moby to find it first. Get the pick. Tap here.
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-29Quad/Graphics: Q1 Earnings Snapshot
Associated Press
Quad/Graphics: Q1 Earnings Snapshot
SUSSEX, Wis. (AP) — SUSSEX, Wis. (AP) — Quad/Graphics Inc. (QUAD) on Tuesday reported earnings of $6.2 million in its first quarter. On a per-share basis, the Sussex, Wisconsin-based company said it had profit of 13 cents. Earnings, adjusted for pretax expenses, came to 25 cents per share. The printing company posted revenue of $581 million in the period. _____ This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on QUAD at https://www.zacks.com/ap/QUAD
Investor releaseQuarter not tagged2026-04-29Quad/Graphics (QUAD) Q1 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
Zacks
Quad/Graphics (QUAD) Q1 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
Quad/Graphics (QUAD) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.25 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.22 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.2 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +13.64%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this printing company would post earnings of $0.36 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.36, delivering no surprise. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. Quad/Graphics, which belongs to the Zacks Advertising and Marketing industry, posted revenues of $581 million for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.29%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $629.4 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Quad/Graphics shares have added about 23.1% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 4.8%. While Quad/Graphics has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Quad/Graphics was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (St…Read full documentShow less
Quad/Graphics (QUAD) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.25 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.22 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.2 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +13.64%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this printing company would post earnings of $0.36 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.36, delivering no surprise. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. Quad/Graphics, which belongs to the Zacks Advertising and Marketing industry, posted revenues of $581 million for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.29%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $629.4 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. Quad/Graphics shares have added about 23.1% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 4.8%. While Quad/Graphics has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Quad/Graphics was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.22 on $553 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $1.18 on $2.32 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Advertising and Marketing is currently in the top 18% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. One other stock from the same industry, Banzai International, Inc. (BNZI), is yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026. This company is expected to post quarterly loss of $0.29 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +80.7%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 18.6% higher over the last 30 days to the current level. Banzai International, Inc.'s revenues are expected to be $2.9 million, down 14.2% from the year-ago quarter. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Quad Graphics, Inc (QUAD) : Free Stock Analysis Report Banzai International, Inc. (BNZI) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

