Buckle(BKE)2025-05-23 15:02Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net income for Q1 2026 was $35.2 million or $0.70 per share, compared to $34.8 million or $0.69 per share in Q1 2025, reflecting a year-over-year increase [4] - Net sales increased by 3.7% to $272.1 million from $262.5 million in the prior year [4] - Gross margin improved to 46.7%, a 70 basis point increase from 46% in the previous year [4] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Women's merchandise sales increased by approximately 10.5%, representing about 50% of total sales, up from 47% last year [9] - Men's merchandise sales decreased by about 2.5%, accounting for approximately 50% of total sales, down from 53% [10] - Youth business saw an increase of approximately 11.5% year-over-year [12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Comparable store sales increased by 3% compared to the same period last year [4] - Online sales rose by 4.5% to $46.4 million [4] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to open seven new stores and complete 16 additional full remodel projects for the remainder of the year [7] - Focus on enhancing private label offerings, which represented 47.5% of sales, up from 46% in the prior year [12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in managing vendor relationships to mitigate tariff impacts, with some vendors maintaining stable costs [21] - Positive trends in women's business and strong sell-throughs in key categories were highlighted as encouraging signs for future performance [21] Other Important Information - Selling, general and administrative expenses were 30.7% of net sales, up from 29.8% in the previous year, driven by increases in incentive compensation and health insurance costs [5] - Inventory stood at $132.4 million, a 1.3% increase from the previous year [6] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of China tariffs on gross margin - Management indicated that they are managing tariffs effectively with vendors, with some costs remaining stable and others experiencing low to mid-single digit increases [16][21] Question: Increase in operating lease assets - The increase in operating lease assets was attributed to new stores and remodels over the past twelve months [17] Question: Drivers of merchandise margin increase - The increase in merchandise margin was driven by growth in private label and strong regular price selling [23] Question: Potential for SG&A leverage - Management noted that total SG&A dollars were up slightly, with store payroll flat as a percentage of sales, indicating potential for leverage if sales continue to improve [27]