francesca’s® Reports Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2017 Financial Results
December 05 2017 - 7:30AM
Francesca’s Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:FRAN) today reported
financial results for the third quarter ended October 28, 2017.
Steve Lawrence, President and CEO, stated, “While our third
quarter was a challenging period, we took decisive steps to improve
our positioning as we head into the holiday season and beyond. As
we previously discussed, our sales results were impacted by
merchandise missteps that impacted our business throughout the
third quarter. Additionally, comparable sales results were impacted
by an estimated 425 basis points from hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
We have taken aggressive action to get us back on track by
refocusing on our core consumer and delivering on our mission of
surprising and delighting every guest, every time with a unique,
trend-right assortment at a great value. We have seen business get
progressively better as the new receipts have landed and November
comparable sales have sequentially improved from our third quarter
performance. That being said, we still have a lot of work ahead of
us.
“Looking ahead, we remain focused on the initiatives that will
be critical for our success in the long term. We have spent the
better part of 2017 putting in place building blocks for our future
with the infrastructure investments we have made. Growing our
ecommerce business remains our number one long term focus and many
of the things we have put in place this year will help us drive our
online business now and in the future. We are also taking steps to
rationalize our store fleet with a focus on openings in A and B
malls and closings in C and D malls. We believe this strategy is
aligned with our goal to be in the most relevant locations.
Overall, we remain focused on taking steps to reinvigorate our
merchandise assortments and making investments in our business that
will drive sustainable profitable growth for the long term.”
THIRD QUARTER RESULTS
Net sales decreased 11% to $105.8 million from $119.5 million in
the comparable prior year quarter. This decrease was due to an 18%
decrease in comparable sales compared to a 7% increase in the
comparable prior year period. Comparable sales decreased primarily
due to a decline in boutique traffic and conversion rates as the
back-to-school assortment did not resonate with guests.
Additionally, Hurricanes Harvey and Irma negatively impacted
comparable sales by approximately 425 basis points, mostly as a
result of the supply chain disruption the Company experienced at
its corporate offices located in Houston, Texas. These decreases
were partially offset by the addition of 45 net new boutiques since
the end of the third quarter last year and $1.5 million of
additional gift card breakage income recognized during the quarter
as a result of a change in the estimated period over which
redemption of gift cards is considered remote. The Company
opened 23 new boutiques and closed one boutique during the quarter,
bringing the total count to 714 at the end of the quarter.
Gross profit, as a percent of net sales, decreased to 39.6% from
48.2% in the prior year quarter. This was due to a decrease
in merchandise margin and deleveraging of occupancy costs. The
decrease in merchandise margin was due to increased markdowns in
order to sell-through our back-to-school assortment.
Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased 1% to
$41.4 million from $41.9 million in the prior year quarter. This
decrease was primarily due to a decrease in short- and long-term
performance-based incentive expenses partially offset by increases
in boutique and corporate payroll, software, professional fees and
marketing expenses.
Income from operations was $0.5 million, or 0.4% of net sales,
compared to $15.8 million, or 13.2% of net sales, in the prior year
quarter.
BALANCE SHEET SUMMARY
Total cash and cash equivalents at the end of the third quarter
were $19.0 million compared to $24.7 million at the end of the
comparable prior year quarter. During the third quarter, the
Company repurchased 0.5 million shares of its common stock at a
total cost of $3.5 million.
The Company ended the quarter with $38.8 million of inventory on
hand compared to $42.8 million at the end of the comparable prior
year period. Average ending inventory per boutique decreased
by 15% compared to the comparable prior year period as the Company
continues to diligently control inventory through enhanced
inventory management processes that began in the second quarter of
2016.
FOURTH QUARTER AND REVISED FISCAL YEAR 2017
GUIDANCE
For the fourth quarter ending February 3, 2018, net sales are
expected to be in the range of $145 million to $150 million;
assuming a decrease of 9% to 12% in comparable sales compared to
flat comparable sales in the prior year. The Company plans to open
nine new boutiques during the fourth quarter. Diluted earnings per
share for the fourth quarter are expected to be in the range of
$0.35 to $0.40 compared to $0.39 in the prior year.
