Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) today reported earnings per diluted share for the second quarter ended July 29, 2017 was $0.65, which achieved Company expectations.
Total Company net sales increased 3.5 percent and comparable sales increased 1.7 percent, compared with the same quarter last year. The Company’s Anniversary Sale, historically its largest event of the year, performed better than recent trends. Nordstrom continued its progress in executing its customer strategy while maintaining discipline around inventory and expenses:
• As a result of the Company’s ongoing efforts to provide newness and limited-distribution product to customers, Nordstrom proprietary labels represented three of the top five selling brands during the Anniversary Sale.
• In executing its digital strategy, the Company delivered online sales growth of 20 percent at Nordstrom.com, reflecting its largest volume day in company history, and 27 percent at Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook.
• The Nordstrom Rewards loyalty program continues to play an important role in reaching new customers and strengthening existing customer relationships. The Company has 9.4 million active Rewards customers in the U.S. and Canada, up approximately 50 percent, from 6.2 million a year ago. Sales from Nordstrom Rewards customers represented 56 percent of second quarter sales, compared with 48 percent a year ago.
SECOND QUARTER SUMMARY
• Second quarter net earnings were $110 million and earnings before interest and taxes (“EBIT”) were $217 million, or 5.8 percent of net sales, compared with net earnings of $117 million and EBIT of $221 million, or 6.1 percent of net sales, during the same period in fiscal 2016. ? Retail EBIT decreased $27 million compared with the same quarter last year, primarily reflecting planned technology, occupancy and supply chain expenses supporting the Company’s growth initiatives.
* Credit EBIT increased $23 million through the strategic partnership with TD Bank. Credit card revenues increased 30 percent, which included a reduction in amortization expenses of $5 million related to the sale of the credit card portfolio in October 2015.
• Total Company net sales of $3.7 billion for the second quarter increased 3.5 percent compared with net sales of $3.6 billion during the same period in fiscal 2016. Total Company comparable sales for the second quarter increased 1.7 percent compared with the same quarter last year. ? In the Nordstrom brand, including U.S. and Canada full-line stores and Nordstrom.com, net sales when combined with Trunk Club, increased 2.4 percent and comparable sales increased 1.4 percent. The top-performing merchandise categories were Women’s Apparel and Beauty. The East was the top-ranking U.S. geographic region.
* In the Nordstrom Rack brand, which consists of Nordstrom Rack stores and Nordstromrack.com/HauteLook, net sales increased 9.8 percent and comparable sales increased 3.1 percent. The East was the top-ranking geographic region.
• Retail gross profit, as a percentage of net sales, of 34.1 percent decreased 25 basis points compared with the same period in fiscal 2016. This primarily reflected higher occupancy expenses related to new store growth for Nordstrom Rack and Canada in addition to higher loyalty expenses during the Anniversary Sale. This was partially offset by improved merchandise margins, reflecting the continued strength in regular price selling. Net sales growth of 3.5 percent exceeded inventory growth of 2.2 percent.
• Selling, general and administrative expenses, as a percentage of net sales, of 30.3 percent increased 46 basis points compared with the same period in fiscal 2016, reflected planned technology and supply chain expenses associated with the Company’s growth initiatives.
• Return on invested capital (“ROIC”) for the 12 fiscal months ended July 29, 2017 was 8.9 percent compared with 9.1 percent in the prior 12-month period. Results for the current period were negatively impacted by approximately 310 basis points due to the Trunk Club non-cash goodwill impairment charge in the third quarter of 2016. A reconciliation of this non-GAAP financial measure to the closest GAAP measure is included below.
more detail at: http://press.nordstrom.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=211996&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2293385