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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 19, 2024

 

Citi Trends, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   000-41886   52-2150697
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)   (Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)

 

104 Coleman Boulevard, Savannah, Georgia   31408
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (912) 236-1561

 

Former name or former address, if changed since last report: Not applicable

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (See General Instruction A.2 below):

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
   
¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
   
¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
   
¨ Pre- commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, $0.01 par value CTRN Nasdaq Stock Market

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company      ¨

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.      ¨

 

 

 

 

 

Item 2.02.Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

 

On March 19, 2024, the Company issued a press release reporting its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended February 3, 2024 and its outlook for fiscal year 2024 (the “Press Release”). A copy of the Press Release is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K (the “Current Report”) as Exhibit 99.1, the contents of which are incorporated herein solely for purposes of this Item 2.02 disclosure by this reference.

 

The information contained in this Item 2.02, including the Press Release attached to this Current Report, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of such section. The information in this Item 2.02, including the Press Release, shall not be incorporated by reference into any filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in any such filing.

 

Item 9.01.Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)             Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.   Description
     
99.1   Press Release dated March 19, 2024.
104   Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

  CITI TRENDS, INC.
   
Date: March 19, 2024 By: /s/ Heather Plutino
    Name: Heather Plutino
    Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

CITI TRENDS ANNOUNCES FOURTH QUARTER AND FISCAL 2023 RESULTS

 

Q4 2023 total sales of $215.2 million with gross margin of 39.1%

 

Q4 2023 diluted EPS of $0.42; adjusted diluted EPS* of $0.53

 

Fiscal 2023 total sales of $747.9 million

 

Company ends Fiscal 2023 with $155 million of liquidity, including $80 million of cash and no debt

 

Company provides outlook for Fiscal 2024; expects mid-single digit comp increase

 

Q1 2024 to date comp trend consistent with outlook

 

SAVANNAH, GA (March 19, 2024) — Citi Trends, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTRN), a leading specialty value retailer of apparel, accessories and home trends for way less spend primarily for African American and multicultural families in the United States, today reported results for the fourth quarter and full year ended February 3, 2024, both of which included an additional week as compared to the comparable prior year periods.

 

Financial Highlights – Fourth Quarter 2023

 

·Total sales of $215.2 million increased 2.7% vs. Q4 2022; the extra week contributed $11.2 million to total sales in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023; comparable store sales, calculated on a 13-week to 13-week basis, decreased 1.5% compared to Q4 2022
·Gross margin of 39.1% vs. 39.5% in Q4 2022
·Operating income of $3.9 million, or $5.1 million as adjusted*, compared to $7.4 million in Q4 2022 or $7.5 million as adjusted*
·Net income of $3.6 million, $4.4 million as adjusted*, compared to $6.6 million in Q4 2022 or $6.8 million as adjusted*
·Adjusted EBITDA* of $10.0 million compared to $12.3 million in Q4 2022
·Diluted EPS of $0.42, or $0.53 as adjusted*, vs. diluted EPS of $0.81 in Q4 2022 or $0.83 as adjusted*

 

Financial Highlights – Full Year 2023

 

·Total sales of $747.9 million decreased 5.9% vs. 2022; comparable stores sales, calculated on a 52-week to 52-week basis, decreased 6.8% vs. 2022
·Gross margin of 38.1%, or 38.2% as adjusted*, vs. 39.1% in 2022
·Operating loss of $19.5 million, or $17.5 million as adjusted*, vs. operating income of $75.3 million in 2022, or $11.4 million as adjusted*
·Net loss of $12.0 million, or $10.5 million as adjusted*, compared to net income of $58.9 million in 2022, or $9.4 million as adjusted*
·Adjusted EBITDA* of $1.5 million vs. $32.0 million in 2022
·Net loss per share of $1.46, or $1.28 as adjusted*, vs. diluted EPS of $7.17 in 2022, or $1.14 as adjusted*
·Opened 5 new stores, remodeled 15 stores and closed 14 stores to end the year with 602 locations
·Cash of $79.7 million at year-end, with no debt and no borrowings under a $75 million credit facility
·Year-end inventory increased 23% vs. 2022, lapping insufficient levels last year, strategic category rebuilds and earlier receipts for tax refund season and an earlier Easter; exiting Q1 2024, inventory expected to be up low-single digits to Q1 2023

 

Chief Executive Officer Comments

 

David Makuen, Chief Executive Officer, commented, “I am pleased to report that fourth quarter and annual results were in line with our guidance. We delivered a solid holiday season as our Ready. Set. Gift! campaign resonated with existing and new customers. Our strong execution of the business across our strategic priorities fueled our performance throughout the quarter. In particular, our focus on rebuilding inventories drove improved comps in targeted product categories. I am incredibly grateful to our entire organization for their continued execution of our priorities, while keeping our customers and neighborhoods at the core of everything we do.”

