11/25/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/25/2024 15:16
Leslie's, Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter & Fiscal 2024 Financial Results;
Provides First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Outlook
PHOENIX, AZ - November 25, 2024 - Leslie's, Inc. ("Leslie's", "we", "our", "its", or "Company"; NASDAQ: LESL), the largest and most trusted direct-to-consumer brand in the U.S. pool and spa care industry, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2024.
Jason McDonell, Chief Executive Officer, said, "Our fourth quarter results were in line with our revised expectations on the top-line, and we saw strong performance in our Pro segment with some continued softness in store traffic and larger-ticket and discretionary categories. Profitability was affected by deleverage from the sales decline and a one-time contract item, though we have remained disciplined on SG&A expenses."
McDonell added, "While we continue to operate in a dynamic environment, which has been felt acutely across the pool industry for the last two years, I see a bright future and compelling opportunities for Leslie's. Since joining Leslie's in September, I've been in the market talking with customers, vendors, and associates and it's clear that Leslie's is a trusted brand with a rich legacy and a strong market leadership position. I see meaningful opportunities to enhance these attributes and build on our competitive advantages by putting the customer at the center of everything we do. With the customer as our north star, we are developing and beginning to execute on the strategy and initiatives to drive long-term profitable growth. I look forward to detailing our strategic roadmap in the coming quarters and thank all of our stakeholders for their support as we build a stronger future together."
Fourth Quarter Highlights
1
Fiscal 2024 Highlights
Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Highlights
2
First Quarter Fiscal 2025 Outlook
The Company expects the following for the first quarter of fiscal 2025:
Sales |
$169 million to $176 million |
Gross profit |
$45 million to $48 million |
Net loss |
$(41) million to $(39) million |
Adjusted net loss |
$(39) million to $(37) million |
Adjusted EBITDA |
$(29) million to $(27) million |
Adjusted diluted loss per share |
$(0.21) to $(0.20) |
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding |
185 million |
*Note: A reconciliation of non-GAAP guidance measures to corresponding GAAP measures is not available on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable effort due to the uncertainty of expenses that may be incurred in the future, although it is important to note that these factors could be material to our results computed in accordance with GAAP.
Conference Call Details
A conference call to discuss the Company's financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2024 is scheduled for today, Monday, November 25, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Investors and analysts interested in participating in the call are invited to dial 877-407-0784 (international callers please dial 1-201-689-8560) approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available online at https://ir.lesliespool.com/.
A recorded replay of the conference call will be available within approximately three hours of the conclusion of the call and can be accessed online at https://ir.lesliespool.com/ for 90 days.
About Leslie's
Founded in 1963, Leslie's is the largest and most trusted direct-to-consumer brand in the U.S. pool and spa care industry. The Company serves the aftermarket needs of residential and professional consumers with an extensive and largely exclusive assortment of essential pool and spa care products. The Company operates an integrated ecosystem of over 1,000 physical locations and a robust digital platform, enabling consumers to engage with Leslie's whenever, wherever, and however they prefer to shop. Its dedicated team of associates, pool and spa care experts, and experienced service technicians are passionate about empowering Leslie's consumers with the knowledge, products, and solutions necessary to confidently maintain and enjoy their pools and spas.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Other Operating Measures
In addition to reporting financial results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP"), we use certain non-GAAP financial measures and other operating measures, including comparable sales growth, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted net income (loss), and Adjusted diluted earnings per share, to evaluate the effectiveness of our business strategies, to make budgeting decisions, and to compare our performance against that of other peer companies using similar measures. These non-GAAP financial measures and other operating measures should not be considered in isolation or as substitutes for our results as reported under GAAP. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures and other operating measures are not calculated in the same manner by all companies, and accordingly, are not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies and may not be appropriate measures for performance relative to other companies.
Comparable Sales Growth
We measure comparable sales growth as the increase or decrease in sales recorded by the comparable base in any reporting period, compared to sales recorded by the comparable base in the prior reporting period. The comparable base includes sales through our locations and through our e-commerce websites and third-party marketplaces.
3
Comparable sales growth is a key measure used by management and our board of directors to assess our financial performance.
Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest (including amortization of debt issuance costs), taxes, depreciation and amortization, management fees, equity-based compensation expense, loss (gain) on debt extinguishment, loss (gain) on asset and contract dispositions, executive transition costs, severance, costs related to equity offerings, strategic project costs, merger and acquisition costs, and other non-recurring, non-cash or discrete items. Adjusted EBITDA is a key measure used by management and our board of directors to assess our financial performance. Adjusted EBITDA is also frequently used by analysts, investors, and other interested parties to evaluate companies in our industry, when considered alongside other GAAP measures. We use Adjusted EBITDA to supplement GAAP measures of performance to evaluate the effectiveness of our business strategies, to make budgeting decisions, and to compare our performance against that of other companies using similar measures.
Adjusted EBITDA is not a recognized measure of financial performance under GAAP but is used by some investors to determine a company's ability to service or incur indebtedness. Adjusted EBITDA is not calculated in the same manner by all companies, and accordingly, is not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies and may not be an appropriate measure for performance relative to other companies. Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an indicator of a company's operating performance in isolation from, or as a substitute for, net income (loss), cash flows from operations or cash flow data, all of which are prepared in accordance with GAAP. We have presented Adjusted EBITDA solely as supplemental disclosure because we believe it allows for a more complete analysis of results of operations. Adjusted EBITDA is not intended to represent, and should not be considered more meaningful than, or as an alternative to, measures of operating performance as determined in accordance with GAAP. In the future, we may incur expenses or charges such as those added back to calculate Adjusted EBITDA. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by these items.
Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share
Adjusted net income (loss) and Adjusted diluted earnings per share are additional key measures used by management and our board of directors to assess our financial performance. Adjusted net income (loss) and Adjusted diluted earnings per share are also frequently used by analysts, investors, and other interested parties to evaluate companies in our industry, when considered alongside other GAAP measures.
Adjusted net income (loss) is defined as net income (loss) adjusted to exclude management fees, equity-based compensation expense, loss (gain) on debt extinguishment, loss (gain) on asset and contract dispositions, executive transition costs, severance, costs related to equity offerings, strategic project costs, merger and acquisition costs, and other non-recurring, non-cash, or discrete items. Adjusted diluted earnings per share is defined as Adjusted net income (loss) divided by the diluted weighted average number of common shares outstanding.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements about us and our industry that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including statements regarding our future results of operations or financial condition, business strategy, value proposition, legal proceedings, competitive advantages, market size, growth opportunities, industry expectations, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "anticipate," "believe," "contemplate," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "target," "will," or "would," or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions. Our actual results or outcomes could differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including, among others:
4
You should not rely on forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. We have based the forward-looking statements contained in this press release primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, and operating results. The outcome of the events described in these forward-looking statements is subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors described in Part I, Item 1A, "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 28, 2024 and in our other filings with the SEC. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time-to-time, and it is not possible for us to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. The results, events, and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur, and actual results or outcomes could differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.
In addition, statements that "we believe" and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this press release, and while we believe that information provides a reasonable basis for these statements, that information may be limited or incomplete. Our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain, and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on these statements.
The forward-looking statements made in this press release are based on events or circumstances as of the date on which the statements are made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect new information, changed expectations, the occurrence of unanticipated events or otherwise, except as required by law. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, outcomes or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, or investments.
Contact
5
Matthew Skelly
Vice President, Investor Relations
Leslie's, Inc.
