PHILADEPHIA, PA — Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN), the American multinational lifestyle retail corporation (NASDAQ: URBN), has posted record first quarter earnings, setting a robust pace for the 2024 financial year.
The company announced this week that it saw a net income of $61.8 million and earnings per diluted share of $0.65 for the quarter ending in April 2024. This figure jumped to $65.5 million in adjusted net income and $0.69 in earnings per diluted share when excluding store impairment and lease abandonment charges.
The retail giant recorded a 7.8% increase in total company net sales, reaching an all-time high of $1.20 billion. This surge in sales was largely due to a high single-digit growth in digital sales and low single-digit growth in retail store sales.
However, not all brands under the Urban Outfitters umbrella saw an increase. For instance, while Free People and Anthropologie registered an impressive 17.1% and 10.4% increase in net sales, respectively, net sales at Urban Outfitters decreased by 13.7%.
Urban Outfitters’ wholesale sector also observed an uptick of 3.4% in net sales. This was principally due to a 6.3% boost in Free People wholesale sales, which was partially offset by a decline in Urban Outfitters wholesale sales.
Another noteworthy performer was the Nuuly brand, a clothing rental subscription service, which saw a whopping 51.4% increase in net sales. This significant growth was primarily attributed to a 45% surge in the average number of active subscribers for the quarter.
CEO Richard A. Hayne said, “We are pleased to report record first quarter sales and earnings driven by continued strength at the Anthropologie, Free People, FP Movement and Nuuly brands.”
Despite the economically turbulent times, the company’s gross profit rate increased by 106 basis points compared to the same timeframe last year, with gross profit dollars shooting up to $413.0 million from $371.2 million.
While Urban Outfitters has enjoyed a significant boost in their earnings, there are monetary challenges to consider. Over the past three months, selling, general and administrative expenses increased by $33.9 million due to growing marketing costs, soaring customer traffic and increased store payroll expenses.
The company’s effective tax rate was another point of contention, clocking in at 23.6% compared to 27.1% for the same period last year. This decrease was largely due to the favorable impact of equity activity.
In an interesting move, the Company’s Board of Directors, in 2019, approved the repurchase of 20 million common shares, a measure which could potentially increase the scarcity of shares and indirectly boost their value. However, as of April 2024, no shares have been repurchased.
Is this a move signaling brimming confidence, or a strategic piece of corporate maneuvering in anticipation of an uncertain future? It remains to be seen.
During the past quarter, Urban Outfitters also opened eight new retail locations and closed four.
With its impressive Q1 figures and continued high demand for its spring and summer fashion lines, Urban Outfitters Inc. looks set for a successful Q2. However, only time will tell if this momentum will sustain itself through to the end of the fiscal year.
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