SiteOne add director of agronomic research and development. Dr. Ken Hutto will help advance product innovation across the LESCO brand. Published November 04, 2026 SiteOne has appointed Ken Hutto, Ph.D., as director of agronomic research and development, a new role focused on advancing innovation across its LESCO brand. Hutto will identify opportunities for new products, strengthen research supporting LESCO products and help address emerging agronomic challenges. He will collaborate with SiteOne's supply partners, land-grant universities and other independent researchers to evaluate product performance, validate claims and explore new solutions to evolving market needs. Hutto will also expand access to technical information and education for SiteOne's customers and internal teams. "LESCO has a long history of serving turf and landscape professionals, and we see opportunities to build on that foundation through continued innovation," said Cordie Morgan, senior director of category management at SiteOne. "Bringing Ken's expertise into the organization gives us a dedicated resource to help us think differently about how we develop products, approach research and bring new ideas to the market. He will be a great partner in the continued evolution of the LESCO brand." Before joining SiteOne, Hutto spent 17 years with FMC Global Specialty Solutions, where he held roles in technical service and product development before becoming assistant director of research and development. Most recently, he served as solution development manager for North America with Envu, focusing on professional pest management and mosquito management.

SiteOne Landscape Supply Q3 earnings call highlights. * The Selloff In SiteOne Landscape Supply Is Overextended SiteOne Landscape Supply SITE reported third-quarter 2026 net sales growth of 3% and adjusted EBITDA growth of 8%, as acquisition contributions, pricing and margin initiatives offset softer underlying demand and a delayed fall season. Net sales rose to approximately $1.29 billion from $1.26 billion a year earlier. Organic daily sales declined 1%, with a roughly 5% decline in sales volume more than offsetting 4% price contribution. Acquisitions completed in 2025 and 2026 added about $40 million, or 3%, to quarterly sales growth. * SiteOne Landscape Supply Company Breaks To New Highs Chairman and CEO Doug Black said hot and dry weather in key markets during August and September delayed portions of the fall season into October. The company said organic daily sales had increased about 2% so far in October, and that organic daily sales for the July-through-October period were flat to up 1%. Margins Expand Despite Softer Demand Gross profit increased 5% to approximately $459 million, while gross margin expanded 80 basis points to 35.5%. The company attributed the improvement to price realization, fuel surcharges and commercial initiatives, partly offset by higher freight and distribution costs. * SiteOne Landscape Supply Grows To New High Selling, general and administrative expenses rose to about $369 million from $357 million in the prior-year period. SG&A as a percentage of sales increased 20 basis points to 28.6%, as lower sales volumes and higher healthcare and fuel costs outweighed cost-control measures and operational initiatives. Adjusted EBITDA increased to $138.3 million from $127.5 million, and adjusted EBITDA margin rose 60 basis points to 10.7%. Net income attributable to SiteOne increased 8% to $63.9 million. The effective tax rate was 26.0%, compared with 20.4% a year earlier, primarily because the company did not record excess tax benefits in the quarter, compared with $4 million in such benefits a year earlier. Chief Financial Officer Eric Elema said fuel surcharges contributed about 15 basis points to gross margin and offset approximately 15 basis points of fuel-related pressure in SG&A. He also said stronger price-cost performance and commercial initiatives provided additional gross-margin support. Regional and Product Trends SiteOne said the central region was its strongest during the quarter, with approximately 7% organic sales growth, helped by market conditions and the company's stronger position following its Reinders acquisition. California organic sales increased about 1%, supported by share gains and Devil Mountain Nursery's performance. Sun Belt markets including Texas and Arizona remained under pressure from weak new residential construction and repair-and-upgrade demand. Organic sales declined in three other regions as fall applications started later than usual, though those regions returned to positive organic growth in October, according to the company. Organic daily sales of agronomic products declined 1%, primarily because of delayed fall applications. Landscaping product organic daily sales were flat, as weakness in residential construction and repair-and-upgrade activity was offset by price inflation in irrigation, landscape accessories and outdoor lighting. Black said the company continued to make progress with commercial initiatives. Collective sales of Pro-Trade, Solstice and Portfolio private-brand products grew 23% in the quarter and more than 35% year to date. Digital sales through siteone.com increased more than 45% year to date, while regular active users increased approximately 35%. Acquisitions, Buybacks and Balance Sheet SiteOne completed three acquisitions through the third quarter, representing approximately $125 million in combined trailing 12-month sales. Its latest transaction was the acquisition of Patterson Nursery Sales through Devil Mountain. Senior Vice President of Strategy and Development Daniel Laughlin said Patterson is a grower and distributor of premium Oregon nursery products and expands SiteOne's nursery presence in the Pacific Northwest. The company has completed 109 acquisitions since 2014, adding approximately $2.2 billion in trailing 12-month sales. Laughlin said SiteOne had several letters of intent in place and expected to close additional deals during the remaining months of 2026 and into 2027. During the quarter, SiteOne repurchased approximately 646,000 shares for about $62 million, or an average price of $96.29 per share. After quarter-end, its board increased the share repurchase authorization by $500 million. The company also had approximately $38.3 million remaining under its prior authorization. Net debt at quarter-end was approximately $523 million, compared with $423 million a year earlier. Net debt to trailing 12-month adjusted EBITDA was 1.2 times, within SiteOne's targeted range of one to two times. Available liquidity totaled approximately $566 million, including $88 million of cash and $478 million of available borrowing capacity. Outlook Includes Cost Actions SiteOne expects fiscal 2026 organic daily sales to be flat to down 1%, including an estimated 80-basis-point effect from the 53rd week. The company expects full-year pricing contribution of approximately 4%. Management said it expects new residential construction demand, representing 20% of sales, to decline by double digits for the year. New commercial construction, which accounts for 14% of sales, is expected to remain roughly flat. The repair-and-upgrade market is also expected to remain down through year-end, while the maintenance market is expected to be flat. The company plans workforce reductions and branch consolidations or closures in the fourth quarter, resulting in an expected $6 million to $8 million charge to adjusted EBITDA. It also expects the 53rd week to reduce fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA by an additional $4 million to $5 million. Black said the actions are intended to prepare the company for another challenging demand environment in 2027 while supporting its longer-term SG&A and margin objectives. SiteOne forecast fiscal 2026 adjusted EBITDA of $425 million to $440 million, excluding contributions from unannounced acquisitions. Despite the restructuring charge and calendar effect, the company expects to expand adjusted EBITDA margin slightly for the full year. About SiteOne Landscape Supply SITE SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc SITE is a wholesale distributor of landscape and outdoor living products in the United States and Canada. The company serves landscape professionals, irrigation contractors, golf course and sports-turf managers, nursery and greenhouse operators, and other customers in the green industry. Its product offerings include irrigation and water-management systems, landscape lighting, nursery and greenhouse supplies, fertilizers and other agronomic products, turf-care equipment, hardscape materials, outdoor living products, and pest-control supplies. This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].