Universal Corporation’s board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.83 per share, payable Feb. 1, 2027, to shareholders of record Jan. 11. The board also authorized a share repurchase program of up to $100 million. Purchases may be made through open-market or privately negotiated transactions at prices not exceeding prevailing market rates. Universal has approximately 24.9 million common shares outstanding.
Tag: Universal
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Universal to Report Fiscal Q2 Results Nov. 4
Universal Corp. will release its fiscal 2027 second-quarter results after market close Nov. 4 and hold a conference call at 10 a.m. Eastern on Nov. 5. The call will be available via live webcast on the company’s website, with a replay accessible through Feb. 5, 2027.
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Climate Policy and Sustainability Take Center Stage at GTNF 2026
GTNF 2026’s “Innovative Responses to Climate Change & Global Climate Policy” panel examined how the nicotine industry is responding to environmental pressures through sustainability strategies, regulation, and industry-government cooperation. Moderator Ben Dessart, vice president of external affairs at Universal Corporation, opened by stressing the need for industry to “be part of the conversation.”
Nicole Austin, director of sustainability engagement and strategic partnerships at Philip Morris International, said sustainability must be integrated across business decisions rather than treated as a separate initiative. She identified combustible products as the company’s largest negative environmental impact and smoke-free products as its largest positive contribution, with PMI’s strategy focused on making cigarettes obsolete by addressing both supply and demand. Austin said, “Reacting is much more expensive than predicting,” emphasizing long-term planning to mitigate risk.
Aylèn Van Isseldyk, founder and director of THR, Ethics and Sustainability, focused on the environmental challenges posed by disposable vaping products. She said the industry cannot allow advances in nicotine delivery to create a new source of environmental harm and argued for proportional policies that consider both human and environmental health while protecting vulnerable populations. Miranda Kinney, senior vice president and global head of corporate affairs and impact at Pyxus, emphasized the need for industry and governments to work together and said environmental efforts should begin with farmers rather than at the manufacturing stage. She said educating farmers about why environmental practices matter can change how they handle materials such as plastic. Tadas Lisauskas, president and co-founder of Greenbutts, said regulation and compliance will be key to driving adoption of biodegradable products, arguing that large companies need regulatory certainty to justify allocating budgets to solutions that consumers may not yet demand.
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Universal Ingredients Executive O’Keefe to Retire
Universal Corporation announced that Patrick O’Keefe, vice president of ingredients and senior vice president of Universal Ingredients, plans to retire. The company has begun a search for his successor, with O’Keefe remaining in his role until a replacement is appointed and assisting with the transition.
Universal president and CEO Preston D. Wigner credited O’Keefe with helping expand Universal Ingredients through acquisitions, strategic investments, and new commercial initiatives during his six-year tenure. O’Keefe said he was confident the business had built a strong foundation for future growth and would support a smooth leadership transition. Universal Ingredients will continue operating under its current leadership team during the search process.
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Universal Ups Dividend, Sets Annual Meeting for Aug. 4
Universal Corporation announced a quarterly dividend increase to $0.83 per share, payable on August 3, to shareholders on record as of July 13. The increase raises the annualized dividend to $3.32 per share and implies a dividend yield of approximately 6.1% based on the company’s May 18 closing share price of $54.46. The move extends Universal’s track record of annual dividend growth to 56 consecutive years, underscoring its focus on shareholder returns and stable cash generation.
Chairman, president, and CEO Preston D. Wigner said the dividend increase reflects the strength of the company’s business strategy, operational consistency, and long-term customer relationships across its global agriproducts platform. Management emphasized that predictable dividend growth remains a core part of Universal’s shareholder value proposition, supported by diversified sourcing, integrated processing capabilities, and a broad international supply chain network spanning more than 30 countries.
The company also confirmed that its 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders will take place on August 4 at its headquarters, with a record date of June 4.
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Universal Appoints Diel as CFO
Universal Corporation appointed Steven S. Diel as senior vice president and chief financial officer, effective April 1, succeeding Johan C. Kroner, who will remain with the company as a senior vice president through July 1, to support the transition. Diel, a Universal executive since 2018, brings more than 25 years of experience in finance, corporate development, and strategy, most recently serving as vice president and CFO of Universal Ingredients, and previously leading acquisitions totaling more than $350 million that helped establish the company’s ingredients segment. Chairman, president, and CEO Preston D. Wigner said Diel’s promotion reflects confidence in his financial leadership and strategic execution as Universal seeks to strengthen performance and drive long-term shareholder value.
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Universal Announces Quarterly Dividend
Universal Corporation announced its board of directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.82 per share, payable May 4, to shareholders of record as of April 15. The company, operating across more than 30 countries, said the dividend reflects its ongoing shareholder return strategy. Universal has more than a century of experience supplying agricultural products through an international network of farmers and partners, supported by integrated processing capabilities and sustainability-focused supply chain operations.
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Universal Announces 3Q Conference Call
Universal Corporation announced it will release results for its fiscal third quarter 2026 before market open on February 9, followed by a conference call and webcast at 5 p.m. ET. The company will host the call in listen-only format via its website, with a replay available online through May 9, and by phone through February 23.
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Universal Tabs Mittal as New CFO
Universal Corporation announced the appointment of Anubhav Mittal as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective February 17, following the completion of its CFO search process. Mittal brings 20 years of global finance, strategy, and business transformation experience, most recently serving as CFO of ADM Nutrition, Archer Daniels Midland’s approximately $8 billion nutrition, flavors, and ingredients business. He succeeds Johan C. Kroner, who will retire as CFO on the same date and remain with the company as a senior vice president through July 1, to support a smooth transition.
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Universal CEO Presenting at ICR Conference 2026
Universal Corporation announced that members of its management team will attend the ICR Conference (ICR Conference of Consumer Growth Companies) 2026, being held in Orlando, Florida, January 12-14. Preston D. Wigner, chairman, president, and CEO, will deliver a company presentation on January 13, beginning at 2 p.m. EST.
A live webcast of the presentation will be available on Universal’s Investor Relations website.