Retail

Is Macy's Guidance Enough?

Before the markets opened Tuesday, Macy’s Inc. (NYSE: M) reported its fourth-quarter financial results as $2.44 in earnings per share (EPS) and $9.36 billion in revenue. That compared to Thomson Reuters consensus estimates of $2.41 EPS and $9.40 billion in revenue. In the fourth quarter of last year, the retailer posted EPS of $2.31 and $9.2 billion in revenue.

For the 2015 fiscal year, Macy’s reported $4.40 in EPS on revenue of $28.11 billion. The consensus estimates called for EPS of $4.36 on $28.14 billion in revenue.

In the 2014 fiscal year, Macy’s expects comparable sales growth of approximately 2% and total sales growth of 1%. The company also expects EPS in a range of $4.70 to $4.80, compared to the consensus estimate for the 2015 fiscal year of $4.84.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $2.71 billion in fiscal 2014, down from $2.55 billion in fiscal 2013. The company repurchased approximately 31.9 million shares of its common stock for $1.9 billion in the 2014 fiscal year. At the end of January 2015, the company had remaining authorization to repurchase up to approximately $1.0 billion of its common stock.

Sales for the fourth quarter were up 1.8% to $9.36 billion from the same period in 2013. Comparable sales growth for the fourth quarter was 2.5%.

In the 2014 fiscal year, Macy’s opened five stores and closed 22 stores. For the coming year, the company expects to open a new Macy’s store in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and a Bloomingdale’s in Honolulu. For the 2016 fiscal year, a new Macy’s store has been announced for opening in Kapolei, Hawaii, along with a replacement Macy’s store in Los Angeles.

ALSO READ: Customer Satisfaction Lowest at Wal-Mart, Highest at Nordstrom and Amazon

Terry J. Lundgren, chairman and chief executive of Macy’s, said:

We are very excited about our upcoming acquisition of Bluemercury, Inc., widely recognized as America’s largest and fastest-growing luxury beauty products and spa retailer. We continue to expect to complete the Bluemercury transaction in the first quarter, with an initial focus on accelerating the growth of its base of self-standing specialty stores in urban and suburban markets, as well as on accelerated omnichannel growth and offering Bluemercury products in Macy’s stores. This represents a new channel and access to new customers for our company.

Shares of Macy’s were down about 1% at $63.53 Tuesday morning. The stock has a consensus analyst price target of $67.61 and a 52-week trading range of $53.33 to $68.30.

Is Your Money Earning the Best Possible Rate? (Sponsor)

Let’s face it: If your money is just sitting in a checking account, you’re losing value every single day. With most checking accounts offering little to no interest, the cash you worked so hard to save is gradually being eroded by inflation.

However, by moving that money into a high-yield savings account, you can put your cash to work, growing steadily with little to no effort on your part. In just a few clicks, you can set up a high-yield savings account and start earning interest immediately.

There are plenty of reputable banks and online platforms that offer competitive rates, and many of them come with zero fees and no minimum balance requirements. Click here to see if you’re earning the best possible rate on your money!

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.