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European Wax Center(EWCZ) - 2025 Q2 - Earnings Call Transcript
2025-08-13 13:00
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q2 2025, the company reported system-wide sales of $257.6 million, a decrease of 1% year-over-year, with same-store sales growth of 30 basis points [6][26] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $21.6 million, reflecting a 4.7% increase from $20.6 million in the prior year period, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 38.7% [28][29] - Total revenue decreased by approximately $4 million or 6.6% to $55.9 million, primarily due to lower contributions from wholesale product and retail revenue [26][28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company opened two growth centers during the quarter and closed five, resulting in three net center closures, with a total of 1,059 centers at the end of Q2, flat year-over-year [26][30] - The company has seen an improvement in transaction growth, with same-store sales up 1.7% in June and 1.5% through the first five weeks of Q3 [8][9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted challenges in the California market, while improvements were observed in Texas, Florida, and New York [62] - The Wax Pass sales increased by almost 2% year-over-year, indicating stable customer engagement [66] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on three strategic objectives: driving sales through traffic growth, improving profitability for franchisees, and implementing a more sophisticated development approach [10][20] - The leadership team has been expanded with the addition of a Chief Operating Officer and a Chief Development Officer to enhance operational execution and franchise development [10][21] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the fundamentals of the business and the potential for long-term growth, despite being in a transitional year [7][39] - The company is narrowing its full-year revenue outlook to between $940 million and $950 million, with same-store sales expected to be flat to up 1% for the full year [33][36] Other Important Information - The company ended the quarter with $63.9 million in cash and $388 million outstanding under senior secured notes, with a net leverage ratio of 4.2 times [30] - The company plans to maintain advertising expenses slightly above 3% of system-wide sales to support ongoing traffic-driving initiatives [37] Q&A Session Summary Question: What changes have been made to the grand opening playbook? - The company has refined its grand opening playbook to ensure centers are set up for success, focusing on staffing and training, which has led to improved ramping of new units [44] Question: How should we think about closure pace going forward? - The company aims to minimize negative impacts from closures by building a strong foundation for sustainable traffic growth and improving overall network health [49] Question: Are there notable changes at the store level or in center execution? - The company is focusing on both marketing and operational tactics to drive frequency with existing guests, with a strong partnership with franchisees [53] Question: What is the outlook for regional performance? - The company is seeing challenges in California but improvements in Texas and Florida, with a focus on using data analytics to engage guests effectively [62] Question: How is the new product launch performing? - The company is pleased with the acceptance of new products and continues to prioritize transaction counts while maintaining a focus on retail [64] Question: What is the trajectory of Wax Pass sales? - Wax Pass sales have increased by almost 2% year-over-year, indicating continued customer engagement [66]
European Wax Center (EWCZ) Earnings Call Presentation
2025-06-26 09:13
Investor Presentation European Wax Center We include in this Presentation statements regarding factors that have impacted our industry. Such statements are statements of belief and are based on industry data and forecasts that we have obtained from internal company surveys, publicly available information, industry publications and surveys and third-party studies. Industry publications, surveys and forecasts generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be ...
European Wax Center(EWCZ) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript
2025-05-14 13:02
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - System wide sales for Q1 fiscal 2025 reached $225.9 million, a 2.1% increase from $221.4 million in the previous year, driven by the shift in the Easter holiday and payment timing [6][23] - Same store sales grew by 70 basis points, but adjusting for the Easter shift, it would have been approximately flat [23] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by 7.2% to $18.8 million from $17.5 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin rising to 36.5% from 33.7% [25] - Adjusted net income rose by 10.3% to $9.5 million from $8.6 million [26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue decreased by approximately $400,000 or 90 basis points to $51.4 million, primarily due to lower retail and wholesale product revenue [24] - The company ended Q1 with 1,062 centers, representing a 1% growth year over year, with five gross openings and ten closures, resulting in five net center closures [22] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company is experiencing stable trends in mature center transactions year to date, with expectations for flat to positive same store sales growth [29][82] - The macroeconomic environment remains uncertain, but the core guest base has shown resilience [81] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to focus on driving sales, improving profitability, and reigniting unit growth, emphasizing the importance of a strong marketing engine and franchisee support [9][10][19] - A more sophisticated development approach is being implemented, focusing on profitable expansion and identifying underpenetrated trade areas for future growth [18] - The company is actively exploring alternative sourcing options to mitigate tariff impacts on product costs [31][32] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledges the uncertain consumer backdrop and supply chain environment but remains confident in the fundamentals of the business model [7][28] - The outlook for 2025 is reiterated, with expectations for system wide sales between $940 million and $960 million, and same store sales expected to be flat to positive 2% [30][34] Other Important Information - The company has made significant progress in assembling a new executive team to execute strategic priorities [20] - The marketing strategy is being refined to better target high-value guests and improve guest