6
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)
Three Months Ended |
Year Ended |
|||||||||
September 28, 2024 |
September 30, 2023 |
September 28, 2024 |
September 30, 2023 |
|||||||
(Unaudited) |
(Unaudited) |
(Unaudited) |
(Audited) |
|||||||
Sales |
$ |
397,859 |
$ |
432,370 |
$ |
1,330,121 |
$ |
1,451,209 |
||
Cost of merchandise and services sold |
254,645 |
272,209 |
853,331 |
902,986 |
||||||
Gross profit |
143,214 |
160,161 |
476,790 |
548,223 |
||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses |
116,795 |
121,617 |
419,673 |
446,044 |
||||||
Operating income |
26,419 |
38,544 |
57,117 |
102,179 |
||||||
Other expense: |
||||||||||
Interest expense |
17,015 |
17,156 |
70,395 |
65,438 |
||||||
Total other expense |
17,015 |
17,156 |
70,395 |
65,438 |
||||||
Income (loss) before taxes |
9,404 |
21,388 |
(13,278 |
) |
36,741 |
|||||
Income tax expense |
19,328 |
4,907 |
10,101 |
9,499 |
||||||
Net (loss) income |
$ |
(9,924 |
) |
$ |
16,481 |
$ |
(23,379 |
) |
$ |
27,242 |
Earnings per share: |
||||||||||
Basic |
$ |
(0.05 |
) |
$ |
0.09 |
$ |
(0.13 |
) |
$ |
0.15 |
Diluted |
$ |
(0.05 |
) |
$ |
0.09 |
$ |
(0.13 |
) |
$ |
0.15 |
Weighted average shares outstanding: |
||||||||||
Basic |
184,936 |
184,181 |
184,694 |
183,839 |
||||||
Diluted |
184,936 |
184,782 |
184,694 |
184,716 |
Other Financial Data (1)
(Amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)
Three Months Ended |
Year Ended |
||||||||
September 28, 2024 |
September 30, 2023 |
September 28, 2024 |
September 30, 2023 |
||||||
(Unaudited) |
(Unaudited) |
(Unaudited) |
(Audited) |
||||||
Adjusted EBITDA |
$ |
42,972 |
$ |
59,466 |
$ |
108,744 |
$ |
168,149 |
|
Adjusted net income (loss) |
$ |
4,380 |
$ |
25,743 |
$ |
(1,084 |
) |
$ |
51,113 |
Adjusted diluted earnings per share |
$ |
0.02 |
$ |
0.14 |
$ |
(0.01 |
) |
$ |
0.28 |
7
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
September 28, 2024 |
September 30, 2023 |
|||
Assets |
(Unaudited) |
(Audited) |
||
Current assets |
||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ |
108,505 |
$ |
55,420 |
Accounts and other receivables, net |
45,467 |
29,396 |
||
Inventories |
234,283 |
311,837 |
||
Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
34,179 |
23,633 |
||
Total current assets |
422,434 |
420,286 |
||
Property and equipment, net |
98,447 |
90,285 |
||
Operating lease right-of-use assets |
270,488 |
251,460 |
||
Goodwill and other intangibles, net |
215,127 |
218,855 |
||
Deferred tax assets |
4,168 |
7,598 |
||
Other assets |
39,661 |
45,951 |
||
Total assets |
$ |
1,050,325 |
$ |
1,034,435 |
Liabilities and stockholders' deficit |
||||
Current liabilities |
||||
Accounts payable |
67,622 |
58,556 |
||
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities |
106,712 |
90,598 |
||
Operating lease liabilities |
63,357 |
62,794 |
||
Income taxes payable |
1,519 |
5,782 |
||
Current portion of long-term debt |
8,100 |
8,100 |
||
Total current liabilities |
247,310 |
225,830 |
||
Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent |
209,067 |
193,222 |
||
Long-term debt, net |
769,065 |
773,276 |
||
Other long-term liabilities |
2,032 |
3,469 |
||
Total liabilities |
1,227,474 |
1,195,797 |
||
Commitments and contingencies |
||||
Stockholders' deficit |
||||
Common stock, $0.001 par value, 1,000,000,000 shares authorized and 184,969,296 and 184,333,670 issued and outstanding as of September 28, 2024 and September 30, 2023, respectively. |
185 |
184 |
||
Additional paid in capital |
106,871 |
99,280 |
||
Retained deficit |
(284,205 |
) |
(260,826 |
) |
Total stockholders' deficit |
(177,149 |
) |
(161,362 |
) |
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficit |
$ |
1,050,325 |
$ |
1,034,435 |
8
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Amounts in thousands)
Year Ended |
|||||
September 28, 2024 |
September 30, 2023 |
||||
(Unaudited) |
(Audited) |
||||
Operating Activities |
|||||
Net (loss) income |
$ |
(23,379 |
) |
$ |
27,242 |
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities: |
