URBN Reports Q3 Sales and Earnings

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Urban Outfitters, Inc. (NASDAQ:URBN), a leading lifestyle products and services company which operates a portfolio of global consumer brands comprised of the Anthropologie, BHLDN, Free People, FP Movement, Terrain, Urban Outfitters, Nuuly and Menus & Venues brands, today announced net income of $37.2 million and earnings per diluted share of $0.40 for the three months ended October 31, 2022. For the nine months ended October 31, 2022, net income was $128.2 million and earnings per diluted share were $1.36.

Total Company net sales for the three months ended October 31, 2022, increased 3.9% over the same period last year to a record $1.18 billion. Total Retail segment net sales increased 2%, with comparable Retail segment net sales increasing 4%, partially offset by a 2% negative impact of foreign currency translation. The increase in Retail segment comparable net sales was driven by mid-single-digit positive digital channel sales and low single-digit positive retail store sales. By brand, comparable Retail segment net sales increased 13% at the Anthropologie Group and 8% at the Free People Group and decreased 9% at Urban Outfitters. Wholesale segment net sales decreased 3%, driven by a 4% decrease in Free People Group wholesale sales, partially offset by a 6% increase in Urban Outfitters wholesale sales. Nuuly segment net sales increased by $22.6 million driven by a 185% increase in our subscribers during the quarter versus the prior year’s comparable quarter.

For the nine months ended October 31, 2022, total Company net sales increased 6.0% compared to the same period last year. Total Retail segment net sales increased 5%, with comparable Retail segment net sales also increasing 5%. The relative proportion of Retail segment sales attributable to store and digital channels changed due in large part to the temporary global store closures and occupancy restrictions in the first nine months of the prior year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With those restrictions not present in the first nine months of the current year, Retail segment comparable sales increased due to double-digit growth in retail store sales due to increased store traffic, while digital channel sales were flat. By brand, comparable Retail segment net sales increased 13% at the Anthropologie Group and 10% at the Free People Group and decreased 6% at Urban Outfitters. Wholesale segment net sales increased 1%, driven by a 2% increase in Free People Group wholesale sales, partially offset by a decline in Urban Outfitters wholesale sales. Nuuly segment net sales increased by $56.5 million driven by a 200% increase in our subscribers during the period versus the prior year’s comparable period.

“We are pleased to announce record Q3 sales fueled by strong ‘comps’ at the Anthropologie and Free People brands,” said Richard A. Hayne, Chief Executive Officer. “As we approach the all-important Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend, we are encouraged by sales quarter-to-date,” finished Mr. Hayne.

Net sales by brand and segment for the three and nine-month periods were as follows:

For the three months ended October 31, 2022, the gross profit rate decreased by 416 basis points compared to the prior year’s comparable period. Gross profit dollars decreased 8.6% to $357.0 million. The decrease in gross profit rate and dollars was primarily due to higher markdowns at all three brands as compared to record low markdown rates in the comparable prior year quarter, with the Urban Outfitters brand having the largest variance.

For the nine months ended October 31, 2022, the gross profit rate decreased by 410 basis points compared to the prior year’s comparable period. Gross profit dollars decreased 6.4% to $1.05 billion. The decrease in gross profit rate and dollars was primarily due to higher markdowns at all three brands as compared to record low markdown rates in the comparable prior year period, as well as lower initial merchandise markups driven largely by higher inbound transportation expenses.

As of October 31, 2022, total inventory increased by $116.5 million, or 18.6%, on a year-over-year basis. Retail segment inventory increased by 17% driven by higher costs, earlier than planned receipts due to improved supply chain speed and excess slower selling product in certain categories. Wholesale segment inventory increased by 39% due to softness in department store sales.

For the three months ended October 31, 2022, selling, general and administrative expenses increased by $24.9 million, or 9.1%, compared to the prior year’s comparable period, and expressed as a percentage of net sales, deleveraged 121 basis points. The deleverage in SG&A as a rate to sales and growth in SG&A dollars was primarily related to increased store payroll expenses incurred due to increased store associate hours to support increased customer traffic and higher average wages in order to attract and retain employees, as well as marketing expenses to support increased sales and customer growth.

