International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) rises after Q1 call highlights volume gains, cash flow improvement

International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) shares rose to $78.74 from $70.77 before its first-quarter earnings release, as management cited broad-based volume growth across all business units and improved execution on productivity initiatives. CEO Erik Fyrwald said the Health & Biosciences segment led performance with mid-single-digit sales growth, while Taste, Food Ingredients and Scent also posted gains. Management attributed the improvement to operational focus and a simplified portfolio. CFO Michael DeVeau said operational improvements and tighter working-capital management drove significantly higher free cash flow from a year earlier. Investors are watching IFF’s pricing actions to offset inflation, progress on the Food Ingredients divestiture, reinvestment of proceeds and whether innovation pipelines in Health & Biosciences and Scent convert into commercial wins.