Macy's Postpones Q3 Earnings Amid Investigation Over Accounting Issues

Macy's Faces Accounting Investigation and Earnings Delay

Macy’s Inc. (NYSE: M) is experiencing a decline in stock value ahead of the anticipated earnings report for the third quarter of 2024. The company has decided to postpone its earnings release to accommodate the ongoing completion of an independent investigation concerning certain accounting irregularities.

Details of the Accounting Concerns

The investigation uncovered that an employee had deliberately concealed significant delivery expenses, amounting between $132 million and $154 million, covering financial disclosures from the fourth quarter of 2021 to the third quarter of 2024. This period witnessed the company reporting approximately $4.36 billion in delivery expenses.

Impact and Response

It’s important to note that this situation did not affect cash management or payments to vendors. The employee responsible for this misrepresentation is no longer part of the Macy's team, and no additional employees were implicated in this incident.

Preliminary Third Quarter Results

Despite the overshadowing investigation, Macy's has shared preliminary third-quarter results indicating a 2.4% decrease in net sales, which amounted to $4.742 billion, slightly above consensus estimates of $4.72 billion. Comparable sales have also shown a decline, down 2.4% on an owned basis and 1.3% when including both owned and licensed marketplace sales.

Sector Performance Insights

The declines were primarily impacted by underperformance in sectors outside the First 50 locations as well as in the digital channel, further exacerbated by cold weather effects. However, there were positive outcomes from Macy’s First 50 locations along with Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury.

Performance Breakdown by Brand

Macy’s brand itself observed a 2.0% decrease in comparable sales on an owned basis, coupled with a marginal decline of 0.9% when accounting for licensed and marketplace sales. Notably, the overall net sales for the Macy's nameplate dropped by 3.1%, with comparable sales falling 3.0% and 2.2% under the comprehensive basis.

Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury Growth

On a brighter note, Bloomingdale’s managed to achieve a 1.4% increase in net sales, with comparable sales rising 1.0% on an owned basis and even higher at 3.2% when factoring in licensed and marketplace sales. This success was supported by a strong emphasis on contemporary apparel and beauty products.

Moreover, Bluemercury reported a substantial net sales increase of 3.2%, maintaining its consistent growth trend for the fifteenth consecutive quarter, primarily driven by robust consumer interest in skincare products.

Inventory and Future Outlook

Macy's recorded an uptick in merchandise inventories, which rose by 3.9% year-over-year. This increase was attributed to improved inventory management and adequate supply chain efficiencies, with half of the rise being linked to a shift to cost accounting.

As Macy's prepares for the fourth quarter and the holiday shopping season, they are optimistic about their assortment and inventory levels, ensuring suitability for the upcoming high-demand period.

Financial Position

By the end of the third quarter, Macy's reported having $315 million in cash and equivalents along with an additional $2.77 billion in available borrowing capacity. Notably, asset sales contributed gains of $66 million, which is significantly higher than the previous year, emphasizing the company’s strategy to monetize non-core assets.

Upcoming Earnings Conference Call

Macy's has committed to presenting its full third-quarter results and conducting an earnings conference call by December 11, 2024. In this session, the company is expected to provide insights into its fourth-quarter performance outlook as well as guidance for the full year ahead.

Comments from Leadership

Tony Spring, chairman and CEO of Macy’s, expressed confidence in the brand's performance, noting that the Macy's First 50 locations have achieved consistent sales growth for three consecutive quarters. Additionally, both Bloomingdale's and Bluemercury have reported encouraging comparable sales figures.

Seasonal Hiring Initiatives

In anticipation of the holiday season, Macy's has announced plans to recruit over 31,500 seasonal employees across all its locations, which includes stores and distribution centers, reflecting its commitment to meeting customer demands during this peak shopping period.

Stock Market Reaction

As of the last update, Macy's shares fell by 3.07%, trading at $15.80. Investors are closely monitoring developments surrounding the investigation and its impact on future stock performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Macy's delay its Q3 earnings report?

Macy's postponed its earnings report due to an ongoing independent investigation into accounting irregularities.

What amounts were involved in the accounting error?

The employee concealed delivery expenses ranging from $132 million to $154 million over several financial disclosures.

How did the preliminary Q3 sales perform?

Preliminary results showed a 2.4% decline in net sales to $4.742 billion, slightly exceeding expectations.

What are Macy's plans for the holiday season?

Macy's is gearing up to hire over 31,500 seasonal workers to support the holiday shopping season.

How have Macy's other brands performed?

Bloomingdale’s saw a 1.4% increase in net sales, while Bluemercury reported a 3.2% rise, continuing strong performance trends.

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