Five Below(US:FIVE) ZACKSยท2025-06-05 17:41Core Insights - Five Below, Inc. (FIVE) reported strong first-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with both net sales and earnings exceeding expectations, leading to a 4.6% increase in share price during after-market trading [1][2]. Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for Q1 were 86 cents, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 83 cents, and reflecting a 43.3% increase from 60 cents in the same quarter last year [2]. - Net sales reached $970.5 million, a 19.5% year-over-year increase, also exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $968 million. Comparable sales grew by 7.1% year over year [2]. - Adjusted gross profit increased by 24.6% year over year to $328.4 million, with the adjusted gross margin rising approximately 130 basis points to 33.8% [3][4]. Cost Management - Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) costs rose 19.1% to $226.5 million, but as a percentage of net sales, SG&A costs decreased by approximately 10 basis points to 23.3% [3]. Operational Metrics - Adjusted operating income was $59.6 million, up from $38.1 million in Q1 of fiscal 2024, with an adjusted operating margin increase of approximately 140 basis points to 6.1% [4]. - The company opened 55 net new stores, bringing the total to 1,826 stores across 44 states, marking a 13.8% increase from the previous year [6]. Future Outlook - For Q2 fiscal 2025, Five Below anticipates net sales between $975 million and $995 million, indicating a 7-9% increase in comparable sales [7]. - The updated fiscal 2025 outlook projects net sales of $4.33-$4.42 billion, an increase from the previous estimate of $4.21-$4.33 billion, with expected net income between $223 million and $249 million [12][13]. - Adjusted EPS for fiscal 2025 is expected to be between $4.25 and $4.72, up from earlier projections [14].