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GameStop (GME) Stock Down on Wider-Than-Expected Q2 Loss
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Shares of GameStop Corp. (GME - Free Report) plunged roughly 16% during the after-market trading session on Sep 10. The stock came under pressure following the company’s second-quarter fiscal 2019 results, wherein both the top and the bottom line not only missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate but also came below the prior-year reported figures. The trimming of fiscal 2019 comparable-store sales forecast further added to woes. The video game retailer also guided fiscal 2019 earnings that came below the consensus mark and suggests year-over-year decline.
The Grapevine, TX-based company has been grappling with sluggish sales at its stores owing to consumers inclination toward buying games and gaming consoles from e-retailers or downloading or streaming games online.
Nonetheless, management is undertaking strategic endeavors to bring the company back on track. These involve cost containment efforts, optimization of inventory, focusing on high margin product categories and rationalizing store base worldwide. This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company also plans to augment store experience, expand and redesign PowerUp Rewards loyalty program, enhance digital capabilities and improve engagement with vendors and partners. The company’s long-term target is to create $1 billion e-commerce business.
Further, the company is exiting loss making businesses and closing underperforming stores. The company remains on track to shutter 180-200 underperforming stores worldwide by the end of current fiscal year.
GameStop’s adjusted loss from continuing operations came in at 32 cents a share wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 22 cents. The reported figure also fared unfavorably with a loss of 10 cents incurred in the year-ago period.
Net sales declined 14.3% (or 13.1% on a constant currency basis) year over year to $1,285.7 million hurt by soft comparable store sales performance, 195 store closures since the second quarter last year and adverse currency fluctuation.
The top line fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,368 million, marking the third consecutive miss. We note that consolidated comparable store sales fell 11.6%, following a decline of 10.3% in the preceding quarter.
By sales mix, new video game hardware sales declined 41.1% to $175.6 million. This is reflective of announcements for next generation console launches in 2020. New video game software sales fell 5.3% to $285 million. The growth in Nintendo Switch software titles was more than offset by sluggishness in new title launches.
Pre-owned and value video game products sales came in at $373.1 million, down 17.5% year over year owing to declines across both hardware and software. Video game accessories sales fell 9.5% to $169.6 million.
Moreover, digital receipts tumbled 11.2% to $227.2 million attributable to weaker title launches, while digital sales fell 9.7% to $36.3 million. Nevertheless, Collectibles sales surged 21.2% to $171.8 million in the reported quarter on account of double-digit growth in both domestic and international stores. This was the 15th straight quarter of growth.
Moving on, gross profit fell 15.1% from year-ago quarter to $399.1 million, while gross margin contracted 30 basis points to 31%, stemming from markdown activity associated to the wind down of thinkgeek.com business.
SG&A expenses increased 4% to $459.3 million in the reported quarter. The company reported adjusted operating loss of $45.8 million against an adjusted operating income of $1.5 million reported in the year-ago period.
Other Financial Aspects
GameStop ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $424 million, up nearly $151.2 million year over year. Moreover, the company had net receivables of $122.4 million, long-term debt of $419.1 million (down from $819.2 million in the year-ago period) and shareholders’ equity of $809.7 million at the quarter end. During the quarter under review, the company lowered debt burden by $49.8 million. This brings the year-to-date debt reduction to $401.7 million.
During the quarter, the company incurred capital expenditures of $23 million. Further, management expects to incur capital expenditures in the band of $90-$95 million during fiscal 2019. Management expects to generate adjusted free cash flow of $225-$250 million during the fiscal year.
Under its recently concluded modified Dutch auction tender offer, the company repurchased 12 million shares for an aggregate amount of $62.4 million. The company has roughly $237 million remaining under the existing share repurchase program.
Outlook
GameStop has undertaken cost-savings and operating profit improvement initiatives. This strategy aims at strengthening the organization and aid financial improvement and profitability in the long term. Its efforts in this regard include supply chain improvements, operational enhancements, cost cutting, pricing and promotion optimization. Management now aims at achieving annualized operating profit improvement of more than $200 million. The company had earlier projected the same to be around $100 million.
The company now expects fiscal 2019 adjusted earnings in the band of $1.15-$1.30 per share, the mid-point ($1.225) of which is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.50 and the prior-year figure of $2.14. Management now envisions comparable store sales to decline in the low teens compared with the prior projection of a 5-10% decrease.
Burlington Stores (BURL - Free Report) has a long-term earnings growth rate of 15.9% and a Zacks Rank #2.
Dollar General (DG - Free Report) has a long-term earnings growth rate of 11.1% and a Zacks Rank #2.