 

 

 

Mr. Makuen continued, “We enter 2024 in a strong financial position with total liquidity of $155 million, including year-end cash of approximately $80 million. We are pleased to establish our 2024 outlook which represents healthy top line growth and improved profitability. Midway through the first quarter, we are encouraged by our positive comp results and sequential improvement versus prior quarters driven by traffic growth and strong conversion. We have several initiatives in flight that are delivering strong sales lifts including store remodels, category comebacks and marketing. As the new fiscal year unfolds, we’ll leverage ERP-driven analytics and operational improvements made in 2023 to further advance assortment optimization and store experience upgrades to drive traffic and customer engagement. While the families we serve continue to face lingering economic pressures that we are monitoring closely, we are pulling multiple levers in support of our 2024 outlook.”

 

Capital Return Program Update

 

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023, the Company did not repurchase any shares of its common stock. At the end of fiscal 2023, $50.0 million remained available under the Company’s share repurchase program.

 

Fiscal 2024 Outlook

 

The Company’s outlook for fiscal 2024 compared to fiscal 2023 is as follows:

 

·Expecting full year comparable store sales growth of mid-single digits
·Full year gross margin to expand by approximately 75 to 100 basis points driven by ERP system benefits and freight expense leverage
·SG&A dollars expected to increase by approximately 2.5% to 3.0% primarily driven by incentive compensation
·Full year EBITDA* planned to be in the range of $4 million to $10 million
·The Company plans to open up to 5 new stores, remodel approximately 40 stores and close 10 to 15 underperforming stores as part of its ongoing fleet optimization; expecting to end fiscal 2024 with approximately 595 stores
·Full year capital expenditures are expected to be approximately $20 million

 

Investor Conference Call and Webcast

 

Citi Trends will host a conference call today at 9:00 a.m. ET. The number to call for the live interactive teleconference is (212) 231-2921. A replay of the conference call will be available until March 23, 2024, by dialing (800) 633-8284 and entering the passcode, 22029021.

 

The live broadcast of Citi Trends' conference call will be available online at the Company's website, cititrends.com, under the Investor Relations section, beginning today at 9:00 a.m. ET. The online replay will follow shortly after the call and will be available for replay for one year.

 

During the conference call, the Company may discuss and answer questions concerning business and financial developments and trends that have occurred after quarter-end. The Company’s responses to questions, as well as other matters discussed during the call, may contain or constitute information that has not been disclosed previously.

 

*Non-GAAP Financial Measures

 

The historical non-GAAP financial measures discussed herein are reconciled to their corresponding GAAP measures at the end of this press release. The Company is unable to provide a full reconciliation of the forward-looking non-GAAP financial measure used in 2024 guidance without unreasonable effort because it is not possible to predict certain of its adjustment items with a reasonable degree of certainty. This information is dependent upon future events and may be outside of the Company’ control and its unavailability could have a significant impact on its financial results.

 

 

 

About Citi Trends

 

Citi Trends, Inc. is a leading specialty value retailer of apparel, accessories and home trends for way less spend primarily for African American and multicultural families in the United States. The Company operates 602 stores located in 33 states. For more information, visit cititrends.com or your local store.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