For the fiscal year ending February 3, 2018, net sales are now
expected to be in the range of $478 million to $483 million;
assuming a decrease of 9% to 10% in comparable sales compared to
the prior year increase of 2%. The Company expects to open 60
boutiques and close eight boutiques in fiscal year 2017, compared
to 64 new boutiques opened and nine boutiques closed in fiscal year
2016. Diluted earnings per share are now expected to be in
the range of $0.67 to $0.72 compared to the prior year of $1.09.
The number of average diluted shares for the full year assumed in
guidance is 36.3 million shares. The effective tax rate is
estimated to be 38.7%.
Capital expenditures for fiscal year 2017 are expected to be in
the range of $30 million to $33 million.
Conference Call Information
A conference call to discuss the third quarter results is
scheduled for December 5, 2017, at 8:30 a.m. ET. A live webcast of
the conference call will be available in the investor relations
section of the Company’s website, www.francescas.com. A replay of
the call will be available after the conclusion of the call and
remain available until December 12, 2017. To access the telephone
replay, listeners should dial 1-844-512-2921. The access code for
the replay is 6325605. A replay of the webcast will also be
available shortly after the conclusion of the call and will remain
on the website for ninety days.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this release are "forward-looking
statements" made pursuant to the safe-harbor provisions of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Such
forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations or
beliefs concerning future events and are subject to various risks
and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ
materially from those that we expected. These risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: the
risk that we cannot anticipate, identify and respond quickly to
changing fashion trends and customer preferences or changes in
consumer environment, including changing expectations of service
and experience in boutiques and online, and evolve our business
model; our ability to attract a sufficient number of customers to
our boutiques or sell sufficient quantities of our merchandise
through our ecommerce business; our ability to successfully open
and operate new boutiques each year; our ability to efficiently
source and distribute additional merchandise quantities necessary
to support our growth and our ability to successfully integrate our
new Chief Merchant. For additional information regarding these and
other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those contained in our forward-looking
statements, please refer to "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended January 28, 2017 filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on March 22, 2017 and any risk
factors contained in subsequent quarterly and annual reports we
file with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or
revise any forward-looking statement.
About Francesca's Holdings Corporation
francesca's® is a growing specialty retailer which operates a
nationwide-chain of boutiques providing customers a unique, fun and
personalized shopping experience. The merchandise assortment
is a diverse and balanced mix of apparel, jewelry, accessories and
gifts. Today francesca's® operates approximately 714 boutiques in
47 states and the District of Columbia and also serves its
customers through francescas.com. For additional information on
francesca's®, please visit www.francescas.com.
CONTACT: |
ICR, Inc. |
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Company |
Jean Fontana |
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Kelly Dilts
832-494-2236 |
646-277-1214 |
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Kate Venturina
832-494-2233 |
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IR@francescas.com |
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Francesca’s Holdings Corporation |
Consolidated Statements of Operations |
(In Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts, Percentages and
Basis Points) |
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Thirteen Weeks Ended |
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October 28, 2017 |
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October 29, 2016 |
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Variance |
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In USD |
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As a % of Net Sales(1) |
|
In USD |
|
As a % of Net Sales(1) |
|
In USD |
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% |
|
Basis Points |
Net sales |
$ |
105,791 |
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100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
119,470 |
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|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
(13,679 |
) |
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(11 |
)% |
|
- |
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Cost of goods sold and
occupancy costs |
|
63,931 |
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|
60.4 |
% |
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|
61,843 |
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51.8 |
% |
|
|
2,088 |
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|
3 |
% |
|
860 |
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Gross profit |
