Newell Brands returned to the Barclays Global Consumer Conference with the message that the work of rebuilding the company is showing results, and the opportunities ahead are significant.

President and CEO Chris Peterson and Chief Financial Officer Mark Erceg joined the conversation on September 8, sharing progress across the company's brands, innovation pipeline and retail presence and discussing what comes next.

Consumer insights are shaping a stronger innovation pipeline

The conference followed Newell's first return to sales growth in four years, with the U.S. business leading the way.

Peterson traced the progress back to a deliberate shift the company made in 2023 as the strategy focused on investing in the capabilities needed to drive consistent, consumer-led growth: deeper consumer insights, stronger brand building, better product innovation and more disciplined retail execution.

"What is exciting about last quarter is all of those things came together," Peterson said.

One of the clearest signs of that shift is the evolution of Newell's innovation pipeline. When the company introduced its tiering system in 2023 to focus resources on its most significant product launches, it had one qualifying Tier 1 or 2 initiative.  That number has grown steadily each year and is on track to reach a new high of 25 in 2026. The initiatives span all six business units and the majority of Newell’s brands, with each of the company’s top brands supported by a Tier 1 or Tier 2 innovation.

Peterson highlighted Graco EasyTurn car seats, Coleman Snap ’N Go coolers and Rubbermaid Brilliance glass food storage as examples of innovations drawing strong consumer demand.

Reaching more consumers at retail

Alongside innovation, Newell is expanding its presence at retail and working to sustain those gains through consumer demand. Peterson said U.S. distribution was up mid-single digits this year, supported by improvements in brand building, retail execution and the company’s domestic manufacturing position.

In the second quarter, in the U.S., six of Newell’s top 10 brands grew point-of-sale sales, a measure of consumer purchases at retail. Eight improved their sequential rate of point-of-sale growth. Peterson noted that many brands still have room to grow. Their share of shelf space at retail remains below their share of the overall market, pointing to a multi-year opportunity to close that gap across categories and retail partners.

Back-to-school trends show encouraging progress

With the back-to-school season approximately three-quarters complete at the time of the conference, Peterson described the environment as encouraging. The category was up approximately 1% in the U.S., slightly better than the company had expected, and Sharpie, Elmer's, Prismacolor, and EXPO were all gaining market share.

Consumers have been shopping closer to the school start date this year, and some Northeast U.S. schools pushed their start dates back due to Labor Day timing, which are both factors that shift the timing of purchases. September remains an important month for retailer replenishment, and Newell is monitoring both shipment trends and consumer purchase data as the season closes out.

Building on productivity and efficiency gains

Erceg discussed the operational programs supporting the business through a dynamic cost environment. The company's FUEL productivity program is generating strong annual savings. The automation investments across Newell's U.S. manufacturing plants have strengthened the company's cost position.

“We see tremendous opportunity in our existing brand portfolio,” Peterson said. To learn more about our Q2 2026 financial results, read our press release.