All statements other than historical facts contained in this news release, including statements regarding the Company’s future financial results and position, business policy and plans, objectives and expectations of management for future operations and capital allocation expectations, are forward-looking statements that are subject to material risks and uncertainties. The words "believe," "may," "could," "plans," "estimate," “expects,” "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," “upcoming,” “trend” and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such language. Statements with respect to earnings, sales or new store guidance are forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are subject to the finalization of the Company’s quarter-end financial and accounting procedures, are not guarantees of future performance or results, and are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors which are discussed in our Annual Reports and Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, respectively, and any amendments thereto, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, uncertainties relating to general economic conditions, including inflation, energy and fuel costs, unemployment levels, and any deterioration whether caused by acts of war, terrorism, political or social unrest (including any resulting store closures, damage or loss of inventory); or other factors; changes in market interest rates and market levels of wages; impacts of natural disasters such as hurricanes; uncertainty and economic impact of pandemics, epidemics or other public health emergencies such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; transportation and distribution delays or interruptions; changes in freight rates; the Company’s ability to attract and retain workers; the Company’s ability to negotiate effectively the cost and purchase of merchandise inventory risks due to shifts in market demand; the Company’s ability to gauge fashion trends and changing consumer preferences; consumer confidence and changes in consumer spending patterns; competition within the industry; competition in our markets; the duration and extent of any economic stimulus programs; changes in product mix; interruptions in suppliers’ businesses; the ongoing assessment and impact of the cyber disruption we identified on January 14, 2023, including legal, reputational, financial and contractual risks resulting from the disruption, and other risks related to cybersecurity, data privacy and intellectual property; temporary changes in demand due to weather patterns; seasonality of the Company’s business; changes in market interest rates and market level wages; the results of pending or threatened litigation; delays associated with building, remodeling, opening and operating new stores; and delays associated with building, and opening or expanding new or existing distribution centers. Any forward-looking statements by the Company, with respect to guidance, the repurchase of shares pursuant to a share repurchase program, or otherwise, are intended to speak only as of the date such statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Company does not undertake to publicly update any forward-looking statements in this news release or with respect to matters described herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events or otherwise.

 

Contact:

 

Tom Filandro/Rachel Schacter

ICR, Inc.

CitiTrendsIR@icrinc.com

 

 

 

CITI TRENDS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited)

(in thousands, except per share data)

 

   Fourth Quarter 
   February 3, 2024   January 28, 2023   January 29, 2022 
Net sales  $215,179   $209,461   $240,974 
                
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation shown separately below)   (130,997)   (126,681)   (143,659)
Selling, general and administrative expenses   (74,527)   (70,578)   (79,563)
Depreciation   (4,850)   (4,802)   (5,175)
Asset impairment   (873)        
Income from operations   3,931    7,400    12,577 
Interest income   1,070    830    7 
Interest expense   (78)   (76)   (106)
Income before income taxes   4,923    8,154    12,478 
Income tax expense   (1,372)   (1,517)   (2,639)
Net income  $3,551   $6,637   $9,839 
                
Basic net income per common share  $0.43   $0.81   $1.17 
Diluted net income per common share  $0.42   $0.81   $1.16 
                
Weighted average number of shares outstanding               
Basic   8,238    8,155    8,404 
Diluted   8,380    8,155    8,516 

 

   Fiscal Year 
   February 3, 2024   January 28, 2023   January 29, 2022 
Net sales  $747,941   $795,011   $991,595 
                
Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation shown separately below)   (462,824)   (484,022)   (584,063)
Selling, general and administrative expenses   (284,529)   (279,177)   (307,622)
Depreciation   (18,990)   (20,595)   (20,393)
Asset impairment   (1,051)        
Gain on sale-leasebacks       64,088     
(Loss) income from operations   (19,454)   75,305    79,517 
Interest income   3,874    1,034    31 
Interest expense   (306)   (306)   (306)
(Loss) income before income taxes   (15,886)   76,033    79,242 
Income tax benefit (expense)   3,907    (17,141)   (17,002)
Net (loss) income  $(11,979)  $58,892   $62,240 
                
Basic net (loss) income per common share  $(1.46)  $7.17   $6.98 
Diluted net (loss) income per common share  $(1.46)  $7.17   $6.91 
                
Weighted average number of shares outstanding               
Basic   8,221    8,216    8,912 
Diluted   8,221    8,216    9,013 

 

 

 

CITI TRENDS, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited)

(in thousands)

 

   February 3, 2024   January 28, 2023 
Assets:          
Cash and cash equivalents  $79,706   $103,495 
Inventory   130,432    105,794 
Prepaid and other current assets   10,838    12,976 
Property and equipment, net   56,231    60,106 
Operating lease right of use assets   231,281    257,195 
Deferred tax assets   5,105    2,893 
Other noncurrent assets   5,128    1,797 
Total assets  $518,721   $544,257 
           
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:          
Accounts payable  $100,366   $80,670 
Accrued liabilities   23,312    26,876 
Current operating lease liabilities   45,842    52,661 
Other current liabilities   384    344 
Noncurrent operating lease liabilities   188,810    214,939 
Other noncurrent liabilities   2,301    2,322 
Total liabilities   361,015    377,812 
           
Total stockholders' equity   157,706    166,445 
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity  $518,721   $544,257 

  

 

 

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (unaudited)

