Academy Sports + Outdoors Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2024 Results

Fourth Quarter Comparable Sales Declined (3.0)%: a +190 Basis Point Improvement vs. Third Quarter 2024 Fourth Quarter Diluted GAAP EPS of $1.89: Above the Midpoint of Updated Guidance Provided Company Announces Launch of Jordan Brand in 145 Stores and Online Beginning in Late April Quarterly Dividend Increased by 18% Per Share KATY, Texas, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASO) ("Academy" or the "Company") today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended February 1, 2025. Fourth quarter and fiscal year 2024 included 13 and 52 weeks, respectively, compared to 14 and 53 weeks in fourth quarter and fiscal year 2023, respectively. “Looking back on 2024, our team made significant strides toward achieving our long-term goals, all while thoughtfully navigating a challenging macroeconomic environment. As we head into 2025, we’re energized by the opportunities that lie ahead. The foundation for growth that we’ve built over the past year should yield meaningful results this year and into the future.” said Steve Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer. “This year, we are introducing an exciting slate of new brands, including the launch of the Jordan brand with a focus on sport, with shops in men's, women's and kids. We're also bolstering our targeted marketing capabilities, and rolling out new technology across our stores, all designed to elevate our ability to serve our core customers. These innovations, combined with our unwavering commitment to value leadership, position us for a pivotal year in which we anticipate a return to topline sales growth.” Fourth Quarter Operating Results($ in millions, except per share data)Quarter Ended Change February 1, 2025 (13 weeks)February 3, 2024 (14 weeks)%Net sales$1,676.9 $1,794.8(6.6)%Comparable sales (3.0)% (3.6)% Income before income tax$165.3 $211.3(21.8)%Net income (1)$133.6 $168.2(20.6)%Adjusted net income (2)$138.8 $168.2(17.5)%%%Earnings per common share, diluted$1.89 $2.21(14.5)%Adjusted earnings per common share, diluted (2)$1.96 $2.21(11.3)% Fiscal 2024 Operating Results($ in millions, except per share data)Fiscal Year EndedChangeFebruary 1, 2025(52 weeks)February 3, 2024(53 weeks)%Net sales$5,933.4 $6,159.3(3.7)%Comparable sales (5.1)% (6.5)% Income before income tax$538.2 $663.2(18.8)%Net income (1)$418.4 $519.2(19.4)%Adjusted net income (2)$439.5 $539.5(18.5)%Earnings per common share, diluted$5.73 $6.70(14.5)%Adjusted earnings per common share, diluted (2)$6.02 $6.96(13.5)%(1) Net income for the fiscal year ended February 1, 2025, includes a $15.0 million gain pertaining to a credit card fee litigation settlement and a $7.1 million gain on a sale-leaseback transaction, both of which occurred in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024. Net income for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2024, includes a $15.9 million net gain from a credit card fee litigation settlement which occurred in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023.(2) Adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per common share (EPS), diluted are non-GAAP measures. See "Non-GAAP Measures" and "Reconciliations of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below for reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.Note: Fourth quarter and full year 2024 included 13 and 52 weeks, compared to 14 and 53 weeks in fourth quarter and fiscal year 2023, respectively. The extra week in 2023 added $73.3 million to net sales and $0.08 to GAAP EPS. We define comparable sales as the percentage of period-over-period net sales increase or decrease, in the aggregate, for stores open after thirteen full fiscal months, as well as for all e-commerce sales. Balance Sheet ($ in millions)As ofChangeFebruary 1, 2025 February 3, 2024 %Cash and cash equivalents$288.9 $347.9(17.0)%Merchandise inventories, net$1,308.8 $1,194.29.6Long-term debt, net$482.7 $484.6(0.4)% Capital Allocation ($ in millions)Fiscal Year EndedChangeFebruary 1, 2025 February 3, 2024%Share repurchases$368.3 $204.280.4%Dividends paid$31.5 $27.215.8% Subsequent to the end of fiscal year 2024, on March 6, 2025, Academy announced its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend with respect to the quarter ended February 1, 2025, of $0.13 per share of common stock. This is a 18% increase from the previous quarterly dividend payment. The dividend is payable on April 17, 2025, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 25, 2025. New Store OpeningsAcademy opened five new stores during the fourth quarter for a total of 16 new stores in 2024. In 2025, the Company plans on opening 20-25 new stores. Academy Store Footprint Update Fiscal 2024Total stores open at beginning of the quarterNumber of stores opened during the quarterNumber of stores closed during the quarterTotal stores open at end of quarter1st Quarter2822—2842nd Quarter2841—2853rd Quarter2858—2934th Quarter2935—298 Fiscal 2024 (in thousands)Total gross square feet open