Yahoo Finance Aaron's (AAN) Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates, Revenues Up Y/Y
The Aaron's Company, Inc. AAN delivered first-quarter 2023 results, wherein the top and the bottom lines surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate. While the top line increased year over year, the bottom line declined.
Aaron's delivered adjusted earnings of 66 cents per share, outpacing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 28 cents and our estimate of 26 cents. However, the bottom line declined 24.1% year over year from 87 cents per share reported in the prior-year quarter. On a GAAP basis, AAN reported earnings of 41 cents per share versus earnings of 68 cents in the year-ago quarter.
Quarter in Detail
Consolidated revenues grew 21.5% to $554.4 million, driven by gains from the BrandsMart buyout, somewhat offset by weak lease revenues and fees, and drab retail sales at the Aaron's business. The figure came above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $553 million and our estimate of $541.5 million.
The Aaron's Company, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
The Aaron's Company, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | The Aaron's Company, Inc. Quote
Breaking up the components of consolidated revenues, we note that lease revenues and fees dropped 8.7% year over year to $373.8 million and retail sales increased to $150.5 million from $12.6 million. Non-retail sales, which mainly include merchandise sales to franchisees, declined 14% year over year to $23.9 million while franchise royalties and other revenues in the quarter decreased 3.2% to $6.1 million from the year-ago quarter.
In the Aaron’s business, revenues declined 9.6% year over year to $412.1 million due to lower average lease portfolio size and lease renewal rate coupled with fewer exercises of early purchase options and weak retail sales. E-commerce revenues rose 12.3% year over year and represented 17.9% of the lease revenues.
For BrandsMart, revenues were $144.2 million in the first quarter of 2023. Further, e-commerce product sales were 9.2% of total product sales.
Margins
Aaron’s gross profit rose 3.8% to $295.7 million and the gross margin expanded 80 basis points (bps) to 63.3%. The operating profit came in at $12.7 million, down from the prior-year quarter’s earnings of $30.2 million.
Adjusted EBITDA declined 20.7% year over year to $45.9 million, due to lower lease revenues & fees at the Aaron's business, partly offset by reduced personnel costs. An incremental $2.8 million of the metric was delivered by the inclusion of BrandsMart in the company's consolidated results. The EBITDA margin also contracted 210 bps to 13.2%.
Financial Position
Aaron’s ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $44.3 million, debt of $222.1 million and shareholders’ equity of $703.9 million. The company provided cash of $61 million from operating activities.
At the end of the first quarter, the company generated an adjusted free cash flow of $42.5 million. Capital expenditure was $20.2 million in the reported quarter. Capital expenditures are expected in the band of $90-$105 million for 2023. AAN expects adjusted free cash flow in the range of $75-$85 million for 2023.
Further, Aaron’s declared dividends worth $3.9 million in the quarter under review.
Outlook
For full-year 2023, the company anticipates revenues in the band of $2.15-$2.25 billion versus $2.20-$2.30 billion predicted earlier. Adjusted EBITDA (excluding stock-based compensation) is still projected in the range of $140-$160 million. It envisions adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1-$1.40 compared with the previous projection of 70 cents to $1.10 for the full year. Earnings per share are expected in the band of 70-95 cents compared with the earlier forecast of 55-80 cents.
For the Aaron’s business, revenues are now expected in the range of $1.50-$1.57 billion. Adjusted EBITDA is likely to be in the band of $170-$185 million.
For BrandsMart, revenues are anticipated in the range of $645-$675 million. Adjusted EBITDA is forecast in the band of $12.5-$17.5 million.
Shares of this Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) company have lost 26.8% in the past three months compared with the industry’s 3.3% drop.
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Ralph Lauren, a footwear and accessories dealer, sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. RL has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 23.6%, on average. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Ralph Lauren’s current financial-year sales and EPS suggests growth of 5.5% and 14%, respectively, from the year-ago corresponding figures.
Oxford Industries, which designs, sources, markets and distributes lifestyle products and other brands, carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Oxford Industries has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 18.9%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for OXM’s current financial-year sales and EPS suggests growth of 13.7% and 10.4%, respectively from the year-ago reported numbers.
Deckers, a footwear dealer, has a Zacks Rank of 2 at present. DECK has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 31%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Deckers’ current financial-year sales and EPS suggests growth of 11% and 17.1%, respectively, from the year-ago corresponding figures.
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