Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net revenue for Q1 2025 increased by 5.7% to $510 million, driven by adjusted comparable store sales growth of 5.5% [30][33] - Adjusted operating income rose by 21.8% to $41.3 million, with adjusted diluted earnings per share increasing to $0.34 from $0.29 a year ago [15][34] - Adjusted operating margin increased by 110 basis points to 8.1% [33] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - America's Best comparable store sales grew by 5.9%, building on a 1.2% increase in the previous year [14] - Eyeglass World achieved a comparable store sales increase of 3.1%, marking its best quarter since 2021 [14] - All three target customer segments delivered double-digit comparable sales growth [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced a positive shift in customer demographics, with higher income groups showing increased spending, offsetting declines from lower income consumers [12][60] - The company opened nine new America's Best stores while closing three, resulting in a net increase in store count [31] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on segmentation, personalization, and digitization in its messaging, product offerings, and customer experience [11][20] - A new strategy has been implemented to target three key customer cohorts, which represent about half of the customer base but a disproportionately large percentage of sales [12] - The company is enhancing its pricing structure and product assortment to better align with customer profiles [21][23] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ongoing transformation strategy and the positive response to recent initiatives [16][20] - The company raised its guidance for the year based on strong Q1 results, anticipating continued momentum despite potential consumer demand uncertainties [16][38] - Management acknowledged the challenges posed by tariffs but believes they can mitigate the impact through pricing actions and cost reduction efforts [37][39] Other Important Information - The company is transitioning leadership, with Alex Wilkes set to succeed Reade Fahs as CEO [8][17] - The company has implemented remote exam capabilities in approximately two-thirds of its store base [15] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the expected run rate for ticket growth in the coming quarters? - Management indicated that ticket expansion has been positive, with no degradation in conversion rates, suggesting there is still room for growth [49][51] Question: How is revenue growth decomposed between managed care and customer pay? - Management noted that both segments are contributing to growth, with managed care customers responding positively to new premium products [52] Question: Can you provide insights on the cadence of Q1 performance and income demographics? - Management reported a strong January, a peculiar two-week period in February, and a strong recovery in March, with higher income customers trading into the brand [59][60] Question: What is the impact of tariffs on product costs? - Management confirmed that the estimated impact of tariffs for the year is between $10 million to $15 million, which they believe can be mitigated through pricing actions [74] Question: How is the recruitment and retention of optometrists being managed? - Management reported healthy retention and recruitment rates, particularly among students, with no significant cost increases anticipated [85]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net revenue increased by 5.7% to $510 million, driven by adjusted comparable store sales growth of 5.5% [30][12] - Adjusted operating income rose by 21.8% to $41.3 million, with adjusted diluted earnings per share increasing to $0.34 from $0.29 [14][35] - Gross margin improved due to higher average ticket growth, with cost applicable to revenue decreasing by 30 basis points to 40.2% [32][33] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - America's Best comparable store sales grew by 5.9%, while Eyeglass World saw a 3.1% increase, marking its best quarter since 2021 [13][12] - All three target customer segments delivered double-digit comparable store sales growth, indicating strong performance across the board [12][11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced a shift towards higher-income customers, with managed care customers showing resilience amid economic challenges [58][11] - Customer transactions increased by 0.7%, recovering from previous declines, indicating a positive trend in customer engagement [31] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on segmentation, personalization, and digitization to enhance customer experience and drive sales [20][10] - A new strategy targeting underdeveloped customer segments aims to expand the addressable market and improve profitability [11][10] - The leadership transition is positioned to maintain momentum in the ongoing transformation strategy [6][19] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the transformation strategy, noting strong initial results from new initiatives [15][20] - The company is cautious about predicting consumer demand due to macroeconomic uncertainties but remains optimistic about its strategic direction [15][39] - Management highlighted the importance of cost efficiency measures in response to potential tariff impacts [38][40] Other Important Information - The company plans to open approximately 30 to 35 new stores while closing seven America's Best stores as part of its real estate management strategy [39][31] - Investments in remote exam technology and a new ERP system are expected to enhance operational efficiency [36][28] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the expected run rate for ticket growth in the coming quarters? - Management indicated that ticket expansion has been positive, with no degradation in conversion rates, suggesting further growth potential [48][50] Question: How is revenue growth split between managed care and customer pay? - Management noted that both segments are contributing to growth, with premium products appealing to managed care customers [51][52] Question: Can you provide insights on the traffic increase during the quarter? - The increase in traffic was attributed to better engagement with target customer segments, particularly managed care and progressive customers [97][98] Question: What is the impact of tariffs on product costs? - Management confirmed that tariffs could result in $10 million to $15 million in incremental costs, but they believe these can be mitigated through pricing actions [72][38] Question: How is the company addressing recruitment and retention of optometrists? - Management reported healthy retention rates and effective recruitment strategies, particularly among new graduates [82][81]