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41,860 |
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|
39.6 |
% |
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|
57,627 |
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48.2 |
% |
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(15,767 |
) |
|
(27 |
)% |
|
(860 |
) |
Selling, general and
administrative expenses |
|
41,405 |
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|
39.1 |
% |
|
|
41,872 |
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|
35.0 |
% |
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(467 |
) |
|
(1 |
)% |
|
410 |
|
Income from
operations |
|
455 |
|
|
0.4 |
% |
|
|
15,755 |
|
|
13.2 |
% |
|
|
(15,300 |
) |
|
(97 |
)% |
|
(1,280 |
) |
Interest expense |
|
(109 |
) |
|
(0.1 |
)% |
|
|
(131 |
) |
|
(0.1 |
)% |
|
|
(22 |
) |
|
(17 |
)% |
|
- |
|
Other income |
|
88 |
|
|
0.1 |
% |
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|
79 |
|
|
0.1 |
% |
|
|
9 |
|
|
11 |
% |
|
- |
|
Income before income
tax expense |
|
434 |
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|
0.4 |
% |
|
|
15,703 |
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|
13.1 |
% |
|
|
(15,269 |
) |
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(97 |
)% |
|
(1,270 |
) |
Income tax expense |
|
195 |
|
|
0.2 |
% |
|
|
6,009 |
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5.0 |
% |
|
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(5,814 |
) |
|
(97 |
)% |
|
(480 |
) |
Net income |
$ |
239 |
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|
0.2 |
% |
|
$ |
9,694 |
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8.1 |
% |
|
$ |
(9,455 |
) |
|
(98 |
)% |
|
(790 |
) |
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(1)
Percentage totals or differences in the above table may not
equal the sum or difference of the components due to rounding. |
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Diluted earnings per
share |
$ |
0.01 |
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$ |
0.26 |
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Weighted average
diluted share count |
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35,959 |
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|
37,675 |
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Comparable sales |
(18)% |
|
7% |
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|
|
|
|
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Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended |
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October 28, 2017 |
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October 29, 2016 |
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Variance |
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In USD |
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As a % of Net Sales(1) |
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In USD |
|
As a % of Net Sales(1) |
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In USD |
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% |
|
Basis Points |
Net sales |
$ |
333,187 |
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|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
340,843 |
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|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
(7,656 |
) |
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(2 |
)% |
|
- |
|
Cost of goods sold and
occupancy costs |
|
187,249 |
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56.2 |
% |
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|
180,149 |
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52.9 |
% |
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7,100 |
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4 |
% |
|
330 |
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Gross profit |
|
145,938 |
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43.8 |
% |
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|
160,694 |
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47.1 |
% |
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(14,756 |
) |
|
(9 |
)% |
|
(330 |
) |
Selling, general and
administrative expenses |
|
126,338 |
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|
37.9 |
% |
|
|
116,353 |
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|
34.1 |
% |
|
|
9,985 |
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|
9 |
% |
|
380 |
|
Income from
operations |
|
19,600 |
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|
5.9 |
% |
|
|
44,341 |
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|
13.0 |
% |
|
|
(24,741 |
) |
|
(56 |
)% |
|
(710 |
) |
Interest expense |
|
(332 |
) |
|
(0.1 |
)% |
|
|
(353 |
) |
|
(0.1 |
)% |
|
|
(21 |
) |
|
(6 |
)% |
|
- |
|
Other income |
|
278 |
|
|
0.1 |
% |
|
|
118 |
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|
0.0 |
% |
|
|
160 |
|
|
136 |
% |
|
10 |
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Income before income
tax expense |
|
19,546 |
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|
5.9 |
% |
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|
44,106 |
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12.9 |
% |
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(24,560 |
) |
|
(56 |
)% |
|
(700 |
) |
Income tax expense |
|
7,711 |
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|
2.3 |
% |
