• Record third quarter net sales of $1.2 billion, up 14% from last year with comparable sales of 16%
• Broad-based net sales growth across regions and brands, with Abercrombie brands growth of 15% and Hollister brands growth of 14%
• Operating margin expands 170 basis points to 14.8%, with third quarter operating income increasing 30% to $179 million
• Year-to-date, repurchased 924,000 shares for $130 million, representing 1.8% of shares outstanding at February 3, 2024
• Increases full year outlook to net sales growth of 14% to 15% and operating margin around 15%

NEW ALBANY, Ohio, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) today announced results for the third quarter ended November 2, 2024. These compare to results for the third quarter ended October 28, 2023. Descriptions of the use of non-GAAP financial measures and reconciliations of GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures accompany this release.

Fran Horowitz, Chief Executive Officer, said, “For the sixth consecutive quarter, our global team delivered double-digit net sales growth. This great sales performance led to better-than-expected results on both the top and bottom lines. With broad-based growth across regions and brands, we continue to execute at a high level, leveraging our regional playbooks and operating model. Each of our regions grew double-digits in the quarter, with the Americas growing 14%, EMEA growing 15% and APAC growing 32%. From a brand perspective, each brand showed growth-on-growth as customers responded positively to our product and marketing. Abercrombie brands delivered 11% comparable sales on top of 26% last year and Hollister comped 21% on top of 7% last year. The strong top-line growth drove third quarter operating income of $179 million, up 30% to 2023.

Based on our third quarter outperformance and outlook for the fourth quarter, we are increasing our full year outlook on sales and expect to be around the high end of the operating margin range shared last quarter. Our teams are engaged and ready to deliver for our customers this holiday season with the goal of achieving sustainable, profitable growth firmly in our sights.”

Details related to reported net income per diluted share and adjusted net income per diluted share for the third quarter are as follows:

A summary of results for the third quarter ended November 2, 2024 as compared to the third quarter ended October 28, 2023:

• Net sales of $1.2 billion, up 14% as compared to last year on a reported basis and up 14% on a constant currency basis.
• Comparable sales of 16%.
• Gross profit rate of 65.1%, up approximately 20 basis points as compared to last year.
• Operating expense, excluding other operating (income) loss, net, of $609 million for the quarter as compared to $546 million last year. Operating expense, excluding other operating (income) loss, net, as a percent of sales improved to 50.4% from 51.7% last year.
• Operating income of $179 million as compared to operating income last year of $138 million.
• Net income per diluted share of $2.50 as compared to net income per diluted share last year of $1.83.

Net sales by segment and brand for the third quarter are as follows:

As of November 2, 2024 the company had:

• Cash and equivalents of $683 million compared to cash and equivalents of $901 million and $649 million as of February 3, 2024 and October 28, 2023, respectively.
• Current investments which are included in other current assets, of $56 million as of November 2, 2024.
• Inventories of $693 million compared to inventories of $469 million and $595 million as of February 3, 2024 and October 28, 2023, respectively.
• No long-term gross borrowings as all of the company’s outstanding 8.75% senior secured notes due July 2025 (the “Senior Secured Notes”) were redeemed with cash on hand in the second quarter of 2024.
• Borrowing capacity of $500 million under the senior-secured asset-based revolving credit facility (the “ABL Facility”) with net borrowing available of $450 million after minimum excess availability requirement.
• Liquidity, comprised of cash and equivalents and borrowing available under the ABL Facility, of approximately $1.1 billion. This compares to liquidity of $1.2 billion and $1.0 billion as of February 3, 2024 and October 28, 2023, respectively.

Details related to the company’s cash flows for the year-to-date period ended November 2, 2024 are as follows:

• Net cash provided by operating activities of $403 million.
• Net cash used for investing activities of $187 million, primarily reflecting capital expenditures and purchases of marketable securities.
• Net cash used for financing activities of $433 million, primarily reflecting the repurchase and redemption of all its outstanding Senior Secured Notes and share repurchases.

During the third quarter of 2024, the company repurchased 720,687 shares for approximately $100 million. For the year-to-date period ended November 2, 2024, the company repurchased 924,205 shares for $130 million. The company has $102 million remaining on the share repurchase authorization established in November 2021.

Depreciation and amortization was $117 million for the year-to-date period ended November 2, 2024.

The following table illustrates the expected quarterly and full year net sales and related basis point impact of the calendar shift and loss of one selling week in fiscal 2024 compared to fiscal 2023:

Today at 8:30 a.m. ET, the company will conduct a conference call and provide additional details around its quarterly results and its outlook for the fourth quarter. To access the call by phone, participants will need to register at the following URL address to obtain a dial-in number and passcode:

https://register.vevent.com/register/BI094e834e8d9145d28bf9a9ee46d90fa3

A presentation of third quarter results will be available in the “Investors” section at corporate.abercrombie.com at approximately 7:30 a.m. ET, today. Important information may be disseminated initially or exclusively via the website; investors should consult the site to access this information.

