Upstream Focus is Sourcing Journal’s series of conversations with suppliers, associations and sourcing professionals to get their insights on the state of sourcing, innovations in manufacturing and how to improve operations. In this Q&A, Chris Parkes, president of performance textile sourcing firm Concept III, discusses how innovation can support better margins for mills and why suppliers’ response to problems is a key differentiator. Name: Chris ParkesTitle: PresidentCompany: Concept III More from Sourcin ...

Americold’s (NYSE:COLD) stock price is down 65% in the last five years. This sort of move is unusual for a business that's so necessary and stable in the long-term sense of the word. In any short window of time, cold storage volumes have vicissitudes, but over any long stretch of time, the trend is consistently up. The world has used significantly more cold storage each decade than the previous decade, and there's a strong consensus that we will use it even more going forward. This leads us to a juxtapositi ...

Summary of Caleres Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Caleres - **Industry**: Footwear - **Key Executives Present**: Jay Schmidt (President and CEO), Jack Calandra (CFO), Liz Dunn (SVP of Corporate Development and Strategic Communications) [1][2] Key Financial Metrics - **Revenue**: Direct-to-consumer sales account for over 70% of total revenue - **Brand Portfolio Segment**: Represents 45% of total revenue - **International Operations**: Active in 68 countries with significant growth opportunities [3][4] Q2 Accomplishments - **Performance**: Strong performance in lead brands and direct-to-consumer channels, with double-digit growth in international markets - **Famous Footwear**: Elevated brands performed well during the back-to-school season [3][4] Strategic Initiatives - **Sourcing Migration**: Reduced sourcing from China to below 15% by the second half of the year - **Cost Savings**: Achieved $15 million in annualized structural savings, with half expected in the second half of the year - **Acquisition**: Completed the acquisition of Stuart Weitzman in August, focusing on integration and transition [4][5][8] Second Half Outlook - **Guidance**: Annual guidance suspended due to tariff uncertainties; however, Q3 expectations include a +1% comp in August, with low single-digit declines anticipated in September and October - **Gross Margin**: Expected to decline by approximately 240 basis points in Q3 due to tariffs, with improvement anticipated in Q4 as mitigating actions take effect [5][6][7] Market Trends - **Footwear Market**: Driven by newness and brand demand; consumers favor authentic and differentiated brands - **Lead Brands**: Continued strong performance from Sam Edelman, Allen Edmonds, Naturalizer, and Vionic, with ongoing investments in marketing and product development [11][14][17] Brand Portfolio Insights - **Premium Brands**: Strong growth in licensed brands like Vince and Veronica Beard, with Stuart Weitzman expected to enhance the portfolio - **Direct-to-Consumer**: Digital sales represent 30% of the brand portfolio, with a focus on omnichannel strategies [20][26][28] Inventory Management - **Famous Footwear**: Well-managed inventory with a tighter relationship between inventory levels and sales; challenges in the Brand Portfolio segment due to high initial inventory levels [24][25] Competitive Advantages - **Kids' Business**: Represents over 20% of total sales, with growth opportunities through stronger brand alignment - **Store Base**: Approximately 830 stores expected by year-end, with a focus on optimizing store performance and expanding the FLAIR format [36][38] Tariff Strategy - **Mitigation Actions**: Multi-pronged strategy to address tariff impacts, including sourcing adjustments, factory negotiations, and selective price increases - **Tariff Impact**: Anticipated gross margin impact from tariffs, with efforts to offset through SG&A opportunities [41][42] Conclusion - **Future Outlook**: Caleres is focused on leveraging its brand portfolio, optimizing operations, and navigating market challenges while maintaining a strong consumer focus [42]

Stores risk having to discount excess inventory if shoppers pull back on spending. ...