atbeginning of the quarterGross square feet for stores opened during the quarterGross square feet for stores closed during the quarterTotal gross square feet at the end of the quarter1st Quarter19,679121.9—19,8012nd Quarter19,80155.5—19,8573rd Quarter19,857443.6—20,3004th Quarter20,300304.3—20,604 2025 Outlook“The fourth quarter played out in-line with guidance, with customers relying on Academy to deliver value when it mattered most. Our profitability and cash flow from operations as a rate to sales is top quartile in retail. Our capital allocation mindset is unchanged, focusing on financial stability, investing into straight-forward growth strategies and returning value to shareholders through share buybacks and a modest dividend," stated Carl Ford, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. "We have seen sequential improvements in comp sales since the second quarter and we anticipate that will continue into 2025. We are focused on our long-range strategy of growing the Company by opening new stores, improving the omnichannel experience, investing in new brands while remaining committed to value, utilizing customer data more effectively and leveraging our supply chain. We will leverage our strong balance sheet and use our cash flows to invest into these strategies, because we expect them to drive our long-term success.” The company expects the first quarter to be the most challenging from a sales and earnings per share prospective as they plan to open five stores and transition to the new Jordan floor set. They further expect their internal initiatives to start to positively impact results beginning in the second quarter. Additionally, they expect the back half of the year to be stronger than the first half as their internal initiatives take hold. Academy is providing the following initial guidance for fiscal 2025 (year ending January 31, 2026). This guidance takes into account various factors, both internal and external, such as the expected benefits of the Company's growth initiatives, current consumer demand, the competitive environment, as well as the potential impacts from inflation and other economic risks. The earnings per share estimates do not include any potential future share repurchases and assume a tax rate of 22.0% to 23.0%. Fiscal 2025 Guidance change (at midpoint) (in millions, except per share amounts)Low endHigh end 2024 Actualsvs. 2024Net sales$6,090$6,265$5,9334.2 % Comparable sales (2)(2.0)%1.0%(5.1)%+460 bps Gross margin rate34.0 %34.5%33.9 %+40 bps GAAP net income$375$410$418(6.1)% Adjusted net income (1)$400$435$439(4.9)% GAAP earnings per common share, diluted$5.40$5.85$5.73(1.8)% Adjusted earnings per common share, diluted (1)$5.75$6.20$6.02(0.7)% Diluted weighted average common shares~70~7073.0(4.1)% Capital Expenditures$220$250$20017.5 % Adjusted free cash flow (1), (3)$290$320$342(10.8)% (1) Adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per common share (EPS), diluted, and adjusted free cash flow are non-GAAP measures. See "Non-GAAP Measures" and "Reconciliations of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below for reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.(2) We define comparable sales as the percentage of period-over-period net sales increase or decrease, in the aggregate, for stores open after thirteen full fiscal months, as well as for all e-commerce sales.(3) We have not reconciled guidance for adjusted free cash flow to the most comparable GAAP measure because it is not possible to do so without unreasonable efforts given the uncertainty and potential variability of reconciling items, which are dependent on future events and often outside of management's control and could be significant; therefore, we are unable to provide an estimate of the most closely comparable GAAP measure at this time. Conference Call Info Academy will host a conference call today at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss its financial results. The call will be webcast at investors.academy.com. The following information is provided for those who would like to participate in the conference call: U.S. callers1-877-407-3982International callers1-201-493-6780Passcode13751956 A replay of the conference call will be available for approximately 30 days on the Company's website. About Academy Sports + Outdoors Academy is a leading full-line sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer in the United States. Originally founded in 1938 as a family business in Texas, Academy has grown to 302 stores across 21 states. Academy’s mission is to provide “Fun for All” and Academy fulfills this mission with a localized merchandising strategy and value proposition that strongly connects with a broad range of consumers. Academy’s product assortment focuses on key categories of outdoor, apparel, footwear and sports & recreation through both leading national brands and a portfolio of private label brands. Non-GAAP Measures Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Earnings per Common Share, and Adjusted Free Cash Flow have been presented in