Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Stran & Company's Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Call. Please note, this conference is being recorded. I will now turn the conference over to your host, Alexandra Schilt, Investor Relations at Crescendo Communications. Over to you.
Good morning, and thank you for joining Stran & Company's 2026 Second Quarter Financial Results and Business Update Conference Call. With us today are Andy Shape, Chief Executive Officer; and David Browner, Chief Financial Officer. Yesterday, we issued a press release detailing our results, which is available on our website at ir.stran.com. Before we begin, please note that today's remarks may include forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties as described in our SEC filings. With that, I'll turn the call over to Andy Shape. Please go ahead, Andy.
Thank you, Ally. Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us today. The second quarter was a strong period for Stran. We continue to execute on the strategy we've been building over the past several years, and the results are showing up in our numbers. We are deepening relationships with large enterprise customers, winning new business across attractive verticals, strengthening our position in casino and gaming, and continuing to invest in technology and the infrastructure necessary to support a larger and more scalable organization. Our opportunity extends well beyond traditional promotional products. Our goal is to become an increasingly important strategic partner to our customers, helping them manage complex branded merchandise, loyalty, incentive, e-commerce and fulfillment programs through an integrated platform. During the quarter, we made progress against that vision while navigating the normal variability that comes with the timing, size and mix of large customer programs. That progress is increasingly visible in our financial performance, beginning with continued top line revenue growth in the second quarter. For the quarter, revenue increased 2.4% to $33.4 million, compared with $32.6 million in the prior year period. Gross profit increased to $10 million with a gross margin of 30%. We remain profitable generating operating income of $86,000 and net income of $309,000. Our core Stran business continued to be the primary driver of top line growth, with that segment revenue increasing 6.9% year-over-year, reflecting higher spending from existing clients as well as new customer business. We were also encouraged by what we saw at Stran Loyalty Solutions, our business segment consisting of the Gander Group business. While SLS revenue declined year-over-year, the casino and gaming business can experience variability between quarters based on the timing and size of individual customer programs and orders. More importantly, the profitability of the business improved meaningfully during the quarter. SLS generated a higher gross profit, expanded gross margin to 24.3% from 21% and nearly doubled segment operating income year-over-year. When we step back and look at the first 6 months of 2026, the underlying progress becomes even more clear. The first half represents the strongest 6-month period in Stran's history as a public company. First half revenue increased 5.4% to $64.6 million; gross profit increased 7.2% to $19.7 million; and gross margin improved to 30.4%. Most importantly, we generated $731,000 of operating income, compared with an operating loss of $140,000 last year. The net income increased to $1.1 million from $250,000. EBITDA for the first half more than doubled to $1.6 million from $728,000 a year ago. Taken together, the second quarter and first half results demonstrate continued progress across areas that matter most to us: growing our core business, improving the profitability of SLS, strengthening the earnings profile of the company, and investing in the platform to support our next stage of growth. Beyond the financial results, we had a productive quarter on the business development front. We continue to win new enterprise relationships, expand into attractive verticals and build the kind of long-term programmatic business that drives durable revenue. In May, we announced multiple new contract wins within the consumer retail market, including a three-year uniform program with a leading U.S. grocery retailer that is expected to generate six figures in annual revenue, along with additional uniform and promotional product orders from regional grocery operations. These wins demonstrate the value of our broader approach. Establishing an initial relationship through a uniform or