Dick's Sporting Goods(US:DKS) Benzinga·2026-03-12 15:59Core Viewpoint - Dick's Sporting Goods reported strong quarterly performance driven by solid store momentum and consumer demand, while outlining an expansion-focused outlook with a measured profit view for the upcoming year [1] Earnings Snapshot - The company achieved fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $3.45, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $2.87 [1] - Quarterly sales reached $6.226 billion, reflecting a 59.9% year-over-year increase, exceeding the Street's expectation of $6.069 billion [1] Sales and Profitability - Comparable sales growth for the DICK'S business in the fourth quarter was 3.1% [2] - Quarterly gross profit increased to $1.770 billion from $1.361 billion a year ago, while gross margin decreased to 28.43% from 34.96% [2] - Operating margin fell by 698 basis points year-over-year to 3% [2] Expansion Plans - The company opened 16 House of Sport locations and 15 Dick's Field House locations in 2025 [2] - Plans for 2026 include opening approximately 14 House of Sport locations and 22 Dick's Field House locations [3] Financial Position - At the end of the quarter, the company had cash and equivalents totaling $1.353 billion [3] Dividend Announcement - A quarterly dividend of $1.25 per share was declared, representing a 3% increase over the previous amount, payable on April 10, 2026 [4] Outlook - For 2026, the company projects adjusted EPS between $13.50 and $14.50, compared to an estimate of $14.67 [5] - Expected sales for 2026 are between $22.10 billion and $22.40 billion, exceeding the estimate of $21.98 billion [5] - Full-year 2026 comparable sales growth for the DICK'S business is anticipated to be between 2% and 4% [5] - Consolidated operating income for 2026 is expected to be between $1.71 billion and $1.83 billion [6]