Topgolf Callaway (MODG) Q2 EPS Beats 22%

Topgolf Callaway Brands (MODG 11.38%), the sports and golf entertainment company behind Topgolf venues and Callaway golf equipment, reported results for Q2 2025 on August 6, 2025. The most important news: the company posted better-than-expected non-GAAP diluted EPS of $0.24, well above the $0.02 analyst estimate, and GAAP revenue was $1,110.5 million, beating forecasts. Despite this beat, GAAP revenue dropped 4.1% from the same quarter a year ago. The company’s performance benefited from cost discipline and margin efforts, while pressures from Topgolf’s same venue sales and the sale of its Jack Wolfskin business held back year-on-year comparisons. Overall, it was a quarter marked by outperformance versus expectations but continued challenges in underlying consumer demand, especially at Topgolf venues.

Source: Analyst estimates provided by FactSet. Management expectations based on management's guidance, as provided in Q1 2025 earnings report.

Business Overview and Key Success Factors

Topgolf Callaway Brands operates three main segments: Topgolf, which runs golf entertainment venues; Golf Equipment, which produces golf clubs and golf balls; and Active Lifestyle, which offers active and casual apparel and gear. The Topgolf segment is known for its interactive golf venues that blend food, drinks, and technology-driven social experiences. The Golf Equipment segment features brands like Callaway, a leader in golf clubs and balls, while the Active Lifestyle segment focuses on branded apparel and accessories, with TravisMathew now its main anchor after selling Jack Wolfskin.

Recently, the company has focused on a planned strategic separation, aiming to split Topgolf from its Golf Equipment and Active Lifestyle businesses. In September 2024, the Board announced its intention to pursue this separation, but a spin-off transaction is now likely to occur in 2026 after a new CEO is in place. Diverse revenue streams and a technology-driven customer experience have been important focus areas. Key factors for success include the ability to boost Topgolf venue traffic and margins, adapt to global tariff impacts, and execute cost-saving projects, all while maintaining a strong balance sheet post-divestiture.

Quarter in Review: Developments and Performance

GAAP revenue declined 4.1% year over year in Q2 2025, mainly due to lower sales in the Active Lifestyle segment and the divestiture of the Jack Wolfskin business. In the Topgolf segment, GAAP revenue decreased 1.8% year-over-year. This was driven by a 6% decline in same venue sales, which measures performance at locations open for more than a year. That said, this drop was somewhat better than the company's previous expectations, thanks to new value-focused promotions like "Sunday Funday" and late-night offers that helped support attendance. Management reported improved traffic from these value initiatives, although overall consumer spending per visit dipped as customers responded to lower pricing and fewer booking fees.

The Golf Equipment segment saw a slight year-on-year GAAP revenue decrease of 0.5%. Yet, segment operating income held up as cost reduction and gross margin gains offset the impact from new tariffs introduced in 2025, with Golf Equipment segment margins rising to 18.5%. Product feedback for new golf clubs remained strong, indicating healthy demand among avid golfers. The Active Lifestyle segment’s revenue fell 14.4% year over year on a GAAP basis, reflecting the sale of Jack Wolfskin and ongoing softness in remaining activewear lines. However, operating income in this segment jumped nearly 40% due to the removal of early-year losses from Jack Wolfskin, which has traditionally faced seasonal losses in the first half of the year, as evidenced by a loss of approximately €18 million of Adjusted EBITDA in the first half of 2025.

Despite lower revenue, the company delivered a small year-on-year increase in total segment operating income, up 2.7% to $152.2 million and reflecting improved focus on margin and efficiency projects. Operating margin rose. Company-wide liquidity improved significantly—mainly from the proceeds of the Jack Wolfskin sale and additional operating cash flow. GAAP net income dropped sharply to $20.3 million, down 67.3% from the previous year. This drop in GAAP net income was tied to one-time charges related to the Jack Wolfskin sale, higher currency hedge losses, and increased taxes. Non-GAAP net income and adjusted EBITDA also declined, but surpassed expectations, largely due to ongoing cost controls and stronger margins.

The period was also significant for strategic reasons. The process to separate Topgolf and the rest of the company took a new turn when Topgolf’s CEO announced his departure on July 31, 2025. Leadership said it is still committed to the split, but the timeline depends on naming a new CEO and setting up a stable, independent management structure. The company also completed the sale of Jack Wolfskin, which generated proceeds of approximately $290 million and bolstered liquidity to $1.16 billion. Management emphasized that diverse revenue streams and global reach remain priorities, though every region except the U.S. saw revenue declines (GAAP). The company cited work on technology upgrades like Toptracer ball tracking and new point-of-sale systems, which are designed to enhance customer experience at Topgolf venues.

Product Detail: Segment Highlights

Within Topgolf, the entertainment venue segment, new pricing and value programs produced higher visitor traffic, even as Same venue sales fell 6%. The company's "Sunday Funday" and late-night menu offers catered to families and young adults, successfully driving more walk-ins and group events. However, softness in large corporate events continued, with management stating that corporate bookings remain muted. Topgolf’s other business lines, which include technology licensing and international initiatives, saw a 16.4% drop in GAAP revenues.

In Golf Equipment, product launches centered on drivers and golf balls established Callaway’s clubs and balls as competitive, high-quality offerings. Although competitive launch schedules across the industry dampened the segment’s annual comparison, gross margin improvements and cost savings underpinned profits despite new tariffs. In the Active Lifestyle segment, the exit from Jack Wolfskin eased some top-line pressure but resulted in a smaller and less diversified business. This segment's operating margin increased as losses from the divested business no longer weighed on the results.

Looking Ahead: Guidance and Outlook

For the full year 2025, management updated guidance for continuing businesses for the full year after excluding results from the Jack Wolfskin sale. The company now expects consolidated net revenue (GAAP) of $3.80 to $3.92 billion for FY2025, an increase at the midpoint from previous expectations. Adjusted EBITDA, a measure of operating cash earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, Adjusted EBITDA is forecast at $430 million to $490 million for 2025, also up at the midpoint from prior guidance. Topgolf revenues are expected to reach $1.71 billion to $1.77 billion for the full year, with adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) for the segment predicted at $265 million to $295 million. Management improved its view on Topgolf's same venue sales, now predicting a decline of 6% to 9% for the full year instead of a deeper drop, reflecting recent traffic gains from value initiatives.

For the third quarter, Guidance points to lower consolidated net revenue and adjusted EBITDA compared to FY2024, mainly because the Jack Wolfskin business will no longer contribute and because of continued softness in same venue sales and incremental tariffs. Leadership did not announce a dividend for the period. MODG does not currently pay a dividend.

Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted.