Celsius Holdings, Inc. CELH delivered solid first-quarter 2026 results, wherein the bottom and top lines beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate and increased year over year.
The company delivered record first-quarter 2026 total revenues, driven by the strength of its expanding energy portfolio, including CELSIUS, Alani Nu and Rockstar Energy, alongside growing scale, a 20.9% share of the U.S. energy drink category, successful brand integration efforts, and confidence in its ability to deliver sustained long-term growth and shareholder value.
CELH’s Quarterly Performance: Key Insights
Celsius Holdings’ adjusted earnings of 41 cents per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 29 cents and skyrocketed 128% from the year-ago number.
Celsius Holdings Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Celsius Holdings Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Celsius Holdings Inc. Quote
Total revenues of $782.6 million topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $756 million. The top line surged 138% year over year. The rise was primarily driven by the acquisitions of Alani Nu on April 1, 2025, and Rockstar Energy on Aug. 28, 2025.
Alani Nu generated record first-quarter sales of $368.1 million, supported by strong consumer demand and increased distributor orders following its transition into the PepsiCo distribution system. Rockstar Energy contributed $66.6 million in first-quarter revenues. CELSIUS brand revenues increased approximately 6% year over year.
Gross profit surged 119.3% to $378.1 million from $172.4 million in the prior-year period. The gross profit margin declined 400 basis points (bps) to 48.3% from 52.3%, primarily reflecting the lower margin profiles of the recently acquired Alani Nu and Rockstar Energy businesses.
Adjusted SG&A expenses, excluding litigation and acquisition-related costs, increased 86.7% to $206.3 million in the first quarter of 2026 from $110.5 million in the prior-year period. As a percentage of net sales, adjusted SG&A expenses declined to 26.4% from 33.6% in the prior-year quarter.
Adjusted EBITDA skyrocketed 181% year over year to $195.5 million, while the adjusted EBITDA margin expanded approximately 370 basis points to 24.9% from 21.2%.
Decoding CELH’s Segment-Wise Results
North America revenues soared 144% to $747.3 million in the first quarter of 2026 from $306.5 million in the prior-year period.
International revenues totaled $35.3 million in the first quarter of 2026, representing a 55% increase from the prior-year period, driven by continued strength in the Nordics and momentum across key expansion markets, including the U.K., Ireland, France, Australia, New Zealand and Benelux.
Insights Into CELH’s Retail Performance
Retail sales of the Celsius Holdings portfolio, including CELSIUS, Alani Nu and Rockstar Energy, in U.S. tracked channels (MULO+ w/C) increased 29.8% for the 13 weeks ended March 29, 2026. Celsius Holdings captured an 20.9% dollar share of the U.S. RTD energy category during the period.
CELSIUS brand retail sales increased 6% year over year and held a 9.9% dollar share of the category.
Alani Nu retail sales doubled year over year, increasing 100%, driven by strong innovation, expanded distribution and continued consumer adoption, with the brand reaching a 9% dollar share.
Rockstar Energy retail sales declined 13% year over year and represented a 2% dollar share of the category.
CELH’s Financial Health
This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $549.2 million, and total stockholders' equity of $1,250.8 million.
During the reported quarter, the company repurchased approximately 700,000 shares for $24.1 million. As of the quarter end, $236.1 million remained available under the $300 million share repurchase program authorized by the board in November 2025.
Celsius Holdings shares have fallen 28.4% in the past three months compared with the industry’s 10.3% decline.
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Stocks to Consider
Post Holdings, Inc. POST operates as a consumer-packaged goods holding company in the United States and internationally. At present, POST has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The consensus estimate for Post Holdings’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings implies growth of 2.7% and 0.1%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. Post Holdings delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 19.6%, on average.
Smithfield Foods, Inc. SFD produces packaged meats and fresh pork in the United States and internationally. It carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present. Smithfield Foods delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 12%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Smithfield Foods’ current fiscal-year sales and earnings indicates growth of 1.3% and 7.5%, respectively, from the prior-year reported levels.
Darling Ingredients Inc. DAR develops, produces and sells sustainable natural ingredients from edible and inedible bio-nutrients. It currently has a Zacks Rank #2. DAR delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 16.1%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Darling Ingredients’ current fiscal-year sales indicates growth of 7.1% from the prior-year reported level.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).