Q4 Net Sales Growth
Total net sales of $155.1M, up 5.3% year-over-year in the fourth quarter despite ending the year with 17 fewer stores.
Strong Comparable Sales Acceleration
Q4 comparable net sales increased 10.1% for the 13-week period; brick-and-mortar comps +10.3% and e-commerce comps +9.8%. Sequential monthly acceleration: +1% (Aug), +1% (Sep), +6% (Oct), +8% (Nov), +10.6% (Dec), +12.4% (Jan), +20.1% (Feb) and March tracking stronger.
Full-Year Comparable Sales Turnaround
Full-year comparable net sales finished slightly positive at +0.3% — the first full-year positive comp since fiscal 2021.
Margin Expansion
Gross margin (including buying, distribution, occupancy) improved to 33.2% of net sales, a 720 basis-point increase versus prior year (26.0%). Product margins improved by 470 basis points, and buying/distribution/occupancy costs improved by 250 basis points (aggregate $1.9M benefit).
SG&A and Operating Profit Improvement
Total SG&A declined to $48.9M (31.5% of net sales), down $3.5M and 410 basis points versus prior year. Operating income improved to $2.6M (1.7% of net sales) from an operating loss of $14.1M last year.
Net Income Recovery
Net income of $2.9M, or $0.10 per diluted share, versus a net loss of $13.7M, or $0.45 per share, in the prior-year quarter — an improvement of $16.6M ($0.55 per share).
Strong Liquidity Position
Total liquidity of $87.8M composed of $46.3M cash, no debt, and $41.5M available borrowing capacity under asset-backed facility.
Inventory Improvement and Lower CapEx
Net inventories down 10.8% with improved aging. Fiscal 2025 capital expenditures were $4.7M (down from $8.2M in FY2024); FY2026 CapEx expected to be less than $10M (estimate $8M–$9M).
Operational and Technology Investments Driving Efficiency
Price-optimization tool contributed meaningfully to improved product margins; warehouse management system produced significant labor efficiencies. Planned investments include AI-driven merchandise allocation and RFID to improve inventory accuracy and reduce manual counts.
Return to Selective Store Growth
Management is pivoting from net closures to disciplined growth with a plan to open 4–6 new stores in fiscal 2026, reflecting improving unit economics and confidence in execution.