Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consolidated sales for the quarter were $492 million, down slightly from the prior year, with a 1% decrease compared to the previous year [7][18] - Consolidated GAAP operating income was $22 million, and adjusted operating income was $23 million, with an adjusted operating margin of 4.8% [19][22] - The company maintained a strong balance sheet with $319 million in cash and no external debt, generating $36 million in cash from operating activities [7][23][24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the Retail segment, delivered sales increased by 2% to $207 million, driven primarily by new and acquired stores, while written sales decreased by 4% in same-store sales [6][19] - The Wholesale segment saw delivered sales grow by 1% to $353 million, with an adjusted operating margin of 7.5%, up from 6.9% [20][22] - Joybird's delivered sales were down 20% to $28 million, with a noted increase in operating loss due to lower delivered volume [21][22] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Industry traffic remains depressed, with housing transactions near thirty-year lows, affecting store traffic and same-store sales [10] - Retail public company peers reported same-store sales ranging from down low to mid-single digits, while broader industry data showed recently downwardly revised figures but still in the positive mid-single digit range [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on its Century Vision strategy to drive long-term shareholder value, including expanding its direct-to-consumer business and enhancing its retail footprint [11][12] - A significant acquisition of a 15-store network in the Southeast U.S. is expected to close in October, which will be the largest independent La Z Boy Furniture Galleries acquisition in the company's history [11][26] - The company is transforming its distribution network to improve supply chain agility, reducing the number of distribution centers from 15 to 3 centralized hubs [14][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the ability to grow sales and outperform the industry while navigating the current consumer environment [8][30] - The company anticipates fiscal second-quarter sales to be in the range of $510 million to $530 million, with adjusted operating margins expected between 4.5% to 6% [27][28] - Management acknowledged the challenges posed by an increasingly pressured consumer and emphasized the importance of prudent navigation through these conditions [36][46] Other Important Information - The company was recognized by Newsweek as one of America's best retailers in 2025, ranking number one in the furniture category [12] - The company plans to open approximately 15 new company-owned and independent La Z Boy Furniture Gallery stores during the year, with a focus on maximizing store productivity [28][29] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide additional color on the sequential improvement in trends during the quarter? - Management noted that there was a sequential traffic improvement through the first quarter, which has continued into early August, but emphasized that it is too early to call it a trend [34][35] Question: How should we think about the ramp of new stores to maturity and its relation to margins? - New stores typically drag on profitability in year one, with improvements expected in year two and becoming neutral to accretive by year three [37] Question: What are you hearing from wholesale customers regarding order hesitancy due to tariffs and pricing uncertainty? - Management indicated that while there is hesitancy among customers, the company benefits from its North American supply chain, allowing it to provide a steady supply of products [39][40] Question: Did you see notable geographic differences in traffic and sales in North America? - Management reported no significant geographic differences, although Canadian sales were impacted by tariffs, leading to a decrease in units sold offset by pricing [44] Question: Can you expand on the evaluation of alternatives to address financial pressure from non-core parts of the business? - The company is focused on expanding the La Z Boy brand and improving performance in challenged areas like Joybird and international business [45][46] Question: How are you thinking about the pace of new store openings and distribution transformation in light of uneven demand? - Management emphasized the importance of playing offense even in challenging times, while also committing to monitor the situation prudently [47][48] Question: Is the higher promotional activity in case goods expected to continue? - Management indicated that the promotional activity was more transitory, aimed at working through non-performing inventory ahead of the key buying season [49]

Core Insights - La-Z-Boy Incorporated reported a 1% decrease in sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, totaling $492 million, with growth in Retail and Wholesale segments offset by a decline in Joybird sales [2][12] - The company achieved an operating margin of 4.5% on a GAAP basis and 4.8% on an adjusted basis, reflecting challenges in consumer demand and investments in new stores [2][12] - Diluted earnings per share were $0.44 on a GAAP basis and $0.47 on an adjusted basis, both lower than the previous year [2][12] Financial Performance - Retail segment written sales increased by 5%, while same-store sales decreased by 4%, indicating a challenging consumer environment [3][17] - Wholesale segment delivered sales increased by 1%, driven by the core North America La-Z-Boy wholesale business [4][7] - The company returned $22 million to shareholders during the quarter, including $13 million in share repurchases and $9 million in dividends [2][17] Strategic Developments - La-Z-Boy announced the acquisition of a 15-store network in the Southeast region, expected to close in late October [4][7] - The company was recognized by Newsweek as one of America's Best Retailers in 2025, ranking 1 in the furniture category [5] - The company is actively adjusting operations to navigate the current environment while continuing to invest in its Century Vision strategy for long-term growth [4][5] Outlook - For the second quarter, La-Z-Boy expects sales to be in the range of $510-530 million, with an adjusted operating margin of 4.5-6.0% [6][7] - The company is balancing optimism about long-term industry fundamentals with a pragmatic approach to current consumer demand [5][6] Cash Flow and Liquidity - The company generated $36 million in operating cash flow for the quarter and ended with $319 million in cash and no external debt [7][17] - Free cash flow for the quarter was $17.8 million, down from $36.7 million in the prior year [9][17] Segment Analysis - Retail segment delivered sales increased by 2% to $207 million, driven by new and acquired stores [17] - Joybird sales decreased significantly, with written sales down 14% and delivered sales down 20% to $28 million [12][17] - The Wholesale segment's sales increased to $353 million, supported by growth in the core North America business [12][37]

Core Insights - La-Z-Boy Incorporated reported strong fourth quarter results for fiscal 2025, with sales of $571 million, a 3% increase compared to the prior year [3][6] - The company achieved an operating margin of 5.2% on a GAAP basis and 9.4% on an adjusted basis, with diluted earnings per share of $0.36 and $0.92 respectively [3][6] - The company returned $113 million to shareholders, marking an increase of over 30% from the previous year [3][6] Fiscal 2025 Fourth Quarter Highlights - Consolidated delivered sales reached $571 million, up 3% year-over-year [6] - Retail segment sales increased by 8%, while wholesale segment sales grew by 2% [6][15] - The company-owned La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries network expanded by six stores, representing 55% of the total network [6][15] Retail Segment Performance - Written sales for the Retail segment grew by 3%, but same-store sales decreased by 5% due to challenges in the housing market [4][15] - Delivered sales in the Retail segment increased by 8% to $247 million, driven by new and acquired stores [15][23] - The operating margin for the Retail segment was 13.1%, down 110 basis points compared to the prior year [15] Wholesale Segment Performance - Sales in the Wholesale segment increased by 2% to $402 million, primarily due to growth in the core North America La-Z-Boy wholesale business [15][44] - The operating margin for the Wholesale segment decreased to 2.5% from 8.1% in the previous year [15] Financial Overview - The company generated $62 million in operating cash flow for the fourth quarter, a 17% increase year-over-year [6][23] - For the full fiscal year, operating cash flow was $187 million, up 18% from the prior year [6][23] - The company ended the quarter with $328 million in cash and no external debt [23] Future Outlook - The company anticipates continued volatility in the industry due to economic uncertainty but expects to outperform peers driven by growth in the Retail segment and core wholesale business [5][8] - For the first quarter of fiscal 2026, sales are projected to be between $490 million and $510 million, reflecting modest growth in a challenging consumer environment [8]