What happened
Shares of consumer staples stock The Honest Company (HNST -0.48%) jumped as much as 17% in trading on Thursday after reporting third-quarter 2021 financial results.
So what
Revenue was up 6% to $82.7 million and net loss more than doubled to $5.1 million, or $0.06 per share. Analysts were expecting just $80.8 million in revenue and a loss of $0.06 per share.
Skin and personal care products were the biggest growth driver, up 28% from a year ago to $25.4 million. Diapers and wipes revenue was up 16% to $53.8 million, but household and wellness revenue plunged 71% to $3.4 million.
It's also worth noting that retail channels were Honest Company's biggest growth driver as these revenues rose 28% to $43.5 million. On the other hand, digital sales fell 11% to $39.1 million.
Now what
The growth numbers are solid but not exactly blowout figures in a great economic environment. Investors should also be concerned about digital sales falling because Honest Company is now relying on retail partners for growth. That's a tough position to be in if you lose shelf space to new products.
Investors may like what they're seeing today, but I see a company that's growing slowly and still losing money in the consumer staples business. That's not a great position to be in for any company and Honest Company needs to show it can grow more quickly or increase profitability long-term.