Financial Performance - Net sales increased by 0.4% to 525.2millioninQ2Fiscal2025comparedto523.0 million in Q2 Fiscal 2024, driven by a strong back-to-school sales week and an 8% increase in e-commerce comparable sales[61]. - Gross margin decreased by 1.6% to 245.6million,withgrossmarginasapercentageofnetsalesdecliningfrom47.7255.1 million, with expenses as a percentage of net sales improving from 49.6% to 48.6%[63]. - Operating margin improved to a loss of 2.0% in Q2 Fiscal 2025 from a loss of 7.4% in Q2 Fiscal 2024, reflecting improved margins in Journeys Group and Genesco Brands Group[64]. - The pretax loss for Q2 Fiscal 2025 was 11.7million,significantlyreducedfromapretaxlossof41.2 million in Q2 Fiscal 2024[65]. - Net loss for Q2 Fiscal 2025 was 10.0million,or0.91 diluted loss per share, compared to a net loss of 31.7million,or2.79 diluted loss per share, in Q2 Fiscal 2024[66]. Segment Performance - Journeys Group net sales increased by 4.0% to 298.8million,withtotalcomparablesalesdecreasingby1124.6 million, while total comparable sales decreased by 2%[75]. - Johnston & Murphy Group net sales decreased by 8.7% to 71.0million,witha50.4 million in Q2 Fiscal 2025, compared to operating income of 2.7millioninQ2Fiscal2024[78].−GenescoBrandsGroup′snetsalesdecreased12.630.7 million for Q2 Fiscal 2025 from 35.2millioninQ2Fiscal2024,primarilyduetobusinessrepositioning[80].OperatingIncomeandExpenses−Operatingincomeincreased44.42.7 million in Q2 Fiscal 2025 compared to 1.9millioninQ2Fiscal2024,drivenbydecreasedsellingandadministrativeexpenses[81].−Netinterestexpensedecreased43.61.3 million in Q2 Fiscal 2025 from 2.4millioninQ2Fiscal2024,reflectingdecreasedaverageborrowings[83].Year−to−DatePerformance−ForthefirstsixmonthsofFiscal2025,netsalesdecreased2.3982.8 million compared to 1.006billioninthefirstsixmonthsofFiscal2024,impactedbydecreasedcomparablestoresalesandnetstoreclosings[84].−Grossmargindecreased3.4461.9 million in the first six months of Fiscal 2025, with gross margin as a percentage of net sales declining from 47.5% to 47.0%[85]. - Journeys Group's net sales decreased 0.2% to 558.3millioninthefirstsixmonthsofFiscal2025,withtotalcomparablesalesdown3216.9 million in the first six months of Fiscal 2025, but operating income decreased 78.2% to 1.4 million[93]. - Johnston & Murphy Group's net sales decreased 6.3% to 150.2 million in the first six months of Fiscal 2025, primarily due to a 4% decrease in comparable sales[97]. - Genesco Brands' net sales decreased 18.8% to 57.3millionforthefirstsixmonthsofFiscal2025from70.6 million in the first six months of Fiscal 2024[99]. - The net loss for the first six months of Fiscal 2025 was 34.3million,or3.14 diluted loss per share, compared to a net loss of 50.6million,or4.37 diluted loss per share, in the first six months of Fiscal 2024[90]. Corporate Expenses and Cash Flow - Corporate expenses for the first six months of Fiscal 2025 were 17.5million,downfrom44.3 million in the same period of Fiscal 2024, primarily due to a decrease in non-cash impairment charges[102]. - Net interest expense decreased by 44.6% to 2.2millioninthefirstsixmonthsofFiscal2025comparedto4.0 million in the same period of Fiscal 2024, reflecting reduced average borrowings[103]. - Cash used in operating activities was 19.1millionlowerinthefirstsixmonthsofFiscal2025,drivenbya50.2 million increase in cash flow from changes in accounts payable[104]. - Cash used in investing activities decreased by 20.9millioninthefirstsixmonthsofFiscal2025,primarilyduetoreducedcapitalexpendituresrelatedtoomni−channelcapabilities[105].CapitalExpendituresandLiquidity−TotalcapitalexpendituresforFiscal2025areexpectedtobeapproximately52 million to 57million,with639.3 million during the first six months of Fiscal 2025, with an average cost of 24.49pershare[112].−AsofAugust3,2024,thecompanyhad75.1 million in U.S. revolver borrowings and 2.7millionrelatedtoGCOCanadaULC,remainingcompliantwithallcreditfacilityterms[106].−Thecompanyanticipatesthatcashonhand,cashfromoperations,andborrowingswillbesufficienttosupportliquidityneedsinFiscal2025andtheforeseeablefuture[108].−Contractualobligationsdecreasedby155 million of net tax refunds from tax strategies implemented under the CARES Act, although the timing may be extended due to an IRS audit[109].