EYE Q1 Earnings and Revenues Beat, Gross Margin Up, Stock Surges

Core Viewpoint - National Vision Holdings, Inc. reported strong first-quarter 2025 results, with adjusted earnings and revenues exceeding expectations, leading to a significant increase in share price [1][9]. Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for Q1 2025 were 34 cents, up from 30 cents year-over-year, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 17.2% [1]. - GAAP earnings from continuing operations were 18 cents per share, compared to 15 cents in the prior-year quarter [1]. - Net revenues from continuing operations reached $510.3 million, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.8% and reflecting a 5.7% increase from the previous year [3]. - Comparable store sales grew by 4.1% year-over-year, with adjusted comparable store sales growth at 5.5% [4]. Operational Highlights - The company opened nine new America's Best stores, bringing the total store count to 1,237, a 3% increase year-over-year [4]. - Gross profit for Q1 increased by 6.2% to $305.1 million, with a gross margin expansion of 29 basis points despite a 4.9% rise in the cost of revenues [5]. - Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses rose by 6.4% year-over-year to $255.5 million, with an adjusted operating margin of 9.7%, contracting by 4 basis points [5]. Financial Position - At the end of Q1 2025, National Vision had cash and cash equivalents of $80 million, up from $73.9 million at the end of Q4 2024 [6]. - Net cash flow from operating activities was $32.2 million, compared to $24 million a year ago [6]. Future Outlook - The company raised its fiscal 2025 revenue outlook to a range of $1.919-$1.955 billion, previously estimated at $1.901-$1.955 billion [8]. - Adjusted comparable store sales growth is now expected to be between 1.5-3.5%, up from the previous range of 0.5-3.5% [8]. - Adjusted EPS is estimated to be in the range of 59-67 cents, an increase from the previous estimate of 52-64 cents [8].