Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total sales for the second quarter grew 5% to $5.5 billion, up from $5.3 billion last year, with comparable store sales increasing by 2% [7] - Earnings per share for the second quarter were $1.56 on net income of $508 million, compared to $1.59 per share on net earnings of $527 million in the prior year [7][8] - Operating margin decreased by 95 basis points to 11.5%, primarily due to tariff-related costs [6][14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Cosmetics was the best-performing merchandise area in the second quarter, with strong performance in the ladies' business, which outperformed the chain average [8][29] - Overall comparable store sales at BB's Discounts were solid and ahead of Ross, with both chains experiencing growth in traffic and basket size [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The strongest markets were the Southeast and the Midwest, with a broad-based improvement in sales trends across nearly all major merchandise categories and regions [5][8] - Total consolidated inventories and average store inventories were up 5% compared to last year, with packaway merchandise comprising 38% of total inventories [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to open approximately 90 new locations this year, including 80 Ross and 10 DD's Discount stores, reflecting expansion into new and existing markets [10] - The company is focused on maintaining its value proposition relative to traditional retailers while balancing the opportunity to preserve merchandise margin [12][20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed cautious optimism regarding the sales outlook for the second half of the year, anticipating comparable store sales growth of 2% to 3% [16][33] - The company expects to offset most of the impact of tariffs, although modest pressure is anticipated in the third quarter [12][17] Other Important Information - The company repurchased 1.9 million shares of common stock for an aggregate cost of $262 million, remaining on track to buy back a total of $1.05 billion in stock for the year [15] - Management acknowledged the retirement of CFO Adam Orvos and emphasized the importance of a smooth transition [21] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the sequential top line improvement and the sharp rebound in July? - Management noted broad-based sequential improvement across nearly every merchandise category, with strong performance in July, particularly in cosmetics and ladies' business [28][29] Question: What are the gross margin drivers for the third and fourth quarters? - Management indicated that tariff costs would continue to impact gross margins, but they expect the pressure to be slightly lower than in the second quarter [31] Question: How is the customer responding to price increases? - Management stated that there has been a very modest change in prices, with a cautious approach to raising prices while monitoring competitors [38][39] Question: What initiatives are being implemented to improve store operations? - Management highlighted store refreshes, self-checkout pilots, and new marketing campaigns as key initiatives to enhance customer experience and drive sales [44][49] Question: Are there any changes in consumer demographics or trade down activity? - Management reported no significant changes in income cohorts but noted strong performance in stores with a high concentration of Hispanic customers [65][66] Question: What actions are being taken to mitigate tariff impacts? - Management emphasized efforts in vendor negotiations, diversifying sourcing, and increasing closeout merchandise to mitigate tariff impacts [71][72]