MILAN — Brunello Cucinelli’s namesake company continued to grow for the first nine months of the year — with revenues surpassing the 1 billion-euro mark — but a conference call with analysts on Wednesday quickly veered toward its stance on distribution in Russia. Indeed, Cucinelli and the executive team were eager to discuss Russia, admitting a board meeting was moved to Wednesday from Oct. 16 to bring further clarity on the issue. Last week, the company rejected Morpheus Research’s allegations of irregula ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported second quarter 2025 net sales of $131.7 million, a decline of 7% year-over-year, with gross margin expanding by 240 basis points to 54.7% [19][21] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by $1.5 million to $12 million, representing 9.1% of sales [19][21] - SG&A expenses were $68.8 million, down $5.2 million or 7.1% from the previous year, improving as a percentage of sales to 52.2% [22][21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Direct channel sales, excluding wholesale, decreased by 18%, primarily due to a decline in web traffic, although average order value increased [20] - Retail store sales increased by 5.3%, driven by improved traffic trends and higher average order values [20][12] - Men's sales declined by 8%, while women's sales fell by 11.3%, but AKHG grew by 11.4% across both men's and women's categories [20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced a 12% reduction in ending inventory compared to the prior year, with inventory levels currently 6% lower than last year [23][24] - The inventory mix included 78% in current products and 22% in clearance goods, with clearance inventory reduced to 16% of the total as of September [25] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on a turnaround strategy that includes resetting promotional cadence, improving inventory management, and strengthening operational execution [18][19] - Plans to reduce SKU and style counts by over 20% for the upcoming seasons to create a more focused assortment [16][41] - The company aims to achieve $10 million in cost savings for fiscal 2025 through headcount reductions and controlling expenses [22][38] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ability to maintain discipline on promotional activities and achieve profitability despite macroeconomic challenges [34][36] - The anticipated impact of tariffs is approximately $15 million for the current year, with price increases implemented to mitigate these costs [27][28] - The company is maintaining its fiscal year 2025 financial guidance, expecting adjusted EBITDA in the range of $20 million to $25 million [26] Other Important Information - The company is set to open two new stores, marking its first new openings since 2021, in Kansas City and Maple Grove [12] - Capital expenditures for the first half were $9.7 million, with plans to maintain a capital expenditure plan of approximately $17 million for the year [29] Q&A Session Summary Question: Metrics for Pullback in Promotional Activity - Management highlighted gross margin dollars as the primary measure for assessing promotional activity, emphasizing profitability as the main objective [33][34] Question: Gross Margin Rate Expectations - Management indicated that price increases and vendor negotiations are helping to mitigate tariff impacts, with expectations for gross margin rate expansion in the second half of the year [35][36] Question: SG&A Cost Savings Progress - Management noted that they are about a third of the way towards achieving the $10 million cost savings target, primarily from headcount reductions and controllable expenses [38][39] Question: Long-term Margin Targets - Management stated that achieving a strong margin profile will depend on managing expenses and inventory effectively, with a focus on SKU productivity and promotional cadence [40][41]

Financial Performance - Revenue for Q2 FY2026 was $546.4 million, a 13.8% decrease compared to $633.7 million in Q2 FY2025[30, 32, 34] - The company reported a pre-tax loss of $8.2 million in Q2 FY2026[10, 34] - Diluted loss per share was $0.26[10, 32] - For the first six months of FY2026, total revenue was $1.1408 billion, a 9.6% decrease from $1.2624 billion in the first six months of FY2025[35, 37, 39] - The adjusted pre-tax loss for the first six months of FY2026 was $25.5 million[39] Segment Performance - Agriculture segment revenue decreased by 18.5% to $345.8 million in Q2 FY2026[34] and is expected to be down 15% to 20% for FY26[15] - Construction segment revenue decreased by 10.2% to $72.0 million in Q2 FY2026[34] and is expected to be down 3% to 8% for FY26[20] - Europe segment revenue increased by 44.0% to $98.1 million in Q2 FY2026[24, 34] and is expected to be up 30% to 40% for FY26[24] - Australia segment revenue decreased by 50.1% to $30.6 million in Q2 FY2026[29, 34] and is expected to be down 20% to 25% for FY26[29] Inventory and Balance Sheet - Equipment inventory increased by $28 million from January 31, 2025, to July 31, 2025[42] - The company is targeting an inventory reduction of approximately $100 million in fiscal year 2026[42]

Core Viewpoint - Titan Machinery Inc. reported a net loss of $6.0 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2026, reflecting challenges in the agricultural and construction equipment markets, while maintaining a focus on inventory reduction and operational optimization [2][7][16]. Financial Performance - Revenue for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 was $546.4 million, down from $633.7 million in the same quarter last year, representing a decrease of 13.8% [3][34]. - Equipment revenue decreased to $376.3 million from $465.2 million year-over-year, a decline of 19.1% [3][34]. - Parts revenue remained relatively stable at $109.2 million compared to $109.8 million last year, while service revenue increased to $48.8 million from $47.3 million [3][34]. - Gross profit for the quarter was $93.6 million, down from $112.4 million, with a gross profit margin of 17.1%, slightly lower than 17.7% in the previous year [4][34]. Operating Expenses and Losses - Operating expenses were reduced to $92.7 million from $95.2 million year-over-year, with operating expenses as a percentage of revenue increasing to 17.0% from 15.0% [5][34]. - The company reported a net loss of $6.0 million, or a loss per diluted share of $0.26, compared to a net loss of $4.3 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, in the same period last year [7][34]. Segment Performance - The Agriculture segment saw revenue decline to $345.8 million, down 18.7% year-over-year, with a pre-tax loss of $12.3 million compared to a pre-tax income of $0.6 million last year [10][34]. - The Construction segment's revenue decreased to $72.0 million, down 10.2%, with a pre-tax loss of $1.2 million, an improvement from a loss of $4.9 million in the previous year [11][34]. - The Europe segment experienced significant growth, with revenue increasing to $98.1 million, up 44.0%, and a pre-tax income of $5.1 million compared to a loss of $2.3 million last year [12][34]. - The Australia segment's revenue fell to $30.6 million, down 50.1%, with a pre-tax loss of $2.1 million compared to a pre-tax income of $1.4 million last year [13][34]. Inventory and Cash Flow - The company reiterated its target to reduce inventory by $100 million for fiscal 2026, with inventory levels remaining flat at $1.1 billion as of July 31, 2025 [2][14]. - Cash at the end of the second quarter was $32.7 million, with net cash provided by operating activities amounting to $49.9 million, a significant improvement from a net cash used of $47.4 million in the same period last year [14][15]. Future Outlook - The company adjusted its revenue modeling assumptions for fiscal 2026, expecting a decrease in Agriculture segment revenue of 15% to 20%, and an increase in Europe segment revenue of 30% to 40% [17][16]. - The adjusted diluted loss per share guidance was narrowed to a range of ($1.50) to ($2.00) [18][16].

