Key Takeaways
- BJ’s Wholesale Club’s comparable club sales rose only about half of estimates in the first quarter as gas prices declined.
- Revenue also came up short of forecasts, although profit exceeded expectations.
- BJ’s kept its full-year guidance the same.
Shares of BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings (BJ) declined Thursday as the warehouse retailer significantly missed same-store sales as gas prices dropped.
The company reported comparable club sales rose 1.6% year-over-year, about half of what analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha were looking for. When the gasoline sales impact was excluded, they were up 3.9%, above expectations.
The sliding same-store sales led to BJ’s narrowly missing estimates with revenue of $5.15 billion, a nearly 5% increase from a year ago. Adjusted earnings per share of $1.14 was better than expected.
Membership fee income grew 8% to $120.4 million, boosted by an increase in annual fees that took effect in January.
While some retailers have lowered their outlook on concerns about the effect of new tariffs, BJ’s held its full-year guidance steady, including comparable club sales excluding gasoline 2.0% to 3.5% higher, and adjusted EPS of $4.10 to $4.30. “We are confident in our team, our positioning in the marketplace and the growth drivers that are within our control,” CFO Laura Felice said.
Despite today’s 2% decline, BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings shares are up nearly 30% year-to-date.
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