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Wd-40 Company (WDFC)
NASDAQ:WDFC

WD-40 Company (WDFC) AI Stock Analysis

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WDFC

WD-40 Company

(NASDAQ:WDFC)

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Outperform 71 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:71Outperform
Price Target:
$242.00
▲(7.16% Upside)
The score is driven primarily by strong underlying financial quality (high margins, improving leverage, and accelerated TTM growth), tempered by uneven cash-flow dynamics. Technicals are neutral-to-slightly-positive but capped by trading below the 200-day average. Valuation is a notable headwind due to the premium P/E, while the earnings call was mixed: reaffirmed guidance and margin gains offset by APAC softness, elevated costs, and near-term earnings pressure.
Positive Factors
High profitability and strong ROE
Sustained ~55% gross margins and mid-teens net margins indicate durable pricing power and product mix advantage in specialty maintenance chemicals. Very strong ROE (mid-30s) shows efficient capital deployment, supporting reinvestment, dividends, and buybacks over the medium term.
Premiumization and digital/direct channel momentum
Double-digit growth in WD-40 Specialist and e-commerce, plus near-half share from premium formats, point to structural portfolio premiumization. This diversifies revenue, improves mix-driven margins, and reduces reliance on commodity-priced SKUs, supporting steadier midterm margin expansion.
Improving leverage and shareholder returns
Leverage trending down alongside growing equity provides financial flexibility. Combined buybacks and an increased dividend show disciplined capital allocation that returns cash to holders while preserving room for strategic investments or M&A over the next several quarters.
Negative Factors
Cash-flow variability and slightly negative FCF growth
While earnings are strong, operating cash flow lagging net income and recent slight declines in free cash flow indicate working-capital or timing volatility. Persistent cash-flow variability can constrain capital flexibility and make funding buybacks/dividend increases more sensitive to execution risk.
Asia Pacific distributor weakness and regional volatility
Significant APAC distributor order and inventory adjustments produced material YoY declines, highlighting exposure to distributor timing and local market execution. Regional volatility can depress growth and margins for multiple quarters until distribution and inventory normalization occurs.
Elevated cost of doing business pressuring margins
Structural cost ratios running above historical targets driven by higher employee-related expenses and FX pressures reduce operating leverage. If elevated cost base persists, it erodes operating income and makes margin expansion from premiumization harder to realize sustainably.

WD-40 Company (WDFC) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

WD-40 Company Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionWD-40 Company develops and sells maintenance products, and homecare and cleaning products in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company provides multi-purpose maintenance products that include aerosol sprays, non-aerosol trigger sprays, and in liquid-bulk form products under the WD-40 Multi-Use brand name; and specialty maintenance products, such as penetrants, degreasers, corrosion inhibitors, greases, lubricants, and rust removers under the WD-40 Specialist brand, as well as various products under the WD-40 Bike brand name. It also offers multi-purpose and specialty drip oils, and spray lubricant products, as well as other specialty maintenance products under the 3-IN-ONE brand name; and professional spray maintenance products and lubricants for the bike market under the GT85 brand name. In addition, the company provides automatic toilet bowl cleaners under the 2000 Flushes brand name; aerosol and liquid trigger carpet stain and odor eliminators under the Spot Shot brand; room and rug deodorizers under the Carpet Fresh brand name; carpet and household cleaners, and rug and room deodorizers under the 1001 brand; heavy-duty hand cleaner products under the Lava brand name in the United States, as well as under the Solvol brand name in Australia; and automatic toilet bowl cleaners under the X-14 brand name. It sells its products primarily through warehouse club stores, hardware stores, automotive parts outlets, industrial distributors and suppliers, mass retail and home center stores, value retailers, grocery stores, online retailers, farm supply, sport retailers, and independent bike dealers. The company was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.
How the Company Makes MoneyWD-40 Company generates revenue primarily through the sale of its products in various markets around the world. The company's revenue model is based on a combination of direct sales to retailers, distributors, and end consumers, with a significant portion of their income derived from the sale of the WD-40 Multi-Use Product and its other branded offerings. Key revenue streams include retail sales through grocery stores, hardware stores, and online platforms, as well as partnerships with industrial suppliers. The company's global presence and strong brand recognition contribute to its earnings, allowing it to maintain a loyal customer base and expand into new markets.