promotional program gives us an opportunity to execute, deepen that relationship, and potentially expand into additional branded merchandise fulfillment and marketing programs over time. That is central to our land-and-expand strategy: win the relationship, deliver at a high level and then increase the breadth of service that we provide as the relationship develops. We continued that momentum in June when we announced a new contract with a leading U.S. provider of construction material and systems serving commercial and residential markets. That engagement is expected to generate nearly seven figures in annual revenue and includes branded merchandise, promotional campaigns and end-to-end program management. This win is significant not only for its expected initial contribution, but because it demonstrates our ability to apply the Stran platform across new industries and large enterprise organizations. As with many of our relationships, our objective is to establish a strong initial program and then identify opportunities to broaden the relationship over time. We also continue to strengthen our position in the casino and gaming market, which remains an important area of opportunity for Stran. Toward the end of the quarter, we announced the addition of an industry veteran, Kevin Lewis, as a contracted sales representative. Kevin brings extensive experience and relationships across the casino and gaming industry along with an existing customer portfolio. This is particularly compelling when viewed alongside the improving financial performance of Stran Loyalty Solutions. As we discussed earlier, SLS delivered significantly stronger margins and profitability during both the second quarter and first half of the year. Our objective is now to build on that stronger operating foundation by expanding the business we can bring through the platform. We continue to see favorable trends across the promotional products and loyalty industries as companies place greater emphasis on customer engagement, employee retention and brand activation. At the same time, larger organizations increasingly want integrated partners that can combine technology, creative execution, fulfillment and program management at scale. That shift plays directly to Stran's strengths and is reflected in our continued advancements within the industry. Most recently, Stran moved up two positions to number 21 on the 2026 ASI Counselor Top 40 distributor list, a key industry benchmark based on verified North American promotional products revenue. That recognition reflects the scale we have built, the strength of our enterprise relationships, and our ability to continue gaining share in a large and fragmented market. Acquisitions also remain an important part of our growth strategy, but we will continue to be disciplined. We are focused on opportunities that expand our capabilities, add attractive customer relationships, strengthen key verticals and create meaningful long-term value. Our balance sheet gives us the flexibility to be patient and pursue the right opportunities at the right time. As we enter the second half of the year, we are operating from a stronger foundation with a growing core business, improving profitability at SLS, new enterprise wins and an expanding pipeline. Our focus is on converting that momentum into sustainable revenue growth, stronger profitability and increasing cash generation. Capital allocation remains part of that strategy. During the second quarter, we resumed our share repurchase program, purchasing and retiring approximately 131,000 shares for approximately $272,000. Since program inception, the company has repurchased a total of approximately 2.3 million shares for approximately $4.2 million, at a weighted average of $1.81 per share. We will continue to balance repurchase with investments in the organic growth and strategic acquisitions, always with the objective of creating long-term shareholder value. I also want to highlight that our public warrants, which have an exercise price of approximately $4.81 per share, are scheduled to expire in the fourth quarter of 2026. As the warrants expire, we expect the overhang on our stock to be removed, which should simplify our capital structure and present a cleaner equity story for current and prospective investors. Stran has multiple paths to grow. Our focus is clear: execute with discipline, continue improving the economics of the business and translate that business into greater value for our shareholders. I'll now turn the call over to our CFO, David Browner, for a more detailed review of our financial results. David, please go ahead.
