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What Drove Bath & Body Works' Q1 Margins Despite Tariff Pressures?
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Key Takeaways
Gross profit for BBWI rose 6.6% to $646M, with gross margin up 160 bps year over year to 45.4%.
Mix-adjusted AUR growth and cost optimization drove a 100-bps merchandise margin improvement.
Operating income climbed 11.8% to $209M, as operating margin expanded 120 bps to 14.7%.
Bath & Body Works (BBWI - Free Report) delivered a solid start to fiscal 2025, driven by enhanced merchandise margins and disciplined cost control. The company reported a gross profit of $646 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, reflecting a 6.6% increase year over year. The gross margin was 45.4%, marking a significant improvement of 160 basis points compared with the same period in the prior year.
The primary driver of this improvement was a 100-basis-point rise in merchandise margin, which was largely attributed to low single-digit increases in mix-adjusted average unit retail (“AUR”). These AUR gains were not simply the result of price increases but reflected a stronger product mix and enhancements in value engineering, which helped to optimize product cost structures.
Bath & Body Works also benefited from favorable buying and occupancy leverage. While net sales grew during the quarter, occupancy-related expenses remained flat, allowing the company to realize approximately 50 basis points of margin improvement from operating efficiency in this area.
An important operational change during the quarter was the strategic exit from a third-party fulfillment center. This decision was made to streamline operations and reduce costs. The company expects it will continue to yield financial and customer service benefits beyond the fiscal first quarter. Furthermore, a re-evaluation of store assets’ useful life led to reduced depreciation expenses, which further contributed to margin improvement.
Gross margin improvements positively impacted operating income, which reached $209 million in the fiscal first quarter, up 11.8% from the year-ago quarter. We note that the operating margin increased 120 basis points to 14.7% in the quarter.
BBWI Stock Past Three-Month Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
BBWI’s Resilient Margin Outlook Amid Tariff Pressures
Despite these positive developments, the company did face external cost pressures from tariffs. Bath & Body Works’ exposure to China accounts for approximately 10% of its global spend. However, the company was able to effectively mitigate these tariff impacts through its agile supply chain, which is predominantly U.S.-based, and proactive cost management strategies.
Looking ahead to the second quarter of fiscal 2025, the company anticipates a gross margin of approximately 41%, which would be flat compared with the prior-year period. This forecast includes the expected ongoing impact of tariffs. It is also worth noting that licensing and royalty expenses from high-profile collaborations, such as the Disney Princess collection, are reflected within the merchandise margin and therefore directly influence gross margin outcomes.
BBWI’s Valuation Picture
Bath & Body Works is trading at a forward 12-month price-to-sales ratio of 0.76, down from the industry average of 1.64 and the sector average of 1.58. BBWI has a Value Score of A.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Bath & Body Works’ Stock Performance
Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have lost 10.3% in the past three months against the industry’s modest 3.7% growth.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Stitch Fix’s current fiscal-year earnings implies growth of 69.7% from the year-ago actuals. SFIX delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 51.4%.
Canada Goose is a global outerwear brand. GOOS is a designer, manufacturer, distributor and retailer of premium outerwear for men, women and children. It carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Canada Goose’s current fiscal-year earnings and sales indicates growth of 10% and 2.9%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. Canada Goose delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 57.2%.
Allbirds is a lifestyle brand that uses naturally derived materials to make footwear and apparel products. It carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BIRD’s current financial-year earnings implies growth of 16.1% from the year-ago actual. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 21.3%.
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What Drove Bath & Body Works' Q1 Margins Despite Tariff Pressures?
Key Takeaways
Bath & Body Works (BBWI - Free Report) delivered a solid start to fiscal 2025, driven by enhanced merchandise margins and disciplined cost control. The company reported a gross profit of $646 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, reflecting a 6.6% increase year over year. The gross margin was 45.4%, marking a significant improvement of 160 basis points compared with the same period in the prior year.
The primary driver of this improvement was a 100-basis-point rise in merchandise margin, which was largely attributed to low single-digit increases in mix-adjusted average unit retail (“AUR”). These AUR gains were not simply the result of price increases but reflected a stronger product mix and enhancements in value engineering, which helped to optimize product cost structures.
Bath & Body Works also benefited from favorable buying and occupancy leverage. While net sales grew during the quarter, occupancy-related expenses remained flat, allowing the company to realize approximately 50 basis points of margin improvement from operating efficiency in this area.
An important operational change during the quarter was the strategic exit from a third-party fulfillment center. This decision was made to streamline operations and reduce costs. The company expects it will continue to yield financial and customer service benefits beyond the fiscal first quarter. Furthermore, a re-evaluation of store assets’ useful life led to reduced depreciation expenses, which further contributed to margin improvement.
Gross margin improvements positively impacted operating income, which reached $209 million in the fiscal first quarter, up 11.8% from the year-ago quarter. We note that the operating margin increased 120 basis points to 14.7% in the quarter.
BBWI Stock Past Three-Month Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
BBWI’s Resilient Margin Outlook Amid Tariff Pressures
Despite these positive developments, the company did face external cost pressures from tariffs. Bath & Body Works’ exposure to China accounts for approximately 10% of its global spend. However, the company was able to effectively mitigate these tariff impacts through its agile supply chain, which is predominantly U.S.-based, and proactive cost management strategies.
Looking ahead to the second quarter of fiscal 2025, the company anticipates a gross margin of approximately 41%, which would be flat compared with the prior-year period. This forecast includes the expected ongoing impact of tariffs. It is also worth noting that licensing and royalty expenses from high-profile collaborations, such as the Disney Princess collection, are reflected within the merchandise margin and therefore directly influence gross margin outcomes.
BBWI’s Valuation Picture
Bath & Body Works is trading at a forward 12-month price-to-sales ratio of 0.76, down from the industry average of 1.64 and the sector average of 1.58. BBWI has a Value Score of A.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Bath & Body Works’ Stock Performance
Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have lost 10.3% in the past three months against the industry’s modest 3.7% growth.
Key Picks
Some better-ranked stocks are Stitch Fix (SFIX - Free Report) , Canada Goose (GOOS - Free Report) and Allbirds Inc. (BIRD - Free Report) .
Stitch Fix delivers customized shipments of apparel, shoes and accessories for women, men and kids. It carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Stitch Fix’s current fiscal-year earnings implies growth of 69.7% from the year-ago actuals. SFIX delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 51.4%.
Canada Goose is a global outerwear brand. GOOS is a designer, manufacturer, distributor and retailer of premium outerwear for men, women and children. It carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Canada Goose’s current fiscal-year earnings and sales indicates growth of 10% and 2.9%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. Canada Goose delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 57.2%.
Allbirds is a lifestyle brand that uses naturally derived materials to make footwear and apparel products. It carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BIRD’s current financial-year earnings implies growth of 16.1% from the year-ago actual. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 21.3%.