BBWI - Bath & Body Works Reports Second Quarter 2023 Earnings Results

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bath & Body Works, Inc. (NYSE: BBWI) today reported second quarter 2023 results.

Gina Boswell, CEO of Bath & Body Works, commented, “In the second quarter, we delivered net sales in line with our expectations, and the early benefits of our cost optimization and merchandise margin improvement initiatives helped drive earnings which outperformed our expectations. Our team remained agile in response to the dynamic macroeconomic environment, with a focus on delivering innovation and building capabilities to position our company for topline growth and margin expansion. We are executing well against a diverse set of opportunities within our key areas of focus, which will enable us to better serve our customers, drive profitable growth and create long-term value for our stakeholders.”

Second Quarter 2023 Results

The company reported net sales of $1.559 billion for the second quarter ended July 29, 2023, a decrease of 3.6% compared to net sales of $1.618 billion for the second quarter ended July 30, 2022.

The company reported earnings per diluted share of $0.43 for the second quarter of 2023, compared to $0.52 for the same period of the prior year. Second quarter operating income was $188 million compared to $242 million last year, and net income was $99 million compared to $120 million last year.

Reported second quarter 2023 net income includes a $9 million pre?tax gain ($7 million after?tax gain) associated with the early extinguishment of debt, resulting from the open market repurchase and retirement of $115 million principal amount of the company’s senior notes during the second quarter.

Excluding the gain on the early extinguishment of debt, adjusted second quarter 2023 earnings per diluted share were $0.40 and adjusted net income was $92 million.

At the conclusion of this press release is a reconciliation of reported?to?adjusted results.

2023 Outlook

The company has updated its full?year forecast to reflect better-than-expected bottom line results in the second quarter, the impact of debt and share repurchases in the second quarter and narrowed sales expectations for the fiscal year.

For fiscal 2023, the company expects net sales to decline 1.5% to 3.5% compared to $7.560 billion in 2022. The company now expects full-year 2023 earnings per diluted share to be between $2.85 and $3.15, compared to $3.40 in 2022. The company expects full-year 2023 adjusted earnings per diluted share to be between $2.80 and $3.10. The company’s adjusted earnings per diluted share forecast excludes the gain on the early extinguishment of debt associated with the open market repurchase and retirement of $199 million principal amount of the company’s senior notes through the end of the second quarter.

Fiscal 2023 will include a 53rd week, with the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 consisting of 14 weeks. The company’s full-year outlook includes the impact of the 53rd week, estimated at 7 cents per diluted share.

The company expects third quarter net sales to decline 2.5% to 4.0% compared to $1.604 billion in the third quarter of 2022. Third quarter earnings per diluted share are expected to be between $0.30 and $0.40, compared to $0.40 earnings per diluted share in the third quarter of 2022.

The company’s third quarter and full-year outlook exclude the impact of any future debt or share repurchase activity.

Earnings Call and Additional Information

Bath & Body Works, Inc. will conduct its second quarter earnings call at 9:00 a.m. Eastern on August 23. To listen, call 1.888.946.7609 (international dial?in number: 1.517.308.9411); conference ID 6362067. For an audio replay, call 1.888.282.0035 (international replay number: 1.203.369.3602); conference ID 6362067 or log onto www.BBWInc.com.

ABOUT BATH & BODY WORKS

Home of America’s Favorite Fragrances ^® , Bath & Body Works is a global leader in personal care and home fragrance, including top-selling collections for fine fragrance mist, body lotion and body cream, 3-wick candles, home fragrance diffusers and liquid hand soap. Powered by agility and innovation, the company’s predominantly U.S.-based supply chain enables the company to deliver quality, on-trend luxuries at affordable prices. Bath & Body Works serves and delights customers however and wherever they want to shop, from welcoming, in-store experiences at more than 1,820 company-operated Bath & Body Works locations in the U.S. and Canada and more than 440 international franchised locations to an online storefront at bathandbodyworks.com.

Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

We caution that any forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) contained in this press release or made by our company or our management involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, many of which are beyond our control. Accordingly, our future performance and financial results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in any such forward-looking statements. Words such as “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “planned,” “potential,” “target,” “goal” and any similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Risks associated with the following factors, among others, in some cases have affected and in the future could affect our financial

performance and actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements included in this press release or otherwise made by our company or our management:

• general economic conditions, inflation and deflation, consumer confidence, consumer spending patterns and market disruptions including pandemics or significant health hazards, severe weather conditions, natural disasters, terrorist activities, financial crises, political crises or other major events, or the prospect of these events;
• the seasonality of our business;
• the anticipated benefits from the Victoria’s Secret & Co. spin-off may not be realized;
• the spin-off of Victoria’s Secret & Co. may not be tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes;
• our dependence on Victoria’s Secret & Co. for information technology services and the transition of such services to our own information technology systems or to those of third-party technology service providers;
• our ability to attract, develop and retain qualified associates and manage labor-related costs;
• difficulties arising from turnover in company leadership or other key positions;
• the dependence on store traffic and the availability of suitable store locations on appropriate terms;
• our continued growth in part through new store openings and existing store remodels and expansions;
• our ability to successfully operate and expand internationally and related risks;
• our independent franchise, license and wholesale partners;
• our direct channel business;
• our ability to protect our reputation and our brand image;
• our ability to successfully complete environmental, social and governance initiatives, and associated costs thereof;
• our ability to successfully achieve expected annual cost savings in connection with our profit optimization efforts to reduce expenses and improve operating efficiency in the business;
• our ability to attract customers with marketing, advertising and promotional programs;
• our ability to maintain, enforce and protect our trade names, trademarks and patents;
• the highly competitive nature of the retail industry and the segments in which we operate;
• consumer acceptance of our products and our ability to manage the life cycle of our brand, develop new merchandise and launch new product lines successfully;
• our ability to source, distribute and sell goods and materials on a global basis, including risks related to:
  • political instability, wars and other armed conflicts, environmental hazards or natural disasters;
  • significant health hazards or pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which could result in closed factories and/or stores, reduced workforces, scarcity of raw materials, and scrutiny or embargoing of goods produced in impacted areas;
  • duties, taxes and other charges;
  • legal and regulatory matters;
  • volatility in currency exchange rates;
  • local business practices and political issues;
  • delays or disruptions in shipping and transportation and related pricing impacts;
  • disruption due to labor disputes; and
  • changing expectations regarding product safety due to new legislation;
• our geographic concentration of vendor and distribution facilities in central Ohio;
• our reliance on a limited number of suppliers to support a substantial portion of our inventory purchasing needs;
• the ability of our vendors to deliver products in a timely manner, meet quality standards and comply with applicable laws and regulations;
• fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates;
• fluctuations in product input costs;
• fluctuations in energy costs;
• our ability to adequately protect our assets from loss and theft;
• increases in the costs of mailing, paper, printing or other order fulfillment logistics;
• claims arising from our self-insurance;
• our and our third-party service providers’, including Victoria’s Secret & Co. during the term of the Transition Services Agreement between us and Victoria’s Secret & Co., ability to implement and maintain information technology systems and to protect associated data;
• our ability to maintain the security of customer, associate, third-party and company information;
• stock price volatility;
• our ability to pay dividends and make share repurchases under share repurchase authorizations;
• shareholder activism matters;
• our ability to maintain our credit ratings;
• our ability to service, repurchase or refinance our debt and maintain compliance with our restrictive covenants;
• our ability to comply with laws, regulations and technology platform rules or other obligations related to data privacy and security;
• our ability to comply with regulatory requirements;
• legal and compliance matters; and
• tax, trade and other regulatory matters.
  

We are not under any obligation and do not intend to make publicly available any update or other revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect circumstances existing after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of future events even if experience or future events make it clear that any expected results expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements will not be realized. Additional information regarding these and other factors can be found in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and our subsequent filings.

For further information, please contact:

Bath & Body Works, Inc.:
Investor Relations
Heather Hollander
InvestorRelations@bbw.com

Media Relations
Jamison Pack
Communications@bbw.com

BATH & BODY WORKS, INC.

Second Quarter 2023

Total Sales (In millions):

(a)    Results include royalties associated with franchised stores and wholesale sales.

Total Company-Operated Stores:

Total Partner-Operated Stores:

See Notes to Reconciliation of GAAP Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures.

The company’s forecast excludes the impact of any future debt or share repurchase activity.

See Notes to Reconciliation of GAAP Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures.

BATH & BODY WORKS, INC.

NOTES TO RECONCILIATION OF GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

(Unaudited)

The “Adjusted Financial Information” provided in the attached reflects the following non-GAAP financial measures:

Fiscal 2023

In the second quarter of 2023, adjusted results exclude a:

• $9 million pre-tax gain ($7 million net of tax of $2 million), included in other income, associated with the early extinguishment of outstanding notes.
  

In the first quarter of 2023, adjusted results exclude a:

• $7 million pre-tax gain ($5 million net of tax of $2 million), included in other income, associated with the early extinguishment of outstanding notes.
  

Forecasted full-year 2023 adjusted results exclude the following:

• A $16 million pre-tax gain ($12 million net of tax of $4 million), included in other income year-to-date through the second quarter of 2023, associated with the early extinguishment of outstanding notes.
• The impact of any future debt or share repurchase activity.

Fiscal 2022

In the first and second quarters of 2022, there were no adjustments to results.

The adjusted financial information should not be construed as an alternative to the results determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Further, the company’s definitions of adjusted income information may differ from similarly titled measures used by other companies. Management believes that the presentation of adjusted financial information provides additional information to investors to facilitate the comparison of past and present operations. While it is not possible to predict future results, management believes the adjusted financial information is useful for the assessment of the operations of the company because the adjusted items are not indicative of the company’s ongoing operations due to their size and nature. Additionally, management uses adjusted financial information as key performance measures for the purpose of evaluating performance internally. The adjusted financial information should be read in conjunction with the company’s historical financial statements and notes thereto contained in the company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K.

“Total international system-wide retail sales” means the net sales of all Bath & Body Works stores and digital channels located outside North America and owned and/or operated by the company’s franchise, license and wholesale partners. While total international system-wide retail sales are not recorded as net sales by the company, management believes the information is important in understanding the company’s financial performance because these sales are the basis on which the company calculates and records certain net sales for its International business and are indicative of the financial health of the company’s franchise, license and wholesale partners and the prospects for growth of the company’s International business.