Net Sales Down 6.8% at Turning Point Brands

Turning Point Brands reported consolidated net sales of $103.4 billion the fourth quarter of 2022, down 1.8 percent from the comparable 2021 quarter. Gross profit decreased 1.5 percent to $49.6 million. Net sales for the Zig-Zag and Stoker products increased 0.9 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively, while sales of new-generation products declined by 11.1 percent.

For the full year, consolidated net sales decreased by 6.8 percent to $415 million. Gross profit was down 5.6 percent to $205 million. Net sales for Zig-Zag and Stoker’s products increased 7.9 percent and 5.3 percent, respectively, while sales of new generation declined by 35.2 percent

“The fourth quarter operating results finished in-line with our expectations with solid execution across our segments,” said TPB President and CEO Graham Purdy in a statement.

“The Zig-Zag segment grew during the quarter despite the impact of a previously disclosed pull-forward in the prior quarter, benefitting from continued market share gains and the contribution from a full quarter of CLIPPER lighters. We are pleased with the ongoing roll-out and strong channel receptivity to the world’s No. 1 reusable lighter. Stoker’s MST experienced strong share gains as consumer trade-downs to value accelerated, consistent with the current inflationary and economic backdrop.

“The challenging regulatory environment continues to negatively affect the NewGen segment which was down materially vs. 2021, but with declines moderating in the back half of the year. In addition to returning capital to our shareholders through share repurchases, we opportunistically purchased $10 million notional of our convertible notes during the fourth quarter while maintaining a strong cash balance.

”Over the last few months since taking on the CEO role, my primary objective has been to re-direct our focus and energy towards driving organic long-term growth. This starts with allocating resources to products, initiatives, and channels best positioned towards this goal. Our organization is now better aligned towards capitalizing on the opportunities in front of us and we look forward to delivering against our long-term plans going forward.”