this press release as supplemental measures of financial performance that are not required by, or presented in accordance with, generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The Company believes that the presentation of these non-GAAP measures is useful to investors as they provide additional information on comparisons between periods by excluding certain items that affect overall comparability. The Company uses these non-GAAP financial measures for business planning purposes, to consider underlying trends of its business, and in measuring its performance relative to others in the market, and believes presenting these measures also provides information to investors and others for understanding and evaluating trends in the Company’s operating results or measuring performance in the same manner as the Company’s management. Non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, and not as an alternative for, the Company’s reported results prepared in accordance with GAAP. The calculation of these non-GAAP financial measures may differ from similar measures reported by other companies and may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures. For additional information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see our Annual Report for the fiscal year ended February 1, 2025 (the "Annual Report"), to be filed on March 20, 2025, which may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. See “Reconciliations of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures presented in this press release to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are based on Academy’s current expectations and are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements may incorporate words such as “believe,” “expect,", "anticipate," “forward,” “ahead,” “opportunities,” “plans,” “priorities,” “goals,” “future,” “short/long term,” “will,” “should,” or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. The forward-looking statements in this press release include, among other things, statements regarding the Company’s fiscal 2025 outlook under the caption "2025 Outlook," the Company's strategic plans and financial objectives, including the implementation of such plans, the growth of the Company's business and operations, including the opening of new stores and the expansion into new markets, the company's payment of dividends, including the timing and the amount thereof, share repurchases by the company, and the Company's expectations regarding its future performance and future financial condition are subject to various risks, uncertainties, assumptions, or changes in circumstances that are all difficult to predict or quantify. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global, regional, or local economic, business, competitive, market, regulatory, environmental, and other factors that could affect overall consumer spending or our industry, including the possible effects of ongoing macroeconomic challenges, inflation and in higher interest rates, trade policy changes or additional tariffs, geopolitical tensions, or changes to the financial health of our customers, many of which are beyond Academy's control. These and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are set forth in Academy's filings with the SEC, including the Annual Report, under the caption "Part 1A. Risk Factors," as may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statement in this press release speaks only as of the date of this release. Academy undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws. Investor ContactMedia ContactDan AldridgeMeredith KleinVP, Investor RelationsVP, Communications832-739-4102346-823-6514dan.aldridge@academy.commeredith.klein@academy.com ACADEMY SPORTS AND OUTDOORS, INC.CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME(Unaudited)(Amounts in thousands, except per share data) Fiscal Quarter Ended February 1, 2025 Percentage of Sales (1) February 3, 2024 Percentage of Sales (1)Net sales$1,676,920 100.0% $1,794,828 100.0%Cost of goods sold 1,136,691 67.8% 1,197,819 66.7%Gross margin 540,229 32.2% 597,009 33.3%Selling, general and administrative expenses 385,533 23.0% 393,044 21.9%Operating income 154,696 9.2% 203,965 11.4%Interest expense, net 9,168 0.5% 12,578 0.7%Loss on early retirement of debt — 0.0% 1,525 0.1%Other (income), net (19,769) (1.2)% (21,395) (1.2)%Income before income taxes 165,297 9.9% 211,257 11.8%Income tax expense 31,666 1.9% 43,090 2.4%Net income$133,631 8.0% $168,167 9.4% Earnings Per Common Share: Basic$1.93 $2.27 Diluted$1.89 $2.21 Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding: Basic 69,229 74,219 Diluted 70,689 76,035 (1) Column may not add due to rounding ACADEMY SPORTS AND OUTDOORS, INC.CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME(Amounts in thousands, except per share data) Fiscal Year Ended February 1, 2025 Percentage of Sales (1) February 3, 2024 Percentage of Sales (1)Net sales$5,933,450 100.0% $6,159,291 100.0%Cost of goods sold 3,921,990 66.1% 4,049,080 65.7%Gross margin 2,011,460 33.9% 2,110,211 