This Press Release and related statements by management or spokespeople of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (A&F) contain forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). These statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding our fourth quarter and annual fiscal 2024 results, relate to our current assumptions, projections and expectations about our business and future events. Any such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various important factors, many of which may be beyond the company’s control. The inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by the company, or any other person, that the objectives of the company will be achieved. Words such as “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “goal,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “are confident,” “will,” “could,” “outlook,” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by applicable law, we assume no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, including any financial targets or estimates, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Factors that may cause results to differ from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the factors disclosed in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2024, and in our subsequent reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as the following factors: risks related to changes in global economic and financial conditions, including inflation, and the resulting impact on consumer spending generally and on our operating results, financial condition, and expense management, and our ability to adequately mitigate the impact; risks related to the geopolitical landscape and conflicts, such as the recent attacks on marine vessels in the Red Sea, and the potential escalation of such conflicts and the impact of such conflicts on international trade, supplier delivery or increased freight costs, acts of terrorism, mass casualty events, social unrest, civil disturbance or disobedience; risks related to natural disasters and other unforeseen catastrophic events; risks related to our failure to engage our customers, anticipate customer demand, expectations, and changing fashion trends, and manage our inventory and product delivery; risks related to our failure to operate effectively in a highly competitive and constantly evolving industry; risks related to our ability to execute on, and maintain the success of, our strategic and growth initiatives, including those outlined in our Always Forward Plan; risks related to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; risks related to fluctuations in our tax obligations and effective tax rate, including as a result of earnings and losses generated from our global operations, may result in volatility in our results of operations; risks related to global operations, including changes in the economic or political conditions where we sell or source our products or changes in import tariffs or trade restrictions, including implications related to the change in administration as a result of the 2024 U.S. presidential election; risks and uncertainty related to adverse public health developments; risks associated with climate change and other corporate responsibility issues; risks related to reputational harm to the company, its officers, and directors; risks related to actual or threatened litigation; risks related to cybersecurity threats and privacy or data security breaches; and the potential loss or disruption to our information systems.

This document includes certain adjusted non-GAAP financial measures where management believes it to be helpful in understanding the company's results of operations or financial position. Additional details about non-GAAP financial measures and a reconciliation of GAAP financial measures to non-GAAP financial measures can be found in the "Reporting and Use of GAAP and Non-GAAP Measures" section. Sub-totals and totals may not foot due to rounding. Net income and net income per share financial measures included herein are attributable to Abercrombie & Fitch Co., excluding net income attributable to noncontrolling interests.

As used in this document, unless otherwise defined, "Abercrombie brands" refers to Abercrombie & Fitch and abercrombie kids and "Hollister brands" refers to Hollister and Gilly Hicks. Additionally, references to "Americas" includes North America and South America, "EMEA" includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa and "APAC" includes the Asia-Pacific region, including Asia and Oceania.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) is a global, digitally led, omnichannel specialty retailer of apparel and accessories catering to kids through millennials with assortments curated for their specific lifestyle needs.

The company operates a family of brands, including Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister, each sharing a commitment to offer products of enduring quality and exceptional comfort that support global customers on their journey to being and becoming who they are. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. operates approximately 770 stores under these brands across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the e-commerce sites abercrombie.com, abercrombiekids.com, and HollisterCo.com.

Reporting and Use of GAAP and Non-GAAP Measures

The company believes that each of the non-GAAP financial measures presented are useful to investors as they provide a measure of the company’s operating performance excluding the effect of certain items which the company believes do not reflect its future operating outlook, such as asset impairment charges, therefore supplementing investors’ understanding of comparability of operations across periods. Management used these non-GAAP financial measures during the periods presented to assess the company’s performance and to develop expectations for future operating performance. Non-GAAP financial measures should be used supplemental to, and not as an alternative to, the company’s GAAP financial results, and may not be calculated in the same manner as similar measures presented by other companies.

The company provides comparable sales, defined as the percentage year-over-year change in the aggregate of: (1) sales for stores that have been open as the same brand at least one year and whose square footage has not been expanded or reduced by more than 20% within the past year, with prior year’s net sales converted at the current year’s foreign currency exchange rate to remove the impact of foreign currency rate fluctuation, and (2) digital net sales with prior year’s net sales converted at the current year’s foreign currency exchange rate to remove the impact of foreign currency rate fluctuation.

The company also provides certain financial information on a constant currency basis to enhance investors’ understanding of underlying business trends and operating performance, by removing the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations. The effect from foreign currency, calculated on a constant currency basis, is determined by applying current year average exchange rates to prior year results and is net of the year-over-year impact from hedging. The per diluted share effect from foreign currency is calculated using a 26% tax rate.

In addition, the company provides EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as supplemental measures used by the company's executive management to assess the company's performance. We also believe these supplemental performance measures are meaningful information for investors and other interested parties to use in computing the company's core financial performance over multiple periods and with other companies by excluding the impact of differences in tax jurisdictions, debt service levels and capital investment.