| | adjusted net earnings of $48.6 million, or adjusted earnings per diluted share of $1.37 in the third quarter of 2023; |
| ● | Inventory was up 5% to the third quarter 2023 in total, but up 2.7% when accounting for the shift in the retail calendar; |
| ● | Borrowings under the asset-based revolving credit facility were $238.5 million at the end of the period, up $16.5 million from the third quarter of 2023. |
Capital Allocation Update
During the quarter, Caleres continued to invest in value-driving growth opportunities while at the same time returning cash to shareholders through our dividend. In addition, the company repurchased approximately 1.5 million shares for a total of $50 million during the quarter. In the near term, the company expects to continue to focus on reducing debt and still expects borrowings under its asset-based revolving credit facility will be less than $100 million by the end of 2026. Caleres will continue to consider business performance and market conditions as it evaluates all opportunities for free cash flow for the remainder of the year.
Fiscal 2024 Outlook:
Caleres is revising its fiscal 2024 financial outlook. As previously noted, its fiscal 2024 is a 52-week year and compares to a 53-week year in fiscal 2023. The revised assumptions are summarized in the table below.
| | |
Metric | Prior 2024 Annual Guidance | Revised 2024 Annual Guidance |
Sales Change | Down low single digits | Down 2.5% - 3% |
Operating Margin | 7.0% - 7.1% | 6.1% - 6.3% |
Tax Rate | ~24% | ~24% |
GAAP EPS | $3.94 - $4.09 | $3.35 - $3.45 |
Adjusted EPS* | $4.00 - $4.15 | $3.45 - $3.55 |
Capital Expenditures | $50 - $55 million | $50 - $55 million |
*Adjusted EPS guidance excludes estimated restructuring charges incurred in the second half of 2024
Investor Conference Call
Caleres will host a conference call at 10:00 a.m. ET today, Thursday, December 5, 2024. The webcast and associated slides will be available at: https://www.caleres.com/investors. A live conference call will be available at (877) 704-4453 for North America participants or (201) 389-0920 for international participants, no passcode necessary. A replay will be also available at https://investor.caleres.com/events-and-presentations/archive for a limited period. Investors may also access the replay by dialing (844) 512-2921 in North America or (412) 317-6671 internationally and using the conference pin 13749800.
Definitions
All references in this press release, outside of the condensed consolidated financial statements that follow, unless otherwise noted, related to net earnings attributable to Caleres, Inc. and diluted earnings per common share attributable to Caleres, Inc. shareholders, are presented as net earnings and earnings per diluted share, respectively.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Metrics
In this press release, the company’s financial results are provided both in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and using certain non-GAAP financial measures and metrics. In particular, the company provides earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and estimated and future operating earnings, net earnings and earnings per diluted share, adjusted to exclude certain gains, charges and recoveries, which are non-GAAP financial measures, and the debt to EBITDA leverage ratio, which is a non-GAAP financial metric. These results are included as a complement to results provided in accordance with GAAP because management believes this non-GAAP