WD-40 Company Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jan 08, 2026
(Q1-2026)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Apr 02, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The call presented a mix of encouraging operational and product-level performance (gross margin expansion, strong direct-market growth, double-digit growth in WD-40 Specialist and e-commerce, record employee engagement, and reaffirmed full-year guidance) offset by near-term headwinds concentrated in Asia Pacific distributor markets, elevated cost of doing business, and quarter-to-quarter profitability pressure (lower operating income, net income and EPS on a pro forma basis). Management emphasized timing-related distributor inventory adjustments and a confidence in a back-half rebound, but uncertainty around the home-care divestiture and above-target cost ratios temper the upbeat elements.
Q1-2026 Updates
Positive Updates
Consolidated Revenue and Maintenance Product Growth
Net sales totaled $154.4 million, up 1% year-over-year; maintenance products (≈96% of sales) generated $148.9 million, up 2% YoY.
Direct Markets Strength
Direct markets accounted for 83% of global sales and maintenance-product sales in direct markets grew 8% in Q1, aligning with long-term growth targets.
WD-40 Specialist Outperformance
WD-40 Specialist sales were $22.5 million, up 18% YoY, signaling strong traction in the higher-margin product portfolio.
E-commerce and Premiumization Momentum
E-commerce sales increased 22% in Q1; premiumized formats (Smart Straw, EZ REACH) combined were up 4% and represent ~49% of WD-40 Multi-Use Product sales, supporting margin expansion.
Gross Margin Expansion
Reported gross margin was 56.2%, up 150 basis points sequentially and 140 basis points YoY (56.7% ex-assets held for sale). Drivers included ~110 bps from lower specialty chemical/can costs and ~60 bps from higher average selling prices.
Regional Wins — Americas, EMEA and China
Americas sales were $71.9 million (+4% YoY) with maintenance up 5%; EMEA sales (ex-divested business) were $58.7 million (+5% YoY) with WD-40 Specialist in EMEA up 27%; China grew ~8% driven by distribution expansion and promotions.
Operational and People Strength
Employee engagement index hit a record 95% and 97% reported active collaboration; global on-time supply chain performance was 97.6% while production capacity increased to support growth initiatives.
Capital Allocation and Guidance Reaffirmation
Company repurchased 39,500 shares for $7.8 million with ~ $22 million remaining authorization; board approved an increased quarterly dividend (transcript cites $1.20 per share) and management reaffirmed FY'26 pro forma guidance: net sales $630M–$655M (5–9% growth), gross margin 55.5–56.5%, operating income $103M–$110M (5–12% growth), diluted EPS $5.75–$6.15 (5–12% growth).
Negative Updates
Asia Pacific Distributor Weakness
Asia Pacific sales were $23.9 million, down 10% YoY (−$2.7M); WD-40 Multi-Use Product in APAC declined 12% and Asia distributor markets declined ~£3.3 million (≈33%) due to timing-related order/inventory adjustments.
Elevated Cost of Doing Business
Cost of doing business rose to 40% of net sales (vs. target 30–35%), increasing $4.6 million (8%) YoY; foreign exchange had an unfavorable impact of $1.3M and higher employee-related expenses accounted for ~$2.8M of the increase.
Profitability Pressures and EPS Decline
Adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 17% from 18% a year ago; operating income declined 7% to $23.3M; net income declined 8% to $17.5M; diluted EPS was $1.28, down 8% YoY. On a pro forma basis (excluding divested business) operating income and net income declined ~45%.
Home Care & Cleaning Divestiture Uncertainty and Impact
Sale process is active with multiple discussions but no certainty; divestiture continues to cloud comparability and results—company notes that if divestiture is not completed it would increase guidance by ~$12.5M in net sales, ~$3.6M in operating income and ~$0.20 EPS.
Regional Margin Headwinds
Asia Pacific gross margin decreased 70 bps to 58.9% (YoY) driven by lower ASPs linked to sales mix; filling/filling fees in EMEA negatively impacted gross margin by ~50 bps; company remains exposed to commodity, tariff and inflation risks.
Distributor-Driven Quarter-to-Quarter Volatility
Marketing distributors (~17% of sales) created notable quarter-to-quarter variability (timing of promotions and order patterns), contributing to the Q1 softness and uncertain near-term visibility in some markets.
Temporary Elevated Investments and Seasonal Costs
First-quarter spending (planning, travel, incremental headcount) pushed cost ratios above targets; A&P was 5.3% of sales (down from 5.5% YoY) but management expects A&P to return toward ~6% full-year guidance as planned brand investments occur.
Minor Reporting/Communication Inconsistencies
Transcript contains inconsistent figures for the quarterly dividend (Sara cited $1.20 per share while later commentary referenced $1.02), creating minor clarity issues in the call record.
Company Guidance
The company reaffirmed its FY2026 pro forma guidance, forecasting net sales of $630–$655 million (up 5–9% pro forma, after FX), gross margin of 55.5–56.5%, A&P investment around 6% of sales, operating income of $103–$110 million (up 5–12% pro forma), a tax rate of 22.5–23.5%, and diluted EPS of $5.75–$6.15 (based on ~13.4 million weighted average shares, up 5–12% pro forma); management expects to land the mid‑to‑high end of these ranges given back‑half initiatives, assumes no major macro shifts, excludes the Americas Home Care & Cleaning brands (held for sale), and noted that failure to divest would add ~ $12.5M sales, $3.6M operating income and ~$0.20 to full‑year EPS.