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|
16,740 |
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4.9 |
% |
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(9,029 |
) |
|
(54 |
)% |
|
(260 |
) |
Net income |
$ |
11,835 |
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|
3.6 |
% |
|
$ |
27,366 |
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|
8.0 |
% |
|
$ |
(15,531 |
) |
|
(57 |
)% |
|
(440 |
) |
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(1)
Percentage totals or differences in the above table may not
equal the sum or difference of the components due to rounding. |
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Diluted earnings per
share |
$ |
0.32 |
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$ |
0.70 |
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Weighted average
diluted share count |
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36,525 |
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38,945 |
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Comparable sales |
(9)% |
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3% |
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Francesca’s Holdings Corporation |
Consolidated Balance Sheets |
(In thousands, except share and per share
amount) |
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|
October 28, 2017 |
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January 28, 2017 |
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October 29, 2016 |
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ASSETS |
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Current assets: |
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Cash and
cash equivalents |
|
$ |
19,020 |
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$ |
53,202 |
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$ |
24,725 |
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Accounts
receivable |
|
|
18,150 |
|
|
|
5,605 |
|
|
|
8,218 |
|
Inventories |
|
|
38,824 |
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|
23,958 |
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|
|
42,774 |
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Deferred
income taxes |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
8,487 |
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|
|
5,709 |
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Prepaid
expenses and other current assets |
|
|
10,179 |
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|
8,823 |
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|
7,745 |
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Total current
assets |
|
|
86,173 |
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|
100,075 |
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|
89,171 |
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Property and equipment,
net |
|
|
85,710 |
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|
80,484 |
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|
82,992 |
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Deferred income
taxes |
|
|
15,577 |
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|
6,978 |
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|
4,425 |
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Other assets, net |
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|
3,794 |
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|
2,056 |
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|
1,370 |
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TOTAL
ASSETS |
|
$ |
191,254 |
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$ |
189,593 |
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$ |
177,958 |
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LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |
|
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Current
liabilities: |
|
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|
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|
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Accounts
payable |
|
$ |
28,239 |
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|
$ |
9,205 |
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|
$ |
16,550 |
|
Accrued
liabilities |
|
|
12,848 |
|
|
|
25,761 |
|
|
|
16,629 |
|
Total current
liabilities |
|
|
41,087 |
|
|
|
34,966 |
|
|
|
33,179 |
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Landlord incentives and
deferred rent |
|
|
38,327 |
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|
38,092 |
|
|
|
38,821 |
|
Total liabilities |
|
|
79,414 |
|
|
|
73,058 |
|
|
|
72,000 |
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Commitments and
contingencies |
|
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Stockholders’
equity: |
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Common
stock - $0.01 par value, 80.0 million shares authorized; 46.4
million, 46.1 million and 46.1 million shares issued at October 28,
2017, January 28, 2017 and October 29, 2016, respectively. |
|
|
464 |
|
|
|
461 |
|
|
|
461 |
|
Additional paid-in capital |
|
|
111,065 |
|
|
|
109,008 |
|
|
|
107,908 |
|
Retained
earnings |
|
|
155,319 |
|
|
|
143,557 |
|
|
|
128,922 |
|
Treasury
stock, at cost – 10.2 million, 8.5 million and 8.3 million shares
at October 28, 2017, January 28, 2017 and October 29, 2016,
respectively. |
|
|
(155,008 |
) |
|
|
(136,491 |
) |
|
|
(131,333 |
) |
Total stockholders’
equity |
|
|
111,840 |
|
|
|
116,535 |