engagement [12][14] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about the game plan going forward and the potential tariff impact? - Management is pleased with progress and sees stability in the business, with no material changes in promotional activity expected [41][44] - The company is actively exploring alternative sourcing options to manage tariff exposure [46][47] Question: What are you hearing from franchisees regarding center closures? - Franchisees are passionate about the brand, and the company is focused on building strong partnerships to improve profitability and minimize closures [50][52] Question: Can you provide insight into the increase in capital investment? - The increase is primarily due to inflationary pressures rather than fundamental changes in the business model [60] Question: What are the key themes for the upcoming franchise convention? - The convention will cover a full situation assessment, opportunities, and a plan to maximize potential [62] Question: How do you prioritize marketing and franchisee execution? - The primary focus is on the marketing funnel and franchisee execution, with ongoing efforts to improve guest experience and profitability [100][101] Question: What is the strategy for dealing with higher input prices due to tariffs? - The company is evaluating all options, including potential price adjustments, but aims to manage costs effectively without compromising the brand [112]
European Wax Center(EWCZ) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript
2025-05-14 13:00
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - System wide sales for Q1 2025 reached $225.9 million, a 2.1% increase from $221.4 million in Q1 2024, driven by the shift in the Easter holiday and payment timing [23][6] - Same store sales grew by 70 basis points, but adjusting for the Easter shift, it would have been approximately flat [23][6] - Adjusted EBITDA increased by 7.2% to $18.8 million from $17.5 million in the prior year, with an adjusted EBITDA margin rising to 36.5% from 33.7% [25][26] - Adjusted net income rose by 10.3% to $9.5 million from $8.6 million in the previous year [26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue decreased by approximately $400,000 or 90 basis points to $51.4 million, primarily due to lower retail and wholesale product revenue [24] - SG&A expenses increased by $1.9 million to $15.3 million, driven by higher stock-based compensation and executive severance costs [25] - Advertising expenses decreased by $1.4 million due to the timing of spend within the fiscal year [25] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company ended Q1 with 1,062 centers, representing a 1% growth year over year, with five gross openings and ten closures resulting in five net center closures [22] - The company expects 10 to 12 gross openings and 40 to 60 center closures for the year, leading to 28 to 50 net center closures [29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to focus on driving sales, improving four wall profitability, and reigniting unit growth as critical components for revitalizing long-term growth [10][19] - A data-rich digital-first marketing engine is being developed to enhance guest engagement and drive new guest acquisition [11][12] - The company is implementing a more sophisticated development approach focused on thoughtful, profitable expansion, identifying underpenetrated trade areas for future growth [17][18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledges the uncertain consumer backdrop and supply chain environment but emphasizes strong fundamentals and proactive management [7][6] - The outlook for 2025 is reiterated, assuming a stable consumer environment, with expectations for system wide sales between $940 million and $960 million [28][30] - Management is confident in their ability to manage tariff impacts and maintain guidance despite macroeconomic challenges [31][34] Other Important Information - The company has made substantial progress in assembling a team of seasoned leaders to execute strategic priorities for 2025 and beyond [19][20] - The company is actively exploring alternative sourcing options to mitigate tariff impacts on product costs [31][44] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you talk about the game plan going forward and the potential tariff impact? - Management is pleased with progress and sees stability in the business, with no material changes in promotional activity expected [39][41] - They are actively exploring all options to manage tariff exposure, including alternative sourcing [44] Question: What are you hearing from franchisees regarding center closures? - Franchisees are passionate about the brand, but the past few years have been tough, leading to underperforming centers [48][50] Question: Can you provide insight into the cost to build and return to net unit growth? - The increase in capital investment is attributed to inflationary pressures, with a focus on optimizing costs and operations [57] Question: What are the key themes for the upcoming franchise convention? - The convention will cover a full situation assessment, opportunities, and a plan to maximize potential [60] Question: How do you prioritize marketing, franchisee execution, and other factors? - The primary focus is on the marketing funnel and franchisee execution, followed by waxer consistency and consumer value [96][98] Question: What is the performance of underperforming stores versus healthy stores? - Underperforming stores are primarily an AUV issue, with various factors contributing to their performance [65][100]
European Wax Center(EWCZ) - 2024 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript
2025-03-11 20:52
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q4, system-wide sales increased by 1.1% to $229.3 million, while same-store sales rose by 0.8% [38] - Total revenue decreased by 4.6% to $49.7 million, impacted by softer retail product sales and the removal of a COVID-related surcharge [39] - Q4 gross margin improved by 190 basis points to 74.3%, primarily due to cost savings [40] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q4 decreased by 1.6% to $19 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin increasing by 390 basis points to 38.1% [41] - Full-year adjusted net income increased by 15.2% to $25.6 million, driven by higher operating income and lower state income taxes [46] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Franchisees opened three net new centers in Q4, resulting in 2.2% net unit growth to 1,067 centers across 45 states for the full year [42] - The company expects 10 to 12 gross new centers to open in fiscal 2025, with an estimated 40 to 60 closures [49] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - System-wide sales for fiscal 2025 