|||||
Depreciation and amortization |
33,078 |
34,142 |
|||
Equity-based compensation |
8,589 |
11,703 |
|||
Amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discounts |
2,191 |
2,100 |
|||
Provision for doubtful accounts |
1,466 |
193 |
|||
Deferred income taxes |
3,430 |
(6,330 |
) |
||
Loss on asset and contract dispositions |
464 |
6,396 |
|||
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
|||||
Accounts and other receivables |
(18,684 |
) |
16,101 |
||
Inventories |
85,879 |
54,331 |
|||
Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
(1,019 |
) |
(3,466 |
) |
|
Other assets |
6,861 |
(9,990 |
) |
||
Accounts payable |
1,889 |
(97,900 |
) |
||
Accrued expenses |
4,817 |
(22,148 |
) |
||
Income taxes payable |
(4,263 |
) |
(6,729 |
) |
|
Operating lease assets and liabilities, net |
6,147 |
825 |
|||
Net cash provided by operating activities |
107,466 |
6,470 |
|||
Investing Activities |
|||||
Purchases of property and equipment |
(47,244 |
) |
(38,577 |
) |
|
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
- |
(15,549 |
) |
||
Proceeds from asset dispositions |
81 |
1,587 |
|||
Net cash used in investing activities |
(47,163 |
) |
(52,539 |
) |
|
Financing Activities |
|||||
Borrowings on Revolving Credit Facility |
140,500 |
264,000 |
|||
Payments on Revolving Credit Facility |
(140,500 |
) |
(264,000 |
) |
|
Repayment of long-term debt |
(6,075 |
) |
(8,100 |
) |
|
Payment on finance lease |
(145 |
) |
- |
||
Payment of deferred financing costs |
- |
(347 |
) |
||
Payments of employee tax withholdings related to restricted stock vesting |
(998 |
) |
(2,357 |
) |
|
Net cash used in financing activities |
(7,218 |
) |
(10,804 |
) |
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
53,085 |
(56,873 |
) |
||
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year |
55,420 |
112,293 |
|||
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year |
$ |
108,505 |
$ |
55,420 |
|
Supplemental Information: |
|||||
Interest |
$ |
63,242 |
$ |
63,059 |
|
Income taxes, net of refunds received |
10,933 |
22,559 |
9
GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliation
(Amounts in thousands except per share amounts)
Three Months Ended |
Year Ended |
|||||||||
September 28, 2024 |
September 30, 2023 |
September 28, 2024 |
September 30, 2023 |
|||||||
(Unaudited) |
(Unaudited) |
(Unaudited) |
(Audited) |
|||||||
Net (loss) income |
$ |
(9,924 |
) |
$ |
16,481 |
$ |
(23,379 |
) |
$ |
27,242 |
Interest expense |
17,015 |
17,156 |
70,395 |
65,438 |
||||||
Income tax expense |
19,328 |
4,907 |
10,101 |
9,499 |
||||||
Depreciation and amortization expense(1) |
8,659 |
8,573 |
33,078 |
34,142 |
||||||
Equity-based compensation expense(2) |
967 |
2,607 |
8,650 |
12,067 |
||||||
Strategic project costs(3) |
1,025 |
241 |
2,083 |
3,004 |
||||||
Executive transition costs and other(4) |
5,902 |
9,501 |
7,816 |
16,757 |
||||||
Adjusted EBITDA |
$ |
42,972 |
$ |
59,466 |
$ |
108,744 |
$ |
168,149 |
||
Three Months Ended |
Year Ended |
|||||||||
September 28, 2024 |
September 30, 2023 |
September 28, 2024 |
September 30, 2023 |
|||||||
(Unaudited) |
(Unaudited) |
(Unaudited) |
(Audited) |
|||||||
Net (loss) income |
$ |
(9,924 |
) |
$ |
16,481 |
$ |
(23,379 |
) |
$ |
27,242 |
Equity-based compensation expense(2) |
967 |
2,607 |
8,650 |
12,067 |
||||||
Strategic project costs (3) |
1,025 |
241 |
2,083 |
3,004 |
||||||
Executive transition costs and other (4) |
5,902 |
9,501 |
7,816 |
16,757 |
||||||
Changes in valuation allowance (5) |
11,177 |
- |
11,177 |
- |
||||||
Tax effects of these adjustments(6) |
(4,767 |
) |
(3,087 |
) |
(7,431 |
) |
(7,957 |
) |
||
Adjusted net income (loss) |
$ |
4,380 |
$ |
25,743 |
$ |
(1,084 |
) |
$ |
51,113 |
|
Diluted earnings per share |
$ |
(0.05 |
) |
$ |
0.09 |
$ |
(0.13 |
) |
$ |
0.15 |
Adjusted diluted earnings per share |
$ |
0.02 |
$ |
0.18 |
$ |
(0.01 |
) |
$ |
0.28 |
|
Weighted average shares outstanding |
||||||||||
Basic |
184,936 |
184,181 |
184,694 |
183,839 |
||||||
Diluted |
184,954 |
184,782 |
184,694 |
184,716 |
10