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UG

UNITED GUARDIAN INC (UG)·Q3 2025 Earnings Summary

Executive Summary

  • Q3 2025 was weak: revenue fell to $2.26M and EPS to $0.06, down sharply year over year and sequentially as cosmetics ingredients orders from Ashland Specialty Ingredients (ASI) remained depressed amid China demand softness, tariffs, and channel destocking .
  • Mix and pricing pressures drove margin compression; EBIT fell to $0.22M and net income to $0.27M, with lower investment gains and income providing less of an offset versus prior periods .
  • Management highlighted progress on a multi-year Renacidin formulary expansion project and continued strength in pharmaceuticals and medical lubricants (up 10% and 6% YTD vs 2024), offering medium-term growth potential despite near-term cosmetics headwinds .
  • Shares declined about 10% following the report as investors reacted to weak cosmetics demand and margins, while awaiting evidence of normalization at ASI and benefits from Renacidin initiatives .
  • No formal financial guidance was issued; capital return remained active earlier in the half with a $0.25 dividend declared on July 15, 2025 .

What Went Well and What Went Wrong

What Went Well

  • Pharmaceuticals and medical lubricants grew year-to-date: “sales of our pharmaceutical and medical products both increased… (10% and 6%, respectively)” through nine months, reinforcing non-cosmetics resilience .
  • Strategic growth initiatives progressing: “made progress… to have Renacidin included on additional drug formularies,” which management believes can “significantly increase sales… over the coming years” .
  • Distribution engagement: ASI “is confident that it will be able to regain market share by offering more competitive pricing,” suggesting potential recovery as channel inventory normalizes .

What Went Wrong

  • Cosmetics weakness: Q3 revenue declined to $2.26M from $3.06M (-26% YoY) primarily due to reduced ASI purchases tied to China demand softness, tariffs, and destocking; net income fell to $0.27M from $0.87M (-69% YoY) .
  • Margin compression: EBIT dropped to $0.22M (from $0.95M YoY) and margins deteriorated as mix shifted away from higher-margin cosmetics and pricing became more competitive; investment income and marketable securities gains were also lower YoY .
  • Sequential slowdown: After a Q2 rebound (sales +14% QoQ, EPS +12% vs Q1), Q3 revenue and EPS fell -20% and -57% QoQ respectively, signaling ongoing volatility in cosmetics demand and channel ordering .

Financial Results

Headline Results and Margins (oldest → newest)

MetricQ3 2024Q1 2025Q2 2025Q3 2025
Revenue ($)3,060,113 2,481,127 2,838,225 2,264,261
Net Income ($)865,484 560,895 626,826 268,441
Diluted EPS ($)0.19 0.12 0.14 0.06
EBIT / Income from Ops ($)949,128 610,922 695,453 215,072
Gross Margin %53.96%* 54.74%*52.76%*42.09%*
EBIT Margin %31.02%*24.62%*24.50%*9.50%*
Net Margin %28.28%*22.61%*22.09%*11.86%*

Asterisked values retrieved from S&P Global.

Q3 2025 vs Prior Periods and vs Estimates

MetricQ3 2025 ActualS&P Global Consensusvs ConsensusQoQ vs Q2 2025YoY vs Q3 2024
Revenue ($)2,264,261 N/A (unavailable via S&P Global)N/A-20.2%-26.0%
Diluted EPS ($)0.06 N/A (unavailable via S&P Global)N/A-57.1%-68.4%
EBIT ($)215,072 N/AN/A-69.1%-77.3%
Net Income ($)268,441 N/AN/A-57.2%-69.0%

Notes: QoQ/YoY are derived calculations based on cited figures. S&P Global consensus was not available for UG for Q3 2025 (see Estimates Context).

Operating detail (oldest → newest)

Line Item ($)Q3 2024Q1 2025Q2 2025Q3 2025
Cost of Sales1,408,866 1,123,076 1,340,854 1,311,192
Operating Expenses591,047 632,735 694,050 620,893
R&D Expense111,072 114,394 107,868 117,104
Investment Income99,934 84,687 70,573 75,165
Net Gain on Marketable Securities47,223 12,350 24,576 36,238

Segment breakdown: The company did not disclose quantitative segment revenues in Q1–Q3 press releases; management commentary attributes Q3 weakness to cosmetics (ASI), while pharma and medical were stronger YTD .