|
|
|
105,958 |
|
TOTAL
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |
|
$ |
191,254 |
|
|
$ |
189,593 |
|
|
$ |
177,958 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Francesca’s Holdings Corporation |
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows |
(In
thousands) |
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|
Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended |
|
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|
October 28, 2017 |
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October 29, 2016 |
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Cash Flows Provided by
Operating Activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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Net
income |
|
$ |
11,835 |
|
|
$ |
27,366 |
|
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by
operating activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Depreciation and amortization |
|
|
15,749 |
|
|
|
14,415 |
|
Stock-based compensation expense |
|
|
2,082 |
|
|
|
18 |
|
Excess
tax benefit from stock-based compensation |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
(2 |
) |
Loss on
disposal of assets |
|
|
565 |
|
|
|
265 |
|
Deferred
income taxes |
|
|
(65 |
) |
|
|
(81 |
) |
Impairment charges |
|
|
100 |
|
|
|
66 |
|
Changes
in operating assets and liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts
receivable |
|
|
(12,272 |
) |
|
|
1,364 |
|
Inventories |
|
|
(14,866 |
) |
|
|
(11,233 |
) |
Prepaid
expenses and other assets |
|
|
(3,529 |
) |
|
|
(1,294 |
) |
Accounts
payable |
|
|
16,987 |
|
|
|
2,015 |
|
Accrued
liabilities |
|
|
(12,913 |
) |
|
|
301 |
|
Landlord
incentives and deferred rent |
|
|
235 |
|
|
|
2,269 |
|
Net cash provided by
operating activities |
|
|
3,908 |
|
|
|
35,469 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Flows Used in
Investing Activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Purchases
of property and equipment |
|
|
(19,121 |
) |
|
|
(18,666 |
) |
Other |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
8 |
|
Net cash used in
investing activities |
|
|
(19,121 |
) |
|
|
(18,658 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Flows Used in
Financing Activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Repurchases of common stock |
|
|
(18,827 |
) |
|
|
(48,715 |
) |
Taxes
paid related to net share settlement of equity awards |
|
|
(142 |
) |
|
|
- |
|
Proceeds
from the exercise of stock options |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
403 |
|
Excess
tax benefit from stock-based compensation |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Net cash used in
financing activities |
|
|
(18,969 |
) |
|
|
(48,310 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net decrease in cash
and cash equivalents |
|
|
(34,182 |
) |
|
|
(31,499 |
) |
Cash and cash
equivalents, beginning of year |
|
|
53,202 |
|
|
|
56,224 |
|
Cash and cash
equivalents, end of period |
|
$ |
19,020 |
|
|
$ |
24,725 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental
Disclosures of Cash Flow Information: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash paid
for income taxes |
|
$ |
23,806 |
|
|
$ |
13,014 |
|
Interest
paid |
|
$ |
144 |
|
|
$ |
143 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Francesca’s Holdings Corporation |
Supplemental Information |
|
Quarterly Sales by Merchandise Category |
|
|
|
Thirteen Weeks Ended |
|
|
|
|
October 28, 2017 |
|
October 29, 2016 |
|
Variance |
|
|
In Dollars |
|
As a % ofNet Sales |
|
In Dollars |
|
|
As a % ofNet Sales |
|
In Dollars |
|
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(in thousands, except
percentages) |
Apparel(1) |
|
$ |
54,663 |
|
|
|
51.7 |
% |
|
$ |
64,013 |
|
|
|
53.6 |
% |
|
$ |
(9,350 |
) |
|
|
(15 |
)% |
Jewelry |
|
|
22,826 |
|
|
|
21.6 |
% |
|
|
26,143 |
|
|
|
21.9 |
% |
|
|
(3,317 |
) |
|
|
(13 |
)% |
Accessories(1) |
|
|
15,360 |
|
|
|
14.5 |
% |
|
|
17,346 |
|
|
|
14.5 |
% |
|
|
(1,986 |
) |
|
|
(11 |
)% |
Gifts |
|
|
10,922 |
|
|
|
10.3 |
% |
|
|
11,638 |
|
|
|
9.7 |
% |
|
|
(716 |
) |
|
|
(6 |
)% |
Merchandise sales |
|
|
103,771 |
|
|
|
98.1 |
% |
|
|
119,140 |
|
|
|
99.7 |
% |
|
|
(15,369 |
) |
|
|
(13 |
)% |
Other
(2) |
|
|
2,020 |
|
|
|
1.9 |
% |
|
|
330 |
|
|
|
0.3 |
% |
|
|
1,690 |
|
|
|
512 |
% |
|
|
$ |
105,791 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
119,470 |
|
|
|
100.0 |
% |
|
$ |
(13,679 |
) |
|
|
(11 |
)% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) In the first quarter of fiscal 2017, swimwear was
reclassified out of accessories to apparel. To facilitate
comparability, prior year amounts were reclassified. |
(2) Includes gift card breakage income, shipping and change in
return reserve. |
|
Quarterly Comparable Sales |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FY 2017 |
|
FY 2016 |
|
FY 2015 |
Q1 |
(5)% |
|
2% |
|
(2)% |
Q2 |
(3)% |
|
0% |
|
(4)% |
Q3 |
(18)% |
|
7% |
|
4% |
Q4 |
|
|
0% |
|
11% |
Fiscal
year |
|
|
2% |
|
3% |
Boutique Count |
|
|
Thirty-Nine Weeks EndedOctober 28,
2017 |
|
Fiscal Year EndedJanuary 28,
2017 |
|
Thirty-Nine Weeks EndedOctober 29,
2016 |
|
Number of boutiques
open at the beginning of period |
671 |
|
616 |
|
616 |
|
Boutiques opened |
51 |
|
64 |
|
59 |
|
Boutiques closed |
(8 |
) |
(9 |
) |
(6 |
) |
Number of boutiques
open at the end of period |
714 |
|
671 |
|
669 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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