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GameStop (GME) Stock Down on Wider-Than-Expected Q2 Loss
Shares of GameStop Corp. (GME - Free Report) plunged roughly 16% during the after-market trading session on Sep 10. The stock came under pressure following the company’s second-quarter fiscal 2019 results, wherein both the top and the bottom line not only missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate but also came below the prior-year reported figures. The trimming of fiscal 2019 comparable-store sales forecast further added to woes. The video game retailer also guided fiscal 2019 earnings that came below the consensus mark and suggests year-over-year decline.
The Grapevine, TX-based company has been grappling with sluggish sales at its stores owing to consumers inclination toward buying games and gaming consoles from e-retailers or downloading or streaming games online.
Nonetheless, management is undertaking strategic endeavors to bring the company back on track. These involve cost containment efforts, optimization of inventory, focusing on high margin product categories and rationalizing store base worldwide. This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company also plans to augment store experience, expand and redesign PowerUp Rewards loyalty program, enhance digital capabilities and improve engagement with vendors and partners. The company’s long-term target is to create $1 billion e-commerce business.
Further, the company is exiting loss making businesses and closing underperforming stores. The company remains on track to shutter 180-200 underperforming stores worldwide by the end of current fiscal year.
GameStop Corp. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
GameStop Corp. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | GameStop Corp. Quote
Q2 Performance
GameStop’s adjusted loss from continuing operations came in at 32 cents a share wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 22 cents. The reported figure also fared unfavorably with a loss of 10 cents incurred in the year-ago period.
Net sales declined 14.3% (or 13.1% on a constant currency basis) year over year to $1,285.7 million hurt by soft comparable store sales performance, 195 store closures since the second quarter last year and adverse currency fluctuation.
The top line fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,368 million, marking the third consecutive miss. We note that consolidated comparable store sales fell 11.6%, following a decline of 10.3% in the preceding quarter.
By sales mix, new video game hardware sales declined 41.1% to $175.6 million. This is reflective of announcements for next generation console launches in 2020. New video game software sales fell 5.3% to $285 million. The growth in Nintendo Switch software titles was more than offset by sluggishness in new title launches.
Pre-owned and value video game products sales came in at $373.1 million, down 17.5% year over year owing to declines across both hardware and software. Video game accessories sales fell 9.5% to $169.6 million.
Moreover, digital receipts tumbled 11.2% to $227.2 million attributable to weaker title launches, while digital sales fell 9.7% to $36.3 million. Nevertheless, Collectibles sales surged 21.2% to $171.8 million in the reported quarter on account of double-digit growth in both domestic and international stores. This was the 15th straight quarter of growth.
Moving on, gross profit fell 15.1% from year-ago quarter to $399.1 million, while gross margin contracted 30 basis points to 31%, stemming from markdown activity associated to the wind down of thinkgeek.com business.
SG&A expenses increased 4% to $459.3 million in the reported quarter. The company reported adjusted operating loss of $45.8 million against an adjusted operating income of $1.5 million reported in the year-ago period.
Other Financial Aspects
GameStop ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $424 million, up nearly $151.2 million year over year. Moreover, the company had net receivables of $122.4 million, long-term debt of $419.1 million (down from $819.2 million in the year-ago period) and shareholders’ equity of $809.7 million at the quarter end. During the quarter under review, the company lowered debt burden by $49.8 million. This brings the year-to-date debt reduction to $401.7 million.
During the quarter, the company incurred capital expenditures of $23 million. Further, management expects to incur capital expenditures in the band of $90-$95 million during fiscal 2019. Management expects to generate adjusted free cash flow of $225-$250 million during the fiscal year.
Under its recently concluded modified Dutch auction tender offer, the company repurchased 12 million shares for an aggregate amount of $62.4 million. The company has roughly $237 million remaining under the existing share repurchase program.
Outlook
GameStop has undertaken cost-savings and operating profit improvement initiatives. This strategy aims at strengthening the organization and aid financial improvement and profitability in the long term. Its efforts in this regard include supply chain improvements, operational enhancements, cost cutting, pricing and promotion optimization. Management now aims at achieving annualized operating profit improvement of more than $200 million. The company had earlier projected the same to be around $100 million.
The company now expects fiscal 2019 adjusted earnings in the band of $1.15-$1.30 per share, the mid-point ($1.225) of which is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.50 and the prior-year figure of $2.14. Management now envisions comparable store sales to decline in the low teens compared with the prior projection of a 5-10% decrease.
3 Picks You Can’t Miss Out On
Target (TGT - Free Report) has an average positive earnings surprise of 4.6% for the trailing four quarters. It carries a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Burlington Stores (BURL - Free Report) has a long-term earnings growth rate of 15.9% and a Zacks Rank #2.
Dollar General (DG - Free Report) has a long-term earnings growth rate of 11.1% and a Zacks Rank #2.
Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside?
Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana.
Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look.
See the pot trades we're targeting>>