Petco Health + Wellness Company, Inc. Reports Third Quarter Earnings

Q3 2023 Operating Results

• Comparable sales flat year-over-year and increased 4.1 percent on a two-year basis
• Net revenue of $1.49 billion decreased 0.5 percent year-over-year
• GAAP net loss of $1.2 billion, or $(4.63) per share, reflecting a $1.2 billion non-cash goodwill impairment charge associated with goodwill originally recorded in 2015, compared to GAAP net income of $19.9 million, or $0.07 per share in the prior year
• Adjusted Net Income¹ decreased $44.5 million to $(14.5) million
• Adjusted EBITDA¹ of $72.2 million compared to $120.2 million in the prior year
• Adjusted Earnings Per Share¹ of $(0.05), compared to $0.11 per share in the prior year
• Operating Cash Flow of $34.4 million compared to $109.4 million in the prior year
• Free Cash Flow¹ of $(28.1) million, compared to $33.5 million in the prior year and $(7.8) million compared to $(2.6) million in the prior year on a year-to-date basis

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. (Nasdaq: WOOF), a complete partner in pet health and wellness, today announced its third quarter 2023 financial results.

In the third quarter of 2023, Petco delivered net revenue of $1.49 billion, down 0.5 percent versus prior year. The company's consumables business was up 1.8 percent versus prior year, and services and other business was up 15.0 percent versus prior year. Growth in the company's consumables and services and other business was partially offset by the company's supplies and companion animal business, down 8.8 percent versus prior year. 

During the third quarter, Petco recorded a $1.2 billion non-cash goodwill impairment charge associated with goodwill originally recorded in fiscal 2015, and due to decline in the company's stock price. This drove a GAAP net loss of $1.2 billion or $(4.63) per share compared to GAAP net income of $19.9 million or $0.07 per share in the prior year. Included in Q3 EPS is $0.03 of incremental interest expense year-over-year.

"Our third quarter results were below our expectations as we continue to navigate a challenging consumer environment and we are taking swift and decisive action to improve the performance of our business by broadening our appeal with customers and tightly managing costs and capital. This includes the introduction of the category's largest national cat and dog food value brands to meet the needs of all pet parents and deliver incremental profits over time," said Petco CEO Ron Coughlin. "We're confident these actions, combined with continued growth in services, omni-channel capabilities, an industry-leading premium assortment, and dedicated Petco partners will better position us to capture the long-term growth trends in the category and deepen our connection with all pet parents."

As previously disclosed, in the third quarter of 2023, Petco paid down $15 million in principal on its term loan for a total of $75 million in principal payments year-to-date.

On the earnings conference call, management will also outline an operational reset of the business, focusing on increasing profitability and competitive positioning. This will include an update on the cost action plan outlined in Q2, as part of targeting annualized gross run rate cost savings of $150 million by the end of fiscal 2025, from merchandise, supply chain, and general G&A categories. The company continues to expect to achieve $40 million in savings in year one.

Fiscal 2023 Guidance

The company is updating its fiscal 2023 guidance for Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS and now expects:

*Assumptions in the guidance include that economic conditions, currency rates and the tax and regulatory landscape remain generally consistent. Adjusted EPS guidance assumes approximately $145 to $155 million of interest expense, an estimated $43 to $53 million increase in interest expense year-over-year, a 26 percent tax rate, and a 268 million weighted average diluted share count (prior guidance assumed a 269 million weighted average diluted share count). The Company estimates that the increase in interest expense will impact Adjusted EPS by approximately $0.12 to $0.15 per share.  Furthermore, Fiscal 2023 will be a 53-week year, leading to an incremental week of operations.  Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS are non-GAAP financial measures and have not been reconciled to the most comparable GAAP outlook because it is not possible to do so without unreasonable efforts due to the uncertainty and potential variability of reconciling items, which are dependent on future events and often outside of management's control and which could be significant. Because such items cannot be reasonably predicted with the level of precision required, we are unable to provide outlook for the comparable GAAP measures. Forward-looking estimates of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS are made in a manner consistent with the relevant definitions and assumptions noted herein and in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Earnings Conference Call Webcast Information:

Management will host an earnings conference call on November 29, 2023 at 8:00 AM Eastern Time to discuss the company's financial results.  The conference call will be accessible through a live webcast. Interested investors and other individuals can access the webcast, earnings release, earnings presentation, and infographic via the company's investor relations page at ir.petco.com. A replay of the webcast will be archived on the company's investor relations page through December 13, 2023 until approximately 5:00PM Eastern Time.

