Quad Reports First Quarter 2026 Results

Financial Results In-Line with Expectations and Reaffirms Full-Year 2026 Financial Guidance

SUSSEX, Wis., April 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 first quarter ended March 31, 2026.

Recent Highlights

• Realized Net Sales of $581 million in the first quarter of 2026 compared to $629 million in the first quarter of 2025, representing a 7.7% decline in Net Sales or a 4.3% decline in Net Sales excluding the February 28, 2025, divestiture of the Company's European operations.
• Recognized Net Earnings of $6 million, or $0.13 Diluted Earnings Per Share, in the first quarter of 2026, compared to Net Earnings of $6 million, or $0.11 Diluted Earnings Per Share, in 2025.
• Reported Adjusted EBITDA of $45 million in the first quarter of 2026 compared to $46 million in 2025.
• Achieved $0.25 Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share in the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 25% from $0.20 per share in 2025.
• Recognized at the Gramercy Institute's Financial Service Strategy Awards, demonstrating impact of Quad's integrated direct marketing work.
• Repurchased 0.2 million shares of Quad Class A common stock in 2026, bringing total repurchases to 7.6 million shares since initiating the program in 2022, representing approximately 13.6% of shares outstanding as of March 31, 2022.
• Returned $7 million to shareholders through $6 million of regular cash dividends and $1 million of share repurchases.
• Declared quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share payable June 5, 2026.
• Reaffirms full-year 2026 financial guidance.

Joel Quadracci, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Quad, said: "Our first quarter results were in-line with our expectations, and we remain on track to achieve our full-year 2026 guidance. We remain focused on achieving our long-term growth and margin objectives while maintaining disciplined cost management despite macroeconomic challenges, including continued postage rate increases and cost pressures in our supply chain stemming from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

"We are making strategic investments in innovative marketing solutions and high-caliber talent to expand our offering and strengthen client relationships. We are seeing strong momentum in Quad's audience strategy services, powered by our proprietary, household-based data stack. Our formalized Direct Marketing Agency combines audience services with pre-market testing and analysis to drive more effective mail prospecting. Similarly, our Rise media agency brings together data-driven intelligence with AI-powered insights to deliver customized omnichannel media strategies that help clients achieve measurable business outcomes.

"Operationally, we are providing clients with multiple optimization solutions, including advanced co-mailing capabilities, to generate significant savings that help reduce the impact of rising postage costs. We are further strengthening our cost structure by investing in automation and adopting AI-enabled tools, which are improving productivity, speed and agility across our platform. These efforts further differentiate Quad in a competitive marketplace."

Added Tony Staniak, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Quad: "We are reaffirming our 2026 full-year financial guidance with an improved sales decline rate and essentially flat Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow compared to 2025, representing a key step on our path to long-term growth. We are closely monitoring the current business climate which continues to present uncertainty, driven by factors including persistent inflationary pressures, evolving global trade dynamics, geopolitical tensions and cautious business spending. As we have demonstrated in prior periods of disruption, we remain agile and ready to adapt to shifting demand. While allocating capital to fuel long-term growth, we are also returning capital to shareholders through our quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share and we have repurchased $1 million of Quad shares year-to-date. We expect to remain opportunistic in terms of future share repurchases."

First Quarter 2026 Financial Results

• Net Sales were $581 million in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 7.7% compared to the same period in 2025. Excluding the 3.4% impact of the divestiture of the Company's European operations, Net Sales declined 4.3%. The decline in Net Sales was primarily due to lower print volumes and lower agency solutions sales.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Net Earnings were $6 million, or $0.13 Diluted Earnings Per Share, in the first quarter of 2026 compared to $6 million, or $0.11 Diluted Earnings Per Share, in the first quarter of 2025. The improvement was primarily due to lower selling, general and administrative expenses, lower interest expense, lower depreciation and amortization, and benefits from increased manufacturing productivity, partially offset by the impact from lower Net Sales, increased restructuring, impairment and transaction-related charges, net, and increased income tax expense. Diluted Earnings Per Share were also higher due to the impact of share repurchases and lower dilutive equity incentive instruments.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Adjusted EBITDA was $45 million in the first quarter of 2026, compared to $46 million in the same period in 2025. The decrease was primarily due to the impact of lower Net Sales partially offset by lower selling, general and administrative expenses, and benefits from improved manufacturing productivity.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share was $0.25 in the first quarter of 2026, as compared to $0.20 in the first quarter of 2025.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Net Cash Used in Operating Activities was $94 million in the first quarter of 2026, compared to $89 million in the first quarter of 2025. Free Cash Flow was negative $107 million in the first quarter of 2026 compared to negative $100 million in the first quarter of 2025. The decline in Free Cash Flow was primarily due to the increase in Net Cash Used in Operating Activities mainly from higher inventories and a $2 million increase in capital expenditures. As a reminder, the Company historically generates most of its Free Cash Flow in the fourth quarter of the year.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Net Debt was $427 million at March 31, 2026, as compared to $308 million at December 31, 2025, and $463 million at March 31, 2025. Compared to December 31, 2025, Net Debt increased primarily due to the negative $107 million Free Cash Flow in the first quarter of 2026.

Dividend

Quad's next quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share will be payable on June 5, 2026, to shareholders of record as of May 21, 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, April 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/10207595/1039c288a66.

The webcast replay will be available through the investor relations section of Quad's website.

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 Contact

Julie Fraundorf

Executive Director, Corporate Development & Investor Relations

IR@quad.com 

Media Contact

Claire Ho

Director, Corporate Communications

414-566-2955

cho@quad.com

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.

SOURCE Quad