Core Insights - The Retail-Wholesale sector is expected to show growth in sales and earnings, influenced by consumer sentiment and spending trends [1][2] - Anticipated top-line growth of 5.6% year-over-year and bottom-line growth of 12.6% for the second quarter of 2025 [2] Company Performance - Walmart Inc. (WMT) is positioned for stability and growth with a Zacks Rank of 2 and an Earnings ESP of +1.26%, expecting a 9% increase in earnings per share [9][11] - Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) has a Zacks Rank of 3 and an Earnings ESP of +2.62%, with a consensus estimate suggesting a 9.2% decrease in earnings per share [12][13] - Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN) holds a Zacks Rank of 3 and an Earnings ESP of +3.60%, with a consensus estimate indicating a 16.1% increase in earnings per share [14][15] - Burlington Stores, Inc. (BURL) has a Zacks Rank of 3 and an Earnings ESP of +6.06%, with a consensus estimate suggesting a 5.8% increase in earnings per share [16][17] Market Trends - Retail earnings are influenced by consumer preferences shifting towards essentials and value-oriented products due to inflation [4] - Retailers focusing on competitive pricing and product diversification are likely to see improved foot traffic and conversion rates [4] - E-commerce growth and omnichannel capabilities are critical for retail success, with companies enhancing online shopping experiences [6] - Efficient inventory management is essential for profitability, with advanced analytics aiding in stock optimization [7]

Core Insights - OneWater Marine reported Q3 FY2025 GAAP revenue of $552.9 million, exceeding analyst expectations and reflecting a 1.9% year-over-year increase [1][5] - Adjusted earnings per share (non-GAAP) were $0.79, significantly below the consensus estimate of $1.12 and down from $1.05 in Q3 FY2024, indicating margin pressures and lower profits [1][2] - The company demonstrated resilience in sales and market share gains despite broader industry weakness, outperforming the industry with a 2% increase in same-store sales compared to an industry decline of over 10% [1][5] Financial Performance - Revenue for Q3 FY2025 was $552.9 million, surpassing the estimate of $532.0 million, with a year-over-year increase from $542.4 million [2] - Adjusted EBITDA fell to $32.8 million, down 16.3% from $39.2 million in Q3 FY2024 [2] - Gross profit margin decreased to 23.3%, down 1.1 percentage points from the previous year, reflecting ongoing aggressive promotions and a shift in the mix of boats sold [2][7] Business Overview - OneWater Marine operates nearly 100 retail dealerships and multiple distribution centers across the U.S., focusing on the sale of new and pre-owned boats, marine parts, service, and insurance products [3] - The company partners with top boat manufacturers and targets premium and high-demand brands, enhancing its market position [3][4] Growth Strategy - The growth strategy includes expanding store footprint through acquisitions and diversifying revenue sources, with a focus on managing inventory levels and maintaining competitive pricing [4] - OneWater aims to streamline its product portfolio by exiting low-performing brands and focusing on higher-quality offerings, which is expected to improve margins in future quarters [9][11] Inventory and Cost Management - Inventory was reduced by 13.6% year-over-year to $517.1 million, indicating disciplined inventory management as part of a broader cleanup strategy [9] - Operating expenses increased to $92.1 million, or 16.7% of total revenue, driven by efforts to boost same-store sales and inflationary costs [10] Future Outlook - Management updated FY2025 guidance, projecting full-year revenue between $1.80 billion and $1.85 billion, with adjusted EBITDA forecasted at $65 million to $80 million [12] - Profitability expectations were lowered due to ongoing price competition and margin pressures, with adjusted diluted EPS now expected to fall between $0.50 and $0.75 [12]