Inghams reported 1H26 EBITDA of $81 million, close to guidance.  Even though earnings were near guidance, the company has downgraded its FY26e outlook. The reasons cited appear mostly temporary but there are structural challenges around supply chain costs serving its customers. Inghams volume and price outlook are more encouraging and margins should recover. However, with such volatility in earnings over the past 18 months and high gearing, it will take time to rebuild investor trust.

Bapcor reported a 4% decline in EBITDA for FY25. The decline in both the Trade and NZ division’s profit margins was notable in the second-half. We expect the company to have another decline in sales for 1H26e given some store closures and a more competitive environment in Australia and NZ. The NZ segment’s margins look to be resetting lower following a COVID-19 peak. Even so, margins are still healthy relative to peers. The company’s indication that profit will skew to 2H26e is vague. The shape of earnings suggests the profit recovery begins in FY27e.

Inghams reported FY25 EBITDA pre AASB-16 of $236 million. While earnings were steady year-on- year on a 52-week basis, the fourth quarter deteriorated given excess poultry supply and lower prices. The oversupply arose because Inghams thought it could replace the lost Woolworths volumes. Oversupply will hurt Inghams’ 1H26e EBITDA but then should correct itself as production is reset. We expect pricing and margins to drop in 1H26e but then rise in 2H26e.

The more alarming features of Bapcor’s trading update are the rapid deterioration in sales and immediate departure of three board members. While somewhat “glass half-full” we interpret the FY25e trading update as more a “clean out” of the financials and a reset. Management targets over FY25e to FY30e will be easier to achieve.

Bapcor reported 1H25 underlying sales up 0.3% and EBITDA of $132 million, down 8%. Sales have started the second half up slightly. The full year cost saving guidance for $20 to $30 million has been reiterated and will lead to lower total costs in 2H25e, supportive of an improvement to EBITDA. Bapcor will host a Strategy Day in late April 2025 at which the new CEO will provide more clarity on the strategic direction.

Inghams reported 1H25 poultry volumes down 2.7% and EBITDA dropped 10%. Price realisation was good and Inghams had feed cost reductions and admin cost savings to partly offset the volume decline. Prices are 19% higher than three years ago. This is important as it signals that new contract wins to replace lost volume with Woolworths has not been done at irrational prices.

Inghams reported FY24 EBITDA of $240 million pre AASB-16, growth of 29% (on 52-week basis). While the result was good, second-half earnings growth was soft and the company revealed that Woolworths will cut back volumes with Inghams to diversify its supplier risk. We expect Woolworths’ FY25e volumes will fall 10%-20% with Inghams. Lower feed costs are a strong tailwind for FY25e and should offset much of the headwind from lower Woolworths volumes.

Bapcor reported FY24 sales of $2.03 billion up 1% and EBITDA of $269 million down 10%. Net profit fell by 24% pre significant items on higher interest costs. The company reported a small improvement in sales early in FY25e. However, the drop in 2H24 profit margins is likely to result in only modest EBITDA growth for FY25e even though the company has cost savings to flow through. During the second-half all Bapcor’s divisions had negative same store sales performance with Trade down by 1.5%, Retail down 1.0% and New Zealand lower by 0.5%.

Inghams strategy day provided an upbeat tone about the opportunities to improve its sales mix and capex projects that will lift profit margins. The company is targeting double-digit EBITDA margins over time, which would be a 25% lift on our base case of 8%. Given a favourable industry structure, higher margins are possible.

City Chic had an incredibly challenging FY23. Sales declined and gross margins were crushed. The company made an EBITDA loss (pre AASB-16) of -$35 million for the continuing business.  However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The sales decline should abate by the end of 1H24e. The company has a net cash position and a clear path to profit margin recovery over the next three years.