Financial Results Universal Corporation Reports Fiscal Year and Q4 2025 Performance
RICHMOND, Va., May 2025 — Universal Corporation (NYSE: UVV), a leading global business-to-business agriproducts company, has announced its financial results for the full fiscal year and fourth quarter ending March 31, 2025. The company reported significant progress in its strategic objectives, with growth in both revenue and operating income across its two key segments—Tobacco Operations and Ingredients Operations.
A Year of Strategic Execution and Solid Performance
Preston D. Wigner, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Corporation, praised the company’s strong performance over the past fiscal year. “Fiscal year 2025 was an exceptional year for Universal. We successfully executed our business plan, delivering year-over-year increases in consolidated revenue and operating income. Both of our operating segments contributed meaningfully to this growth,” said Wigner.
Universal’s Tobacco Operations segment, which represents a long-standing core of its business, experienced substantial improvement driven by several favorable factors. These included strong and sustained demand from key customers, robust global marketing and procurement efforts, and notably higher volumes and improved quality of burley tobacco crops in Africa. The company’s extensive supply chain expertise and global relationships enabled it to source and deliver premium quality products to customers across the globe.
“Our team has done a remarkable job managing relationships, navigating complex market dynamics, and aligning our operations with the needs of our global customers,” Wigner noted. “These efforts were central to our performance in the Tobacco Operations segment, where we continue to play a pivotal role in helping meet global demand.”
Growth and Momentum in Ingredients Operations
In addition to tobacco, Universal’s diversification strategy continues to show positive results, particularly within the Ingredients Operations segment. The segment saw higher sales volumes, with notable gains in value-added products. These products, which include customized natural ingredients for food, beverage, and other consumer goods companies, benefited from ongoing investments in sales, marketing, and product development capabilities.
According to Wigner, “The Ingredients Operations segment made meaningful progress this year, supported by our strategic investments in talent and infrastructure. The completion of the expansion project at our Lancaster, Pennsylvania facility was a major milestone. This expansion has significantly enhanced our production capabilities, allowing us to meet growing customer interest in our proprietary, high-value ingredients.”
The company highlighted that this facility expansion has improved its ability to scale production, increase operational efficiency, and introduce innovative products in response to customer needs. Universal’s growing customer base in this segment reflects rising demand for natural, sustainable ingredients, and the company is positioning itself as a reliable partner in this evolving marketplace.
Looking Ahead to Fiscal Year 2026
With fiscal year 2025 behind them, Universal’s leadership is optimistic about the future. Wigner expressed gratitude to employees, customers, shareholders, and other stakeholders for their support during what he characterized as a transformative year for the company.
“As I reflect on the successes of fiscal year 2025, I want to thank our employees for their dedication, our customers for their trust, our shareholders for their confidence, and our broader stakeholder community for their continued support,” Wigner said. “Looking ahead to fiscal year 2026, we anticipate continued strong demand for tobacco products and the emergence of more balanced global supply dynamics. We expect larger tobacco crops in key markets, which should help align global supply with demand more effectively.”
Wigner also emphasized that Universal will maintain its focus on optimizing its tobacco operations, which remain vital to the company’s financial performance. At the same time, he signaled continued commitment to growing the Ingredients business, which Universal sees as a promising engine of long-term value creation.
“Our platform capabilities and the expansion of our ingredients facility enable us to better serve both existing and new customers. We are encouraged by the growing interest in our newly developed products and by our ability to offer tailored ingredient solutions. This positions us well to deepen customer relationships and expand our presence in high-growth markets,” he said.
Strategic Vision and Commitment to Stakeholder Value
Universal Corporation has long maintained a commitment to sustainable growth, operational excellence, and delivering value to stakeholders. The company’s dual-segment structure allows it to leverage its legacy expertise in tobacco while investing in future-oriented categories such as natural food ingredients. This balanced approach is central to its strategy of long-term, diversified growth.
“We are deeply focused on maximizing and optimizing our tobacco business, which continues to deliver strong returns, while also accelerating the development of our ingredients platform. Both segments are integral to our vision of being a global leader in agriproducts, known for our reliability, innovation, and commitment to quality,” Wigner added.
The company plans to continue expanding its product portfolio, invest in customer-centric innovation, and enhance its supply chain and operational capabilities. With strong foundations and a clear strategic direction, Universal believes it is well-positioned to navigate evolving market conditions and capture new opportunities across its core and adjacent markets.