Thank you, Andy, and good morning, everyone. I'm pleased to provide a detailed overview of our financial performance for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026. For our three-month results, total sales increased 2.4% to $33.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026, from $32.6 million for the prior year period. Sales by our Stran segment increased to $23.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026, from $21.8 million for the prior year period. Sales by our SLS segment decreased to $10.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026, from $10.8 million for the prior year period. Total gross profit increased 1.6% to $10 million, or 30% of sales, for the three months ended June 30, 2026, from $9.9 million, or 30.3% of sales, for the prior year period. The increase in the dollar amount of total gross profit was primarily attributable to customer mix and effective cost management. Gross profit for our Stran segment remained consistent with the prior year period, at $7.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026 and $7.6 million for the prior year period. Gross profit for our SLS segment increased to $2.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026, from $2.3 million for the prior year period. For the SLS segment, the increase in the dollar amount of gross profit was primarily attributable to an improved customer mix, effective cost management and lower tariffs. Total operating expenses increased 4.9% to $9.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026, from $9.5 million for the prior year period. As a percentage of sales, total operating expenses increased to 29.8% for the three months ended June 30, 2026, from 29.1% for the prior year. Operating expenses of our Stran segment increased to $6.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026, from $6.5 million for the prior year period. As a percentage of sales, operating expenses of our Stran segment decreased to 29.8% for the three months ended June 30, 2026, from 30% for the prior year period. For the Stran segment, the increase in the dollar amount of operating expenses was primarily due to higher sales-related costs and our investment in the STRAN Digital Solutions to provide enhanced functionality and offerings to scale client programs. Operating expenses for our SLS segment decreased to $2.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2026, from $2.1 million for the prior year period. As a percentage of sales, operating expenses of our SLS segment increased to 19.9% for the three months ended June 30, 2026, from 19% for the prior year period. For the SLS segment, the decrease in the dollar amount of operating expense was primarily attributable to a small reduction in headcount and lower sales-related costs. Operating expenses for other, consisting of unallocated corporate costs, including salaries of corporate officers, audit-related fees, Board of Directors compensation and other stock-related charges, increased by $106,000 to $995,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2026, from $889,000 for the prior year period. The increase was primarily due to higher legal and accounting expenses. Net income for the three months ended June 30, 2026 was $309,000, compared to net income of $643,000 for the prior year period. This change was primarily due to an increase in operating expenses. EBITDA for the three months ended June 30, 2026 was $551,000, compared to EBITDA of $929,000 for the prior year period. For six-month results, total sales increased 5.4% to $64.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, from $61.3 million for the prior year period. Sales of our Stran segment increased to $46.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, from $42.7 million for the prior year period. With the Stran segment, the increase in sales was primarily due to higher spending from existing clients as well as business from new customers. Sales by our SLS segment decreased to $17.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, from $18.6 million for the prior year period. For the SLS segment, the decrease in sales was primarily attributable to a lower spend from existing clients. Total gross profit increased 7.2% to $19.7 million, or 30.4% of sales, for the six months ended June 30, 2026, from $18.4 million, or 30% of sales, for the prior year period. The increase in the dollar amount of total gross profit was primarily attributable to customer mix and effective cost management. Gross profit of the Stran segment increased to $15.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, from $14.4 million for the prior year period. For the Stran segment, the increase in the dollar amount of gross profit was due to an increase in sales of $4.0 million, which was partially offset by an increase in cost of sales of $3.4 million. Gross profit of the SLS segment increased to $4.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, from $4.0 million for the prior year period. For the SLS segment, the increase in the dollar amount of gross profit was primarily attributable to an improved customer mix and effective cost management. Total operating expenses increased 2.4% to $18.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, from $18.5 million for the prior year period. As a percentage of sales, total operating expenses decreased to 29.3% for the six months ended June 30, 2026, from 30.2% for the prior year period. Operating expenses for the Stran segment increased to $13.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, from $12.2 million for the prior year period. As a percentage of sales, operating expenses of our Stran segment decreased to 28.2% for the six months ended June 30, 2026, from 28.5% for the prior year. For the Stran segment, the increase in the dollar amount of operating expenses was primarily due to an increased headcount and employee-related costs, higher sales-related costs and our investment in STRAN Digital Solutions to provide enhanced functionality and offerings to scale client programs. Operating expenses of our SLS segment decreased to $3.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, from $4.2 million for the prior year period. As a percentage of sales, operating expenses of our SLS segment decreased to 20.8% for the six months ended June 30, 2026, from 22.6% for the prior year period. For the SLS segment, the decrease in the dollar amount of operating expenses was primarily attributable to a small reduction in headcount and lower sales-related costs. Operating expenses for other, consisting of unallocated corporate costs, including salaries for corporate officers, audit-related fees, Board of Directors compensation and other stock-related charges, decreased by $78,000 to $2.05 million for the six months ended June 30, 2026, from $2.13 million for the prior year period. The decrease was primarily due to lower legal and accounting expenses. Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was $1.1 million, compared to net income of $250,000 for the prior year period. This change was primarily due to an increase in gross profit. EBITDA for the six months ended June 30, 2026 was $1.6 million, compared to EBITDA of $728,000 for the prior year period. As of June 30, 2026, we had $12.6 million in cash and cash equivalents and investments. Now I'll turn the call back to Andy.
