Williams-Sonoma(US:WSM) ZACKS·2025-11-19 18:37Core Insights - Williams-Sonoma Inc. (WSM) reported better-than-expected results for Q3 fiscal 2025, with earnings and net revenues exceeding estimates and showing year-over-year growth [1][3][8] - The company's performance is attributed to an effective operating model, diversified brand portfolios, and a strong e-commerce channel [1] - WSM maintains its prior net revenue and comparable sales outlook for fiscal 2025 while increasing its operating margin forecast [1][10] Financial Performance - Earnings per share (EPS) for Q3 were $1.96, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.87 by 4.8%, and up from $1.87 in the prior-year quarter [3] - Net revenues reached $1.88 billion, exceeding the consensus mark of $1.86 billion by 1.1% and growing 4.4% year over year [3] - Comparable sales (comps) increased by 4% compared to a decline of 2.9% in the same quarter last year [3] Brand Performance - Comps for the Williams-Sonoma brand grew by 7.3%, contrasting with a 0.1% decline in the previous year [4] - West Elm's comps increased by 3.3%, compared to a 3.5% decline last year [4] - Pottery Barn Kids and Teens saw a 4.4% increase in comps, while Pottery Barn's comps rose by 1.3% against a 7.5% decline in the prior year [4] Operating Metrics - Gross margin was reported at 46.1%, exceeding projections and expanding by 70 basis points year over year, driven by higher merchandise margins and supply-chain efficiencies [5] - Selling, general and administrative expenses accounted for 29.1% of net revenues, reflecting a 60 basis point increase year over year due to higher advertising and performance-based compensation [6] - The operating margin expanded by 10 basis points to 17% for the quarter, surpassing the predicted margin of 16.1% [6] Financial Position - As of November 2, 2025, WSM reported cash and cash equivalents of $884.7 million, down from $1.21 billion at the end of fiscal 2024 [7] - Net cash from operating activities totaled $718 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2025, allowing the company to return nearly $165 million to shareholders through stock repurchases and dividends [9] Future Guidance - For fiscal 2025, WSM projects annual net revenues to grow between 0.5% and 3.5%, with comparable brand revenue growth expected between 2.0% and 5.0% [10] - The operating margin outlook has been raised to a range of 17.8% to 18.1%, compared to the previous range of 17.4% to 17.8% [10] - The revised outlook considers new tariffs impacting global sourcing, with long-term expectations of mid-to-high single-digit annual net revenue growth and operating margin growth in the mid-to-high teens [11]