Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved a merchandise margin expansion of 110 basis points, exceeding the guidance of 30 basis points year-over-year [3][4] - Over the past seven years, the company has seen a total of 700 basis points of merchandise margin expansion [5] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The exclusive brand penetration met expectations, contributing to growth but not the margin beat [3] - Lower markdowns compared to previous years allowed for better full-price selling, positively impacting margins [4] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company has expanded its Total Addressable Market (TAM) from $40 billion to $58 billion, incorporating the Country Lifestyle segment and denim [22][23] - The average new store volume is approximately $3.2 million, with plans to open stores in both legacy and new markets [24][28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on building a proper sourcing team for exclusive brands and reinvigorating the work boot business [7][10] - Marketing initiatives are being tailored to reach a broader Country Lifestyle customer base, including partnerships with mainstream events like NASCAR and the NFL [20][23] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism regarding the economic landscape, noting that tax refunds and household income trends could positively impact sales [43][44] - The company aims for a mid-teens EBIT margin over time, currently tracking around 13% for the fiscal year [38] Other Important Information - The company is leveraging social media, particularly TikTok, to market stores and products, focusing on authenticity through everyday creators rather than professional influencers [35][36] - The company plans to raise prices on exclusive brands post-holiday to preserve margin rates, with low single-digit increases expected [16] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the drivers behind the merchandise margin expansion? - Management highlighted better buying economies of scale, lower markdowns, and improved inventory management as key drivers [4][3] Question: How is the company approaching pricing in relation to tariffs? - The company has held exclusive brand pricing through the holiday season and plans to implement low single-digit price increases post-holiday [16][12] Question: What is the strategy for reaching the Country Lifestyle customer? - The company is expanding marketing efforts to include mainstream partnerships and events, targeting customers who embody a rural lifestyle without being traditional ranchers [19][20] Question: What are the expectations for store growth? - The company has raised its store growth target to 1,200 locations, with a focus on both legacy and new markets [24][25] Question: How is the company performing in urban markets? - The company has seen success in urban areas, indicating strong performance in densely populated regions [32][34]

Boot Barn (NYSE:BOOT) FY 2026 Conference January 12, 2026 10:30 AM ET Speaker1Job, some new screening tools for order management, better search functionality, better merchandising, additional payment methods on the site. So those all contributed to the e-commerce business for the quarter. And as we think about those exclusive brands, it really is about driving the awareness so people come into Boot Barn stores.Speaker0Okay. Great. From Jim Watkins, another question on the pre-release was that wonderful merc ...

Core Insights - Boot Barn Holdings Inc. is experiencing significant growth driven by digital investments, with a 14.4% increase in e-commerce same-store sales for Q2 of fiscal 2026, surpassing the 7.8% growth in retail store same-store sales [1][9] - Total revenue for the company reached $505.4 million, reflecting an 18.7% year-over-year growth [1][9] E-commerce Performance - E-commerce sales now account for 9.3% of the net sales in the second quarter, attributed to initiatives enhancing online engagement and optimizing the shopping experience through technology [2] - BootBarn.com, which constitutes approximately 75% of total online sales, reported high-teens comps growth [1] Brand and Technology Initiatives - The Cody James and Hawx platforms are enhancing brand discovery and attracting new customers, with plans to launch a website for the Cheyenne brand post-holidays [3] - The integration of artificial intelligence is pivotal, improving website search tools for better product results and recommendations, while tools like Cassidy assist store associates [3] Future Growth Expectations - For fiscal 2026, Boot Barn anticipates same-store sales growth of 4% to 6%, with retail stores expected to grow by 3.3-5.3% and e-commerce sales projected to rise by 11-13% [4] - The company plans to open 70 new stores in the current fiscal year, reinforcing the synergy between digital and physical channels [4][5] Competitive Landscape - Levi Strauss & Co. is also advancing its digital-first strategy, with e-commerce sales increasing by 18% in Q3 of fiscal 2025, aiming for e-commerce to represent 15% of total revenues [6] - Tapestry, Inc. is leveraging data analytics and omnichannel capabilities, attracting over 6.8 million new North American customers in fiscal 2025 [7] Stock Performance and Valuation - Boot Barn's shares have increased by 25.9% year-to-date, contrasting with a 16.3% decline in the industry, and the company holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [8] - The forward price-to-earnings ratio for Boot Barn is 24.99X, higher than the industry average of 16.51X [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a year-over-year earnings rise of 20.5% for fiscal 2026 and 13.4% for fiscal 2027 [11]