Thank you, David. At this time, we'll open up to questions. Operator, please open the call for questions.
Our first question is coming from Greg Womack, who is a private investor.
Congratulations on the good quarter. I was hoping we could get some more details on the primary drivers of revenue growth in the quarter. Was it between pricing, new logos, or deeper penetration at existing programs? Also, I've seen that one of your goals last year was to improve the margin at the SLS segment. It looks like you've done that. You had, I think, 28% and then a slight step-back to 24% this quarter. Which of those do you think is closer to the long-run run rate of that segment? Do you think there's more improvement that can be had?
It was really a combination of all of those things. That is our growth strategy: we try to expand and go deeper with our existing roster of clients. We have over 30 Fortune 500 customers. We expanded with higher penetration of existing programs and also won new business through the addition of sales representatives and new business development efforts. So it's a combination of getting more from our existing client base and finding new clients, which is what we continue to do going forward as well. Regarding SLS margins, we're probably looking somewhere between the two figures, likely in the mid to high 20s. It's a very competitive market and our orders tend to be larger in that segment, so we need to be tighter on prices. Price isn't always the driving factor; quality and the value we deliver to clients are often more relevant than pricing alone. I think we can get it closer to 28%, but probably around 26% is more realistic based on what we see today.
We've got a question in from Edward Reilly of Minot Light.
Just one for me. With the increase in G&A here sequentially and year-over-year, it seems like you're really leaning into STRAN Digital Solutions a bit more. What's giving you more confidence to invest more money and time into this platform?
For us, it's a somewhat low-risk, high-reward opportunity. We're investing in STRAN Digital Solutions, but not significantly — we are not putting seven figures into it at this stage. The platform offers more stickiness for our customers by providing an easier way to use our services and accomplish additional functions, which makes it easier to do business with us. The technology helps customers accomplish more job functions or service functions — whether that's additional print, loyalty, or other services we provide. We're leaning into it from a sales and marketing standpoint, but not necessarily with heavy incremental technology spend. We've established and built out the platform cost-effectively, and we're seeing results from a few select existing customers. We're now rolling it out to attract additional new customers as well. We are being conservative with the amount we invest because we want to make sure we see results and not spend more than we're making. Initially, we aim for it to be cost-neutral, and then eventually very profitable over time. We're excited about the opportunity, but we're careful to avoid cannibalizing our core business by over-concentrating on this. It's a fine balance, but I'm happy with the direction and excited about the future of the platform.
Well, we appear to have reached the end of our question-and-answer session. I will now turn the call back over to Andy for any closing comments.
Yes. Thank you, everyone, for the questions. And thank you, operator, and thanks to everyone else for joining us today. Our second quarter and first half results demonstrate continued progress we're making across the business. Our Stran segment continues to grow, SLS is delivering stronger profitability, and we're expanding our enterprise relationships across several attractive markets. As we move through the second half of the year, our priorities remain pretty clear: continue to drive profitable growth, deepen customer relationships, convert our pipeline into new business and remain disciplined in how we invest and allocate our capital. The platform we have built gives us multiple avenues to create value as we continue to scale. We are confident in the direction of the business and excited about the opportunities ahead. I want to thank our employees for their continued dedication, our customers for their trust and partnership, and our shareholders for their ongoing support. We look forward to building on this progress and keeping you updated in the quarters ahead. That concludes the call, and thank you, everybody.
Thank you very much. This does conclude today's conference call. You may disconnect your phone lines at this time, and have a wonderful day. We thank you for your participation.