Presto Defense Sales Growth Accelerates From Backlog Shipments

The Tip Desk · November 10, 2026 · 2 min read

Net earnings were $19.98 million, or $2.79 a share, in the three months ended Oct. 4, 2026, as Defense sales rose 31.3% from a year earlier.

National Presto Industries, Inc. (NPK), the Eau Claire, Wisconsin maker of pressure cookers, household appliances and military ordnance, reported net earnings of $19.98 million, or $2.79 a share, for the three months ended Oct. 4, 2026, compared with $5.32 million, or $0.74 a share, a year earlier.

Net sales were $144.31 million in that quarter, up from $115.46 million in the three months ended Sept. 28, 2025. Sequential sales were $146.60 million in the three months ended July 5, 2026.

President Maryjo Cohen said Defense segment sales were up $29 million or 31.3% from the comparable 2025 quarter, reflecting increased shipments from backlog. That year-over-year increase followed a $27.1 million or 27.2% rise in the second quarter. Defense operating earnings were up $7.1 million or 61.8% from third-quarter 2025, which the company attributed to the additional volume, a more favorable mix and increased operating efficiencies. The company said the Defense segment manufactures medium caliber training and tactical ammunition, energetic ordnance items, fuzes, cartridge cases and metal parts.

Housewares/Small Appliances sales dipped $469 thousand or 2.1% in the third quarter. That decline narrowed from a $1.2 million or 6.2% decrease in the second quarter. In the second quarter the company had said the drop was largely attributable to Trump tariffs that affected retail order timing and had raised retail prices and depressed consumer demand.

Housewares/Small Appliance operating earnings were $8.1 million in the third quarter, versus a loss a year earlier. Most of those earnings were attributable to a refund of a portion of the tariffs the segment had paid that the Supreme Court declared unauthorized in its February decision. Those operating earnings rose from $2.2 million in the second quarter, which the company likewise said was largely from the tariff refund. The segment designs and sells small household appliances and pressure cookers under the PRESTO brand.

Safety segment sales, although still nominal, increased $296,000 or 88.9%, reflecting increased distribution of a broader line. The segment reported a loss as anticipated. Safety offers smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and commercial fire extinguishers.

For the nine months ended Oct. 4, 2026, net sales were $409.55 million and net earnings were $42.47 million, or $5.93 a share.