Foot Locker Burns Through Cash During First Half of Full Year 2024

Image: Foot Locker’s shares have been quite volatile the past couple years.

By Brian Nelson, CFA

Foot Locker (FL) recently reported second quarter results with revenue and non-GAAP earnings per share coming in ahead of consensus estimates. The company returned to top-line growth in the quarter with total sales advancing 1.9% and comparable sales up 2.6% thanks to global Foot Locker and Kids Foot Locker comp growth of 5.2%. Though its gross margin expanded 50 basis points in the quarter on a year-over-year basis, Foot Locker still put up a non-GAAP net loss of $0.05. Inventory declined 10% from the same period a year ago, however.

Management had a lot to say about the quarter in the press release:

The Lace Up Plan is working, as evidenced by our return to positive total and comparable sales growth as well as gross margin expansion in the second quarter. Our top line trends strengthened as we moved through the quarter, including a solid start to Back-to-School. We were also particularly pleased to deliver stabilization in our Champs Sports banner. As planned, we relaunched our enhanced FLX Rewards Program in the United States during the quarter and have been encouraged by initial results. Our strategies are building momentum as we look to the remainder of the year, and we are reaffirming our full-year Non-GAAP EPS outlook.

Through our Lace Up Plan, we are unlocking meaningful opportunities for our business as we are leveraging our strong brand partnerships, differentiating our in-store experiences through refreshes and new concept doors, and enhancing our customer connections via digital and loyalty. We are also continuing to simplify our business to enable greater focus on our core banners and markets and have taken steps to further streamline our operations in Asia and Europe, while expanding our licensing partnerships. In addition, to better support our strategic progress, to increase team member collaboration, as well as ongoing expense discipline, we made the decision to relocate our headquarters to St. Petersburg, Florida in 2025. I remain confident that we are taking the right actions to position the Company for its next 50 years of profitable growth and create long-term shareholder value.

Foot Locker ended the quarter with total cash and cash equivalents of $291 million, while its total debt was $445 million. The company remodeled or relocated 14 stores and refreshed 67 stores to its current design standards in the quarter. As of August 3, Foot Locker operated 2,464 stores in 26 countries. During the quarter, Foot Locker opened 5 new stores and closed 31 stores.

Foot Locker reaffirmed its full-year 2024 non-GAAP earnings per share outlook of $1.50-$1.70 per share. For full year 2024, it also reiterated its sales guidance of -1% to 1% growth and comparable sales growth in the range of 1%-3%. For the twenty-six weeks ended August 3, 2024, cash flow from operations was $126 million, while capital spending was $132 million, resulting in a cash burn. Though Foot Locker has returned to top line growth, we’re not at all interested in shares given its cash-flow performance.

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