- Nordstrom’s sales declined year over year and missed Wall Street’s expectations for quarterly revenue.
- The department store operator has sought growth after years of stagnant sales.
- Still, the retailer’s executives highlighted progress in improving Nordstrom Rack’s performance and improving its inventory.
Shoppers leave Nordstrom at King of Prussia Mall on December 11, 2022 in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
Marc Makela | Getty Images
Nordstrom said Tuesday its sales fell nearly 7% year over year, echoing comments from other retailers about weaker demand and consumers under budget pressure.
The department store operator nevertheless reiterated its sales outlook for the full year, saying it expects revenue to fall between 4 and 6 percent compared to last year, including including retail sales and credit card revenue.
It reduced its forecast for adjusted earnings per share, saying it expected between $1.90 and $2.10, excluding the impact of the closure of its stores and online operations in Canada and any possible buybacks. ‘actions.
Here are the retailer’s fiscal third-quarter results compared to what analysts expected, based on an analyst survey by LSEG, formerly known as Refinitiv:
- Earnings per share: 25 cents, adjusted versus 13 cents expected
- Revenue: $3.32 billion versus $3.40 billion expected
In the three months ended Oct. 28, Nordstrom’s net income rose to $67 million, or 41 cents per share, compared with a loss of $20 million, or 13 cents, in the same quarter of the previous year. The company incurred an impairment charge related to supply chain technology and related assets in the prior-year quarter.
Nordstrom is looking for growth after three straight years of sales at or below pre-pandemic levels. The high-end department store did not benefit from the dramatic sales gains other retailers experienced during the Covid pandemic, when consumers had extra cash and fewer ways to spend it during the pandemic.
As part of the initiative, the retailer opened more off-price Nordstrom Rack stores and revamped merchandise in those stores to highlight top-selling brands.
Still, Nordstrom’s efforts have been more difficult in an environment where shoppers aren’t buying as many discretionary goods, like clothing, and, in some cases, are prioritizing experiences, like concert tickets.
Other retailers also reported lower sales and were cautious about the holiday season. Weak retail profits weighed on the stock market on Tuesday. Best Buy and Lowe’s cut their fourth-quarter sales forecasts, and American Eagle Outfitters and Abercrombie & Fitch also disappointed investors with their holiday outlooks.
Nordstrom’s quarterly results also reflect this. The company’s total revenue fell to $3.32 billion from $3.55 billion a year ago. At Nordstrom’s namesake banner, net sales fell 9.4% and at its off-price banner, Nordstrom Rack, net sales fell 1.8%.
Still, in a press release, CEO Erik Nordstrom highlighted the progress the retailer has made in terms of profits and gross margins. The company experienced lower markdowns in the three-month period than a year ago, and its inventory was down nearly 9% from the year-ago period.
Digital sales were down 11.3% from the same period last year as the company was hurt by the elimination of Nordstrom Rack’s in-store digital orders but helped by a week-long anniversary sale of the company as it approaches the third fiscal quarter.
During the quarter, online sales accounted for about a third of Nordstrom’s total sales.
As of Tuesday’s close, shares of Nordstrom are down 8% year to date. This underperformed the S&P 500, which posted gains of around 18% during the period.
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