Financial Performance - Revenue increased by 11.6% to RMB 25,901.7 million in FY2024/25 [8, 14] - Profit attributable to equity holders of the Company increased by 14.3% to RMB 3,513.9 million [8] - Basic earnings per share increased by 11.4% to RMB 31.58 cents [8] - The Group's gross profit margin decreased by 2.3 percentage points to 57.3% [9] Revenue Breakdown - Branded down apparel revenue increased by 11.0% to RMB 21,668.2 million, accounting for 83.7% of total revenue [14, 16] - OEM management revenue increased significantly by 26.4% to RMB 3,373.4 million, representing 13.0% of total revenue [14, 16] - Ladieswear apparel revenue decreased by 20.6% to RMB 651.1 million, accounting for 2.5% of total revenue [14, 16] Branded Down Apparels Business - Bosideng brand revenue increased by 10.1% to RMB 18,481.0 million [17] - Snow Flying brand revenue increased by 9.2% to RMB 2,205.5 million [17] - Online sales of branded down apparel increased to RMB 7,478.2 million [79] Ladieswear Apparels Business - Ladieswear apparel revenue decreased by 20.6% to RMB 651.1 million [16, 92] - Revenue from online sales was RMB 97.2 million [92]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total sales increased by 3% to $5 billion, with comparable store sales remaining flat compared to the previous year [4] - Earnings per share rose to $1.47 from $1.46 last year, while net income decreased to $479 million from $488 million [4] - Operating margin was flat year over year at 12.2% [4][10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The dd's discount brand continued strong momentum with solid sales and operating profits [5] - Cosmetics emerged as the strongest merchandise area during the quarter [4] - Average store inventories increased by 4%, aligning with company plans, while total consolidated inventories rose by 8% due to opportunistic buys [5] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Geographic trends showed broad-based performance, with the Southeast region performing the best [4] - The company opened 16 new Ross and three dd's discount locations in the first quarter, with plans for approximately 90 new stores this year [6] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to maintain a substantial pricing umbrella below traditional retailers to deliver value to customers [7] - Strategies are in place to gain market share while minimizing margin impact from tariffs [9] - The company is focused on providing high-quality branded merchandise at great value despite inflationary pressures [7] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed limited visibility into the second half of the fiscal year due to prolonged inflation and fluctuating tariff levels [15] - The company remains cautious and has withdrawn its previously provided annual guidance due to uncertainties in the macroeconomic environment [9] - Management highlighted the importance of a flexible off-price business model to navigate through uncertain times [15] Other Important Information - The company repurchased 2 million shares of common stock for $263 million under a $2.1 billion buyback authorization [11] - For the second quarter, comparable store sales are projected to be flat to up 3%, with earnings per share expected in the range of $1.40 to $1.55 [12] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the cadence of comps and drivers of improvement? - Management noted broad-based sequential improvement across merchandise categories, with April showing strong performance [18][19] Question: What strategies are in place to mitigate tariffs? - Strategies include negotiating better costs with vendors, passing along some price increases cautiously, and utilizing closeouts and packaway merchandise [19][20] Question: How do you expect the tariff impact to change throughout the year? - The second quarter impact includes costs from orders already in transit when tariffs were announced, and future impacts will depend on macroeconomic conditions [25][26] Question: What is the outlook for inventory availability? - Management expects availability of closeouts but acknowledges potential receipt risks due to production halts in China [32] Question: How is the branded strategy performing? - The branded strategy is on track, with no expected margin headwinds going forward, particularly in the ladies' business [55] Question: What are the expectations for pricing elasticity? - Pricing elasticity will depend on the category and is influenced by broader inflationary pressures across the retail sector [60] Question: How is the cosmetics category performing? - The cosmetics category is performing well due to strong execution and a favorable brand mix [102]

Group 1 - E-commerce platforms including Shein, Temu, and Amazon have raised prices significantly, with some products seeing price increases over 100% [1] - Shein's price adjustments began on April 25, with beauty and health products experiencing an average price increase of 51%, while home, kitchen, and toy categories saw over 30% increases [1] - Temu has introduced separate import fees for U.S. consumers, covering customs processes and costs associated with imported goods [1] Group 2 - Shein announced price adjustments due to increased operational costs from global trade rules and tariffs, effective from April 25 [2] - The U.S. luxury designer Vivienne Hu highlighted that China is the largest producer of fashion products, supplying at least 20% of the U.S. market, and emphasized the challenges of rebuilding the domestic industrial system in the U.S. [2] - Despite the impact of tariffs on Chinese sellers in the U.S. market, top sellers are prepared and will continue to operate in the U.S. due to the lack of immediate alternatives [2]

Core Viewpoint - Shein has significantly raised prices on various products in the U.S. market, with some items seeing increases of up to 377%, in response to new small package tariffs set to take effect [2][3][4]. Price Changes - The average price of the top 100 best-selling beauty and health products increased by 51% from the previous day, with several items doubling in price [3]. - Home, kitchen, and toy products saw an average price increase of over 30%, with specific items like a 10-piece kitchen towel set experiencing a price surge of 377% [3][4]. - Women's clothing prices rose by 8%, with the average price of the top 100 women's apparel items increasing from $8.68 to $9.06, a rise of over 4% [4][11]. Tariff Impact - The U.S. government's decision to eliminate the low-value exemption for small packages will impose tariffs of up to 120% on various goods from e-commerce platforms like Shein and Temu [4]. - Starting May 2, an additional fee of $100 will be charged for each package sent to the U.S., which will increase further after June 1 [4]. - In anticipation of these tariff changes, U.S. consumers have been stockpiling various products, leading to a sales rebound for Shein and Temu in March and early April [8]. Market Response - Shein's overall prices in the U.S. increased by approximately 10% between April 24 and 26, with 7 out of 50 sampled items being removed from the market during this period [8][11]. - In contrast, Shein's prices in the UK remained stable, with no items being delisted [8]. Broader Economic Context - The price increases reflect a trend where e-commerce platforms are beginning to pass on new import costs to U.S. consumers, as indicated by Shein's actions [5]. - The Federal Reserve is monitoring the impact of tariffs on inflation, with officials expressing caution regarding the potential economic effects [13][14].