Key Takeaways SFM expects 12%-14% sales growth in 2025, supported by store expansion and private-label traction. Target cut its 2025 EPS forecast amid weak demand, falling traffic and lower-than-expected Q1 results. SFM shares are up 27.4% YTD against TGT's 29.6% drop, with stronger earnings estimates and margin resilience.Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. (SFM) and Target Corporation (TGT) may differ in scale and strategy, but both are key players in the retail landscape. SFM, with a market capitalization of ...

The latest trading session saw Sprouts Farmers (SFM) ending at $159.90, denoting a -1.23% adjustment from its last day's close. This change lagged the S&P 500's 0.27% loss on the day. Prior to today's trading, shares of the natural and organic food retailer had gained 2.15% lagged the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 4.25% and the S&P 500's gain of 6.9%.Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of Sprouts Farmers in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company is predicte ...

Core Insights - Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc. (OLLI) reported strong first-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with both revenue and earnings exceeding expectations and showing year-over-year growth [1][2][9] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) reached $0.75, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.70 and improving from $0.73 in the same quarter last year [3][9] - Net sales totaled $576.8 million, reflecting a 13.4% year-over-year increase and exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $565 million [4][9] - Comparable store sales increased by 2.6%, supported by a rise in transaction count, compared to a 3% increase in the prior-year period [4][9] Margin Analysis - Gross profit grew by 13.2% year over year to $237 million, with a gross margin remaining flat at 41.1% [5] - Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) expenses increased by 60 basis points to 28.6%, primarily due to higher medical and casualty claims and new store growth [5] - Operating income declined by 0.6% to $56.2 million, with the operating margin contracting by 140 basis points to 9.7% [6] Store Expansion - Ollie's opened 25 new stores during the quarter, bringing the total to 584 stores across 32 states, marking a 13.2% year-over-year increase in store count [7][9] - The company plans to open a net of 75 stores in fiscal 2025 to continue its expansion strategy [7][9] Financial Position - At the end of the quarter, Ollie's had $369.5 million in cash and short-term investments, along with $45.4 million in long-term investments, totaling $414.9 million, a 21.5% increase year over year [8] Future Outlook - The company reaffirmed its fiscal 2025 earnings outlook, projecting net sales between $2,579 million and $2,599 million, and comparable store sales growth between 1.4% and 2.2% [11] - Gross margin is expected to be around 40% for fiscal 2025, with operating income projected between $283 million and $292 million [12] - Adjusted earnings are anticipated to be in the range of $3.65 to $3.75 per share, up from $3.28 reported last fiscal year [13]

BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. (BJ) reported mixed results for the first quarter of fiscal 2025. While revenues came in below the Zacks Consensus Estimate, earnings exceeded expectations. Both figures improved year over year, supported by modest growth in comparable club sales.BJ’s First-Quarter InsightsBJ’s Wholesale Club reported adjusted earnings of $1.14 per share, which came ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 91 cents and increased from 85 cents reported in the year-ago period. (See the Zacks ...

Target Corporation (TGT) reported first-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with the top and bottom lines missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. TGT witnessed a sharp decline in comparable sales. Lower-than-expected results compelled the Minneapolis-based retailer to cut its full-year guidance, reflecting ongoing headwinds in consumer demand and operational pressures.Despite sales falling short of expectations, the quarter saw positive developments such as robust digital growth, a 36% jump in same-day delivery via ...

United Natural Foods, Inc.’s (UNFI) shares have gained 18.2% in the past month, outperforming the industry’s decline of 2.6% and the broader S&P 500 index’s growth of 8.9%. With United Natural Foods’ massive rise in the past month, investors now face a key decision: Should they hold on to the stock or book a profit?UNFI Stock's Past Month PerformanceImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchClosing at $28.41 yesterday, UNFI is trading above the 50 and 200-day simple moving averages of $26.26 and $23.40, respec ...