34.3%Selling, general and administrative expenses 1,472,821 24.8% 1,432,356 23.3%Operating income 538,639 9.1% 677,855 11.0%Interest expense, net 36,873 0.6% 46,051 0.7%Write off of deferred loan costs 449 0.0% 1,525 0.0%Other (income), net (36,908) (0.6)% (32,877) (0.5)%Income before income taxes 538,225 9.1% 663,156 10.8%Income tax expense 119,778 2.0% 143,966 2.3%Net income$418,447 7.1% $519,190 8.4% Earnings Per Common Share: Basic$5.87 $6.89 Diluted$5.73 $6.70 Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding: Basic 71,343 75,389 Diluted 73,048 77,469 (1) Column may not add due to rounding ACADEMY SPORTS AND OUTDOORS, INC.CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) February 1, 2025 February 3, 2024ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS: Cash and cash equivalents $288,929 $347,920 Accounts receivable - less allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,752 and $2,217, respectively 16,759 19,371 Merchandise inventories, net 1,308,840 1,194,159 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 95,621 83,450 Total current assets 1,710,149 1,644,900 PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET 525,136 445,209 RIGHT-OF-USE ASSETS 1,173,075 1,111,237 TRADE NAME 579,007 578,236 GOODWILL 861,920 861,920 OTHER NONCURRENT ASSETS 51,676 35,211 Total assets $4,900,963 $4,676,713 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY CURRENT LIABILITIES: Accounts payable $612,424 $541,077 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 230,323 217,932 Current lease liabilities 115,134 117,849 Current maturities of long-term debt 3,000 3,000 Total current liabilities 960,881 879,858 LONG-TERM DEBT, NET 482,679 484,551 LONG-TERM LEASE LIABILITIES 1,185,741 1,091,294 DEFERRED TAX LIABILITIES, NET 256,815 254,796 OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES 10,812 11,564 Total liabilities 2,896,928 2,722,063 COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, authorized 50,000,000 shares; none issued and outstanding — — Common stock, $0.01 par value, authorized 300,000,000 shares; 68,332,961 and 74,349,927 issued and outstanding as of February 1, 2025 and February 3, 2024, respectively 683 743 Additional paid-in capital 247,094 242,098 Retained earnings 1,756,258 1,711,809 Stockholders' equity 2,004,035 1,954,650 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $4,900,963 $4,676,713 ACADEMY SPORTS AND OUTDOORS, INC.CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS(Amounts in thousands) Fiscal Year Ended February 1, 2025 February 3, 2024CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: Net income $418,447 $519,190 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 118,070 110,936 Non-cash lease expense 30,295 16,723 Equity compensation 26,629 24,377 Amortization of deferred loan and other costs 2,574 2,739 Deferred income taxes 2,020 (4,247) Non-cash loss on early retirement of debt — 1,525 Write-off of Deferred Loan Costs 449 — Gain on disposal of property and equipment (7,062) (388) Changes in assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable, net 2,611 (2,868) Merchandise inventories (114,681) 89,358 Prepaid expenses and other current assets (10,117) (50,225) Other noncurrent assets (12,437) (18,761) Accounts payable 65,761 (142,346) Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 11,952 (26,712) Income taxes payable (5,277) 17,640 Other long-term liabilities (1,152) (1,162) Net cash provided by operating activities 528,082 535,779 CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: Capital expenditures (199,589) (207,770) Purchases of intangible assets (771) (520) Proceeds from the sale of property and equipment 14,240 2,151 Net cash used in investing activities (186,120) (206,139) CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: Proceeds from Revolving Credit Facilities 3,900 — Reduction in Revolving Credit Facilities (3,900) — Repayment of Term Loan (3,000) (103,000) Debt issuance fees (5,689) — Proceeds from exercise of stock options 4,323 16,636 Proceeds from issuance of common stock under employee stock purchase program 5,248 5,484 Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards (5,460) (7,971) Repurchase of common stock for retirement (364,912) (202,796) Dividends paid (31,463) (27,218) Net cash used in financing activities (400,953) (318,865) NET (DECREASE) INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS (58,991) 10,775 CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD 347,920 337,145 CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD $288,929 $347,920 ACADEMY SPORTS AND OUTDOORS, INC.RECONCILIATIONS OF GAAP TO NONGAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES(Unaudited)(Dollar amounts in thousands) Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBIT We define “Adjusted EBITDA” as net income (loss) before interest expense, net, income tax expense and depreciation, and amortization, and impairment, and other adjustments included in the table below. We define “Adjusted EBIT” as Adjusted EBITDA less depreciation and amortization. We describe