| ● | Net earnings of $30.0 million, or earnings per diluted share of $0.85, compared to net earnings of $33.9 million, or earnings per diluted share of $0.95 in the second quarter 2023 and adjusted net earnings of $35.2 million, or adjusted earnings per diluted share of $0.98 in the second quarter of 2023; |
| ● | Inventory was flat to the second quarter 2023 in total; |
| ● | Borrowings under the asset-based revolving credit facility were $146.5 million at the end of the period, down $98 million from the second quarter of 2023, and included the benefit from a deferred vendor payment of $49 million. |
Capital Allocation Update
During the quarter, Caleres continued to invest in value-driving growth opportunities while at the same time returning cash to shareholders through our dividend. In the near term, the company expects to continue to focus on reducing debt and still expects borrowings under its asset-based revolving credit facility will be less than $100 million by 2026. Caleres will continue to consider business performance and market conditions as it evaluates all opportunities for free cash flow as the year progresses, including share repurchases.
Fiscal 2024 Outlook:
Caleres is revising its fiscal 2024 financial outlook. As previously noted, its fiscal 2024 is a 52-week year and compares to a 53-week year in fiscal 2023. The revised assumptions are summarized in the table below. Our tax rate expectation of 24% is unchanged.
| | | |
Metric | Prior 2024 Annual Guidance | Revised 2024 Annual Guidance | Third Quarter Guidance |
Sales Change | Flat to up 2% | Down low single digits | Flat to down 2% |
Operating Margin | 7.3% - 7.5% | 7.0% - 7.1% | |
GAAP EPS | $4.30 - $4.60 | $3.94 - $4.09 | $1.24 - $1.34 |
Adjusted EPS | $4.30 - $4.60 | $4.00 - $4.15* | $1.30 - $1.40* |
Capital Expenditures | $60 - $70 million | $50 - $55 million | |
* Adjusted EPS excludes $0.06 associated with restructuring costs in the third quarter.
Investor Conference Call
Caleres will host a conference call at 10:00 a.m. ET today, Thursday, September 12, 2024. The webcast and associated slides will be available at https://investor.caleres.com/events-and-presentations. A live conference call will be available at (877) 704-4453 for North America participants or (201) 389-0920 for international participants, no passcode necessary. A replay will be also available at https://investor.caleres.com/events-and-presentations/archive for a limited period. Investors may also access the replay by dialing (844) 512-2921 in North America or (412) 317-6671 internationally and using the conference pin 13748562.
Definitions
All references in this press release, outside of the condensed consolidated financial statements that follow, unless otherwise noted, related to net earnings attributable to Caleres, Inc. and diluted earnings per common share attributable to Caleres, Inc. shareholders, are presented as net earnings and earnings per diluted share, respectively.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Metrics
In this press release, the company’s financial results are provided both in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and using certain non-GAAP financial measures and metrics. In particular, the company provides earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and estimated and future operating earnings, net earnings and earnings per diluted share, adjusted to exclude certain gains, charges and recoveries, which are non-GAAP financial measures, and the debt to EBITDA leverage ratio, which is a non-GAAP financial metric. These results are included as a complement to results provided in accordance with GAAP because management believes this non-GAAP financial measure and metric help identify underlying trends in the company’s business and provide useful information to both management and investors by excluding certain items that may not be indicative of the company’s core operating results. This measure and metric should not be considered a substitute for or superior to GAAP results.