Tupperware Brands Corporation (NYSE:TUP) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript

Miguel Fernandez: But we cannot hear Linda.

Operator: Her line is open.

Linda Bolton Weiser: Hello? Can you hear me?

Miguel Fernandez: Hi, Linda. Yes, Good morning.

Linda Bolton Weiser: Nice to hear you. So can you just comment on the cost environment, because actually, a lot of the cost elements are starting to come down, I don’t know if you’re seeing plastic resin actually coming down or not and things like freight and shipping. Can you just kind of comment on kind of what you’re seeing on that side of things?

Mariela Matute: Yes, Linda, we had in average in the Q4, we still saw an increase in input cost and I think it was driven by some logistics disruptions we have when China opened up, as well as our plans to improve service levels across the Tupperware ecosystem. For 2023, we are expecting some of our resin cost to go down, as well as our supply chain logistics cost in line with what you’re seeing in other industries.

Linda Bolton Weiser: Okay. And then I think in the past, Mariela, maybe you had mentioned or talked about a little bit like some IT investments in things like that that needed to be done in the company. What are your thoughts on that? And are there €“ do you have a thought on what capital spending might be in 2023?

Mariela Matute: Yes, so, we continue to prioritize our investments and balancing our decisions with our desire to delever this company and reduce debt over time. We put some CapEx plan that is similar to what we executed in 2022. And some of those investments are dedicated to upgrading our digital infrastructure to allow our sales force to transact online, as well as upgrading our network internally to be global and standard and those investments continue from time to time. We may slow down the pace to balance our obligations with our debt holders, as well as other commercial investments with the plan continuously in them.

Linda Bolton Weiser: Okay. And then, are there any thoughts €“ I did see your product at Target, and it looks very nice, and it was a nice array of SKUs and then the next time I went to see, it was all gone off the shelves and then I didn’t see it replenished very quickly. So, have you done so well at Target that you’re having trouble actually keeping the supply replenished or like how is that going?

Miguel Fernandez: So, it’s going really well. It’s going better than their expectations and our expectations. We know that we’ve been fulfilling Target the way we agree with. So every time the POs come in, we’re being — obviously, it’s a big priority. It’s a high priority for us. So, I think it might have been in that sort of a little bit of a logistic issue within Target. It might have been probably back luck. But yeah, I mean things are going well, really well for us in Target.

Linda Bolton Weiser: Okay. And then, can you just maybe give a little more color on the North American decline, because you did make some comp plan changes and I know it was like a matter of time before those kind of got settled out and stuff. So, is that still in place, the comp plan change? And like can you just give some color on why that was so disruptive and then, is it going to get better or kind of what’s the situation there?