these adjustments reconciling net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBIT in the following table. Fiscal Quarter Ended Fiscal Year Ended February 1, 2025 February 3, 2024 February 1, 2025 February 3, 2024Net income (a) $133,631 $168,167 $418,447 $519,190 Interest expense, net 9,167 12,578 36,873 46,051 Income tax expense 31,665 43,090 119,778 143,966 Depreciation and amortization 30,962 31,542 118,070 110,936 Equity compensation (b) 6,240 (1,751) 26,629 24,377 Loss on early retirement of debt — 1,525 — 1,525 Write off of deferred loan costs — — 449 — Adjusted EBITDA $211,665 $255,151 $720,246 $846,045 Less: Depreciation and amortization (30,962) (31,542) (118,070) (110,936) Adjusted EBIT $180,703 $223,609 $602,176 $735,109 (a) Net income for the year ended February 1, 2025, includes a $15.0 million gain pertaining to a litigation settlement and a $7.1 million gain on a sale-leaseback transaction, both of which occurred in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024. Net income for the year ended February 3, 2024, includes a $15.9 million net gain from a credit card fee litigation settlement which occurred in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023.(b) Represents non-cash charges related to equity based compensation, which vary from period to period depending on certain factors such as the timing and valuation of awards, achievement of performance targets and equity award forfeitures. Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Earnings Per Common Share We define “Adjusted Net Income” as net income (loss) plus other adjustments included in the table below, less the tax effect of these adjustments. We define “Adjusted Earnings per Common Share, Basic” as Adjusted Net Income divided by the basic weighted average common shares outstanding during the period and “Adjusted Earnings per Common Share, Diluted” as Adjusted Net Income divided by the diluted weighted average common shares outstanding during the period. We describe these adjustments reconciling net income (loss) to Adjusted Net Income, and Adjusted Earnings Per Common Share in the following table (amounts in thousands, except per share data): Fiscal Quarter Ended Fiscal Year Ended February 1, 2025 February 3, 2024 February 1, 2025 February 3, 2024Net income (a) $133,631 $168,167 $418,447 $519,190 Equity compensation (b) 6,240 (1,751) 26,629 24,377 Loss on early retirement of debt, net — 1,525 — 1,525 Write off of deferred loan costs — — 449 — Tax effects of these adjustments (c) (1,112) 288 (6,038) (5,621) Adjusted Net Income 138,759 168,229 439,487 539,471 Earnings per common share Basic $1.93 $2.27 $5.87 $6.89 Diluted $1.89 $2.21 $5.73 $6.70 Adjusted Earnings per Share Basic $2.00 $2.27 $6.16 $7.16 Diluted $1.96 $2.21 $6.02 $6.96 Weighted average common shares outstanding Basic 69,229 74,219 71,343 75,389 Diluted 70,648 76,035 73,048 77,469 (a) Net income for the year ended February 1, 2025, includes a $15.0 million gain pertaining to a litigation settlement and a $7.1 million gain on a sale-leaseback transaction, both of which occurred in the fourth quarter of 2024. Net income for the year ended February 3, 2024, includes a $15.9 million net gain relative to a credit card litigation settlement which occurred in the fourth quarter of 2023.(b) Represents non-cash charges related to equity based compensation, which vary from period to period depending on certain factors such as the timing and valuation of awards, achievement of performance targets and equity award forfeitures.(c) Represents the tax effect of the total adjustments made to arrive at Adjusted Net Income at our historical tax rate. Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Earnings Per Common Share, Diluted, Guidance Reconciliation (amounts in millions, except per share data) Low Range* High Range* Fiscal Year Ending January 31, 2026 Fiscal Year Ending January 31, 2026Net Income$375.0 $410.0 Equity compensation (a) 25.0 $25.0 Adjusted Net Income$400.0 $435.0 Earnings Per Common Share, Diluted$5.40 $5.85 Equity compensation (a) 0.35 0.35 Adjusted Earnings Per Common Share, Diluted$5.75 $6.20 * Amounts presented have been rounded.(a) Adjustments include non-cash charges related to equity-based compensation (as defined above), which may vary from period to period. Adjusted Free Cash Flow We define “Adjusted Free Cash Flow” as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less net cash used in investing activities. We describe these adjustments reconciling net cash provided by operating activities to adjusted free cash flow in the following table (amounts in thousands): Fiscal Quarter Ended Fiscal Year Ended February 1, 2025 February 3, 2024 February 1, 2025 February 3, 2024Net cash provided by operating activities $140,168 $234,737 $528,082 $535,779 Net cash used in investing activities (49,674) (55,948) (186,120) (206,139) Adjusted Free Cash Flow $90,494 $178,789 $341,962 $329,640

Academy Sports + Outdoors Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2024 Results

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