Core Insights - Central Garden & Pet Company reported mixed results for the second quarter of fiscal 2025, with revenue declining year over year while earnings exceeded expectations [1][4]. Financial Performance - The company achieved adjusted earnings of $1.04 per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 94 cents and increasing from 99 cents in the prior year [4]. - Consolidated net sales were $833.5 million, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $875 million and down 7% from $900.1 million in the previous year [4]. - Adjusted gross profit was $277.5 million, slightly lower than $281.4 million in the year-ago period, but the adjusted gross margin improved by 200 basis points to 33.3% due to productivity gains [5]. - SG&A expenses decreased by 3% to $179.8 million from $185.4 million year over year, although as a percentage of net sales, it increased by 100 basis points to 21.6% [6]. - Adjusted operating income remained stable at $98.7 million, with an adjusted operating margin expanding by 80 basis points to 11.8% [6]. - Adjusted EBITDA was reported at $123.3 million, down from $124.4 million in the prior year [7]. Segment Performance - The Pet segment reported net sales of $454 million, a 6% decrease from the previous year, missing estimates due to order timing and softer demand [8]. - Adjusted operating income for the Pet segment increased by 5% to $65.9 million, with an adjusted operating margin of 14.5%, up 150 basis points [9]. - The Garden segment's net sales were $380 million, down 10% year over year, missing estimates due to pre-season order shifts and unfavorable weather [10]. - Adjusted operating income for the Garden segment decreased to $58.7 million from $62.3 million in the prior year, but the adjusted operating margin improved to 15.5% [11]. Financial Health - As of the end of the quarter, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $516.7 million, long-term debt of $1,190.7 million, and shareholders' equity of $1,541.5 million [13]. - The company repurchased approximately 1.2 million shares for $41 million during the quarter, with an additional 1.2 million shares repurchased for $39 million after the quarter ended [14]. Outlook - Central Garden & Pet reaffirms its guidance for fiscal 2025, estimating adjusted earnings of $2.20 per share or more, considering various macroeconomic factors [15].

Core Insights - Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) demonstrated strong comparable sales growth in April, driven by its competitive pricing and high-quality offerings, appealing to value-conscious shoppers [1][6] Sales Performance - For the four weeks ending May 4, 2025, comparable sales in the United States, Canada, and Other International markets grew by 5.2%, 1.5%, and 3.2% respectively, leading to a total company comparable sales increase of 4.4% [2] - The sales growth in April followed increases of 6.4% in March and 6.5% in February [2] - A calendar shift due to Easter resulted in one less shopping day in April compared to the previous year, negatively impacting total and comparable sales by approximately 1.5% to 2% [3] Adjusted Sales Figures - When excluding the effects of gasoline prices and foreign exchange rates, comparable sales in the United States rose by 7.1% in April, while Canada and Other International markets saw increases of 5% and 6.5% respectively, leading to a total comparable sales increase of 6.7% [4] E-commerce Growth - Costco's e-commerce comparable sales surged by 12.6%, or 13% when adjusted for gasoline prices and foreign exchange fluctuations [5] - Net sales for April reached $21.18 billion, a 7% increase from $19.80 billion in the same period last year, following sales improvements of 8.6% and 8.8% in March and February respectively [5] Business Model and Investor Sentiment - Costco's membership-based business model, high membership renewal rates, efficient supply-chain management, and bulk purchasing power contribute to its competitive pricing and customer loyalty [6] - The company's shares have increased by 29.3% over the past year, outperforming the Retail – Discount Stores industry's growth of 14.6% [6]

SunOpta (STKL) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.04 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.02 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.02 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non- recurring items. There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have c ...

Core Insights - Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. reported first-quarter 2025 results with net sales slightly below expectations but year-over-year growth, while earnings exceeded estimates and improved from the previous year [1][3][10] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings were 13 cents per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 7 cents and increasing 44.4% from 9 cents in the prior year [3] - Net sales reached $1.126 billion, slightly missing the estimate of $1.128 billion, but reflecting an 8.5% year-over-year growth [3] - Gross profit increased by 12.7% to $342.4 million, with gross margin expanding by 110 basis points to 30.4% due to improved inventory management [5] - Adjusted EBITDA rose 31.7% to $51.9 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin increase of 80 basis points to 4.6% [5] Store Operations - The company opened 10 new stores and closed one, totaling 543 stores across 16 states, with plans for 33-35 net new stores in 2025 [7] - Comparable store sales grew by 0.3%, driven by a 2.3% increase in transactions, although the average transaction size declined by 2% [4] Financial Health - As of the end of the first quarter, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $50.9 million, net long-term debt of $458.9 million, and stockholders' equity of $1.2 billion [8] - Net cash provided by operating activities was $58.9 million, with capital expenditures totaling $57.3 million [8] 2025 Outlook - Management anticipates net sales between $4.7 billion and $4.8 billion, with comparable store sales growth revised to 1-2% [11] - Full-year gross margin is expected to be in the range of 30-30.5%, with adjusted EBITDA projected at $260-$270 million and adjusted earnings per share of 70-75 cents [11] Restructuring Plan - A restructuring plan initiated in late fiscal 2024 aims to enhance long-term profits and cash flow, involving the termination of 28 store leases and cancellation of costly warehouse projects [12] - Total restructuring charges are expected to be between $59 million and $61 million, with a reduction in projected net interest expense to approximately $32 million for fiscal 2025 [13]