Hardgoods Momentum Drives Chewy's Expansion Beyond Consumables

Core Insights - Chewy, Inc.'s Hardgoods segment demonstrated significant growth in Q2 of fiscal 2025, with revenues increasing over 15% year over year, surpassing total sales growth of 8.6% [1][10] - The company has onboarded over 1,500 new brands and improved inventory freshness, enhancing customer access to a diverse selection [2] - Management noted broad-based gains in Hardgoods driven by better merchandising and customer engagement, while investing $3-$5 million in inbound processing to maintain pricing power amid tariff concerns [3] - The growth in Hardgoods contributed to a gross margin improvement of 90 basis points year over year, reaching 30.4% [4] - Chewy raised its fiscal 2025 net sales guidance to $12.5-$12.6 billion, indicating a growth of 7-8% when adjusted for the previous year's extra week [5] - Chewy's net sales growth has outperformed competitors like Central Garden & Pet Company and Petco Health and Wellness [6] Financial Performance - Central Garden & Pet reported Q3 fiscal 2025 net sales of $961 million, down 4% year over year, primarily due to the exit of two product lines and adverse weather conditions [7] - Petco Health and Wellness reported Q2 fiscal 2025 net sales of $1.49 billion, down 2.3% year over year, with comparable sales declining 1.4% [8] - Chewy's shares have gained 15.1% year to date, compared to the industry's growth of 5.1% [9] Valuation and Estimates - Chewy trades at a trailing price-to-sales ratio of 1.34X, below the industry average of 2.58X [11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Chewy's fiscal 2025 and 2026 earnings implies year-over-year growth of 22.1% and 20.4%, respectively [12]