For the nine months ended October 31, 2022, selling, general and administrative expenses increased by $94.1 million, or 12.2%, compared to the prior year’s comparable period, and expressed as a percentage of net sales, deleveraged 139 basis points. The deleverage in SG&A as a rate to sales and growth in SG&A dollars was primarily related to higher store payroll expenses to support retail store sales growth in the nine months ended October 31, 2022, along with increased store associate hours to support increased customer traffic and higher average wages in order to attract and retain employees. Additionally, marketing expenses increased to support sales and customer growth.

The Company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended October 31, 2022 was 28.8%, compared to 23.0% in the prior year period. The Company’s effective tax rate for the nine months ended October 31, 2022 was 28.8%, compared to 23.6% in the prior year period. The increase in the effective tax rate for the three and nine months ended October 31, 2022, was attributable to the ratio of foreign taxable earnings to global taxable earnings, tax rate law changes and the prior year favorable impact of equity activity.

Net income for the three months ended October 31, 2022 was $37.2 million and earnings per diluted share were $0.40. Net income for the nine months ended October 31, 2022 was $128.2 million and earnings per diluted share were $1.36.

On August 22, 2017, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of 20 million common shares under a share repurchase program; all shares were repurchased and the authorization was completed by the end of June 2022. On June 4, 2019, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of 20 million common shares under a new share repurchase program. During the nine months ended October 31, 2022, the Company repurchased and subsequently retired 4.7 million common shares for approximately $112 million. As of October 31, 2022, 19.2 million common shares were remaining under the program.

During the nine months ended October 31, 2022, the Company opened a total of 23 new retail locations including: 13 Free People Group stores (including 7 FP Movement stores), 5 Urban Outfitters stores, 4 Anthropologie Group stores and 1 Menus & Venues restaurant; and closed 4 retail locations including: 2 Urban Outfitters stores, 1 Anthropologie Group store and 1 Free People Group store. During the nine months ended October 31, 2022, 2 Urban Outfitters franchisee-owned stores and 1 Anthropologie Group franchisee-owned store were opened.

Urban Outfitters, Inc. offers lifestyle-oriented general merchandise and consumer products and services through a portfolio of global consumer brands comprised of 264 Urban Outfitters stores in the United States, Canada and Europe and websites; 241 Anthropologie Group stores in the United States, Canada and Europe, catalogs and websites; 185 Free People stores in the United States, Canada and Europe, catalogs and websites, 11 Menus & Venues restaurants, 4 Urban Outfitters franchisee-owned stores and 2 Anthropologie Group franchisee-owned stores as of October 31, 2022. Free People, FP Movement and Urban Outfitters wholesale sell their products through department and specialty stores worldwide, digital businesses and the Company’s Retail segment.

A conference call will be held today to discuss third quarter results and will be webcast at 5:15 pm. ET at: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/y32ftj5i.

This news release is being made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Certain matters contained in this release may contain forward-looking statements. When used in this release, the words “project,” “believe,” “plan,” “will,” “anticipate,” “expect” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any one, or all, of the following factors could cause actual financial results to differ materially from those financial results mentioned in the forward-looking statements: the impacts of public health crises such as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, overall economic and market conditions (including current levels of inflation) and worldwide political events and the resultant impact on consumer spending patterns and our pricing power, the difficulty in predicting and responding to shifts in fashion trends, changes in the level of competitive pricing and promotional activity and other industry factors, the effects of the implementation of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from membership in the European Union (commonly referred to as “Brexit”), including currency fluctuations, economic conditions and legal or regulatory changes, any effects of war (including geopolitical instability), terrorism and civil unrest, natural disasters, severe or unseasonable weather conditions (including as a result of climate change) or public health crises, increases in labor costs, raw material costs and transportation costs, availability of suitable retail space for expansion, timing of store openings, risks associated with international expansion, seasonal fluctuations in gross sales, response to new concepts, our ability to integrate acquisitions, risks associated with digital sales, our ability to maintain and expand our digital sales channels, any material disruptions or security breaches with respect to our technology systems, the departure of one or more key senior executives, import risks (including any shortage of transportation capacities or delays at ports), changes to U.S. and foreign trade policies (including the enactment of tariffs, border adjustment taxes or increases in duties or quotas), the closing or disruption of, or any damage to, any of our distribution centers, our ability to protect our intellectual property rights, failure of our manufacturers and third-party vendors to comply with our social compliance program, risks related to environmental, social and governance activities, changes in our effective income tax rate, changes in accounting standards and subjective assumptions, regulatory changes and legal matters and other risks identified in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that actual results may differ materially from any projected results expressed or implied therein.

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