Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - First quarter net sales reached $4.6 billion, exceeding guidance of $4.4 billion to $4.5 billion, with a decline of 5.1% year-over-year [7][27] - Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.16, above the guidance range of $0.12 to $0.15, compared to $0.27 last year [9][32] - Comparable sales (comps) declined 1.2%, better than the guidance of a decline of 4.5% to 2.5% [7][27] - Gross margin was $1.8 billion or 39.2% of net sales, flat compared to the prior year [31] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Macy's net sales were down 6.5% with comps down 2.1% [28] - Bloomingdale's net sales increased by 2.6% with comps rising 3.8% [30] - Blue Mercury's net sales were up 0.8% with comps increasing 1.5% [30] - Backstage outperformed full-line stores by several hundred basis points, while Marketplace achieved approximately 40% GMV growth [11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - International tourism negatively impacted comps by about 30 basis points [8] - Go forward business comps declined 0.9%, outperforming total comps [8] - The luxury segment showed resilience with Bloomingdale's and Blue Mercury continuing positive comp trends [12][14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on its "Bold New Chapter" strategy, emphasizing omni-channel performance and improving customer experience [6][10] - The strategy includes strengthening and reimagining Macy's, accelerating luxury offerings, and modernizing operations [10][14][15] - The company aims to diversify sourcing to mitigate tariff impacts, reducing reliance on China from over 50% pre-pandemic to 20% currently [16][17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed cautious optimism for the second quarter, noting improved performance in May compared to earlier months [43][44] - The company anticipates a more choiceful consumer and plans to navigate a competitive promotional landscape [21][34] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining a healthy inventory to sales ratio while being disciplined with inventory commitments [21][22] Other Important Information - The company closed 64 underperforming locations last year as part of its strategy [24] - Capital expenditures are expected to be approximately $800 million, reflecting a commitment to long-term growth [37] - The company plans to return approximately $152 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases [33] Q&A Session Summary Question: Sales guidance and consumer pressure - Management reaffirmed annual sales guidance, noting stronger performance in March and April compared to February, with cautious optimism for the rest of the year [43][44] Question: Strategic pricing decisions - Pricing adjustments are being made selectively, with a focus on maintaining value for consumers while navigating tariff impacts [45][46] Question: Impact of tariffs on pricing - Pricing is gradually being integrated into the system, with limited pricing seen in Q2, and negotiations with vendors are ongoing [50][51] Question: Actions to capture market share - The company is focusing on product diversity, improved marketing, and enhanced in-store experiences to capture market share [59][62] Question: Inventory planning amid tariffs - The company plans to remain disciplined with inventory flow and avoid over-purchasing to mitigate tariff impacts [86][87] Question: Consumer health across income cohorts - Consumer health remains under pressure, but discretionary spending is showing signs of improvement, particularly in categories like fine jewelry [108][110]