Burlington Stores(US:BURL) Benzinga·2025-11-25 15:10Core Viewpoint - Burlington Stores, Inc. reported stronger profit and raised its outlook, but the stock fell due to softer sales momentum and cautious consumer demand [1]. Financial Performance - The company reported third-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.80, exceeding the analyst consensus estimate of $1.64 [2]. - Quarterly sales reached $2.710 billion, a 7% year-over-year increase, but fell short of the expected $2.739 billion. Comparable store sales increased by 1% [3]. - Gross margin improved to 44.2%, up from 43.9% in the previous year, with merchandise margin expanding by 10 basis points and freight expense improving by 20 basis points [4]. - Adjusted EBITDA was $266 million, compared to $229 million in the year-ago period, representing an 80 basis point increase as a percentage of sales [4]. Cash and Debt Position - The company ended the quarter with cash and equivalents of $584.079 million. Long-term debt increased to $2.015 billion from $1.542 billion in the previous year [5]. Future Outlook - Burlington Stores raised its 2025 adjusted EPS outlook to $9.69–$9.89, up from $9.19–$9.59, surpassing the $9.52 consensus estimate. Total sales are expected to rise by about 8% for the full year [6]. - The company anticipates net capital expenditures of approximately $950 million and plans to open 104 net new stores [6]. - For the fourth quarter, adjusted EPS is guided to be between $4.50 and $4.70, slightly around the $4.64 Street estimate, with total sales growth expected between 7% and 9% [7]. Management Commentary - CEO Michael O'Sullivan noted a significant drop in store traffic after the back-to-school period due to unseasonably warm temperatures, but indicated a recovery in mid-October with continued strong trends into November [3][8].