Boot Barn Stock Gains Despite Q4 Earnings Missing Estimates

Core Insights - Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 results with revenues and earnings below the Zacks Consensus Estimate, but both metrics increased year over year, leading to an 18% rise in shares during after-hours trading [1][4]. Financial Performance - Earnings per share were $1.22, a 27.1% increase from $0.96 in the prior year, but missed the consensus estimate of $1.24 [4]. - Net sales reached $453.7 million, a 16.8% year-over-year increase, but fell short of the consensus estimate of $458 million [4]. - Consolidated same-store sales grew by 6%, driven by a 5.5% increase in retail store same-store sales and a 9.8% rise in e-commerce same-store sales, although it was below the expected 7.3% growth [5]. Margin and Cost Analysis - Gross profit increased by 20.9% to $168.6 million, primarily due to higher sales and improved merchandise margins, despite increased occupancy costs from new store openings [6]. - Gross margin improved by 130 basis points to 37.1%, attributed to a 210 basis point increase in merchandise margin rate, partially offset by an 80 basis point increase in costs related to buying, occupancy, and distribution [7]. - Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses rose by 17.5% to $118.9 million, driven by higher store payroll and corporate administrative costs, with SG&A as a percentage of net sales increasing to 26.2% [8]. Operational Highlights - Operating income increased by 29.9% to $49.7 million, with an operating margin of 11%, up 120 basis points from the previous year [9]. - The company ended the quarter with $69.8 million in cash and did not utilize its $250 million revolving credit facility [10]. Future Outlook - For the fiscal first quarter, total sales are expected to be between $483 million and $491 million, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 14-16%, with same-store sales growth projected at 4-6% [13]. - For fiscal 2026, total sales are projected to be between $2.07 billion and $2.15 billion, indicating growth of 8-13% from fiscal 2025, while same-store sales are expected to decline by 2% to grow by 2% [16].