are expected to be between $940 million and $960 million, representing flat year-over-year growth at the midpoint [50] - Same-store sales are projected to be flat to positive 2% [51] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to develop a robust data-rich marketing engine, cultivate a more effective service-based infrastructure, and implement a sophisticated development approach [21][28] - The focus is on thoughtful and profitable expansion, with an emphasis on franchisee success and operational excellence [27][29] - The company is committed to providing regular updates on progress and strategy [34] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledges the challenges posed by a declining transaction volume and profitability among franchisees, attributing it to a tougher macro environment [17] - The company views 2025 as a transitional year to solidify the foundation for sustainable growth, with expectations to reignite unit growth by the end of 2026 [33][58] Other Important Information - The company has appointed new executives, including a new CFO and Chief Commercial Officer, to strengthen its leadership team [30][31] - The company has a solid cash position with $49.7 million in cash and a fully undrawn $40 million revolver [47] Q&A Session Summary Question: Store closure guidance for 2025 and performance in California - Management is comfortable with the range of 40 to 60 closures and believes that executing on priorities will lead to growth in 2026 [65][66] - California is experiencing more inflationary pressure, impacting franchisee profitability [71][74] Question: Four-wall economics and tax impact on SG&A - Mature units have strong unit economics with average unit volumes over $1 million and cash-on-cash returns around 40% [80] - An adjustment to SG&A related to franchise taxes was largely offset by state taxes, resulting in a net impact of around $60,000 [85] Question: Successful franchisee characteristics and potential for European Wax to buy stores - Successful franchisees are committed to service and detail-oriented, with a strong partnership with the franchisor needed for success [92][96] - The company is open to buying stores in the future but is currently focused on other priorities [99] Question: Pipeline of unopened units and consumer behavior - The pipeline remains unchanged with 10 to 12 new unit openings expected, and management does not see a significant shift in consumer behavior or competitive landscape [114][113] Question: Promotional strategy and pricing - The company is improving its marketing approach and data pipeline to evaluate promotional effectiveness, with a focus on smarter pricing strategies [128][129] Question: Core guest behavior and cost savings - Core guests remain stable in spending and frequency, with opportunities to re-engage lapsed guests [135] - Cost savings have been achieved through negotiations on product costs, with expectations for modest gross margin improvement in 2025 [134]
European Wax Center(EWCZ) - 2024 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript
2025-03-11 17:50
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q4 2024, system-wide sales increased by 1.1% to $229.3 million, while same-store sales rose by 0.8% [38] - Total revenue decreased by 4.6% to $49.7 million, impacted by softer retail product sales and the removal of a COVID-related surcharge [39] - Q4 gross margin improved by 190 basis points to 74.3%, primarily due to cost savings [40] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q4 decreased by 1.6% to $19 million, but adjusted EBITDA margin increased by 390 basis points to 38.1% [41] - Full-year adjusted net income increased by 15.2% to $25.6 million, driven by higher operating income and lower state income taxes [46] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Franchisees opened three net new centers in Q4, resulting in 2.2% net unit growth to 1,067 centers across 45 states for the full year [42] - The company expects 10 to 12 gross new centers to open in fiscal 2025, with an estimated 40 to 60 closures [18][49] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - System-wide sales for fiscal 2025 are expected to be between $940 million and $960 million, indicating flat year-over-year growth [50] - Same-store sales are projected to be flat to positive 2% [51] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to develop a robust data-rich marketing engine, enhance service-based infrastructure, and implement a sophisticated development approach for profitable expansion [21][28] - The focus is on improving franchisee support and operational excellence to drive sustainable growth [27][29] - The company is committed to transparent communication and regular updates on progress [34] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledges the challenges posed by a declining transaction volume and profitability among franchisees due to a tougher macro environment [17] - The company believes it can adapt to these challenges and has identified opportunities to reignite growth [18][20] - Management expects 2025 to be a transitional year, with a focus on solidifying the foundation for sustainable growth [49][58] Other Important Information - The company has appointed new executives, including a new CFO and Chief Commercial Officer, to strengthen its leadership team [30][31] - The company has a solid cash position with $49.7 million in cash and a fully undrawn $40 million revolver [47] Q&A Session Summary Question: Store closure guidance for 2025 and performance in California - Management is comfortable with the range of 40 to 60 closures and believes that thoughtful execution of priorities will lead to growth in 2026 [65][66] - California is experiencing more inflationary pressure, impacting franchisee profitability [71][74] Question: Four-wall economics and tax impact on SG&A - Mature units still have strong unit economics with average unit volumes over $1 million and cash-on-cash returns around 40% [80] - Adjustments to SG&A related to franchise taxes were largely offset by state taxes, resulting in a net impact of around $60,000 [85] Question: Characteristics of successful franchisees and potential for European Wax to buy stores - Successful franchisees are committed to service and detail-oriented, with a strong partnership needed for growth [92][96] - The company is open to acquiring stores in the future but is currently focused on supporting franchisees [99][100] Question: Pipeline of unopened units and consumer behavior - The pipeline remains intact with 10 to 12 new unit openings planned, and management does not see a significant shift in consumer behavior or competitive landscape [114][112] - The company is taking a top-down approach to real estate site selection to ensure successful growth [120]