(in thousands, except per share data)

 

The Company makes reference in this release to adjusted gross margin, adjusted operating income, adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share and adjusted EBITDA. The Company believes these supplemental measures reflect operating results that are more indicative of the Company's ongoing operating performance while improving comparability to prior and future periods, and as such, may provide investors with an enhanced understanding of the Company's past financial performance and prospects for the future. This information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net income or earnings per diluted share prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

 

   Fourth Quarter 
   February 3, 2024   January 28, 2023 
Reconciliation of Adjusted Operating (Loss) Income          
Operating (loss) income  $3,931   $7,400 
Gain on insurance        
Asset impairment   873     
Cyber incident expenses       142 
Other non-recurring expenses   334    - 
Adjusted operating (loss) income  $5,139   $7,542 

 

   Fourth Quarter 
   February 3, 2024   January 28, 2023 
Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income          
Net (loss) income  $3,551   $6,637 
Gain on insurance        
Asset impairment   873     
Cyber incident expenses       142 
Other non-recurring expenses   334     
Tax effect   (336)   (26)
Adjusted net (loss) income  $4,422   $6,753 

 

   Fourth Quarter 
   February 3, 2024   January 28, 2023 
Reconciliation of Adjusted Diluted EPS          
Diluted (loss) earnings per share  $0.42   $0.81 
Gain on insurance        
Asset impairment   0.10     
Cyber incident expenses       0.02 
Other non-recurring expenses   0.04     
Tax effect   (0.04)    
Adjusted diluted (loss) earnings per share  $0.53   $0.83 

 

   Fourth Quarter 
   February 3, 2024   January 28, 2023 
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA          
Net (loss) income  $3,551   $6,637 
Interest income   (1,070)   (830)
Interest expense   78    76 
Income tax (benefit) expense   1,372    1,517 
Depreciation   4,850    4,802 
Gain on insurance   -    - 
Asset impairment   873     
Cyber incident expenses       142 
Other non-recurring expenses   334     
Adjusted EBITDA  $9,989   $12,344 

 

 

 

   Fiscal Year 
   February 3, 2024   January 28, 2023 
Reconciliation of Adjusted Operating (Loss) Income          
Operating (loss) income  $(19,454)  $75,305 
Gain on insurance   (1,188)    
Asset impairment   1,051     
Cyber incident expenses   1,723    142 
Other non-recurring expenses   334     
Gain on sale-leaseback       (64,088)
Adjusted operating (loss) income  $(17,533)  $11,359 

 

   Fiscal Year 
   February 3, 2024   January 28, 2023 
Reconciliation of Adjusted Gross Margin          
Net sales  $747,941   $795,011 
Cost of sales   (462,824)   (484,022)
Gross profit  $285,117   $310,989 
Gross margin   38.1%   39.1%
Cyber incident expenses  $513   $- 
Adjusted gross profit  $285,630   $310,989 
Adjusted gross margin   38.2%   39.1%

 

   Fiscal Year 
   February 3, 2024   January 28, 2023 
Reconciliation of Adjusted Net (Loss) Income          
Net (loss) income  $(11,979)  $58,892 
Gain on insurance   (1,188)    
Asset impairment   1,051     
Cyber incident expenses   1,723    142 
Other non-recurring expenses   334     
Gain on sale-leaseback       (64,088)
Tax effect   (472)   14,416 
Adjusted net (loss) income  $(10,530)  $9,362 

 

   Fiscal Year 
   February 3, 2024   January 28, 2023 
Reconciliation of Adjusted Diluted EPS          
Diluted (loss) earnings per share  $(1.46)  $7.17 
Gain on insurance   (0.14)    
Asset impairment   0.13     
Gain on insurance   0.21    0.02 
Other non-recurring expenses   0.04     
Other non-recurring expenses       (7.80)
Tax effect   (0.06)   1.75 
Adjusted diluted (loss) earnings per share  $(1.28)  $1.14 

 

   Fiscal Year 
   February 3, 2024   January 28, 2023 
Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA          
Net (loss) income  $(11,979)  $58,892 
Interest income   (3,874)   (1,034)
Interest expense   306    306 
Income tax (benefit) expense   (3,907)   17,141 
Depreciation   18,990    20,595 
Gain on insurance   (1,188)    
Asset impairment   1,051     
Cyber incident expenses   1,723    142 
Other non-recurring expenses   334     
Other non-recurring expenses       (64,088)
Adjusted EBITDA  $1,457   $31,954