Company Overview - Chewy's First Quarter 2025 Earnings Call was held with key participants including CEO Sumit Singh and CFO David Reeder [2][3] - The earnings release was filed with the SEC and is available on Chewy's Investor Relations website [3] Financial Performance - The call discussed Chewy's financial results and performance for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025 [3] - A presentation summarizing the results was also made available on the company's website [3] Forward-Looking Statements - The company indicated that forward-looking statements regarding financial results, industry trends, and strategic initiatives would be made during the call [4] - These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could lead to actual results differing from projections [4]

Core Viewpoint - Ryan Cohen, CEO of GameStop, is facing a lawsuit from Bed Bath & Beyond to recover $47.2 million in profits from stock trading prior to the retailer's bankruptcy [1][4]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit claims Cohen and his RC Ventures bought and sold more than a 10% stake in Bed Bath & Beyond within six months, making them liable for "short-swing" profits as insiders [1][4]. - US District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald stated that Bed Bath & Beyond had disclosed its stock buyback program, questioning the credibility of Cohen's claim that he was unaware of his stake exceeding 10% [4]. - Cohen sold his Bed Bath stake in August 2022, realizing an estimated profit of $60 million [4][8]. Group 2: Background Information - Bed Bath & Beyond filed for bankruptcy in April 2023, and its name and trademarks were later acquired by Overstock.com, which is now known as Beyond [8]. - Cohen is recognized as a prominent figure in the meme stock phenomenon, which gained traction among retail investors in early 2021 [6]. - A previous lawsuit by former Bed Bath shareholders regarding Cohen's profits was dismissed due to the bankruptcy, which rendered their claims moot [8].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q4 net sales increased approximately 15% year over year to $3,250,000,000, resulting in full year 2024 net sales of $11,860,000,000, representing 6% year over year growth [8][16] - Adjusted EBITDA margin for fiscal year 2024 reached 4.8%, reflecting year over year expansion of approximately 150 basis points [9][20] - Free cash flow for fiscal year 2024 was a record $452,500,000, converting approximately 80% of adjusted EBITDA into free cash flow [10][21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Autoship customer sales increased by 21% in Q4 and nearly 11% for the full year 2024, representing 80.6% of Q4 net sales [8][18] - The sponsored ads business reached approximately 1% of net sales for full year 2024, contributing significantly to gross margin improvement [10][44] - Chewy Vet Care Clinics opened eight locations in 2024, with plans to open eight to ten new clinics in fiscal year 2025 [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Active customers reached 20,500,000, marking the first year over year growth in eight quarters, with a 2.1% increase year over year [9][17] - Net sales per active customer (NESPAK) reached $578, representing a 4.1% year over year increase [18] - The overall pet industry is expected to continue normalizing, with Chewy anticipating to gain market share in 2025 [65][66] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to achieve a long-term adjusted EBITDA margin target of 10%, with expectations for further margin expansion in 2025 [13][26] - Chewy is focused on enhancing customer engagement through improved marketing strategies and app experiences, which are expected to drive active customer growth [32][58] - The company plans to leverage its first-party software for sponsored ads to enhance media content and expand its advertising capabilities [44][48] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to deliver active customer growth in 2025, driven by strategic initiatives and improved marketing [9][34] - The management noted that the promotional environment remained stable, with minimal inflationary pressure expected in 2025 [70][71] - The company is optimistic about its growth prospects, expecting to continue gaining market share despite a normalizing pet industry [66][70] Other Important Information - The company repurchased approximately 32,800,000 shares in 2024, reducing BC Partners' ownership by approximately 16% [22][23] - Chewy ended the year with approximately $597,000,000 in cash and cash equivalents, remaining debt-free [24] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you unpack what's driving the change in active customers? - Management noted that the momentum from Q3 continued into Q4, resulting in year over year active customer growth for the first time in eight quarters, driven by improved marketing strategies and customer engagement [30][34] Question: Can you help us understand the momentum on the gross margin side? - Management indicated that the fourth quarter gross margin was as expected, with EBITDA margin expansion driven by improvements in gross margin and operating efficiencies [35][36] Question: Can you talk about automation and the path to 70% to 80%? - Management confirmed that over 40% of volume is currently automated, with plans to ramp up automation in the Houston facility to achieve higher efficiency [41][42] Question: How do you see the landscape for net new customer growth versus reactivations? - Management highlighted that new investments, particularly in Chewy Vet Care Clinics, are driving new customer growth, while existing programs like Chewy Plus are stimulating reactivations [54][56] Question: What are you seeing from a promotional perspective in the pet landscape? - Management reported a stable promotional environment with a significant portion of the portfolio being price protected, leading to minimal inflationary pressure [68][70]