NORTH READING, Mass., Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BRUNT Workwear, the fastest growing boot and apparel company for trade workers in the U.S., appointed Scott Roberts as Chief Merchandising Officer. Roberts spent more than 25 years leading merchandising at juggernaut brands like Nike and Columbia Sportswear, and joins BRUNT as the company charges ahead in redefining modern workwear. Since launching in 2020 to serve the 35 million U.S. trade workers, BRUNT has grown rapidly and is now bringing in leade ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - First quarter revenue increased by 19% to $504 million, with consolidated same store sales rising by 9.4% [5][17] - Earnings per diluted share grew by 38% to $1.74 compared to $1.26 in the prior year [5][19] - Merchandise margin rate increased by 180 basis points year-over-year, contributing to a gross profit increase of 26% to $197 million [5][17][18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - New store growth: 14 new stores opened in Q1, bringing the total to 473 stores across 49 states [5][6] - Same store sales: Brick and mortar same store sales increased by 9.5%, driven by an 8.5% increase in transactions [7][8] - Ecommerce same store sales grew by 9.3%, with bootbarn.com accounting for approximately 75% of online sales [10][17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The denim business showed strong performance, with double-digit growth in both men's and women's categories [8][31] - The work boots business experienced low single-digit positive comp growth, indicating a steady recovery [12][62] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on four strategic initiatives: new store growth, same store sales, omnichannel expansion, and merchandise margin expansion [5][12] - Plans to double the store count in the U.S. over the next several years, with a target of opening 65 to 70 new stores in fiscal 2026 [6][23] - Exclusive brand penetration increased to 40.6% of sales, with a goal to reach 50% over the next five to six years [12][49] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed caution regarding overall consumer sentiment and macroeconomic uncertainty, particularly in the second half of the year [15][21] - Despite challenges, the company remains confident in its ability to execute its strategic initiatives and drive growth [26][78] - The company raised its full-year guidance due to strong Q1 results and positive momentum into Q2 [20][21] Other Important Information - Inventory increased by 23% year-over-year to $774 million, with markdowns as a percentage of inventory below historical levels [19][20] - The company repurchased approximately 78,000 shares for $12.5 million as part of its $200 million share repurchase program [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Drivers of demand strength in Q1 and July acceleration - Management noted that transaction growth was a key driver, with broad-based strength across all regions and categories, particularly in denim [30][31] Question: Markdown levels relative to last year - Markdowns remained low compared to last year and historical levels, with expectations for this trend to continue [34][36] Question: Exclusive brand marketing initiatives - The company is focusing on marketing its exclusive brands, with successful campaigns for Hawx and Cody James, targeting blue-collar customers [38][40] Question: Tariff-related price increases - Price increases from suppliers remain at mid-single digit levels, with reticketing expected to be completed by August [42][43] Question: Competitive landscape and share gain opportunities - Management believes the company is well-positioned relative to competitors, especially with exclusive brands and inventory management [68][70] Question: Inventory management and buying plans - The company feels confident in its inventory flow and believes it has enough inventory to meet guidance and potential upside [76][77] Question: Future strategic initiatives - Management is focused on current strategic priorities and is not considering new initiatives at this time [78][79]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Full year fiscal 2025 revenue reached a record $1,900,000,000, reflecting a $1,000,000,000 increase over the last four fiscal years [8] - Earnings per diluted share grew by 23% to $5.88, an increase of $1.08 over the prior year [8] - Fourth quarter total revenue increased by 17%, with earnings per diluted share at $1.22 compared to $0.96 in the prior year [9][10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consolidated same store sales increased by 6% in the fourth quarter, with brick-and-mortar sales up 5.5% and e-commerce sales up 9.8% [9][10] - Merchandise margin expanded by 210 basis points in the fourth quarter and by 130 basis points for the full year [21][25] - Exclusive brand penetration increased to 38.6% for fiscal 2025, with a growth of 1,500 basis points over the last four years [21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company opened 60 new stores in fiscal 2025, expanding its footprint into four new states, ending the year with 459 stores [14] - The customer loyalty database grew by 14% year-over-year, reaching 9,600,000 active customers [17] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to open 65 to 70 new stores in fiscal 2026, maintaining a growth rate of 15% [15] - The strategy includes a focus on exclusive brands and managing pricing in response to tariff impacts [12][22] - The company aims to maintain merchandise margin rates while potentially sacrificing some margin to gain market share [23] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in navigating ongoing uncertainties related to tariffs and consumer demand [10][29] - The company anticipates a potential decline in merchandise margin in the second half of fiscal 2026 due to tariff impacts [22][29] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining strong customer relationships and brand loyalty as key drivers for future growth [18][35] Other Important Information - The company has authorized a share repurchase program of up to $200,000,000, reflecting confidence in cash flow generation [34] - The company expects to face a tariff impact of approximately $8,000,000 in fiscal 2026, with strategies in place to mitigate this [11][41] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on April and May same store sales? - Management noted strong sales trends in the first quarter, with a guidance of plus 6% for the entire quarter, consistent with Q4 [38][40] Question: Can you elaborate on pricing power for the Boot Barn brand? - Management indicated that they have seen good pricing power, with typical price increases absorbed by customers, but expect some elasticity of demand due to mid-single-digit price increases [41][42] Question: What about product shortages from China? - Management stated that only 5% of exclusive brand products are sourced from China, with efforts to diversify production to other countries [48][49] Question: How do you plan to leverage SG&A expenses? - Management expects to leverage SG&A through normalized incentive compensation and lower legal expenses, benefiting from new store openings [78] Question: What is the outlook for merchandise margins? - Management anticipates strong margins in the first half of fiscal 2026 but expects pressure in the second half due to tariffs [70][71] Question: How is the competitive landscape behaving? - Management noted that larger competitors remain rational, while smaller mom-and-pop retailers may face challenges due to price increases [90][91]