WD-40 Company Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Strong profitability with ~55% gross margin and ~15% net margin, plus faster TTM revenue growth (~15%). Balance sheet looks resilient with improving leverage and very strong ROE. The main offset is cash-flow variability: operating cash flow lagging net income in TTM and slightly negative recent free-cash-flow growth.
Income Statement
86
Very Positive
WD-40 shows strong profitability for a specialty chemicals business, with TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) gross margin around 55% and net margin near 15%, supporting consistent earnings power. Revenue growth in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) accelerated to ~15% versus mid-single-digit growth in the latest annual period, indicating improving momentum. Margins are generally stable over time, though EBITDA margin has drifted modestly lower versus earlier years, suggesting some cost pressure despite higher sales.
Balance Sheet
88
Very Positive
Leverage appears moderate and improving over time, with debt-to-equity trending down materially from higher levels in earlier years and sitting in a comfortable range recently. Equity has grown alongside assets, supporting balance sheet resilience. Return on equity is very strong (mid-30% range recently), which is a positive signal, although it also implies the company is highly efficient with capital and could be more sensitive if profitability were to soften.
Cash Flow
72
Positive
Cash generation is solid overall, with free cash flow close to net income in recent periods (roughly mid-90% conversion), indicating good earnings quality. However, free cash flow growth has been slightly negative recently, and operating cash flow is below net income in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months), pointing to some working-capital or timing headwinds. The 2022 annual period also showed a sharp cash flow downturn (very low operating cash flow and negative free cash flow), highlighting that cash generation can be volatile at times even when profits look healthy.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue619.99M590.56M537.25M518.82M488.11M
Gross Profit341.34M315.23M274.22M254.76M263.74M
EBITDA113.26M105.25M98.93M95.14M95.91M
Net Income90.99M69.64M65.99M67.33M70.23M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets475.81M449.04M437.97M434.30M430.20M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments58.13M46.70M48.14M37.84M85.96M
Total Debt97.70M102.83M128.52M154.01M131.77M
Total Liabilities207.66M218.51M227.79M245.67M229.82M
Stockholders Equity268.15M230.53M210.18M188.62M200.38M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow83.40M87.83M91.52M-5.70M69.66M
Operating Cash Flow87.92M92.03M98.39M2.60M84.71M
Investing Cash Flow-2.39M-9.73M-6.22M-7.69M-14.46M
Financing Cash Flow-74.12M-83.94M-85.05M-38.01M-40.75M

WD-40 Company Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price225.83
Price Trends
50DMA
200.55
Positive
100DMA
199.36
Positive
200DMA
212.36
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
6.02
Negative
RSI
75.57
Negative
STOCH
95.84
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For WDFC, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 225.83 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 205.07, above the 50-day MA of 200.55, and above the 200-day MA of 212.36, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 6.02 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 75.57 is Negative, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 95.84 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for WDFC.

WD-40 Company Risk Analysis

WD-40 Company disclosed 21 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. WD-40 Company reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

WD-40 Company Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
71
Outperform
$2.96B33.3036.41%1.87%4.98%30.84%
66
Neutral
$1.27B28.393.67%3.33%5.35%-1.43%
64
Neutral
$3.92B61.677.39%19.12%
63
Neutral
$3.24B21.727.93%1.54%-1.30%-36.69%
61
Neutral
$10.43B7.12-0.05%2.87%2.86%-36.73%
58
Neutral
$2.62B-304.06-0.64%1.37%0.08%-107.33%
53
Neutral
$2.60B49.032.67%3.91%4.68%-62.80%
* Basic Materials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
WDFC
WD-40 Company
231.23
0.56
0.24%
FUL
H.B. Fuller Company
60.10
-2.02
-3.25%
OLN
Olin
20.81
-7.46
-26.39%
KWR
Quaker Chemical
153.74
14.79
10.64%
SCL
Stepan Company
57.61
-3.93
-6.39%
PRM
Perimeter Solutions
26.15
13.65
109.20%

WD-40 Company Corporate Events

DividendsShareholder Meetings
WD-40 Company Announces Dividend Increase at Annual Meeting
Positive
Dec 16, 2025

On December 12, 2025, WD-40 Company held its Annual Meeting of Stockholders virtually, where over 88% of shares were represented. Key outcomes included the election of directors, approval of executive compensation, and ratification of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent auditor for fiscal year 2026. Additionally, the company announced an 8% increase in its quarterly dividend, payable on January 30, 2026, and scheduled its first fiscal quarter 2026 earnings conference call for January 8, 2026.

The most recent analyst rating on (WDFC) stock is a Buy with a $300.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on WD-40 Company stock, see the WDFC Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Jan 09, 2026