Bath & Body Works Q4 Earnings Beat Estimates, Gross Margin Rises Y/Y

Core Insights - Bath & Body Works (BBWI) reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2024 results with revenues and earnings surpassing Zacks Consensus Estimates, although revenues declined year over year [1][2][3] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share for the fourth quarter were $2.09, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.04, and increased by 1.5% from $2.06 in the same quarter last year [3] - Revenues decreased by 4.3% year over year to $2,788 million, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2,772 million, impacted by a shifted fiscal calendar [4] - U.S. and Canada store revenues fell by 2.4% to $2.11 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate of $2.07 billion, while direct revenues tumbled 9.4% to $595 million, missing the estimate [5] Operational Metrics - Gross profit decreased by 2.7% year over year to $1.30 billion, but gross margin expanded by 80 basis points to 46.7% due to cost savings and distribution productivity [7] - Operating income was reported at $678 million, down 2.6% from the previous year, with an operating margin increase of 40 basis points to 24.3% [8] Store and Market Presence - The company ended the quarter with 1,895 stores, including 1,782 in the U.S. and 113 in Canada, having opened 106 stores and closed 61 during fiscal 2024 [9] Financial Health - Cash and cash equivalents stood at $674 million, with long-term debt of $3.88 billion and long-term operating lease liabilities of $883 million [12] Fiscal 2025 Outlook - For fiscal 2025, net sales growth is projected between 1% and 3%, with North American square footage expanding by 2-3% and international net sales expected to return to growth [13] - The gross margin is anticipated at 44%, with SG&A expenses expected to be 27% [14] - Full-year earnings per share are projected to be between $3.25 and $3.60, with adjusted earnings expected at $3.29 [15] - Free cash flow is projected between $750 million and $850 million, with an annual dividend of 80 cents per share and $300 million planned for share repurchases [16] Q1 Guidance - For the first quarter of fiscal 2025, net sales growth is expected between 1% and 3%, with international retail sales increasing in the high-single digits [17] - Earnings per share for the first quarter are anticipated to be between 36 and 43 cents, compared to 38 cents in the same quarter of fiscal 2024 [18]