About Petco, The Health + Wellness Co.:

Founded in 1965, Petco is a category-defining health and wellness company focused on improving the lives of pets, pet parents and our own Petco partners. We've consistently set new standards in pet care while delivering comprehensive pet wellness products, services and solutions, and creating communities that deepen the pet-pet parent bond. We operate more than 1,500 pet care centers across the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico, which offer merchandise, companion animals, grooming, training and a growing network of on-site veterinary hospitals and mobile veterinary clinics. Our complete pet health and wellness ecosystem is accessible through our pet care centers and digitally at petco.com and on the Petco app. In tandem with Petco Love, a life-changing organization, we work with and support thousands of local animal welfare groups across the country and, through in-store adoption events, we've helped find homes for nearly 7 million animals.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This earnings release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 as contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, concerning expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance and underlying assumptions and other statements that are not statements of historical fact, including, but not limited to, statements regarding our fiscal year 2023 guidance, operational reset of our business, our competitive positioning, profitability, cost action plans and associated cost-savings. Such forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believes," "expects," "may," "intends," "will," "shall," "should," "anticipates," "opportunity," "illustrative," or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. Although Petco believes that the expectations and assumptions reflected in these statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct or that any forward-looking results will occur or be realized. Nothing contained in this earnings release is, or should be relied upon as, a promise or representation or warranty as to any future matter, including any matter in respect of the operations or business or financial condition of Petco. All forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions about future events that may or may not be correct or necessarily take place and that are by their nature subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are outside the control of Petco. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the potential results or events discussed in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those identified in this earnings release as well as the following: (i) increased competition (including from multi-channel retailers and e-Commerce providers); (ii) reduced consumer demand for our products and/or services; (iii) our reliance on key vendors; (iv) our ability to attract and retain qualified employees; (v) risks arising from statutory, regulatory and/or legal developments; (vi) macroeconomic pressures in the markets in which we operate, including inflation and prevailing interest rates; (vii) failure to effectively manage our costs; (viii) our reliance on our information technology systems; (ix) our ability to prevent or effectively respond to a data privacy or security breach; (x) our ability to effectively manage or integrate strategic ventures, alliances or acquisitions and realize the anticipated benefits of such transactions; (xi) economic or regulatory developments that might affect our ability to provide attractive promotional financing; (xii) business interruptions and other supply chain issues; (xiii) catastrophic events, political tensions, conflicts and wars (such as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine), health crises, and pandemics; (xiv) our ability to maintain positive brand perception and recognition; (xv) product safety and quality concerns; (xvi) changes to labor or employment laws or regulations; (xvii) our ability to effectively manage our real estate portfolio; (xviii) constraints in the capital markets or our vendor credit terms; (xix) changes in our credit ratings; (xx) impairments of the carrying value of our goodwill and other intangible assets; (xxi) our ability to successfully implement our operational adjustments, achieve the expected benefits of our cost action plans and drive improved profitability; and (xxii) the other risks, uncertainties and other factors identified under "Risk Factors"  and elsewhere in Petco's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The occurrence of any such factors could significantly alter the results set forth in these statements.

Petco cautions that the foregoing list of risks, uncertainties and other factors is not complete, and forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Petco undertakes no duty to update publicly any such forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law, regulation or other competent legal authority.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

The following information provides definitions and reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures presented in this earnings release to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The company has provided this non-GAAP financial information, which is not calculated or presented in accordance with GAAP, as information supplemental and in addition to the financial measures presented in this earnings release that are calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. Such non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered superior to, as a substitute for or alternative to, and should be considered in conjunction with, the GAAP financial measures presented in this earnings release. The non-GAAP financial measures in this earnings release may differ from similarly titled measures used by other companies.

The tables below reflect the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA (include Trailing Twelve Month Adjusted EBITDA), Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted EPS, and Free Cash Flow, for the thirteen weeks ended October 28, 2023, compared to the thirteen weeks ended October 29, 2022 as well as the twelve-month period ended January 28, 2023.

Adjusted EBITDA and Trailing Twelve Month Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA, including Trailing Twelve Month Adjusted EBITDA, is considered a non-GAAP financial measure under the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) rules because it excludes certain amounts included in net income calculated in accordance with GAAP. Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA is a meaningful measure to share with investors because it facilitates comparison of the current period performance with that of the comparable prior period. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA affords investors a view of what management considers to be Petco's core operating performance as well as the ability to make a more informed assessment of such operating performance as compared with that of the prior period. Please see the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 28, 2023 filed with the SEC on March 28, 2023 for additional information on Adjusted EBITDA.

Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EPS

Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted diluted Earnings Per Share attributable to Petco common stockholders (Adjusted EPS) are considered non-GAAP financial measures under the SEC's rules because they exclude certain amounts included in the net income attributable to Petco common stockholders and diluted earnings per share attributable to Petco common stockholders calculated in accordance with GAAP. Management believes that Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EPS are meaningful measures to share with investors because they facilitate comparison of the current period performance with that of the comparable prior period. In addition, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted EPS afford investors a view of what management considers to be Petco's core earnings performance as well as the ability to make a more informed assessment of such earnings performance with that of the prior period.

Free Cash Flow

Free Cash Flow is a non-GAAP financial measure that is calculated as net cash provided by operating activities less cash paid for fixed assets. Management believes that Free Cash Flow, which measures the ability to generate additional cash from business operations, is an important financial measure for use in evaluating the company's financial performance.

The table below reflects the calculation of Free Cash Flow for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended October 28, 2023 and October 29, 2022, respectively. 

Non-GAAP Financial Measures Footnotes

SOURCE Petco - Investor Relations