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodPrevious GuidanceCurrent GuidanceChange
Financial guidance (revenue, margins, EPS)FY 2025 / Q4 2025None issuedNone issuedMaintained (no guidance provided)
DividendPayable Aug 1, 2025Declared $0.25/share on Jul 15, 2025Announced distribution

No formal forward financial guidance was provided in Q3 materials .

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

Note: No Q3 earnings call transcript was found; themes are drawn from Q1–Q3 press releases.

TopicPrevious Mentions (Q-2 and Q-1)Current Period (Q3 2025)Trend
Cosmetics demand/ASI channelQ1: Cosmetics -63% YoY; ASI order reductions tied to China inventory and timing; no major customer losses . Q2: ASI overstock in Asia; working down inventory; hope for H2 improvement .Reduced ASI purchases amid tariffs/geopolitics and China weakness; ASI to pursue more competitive pricing .Still weak near-term; potential recovery as pricing becomes more competitive and inventory normalizes.
China/tariffs/destockingQ1: Tariffs a concern; uncertain impact . Q2: Softer demand in Asia; overstock .Cites weak China demand, continued destocking, and tariffs pressuring U.S. chemicals in Q3 .Macro headwinds persisted through Q3.
Pharma (Renacidin) formulary pushQ1: Initiating project to add Renacidin to additional formularies . Q2: Project initiation reiterated .“Made progress” with outside consultant; excited about multi-year growth potential .Execution progressing; multi-year growth lever.
Medical lubricantsQ1: +43% YoY in Q1 . Q2: +12% YTD .+6% YTD through nine months .Growth moderating but positive YTD.
Pricing/competitionASI plans more competitive pricing to regain share .Pricing actions may aid recovery.

Management Commentary

  • “While sales of our pharmaceutical and medical products both increased during the first nine-months of 2025… we did experience a decrease in sales of our cosmetic ingredients… primarily due to reduced purchases… by Ashland Specialty Ingredients… dealing with… tariff and geopolitical concerns in Asia… customers… move towards lower cost local products… work down excess inventory” .
  • “We have made progress… to have Renacidin included on additional drug formularies… potential… to significantly increase sales… over the coming years” .
  • Q2 setup: “This decrease was attributable to reduced purchases by [ASI]… softer demand in Asia… inventory overstock… we are working closely with ASI and are hopeful that cosmetic sales will improve in the second half” .
  • Q1 setup: “Tariff announcements… remain a concern… difficult… to determine the impact… at this time” .

Q&A Highlights

  • No earnings call transcript was available for Q3 2025; no Q&A to report (press release only) .

Estimates Context

  • S&P Global sell-side consensus for Q3 2025 EPS and revenue was not available; comparisons to estimates cannot be made at this time (GetEstimates returned no consensus values for EPS or revenue). Values (or lack thereof) referenced from S&P Global.

Key Takeaways for Investors

  • The quarter’s weakness was concentrated in cosmetics ingredients via ASI, with macro factors (tariffs, China demand, destocking) and competitive pricing pressure weighing on volumes and margins .
  • Non-cosmetics categories (pharma and medical) continue to provide a base of stability and potential growth; Renacidin formulary expansion is a credible multi-year growth catalyst if execution continues .
  • Margin sensitivity is high to mix and pricing; watch for signs of ASI order normalization and pricing traction to alleviate gross and operating margin pressure .
  • Near-term narrative hinges on channel inventory clearing in Asia and the pace of cosmetics recovery; updates from ASI and any improvement in China demand/tariff backdrop would be stock-moving .
  • Capital return remains intact (recent $0.25 dividend), but sustaining dividends at prior levels will likely depend on stabilization in cosmetics and progress in pharma growth initiatives .
  • Trading lens: with shares down post-print, catalysts to monitor include any Q4 commentary on cosmetics restocking, disclosed purchase trends at ASI, and tangible milestones in Renacidin formulary wins .

Asterisked values retrieved from S&P Global.