Rocky Brands(US:RCKY)2025-07-29 21:30Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Reported net sales for Q2 increased by 7.5% to $105.6 million, with wholesale sales up 7.1% to $73.1 million and retail net sales up 13.9% to $29.7 million [19] - Adjusted EPS more than tripled to $0.55 per diluted share compared to $0.17 per diluted share a year ago [22] - Gross profit was $43.3 million, representing 41% of net sales, an increase from 38.7% in the same period last year [19][20] - Operating income increased by 58.7% to $7.2 million, or 6.8% of net sales [21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Outdoor category, led by Extra Tough and Muck, is emerging as a key growth engine alongside traditional work and Western strengths [6] - Extra Tough maintained its position as the fastest-growing brand, with strong demand and expanding distribution [7] - Muck delivered its best quarter-to-quarter comparison since 2023, with strong performance driven by improved inventory positions and favorable weather [9] - Durango achieved high single-digit growth, while Georgia Boot showed progressive improvement throughout the quarter [10][11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.S. Wholesale significantly outpaced last year with strong double-digit growth, and e-commerce growth was equally strong [8] - The Outdoor category made up about one-third of sales for Q2, indicating its growing importance [41] - The work category remains the largest segment, followed by outdoor, with growth primarily in Extra Tough and Muck [40] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on shifting production to its Dominican Republic and Puerto Rican facilities to mitigate tariff impacts and improve cost competitiveness [60][61] - The strategic positioning and operational efficiencies are expected to drive continued growth and increased shareholder value [16] - The company is optimistic about military prospects, having earned a USMC hot weather boot certification [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed cautious optimism regarding consumer demand, noting positive sell-through rates in key categories despite some volatility [46][47] - The company is increasing its 2025 revenue guidance to a growth of 45% compared to 2024 levels, up from previous low single-digit expectations [23] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining competitive pricing while ensuring retailer margins are preserved [33] Other Important Information - The company has approximately $11 million of incremental tariffs on the balance sheet that will impact the P&L over the remainder of the year [22] - Inventory at the end of Q2 was $186.8 million, up 6.8% year-over-year, driven by higher tariffs [22] Q&A Session Summary Question: How have the supply chain shifts been going? - Management reported being ahead of schedule in shifting production to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, with boots already inbound [28][29] Question: How is pricing flowing through to retail partners? - Management noted some pushback but overall positive reception, with price increases implemented in June [31][32] Question: What are the drivers behind the guidance raise? - The guidance increase is primarily driven by strong Q2 performance and positive order indications for the second half of the year [34][35] Question: How does the outdoor business compare to the work business? - The outdoor category is growing faster than the work category, which remains the largest segment [40][41] Question: What is the state of consumer demand? - Management indicated mixed signals, with positive sell-through in certain categories but caution due to market volatility [46][47] Question: What are the prospects for market share gains from in-house manufacturing? - Management believes in-house operations will provide a competitive advantage, with plans to increase in-house production to around 45% [61][62] Question: What is the breakdown between wholesale and direct-to-consumer sales? - Management disclosed that over half of retail sales come from the Lehigh business, with branded e-commerce growing [65][66] Question: How much debt is expected to be paid down in the second half of the year? - Management anticipates a debt reduction of 10% to 13% from the prior year, though not as significant as the previous year [70]