Haverty Furniture(HVT) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q1 2025 sales were $181.6 million, a decrease of 1.3% year-over-year, with comparable store sales down 4.8% [3][18] - Gross margins increased to 61.2% from 60.3%, reflecting improved product selection and merchandise mix [4][18] - Pre-tax profits rose to $5.3 million, with an operating margin of 2.9%, compared to $3.2 million and 1.7% in Q1 2024 [4][19] - Net income for Q1 2025 was $3.8 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, compared to $2.4 million, or $0.14 per share, in the same quarter last year [19] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The design business accounted for approximately 33% of total business, with an average ticket of over $3,300, up about 4% [6] - The designer average ticket grew to over $7,400, an increase of over 9% [6] - Weakness was noted in dining and occasional categories, while upholstery, bedroom, and mattress categories performed in line with expectations [6] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Written sales were down 2.6% with comparable sales down 6.3% [3] - Sales for the Presidents' Day event were disappointing, down roughly 10% over the two-week period [5] - Traffic softened but remained positive in the low single digits, with conversion rates stabilizing and showing some improvement compared to last year [5] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to roll out a new point of purchase and tagging program to enhance the in-store customer experience [7] - The strategy includes increasing inventories of best-selling products to improve service speed and mitigate tariff impacts [11][12] - The company aims to open five new stores annually, with a cautious approach due to current market conditions [13][14] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed satisfaction with Q1 results despite challenges from the housing market, high interest rates, and consumer confidence issues [4][16] - The company is well-positioned to navigate challenges due to its strong brand, debt-free balance sheet, and customer focus [17] - Future guidance includes expectations for gross margins between 60% and 60.5% for 2025, factoring in current tariffs [21][22] Other Important Information - SG&A expenses decreased by $2.2 million or 1.9% to $107.2 million, representing 59% of sales [19] - Inventory levels increased by approximately $5 million or about 6% since year-end 2024 [11][20] - The company has halted most direct shipments from China due to tariffs, which could cause temporary supply disruptions [10] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of winter storms on business - Management noted that January was down almost 2% in written business, February down about 5%, and March was flat, with multiple storms impacting operations [26][27][28] Question: Price increases due to tariffs - Management confirmed targeted price increases will be implemented, but they expect minimal impact on consumers due to supplier cooperation [31][32] Question: Changes in competition - Management observed aggressive promotions from competitors but did not believe promotional activity was the primary issue affecting their performance [34][35] Question: Reduction in CapEx guidance - Management explained the $3 million reduction in CapEx was due to tariff uncertainty, prompting a cautious approach to store expansion [36][37] Question: Performance of new stores - Management reported positive performance from new stores, leveraging existing distribution networks, and noted that initial traffic has been good [47][48]