25 Apr Skechers’ Q1 Beats Street Estimates
Skechers USA Inc. reported earnings jumped 74.1 percent in the first quarter to $97.6 million, or 63 cents a share, exceeding Wall Street’s consensus estimate of 53 cents a share.
First quarter 2016 net sales were $978.8 million compared to $768.0 million in the first quarter of 2015, an increase of 27.4 percent. Gross profit for the first quarter of 2016 was $432.2 million, or 44.2 percent of net sales, compared to $332.5 million, or 43.3 percent of net sales in the first quarter of 2015. Earnings from operations for the first quarter of 2016 were $138.6 million, or 14.2 percent of net sales, compared to net earnings from operations of $88.2 million, or 11.5 percent of net sales, for the first quarter of 2015.
“At no other time in the Company’s history have we been stronger across our many product categories, marketing initiatives and multiple distribution channels. The growing demand for our brand has resulted in record revenues of $978.8 million and earnings from operations of $138.6 million for the first quarter of 2016,” began David Weinberg, chief operating officer and chief financial officer. “These significant achievements are primarily the result of a 47.1 percent increase in our international wholesale business over the first quarter 2015, and a shift forward of some domestic and international orders into the first quarter due to the Easter timing. In addition, domestic wholesale sales increased 12.1 percent and our Company-owned retail sales increased by 23.2 percent with a 9.8 percent comp store sales increase over the prior year period. For the first time ever, our international business has grown to be our largest segment—with international wholesale representing 42.9 percent and international wholesale and retail representing 47.7 percent of our total sales. To meet the increased demand, we are investing in our infrastructure, including improved efficiencies in our European Distribution Center, which allowed us to achieve a record three million pairs shipped in a month during February. With the completion of our European Distribution Center expansion to one million square feet in the second quarter of 2016, and with the automation to be fully completed later this year, we expect to be even more efficient in our largest market outside of the United States.”
Robert Greenberg, Skechers chief executive officer, commented: “2016 marks Skechers’ 24th year in business and we couldn’t be more pleased to start 2016 with record quarterly revenues just shy of the billion dollar mark. By remaining focused on our product, building on our proven sellers—like our colorful and comfortable Skechers Sport collection and our vast array of Skechers GOwalk footwear—and introducing new designs, including a retro sport line that global singing sensation Meghan Trainor is wearing in her new Skechers campaign, we continue to innovate and further develop our global brand. The sales growth that we achieved in the first quarter in the United States is due to our expanding product range that appeals both to our loyal shoppers and a widening demographic, including tweens and teens, as well as those that first wore our product in 1992. This is due to our advertising—which features young superstars like Meghan and Demi Lovato, as well as icons such as Sugar Ray Leonard, Ringo Starr and now Howie Long. Our consumer base also includes serious athletes who have embraced our technical product thanks in part to the recognition we’re receiving with our elite runner Meb in the running for an Olympic medal, a team of top ranked golfers, and the title sponsorship of the Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon. With a strong sales increase in the first quarter driven by substantial growth across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and closer to home in Canada and Chile, we see our international business as being a key driver of our continued growth as we deliver a broader assortment of our footwear for men, women and kids, expand into new accounts, and open more international Skechers retail stores. In the first quarter, together with our international partners, we opened 87 Skechers retail stores, bringing the total to 1,397; with the opening of 17 stores in the second quarter already, we now have 1,414 Skechers stores, of which 1,017 are in international markets. Given our significant momentum and current product in the pipeline, we believe our success will continue throughout the year.”
Weinberg added: “Last year’s second quarter was extremely strong as shipments were pushed from the first quarter into the second quarter of 2015, while this year shipments were pulled from the second quarter into the first quarter. We believe this was in part due to our European business strengthening and China increasing its wholesale distribution strategy through a franchise store model, both of which concentrated volume into the first quarter. Total inventories, which decreased $118.4 million or 19.1 percent from December 31, 2015, and increased $109.7 million or 28.0 percent from March 31, 2015, are in line with our growth and increased Company-owned store count. Our financial position is strong with $443.8 million in cash and cash equivalents. We currently believe second quarter 2016 net sales will be between $875 million and $900 million; this guidance assumes no significant shift or pull forward of orders from the third quarter into the second quarter. Our first and third quarter net sales have the potential to become larger relative to the net sales balance of the other quarters as our international business becomes a greater percentage of our total net sales. We therefore believe there could be upside opportunity for the third quarter of 2016 and the balance of the year.”