Sportsman’s Warehouse(SPWH) - 2026 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net sales for Q1 2025 were $249.1 million, a 2% increase from$ 244.2 million in the same period last year, marking a strong start to the year [15] - Gross margin for the quarter was 30.4%, up 20 basis points from 30.2% a year ago, driven by favorable mix and rate improvements in the Fishing business [16] - SG&A expenses were $95.3 million, or 38.2% of net sales, compared to 38.6% in the prior year, reflecting improved expense discipline [17] - Net loss for Q1 was$ 21.3 million, or negative $0.56 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of$ 18.1 million, or negative $0.48 per diluted share in the prior year [17] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 was negative$ 9 million, compared to negative $8.7 million in Q1 2024 [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Firearms unit sales increased nearly 7% year-over-year, significantly outpacing the adjusted NICS data, which declined by 5.4% [7] - Positive sales comps were achieved in most core categories, including firearms, clothing, footwear, and ammunition, which was up 3% [7] - Fishing sales were up 11%, validating the new merchandising strategy with a two-year comp stock growth of 12.3% [8] - E-commerce business posted a positive comp, up 8% over last year, driven by a new digital-first marketing strategy [9] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company captured market share in firearms despite a decline in adjusted NICS, indicating strong performance relative to the industry [7] - The strategic shift to everyday low prices on core ammunition calibers drove a 12% increase in ammo unit sales during the quarter [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on a turnaround plan to transform Sportsman's Warehouse for sustained profitability and growth, emphasizing inventory precision, local relevance, personal protection, and brand awareness [5][6] - The launch of the Safety Outpost on the website signals a commitment to personal protection, a major growth category [11] - The company aims to reduce total inventory by the end of the year while maintaining the right products in the right stores at the right time [20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the strategic plan despite ongoing macroeconomic challenges, highlighting improved comp trends and inventory execution [24] - The company anticipates generating positive free cash flow and using excess cash to reduce debt and strengthen the balance sheet [22][41] - Full year guidance for net sales is expected to range between down 1% to up 3.5% compared to 2024, with adjusted EBITDA projected between$ 33 million and $45 million [23] Other Important Information - Total inventory at the end of Q1 was$ 412.3 million, up from $391.6 million in the same period last year, reflecting a strategic decision to pull forward inventory ahead of rising tariffs [18] - The company reduced total active SKUs by approximately 20%, simplifying the assortment and improving inventory terms [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you break down comp trends by month and extend that into May? - Management noted good trends in February, with a strong performance in April, and confirmed that May also showed positive comps [26][28] Question: Is the increase in sales due to foot traffic or inventory assortments? - Management indicated a mixture of better traffic trends, positive transaction trends, and higher basket sizes contributing to the increase [29] Question: Can you clarify the$ 20 million inventory pull forward? - Management confirmed the strategic decision to pull forward $20 million of inventory to address tariff uncertainties and ensure stock for key seasons [36] Question: Did sales mix negatively impact gross profit margin in Q1? - Management acknowledged that heavy penetration in firearms and ammo impacted gross profit margin but was aligned with their strategy [38] Question: What are the thoughts on debt repayment this year? - Management expressed confidence in generating positive free cash flow and applying excess cash to debt repayment [41] Question: What is the impact of tariffs on the P&L? - Management indicated that the pull forward in inventory would likely mitigate tariff impacts until at least the third quarter [49]