“The Ulta Beauty team delivered net sales growth of 3.5% and comparable sales growth of 1.6% in a dynamic operating environment. I am proud of how our teams continued to execute our transformational agenda, adapt to a rapidly evolving marketplace, and thoughtfully manage expenses across the enterprise,” said Dave Kimbell, chief executive officer. “We have a clear plan to accelerate our momentum and continue delivering a best-in-class assortment and engaging experiences for our guests. I remain confident in our differentiated model, the resilience of the beauty category, and our ability to execute against our plans, but we have adjusted our annual guidance as we anticipate the dynamics we faced in the first quarter to continue for the balance of the year.”
First Quarter of Fiscal 2024 Compared to First Quarter of Fiscal 2023
*Net sales increased 3.5% to $2.7 billion compared to $2.6 billion, primarily due to increased comparable sales, new store contribution, and growth in other revenue.
*Comparable sales (sales for stores open at least 14 months and e-commerce sales) increased 1.6% compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2023, driven by a 1.3% increase in transactions and a 0.3% increase in average ticket.
*Gross profit increased 1.4% to $1.07 billion compared to $1.05 billion. As a percentage of net sales, gross profit decreased to 39.2% compared to 40.0%, primarily due to lower merchandise margins and higher inventory shrink, partially offset by growth in other revenue.
*Operating income was $400.9 million, or 14.7% of net sales, compared to $442.1 million, or 16.8% of net sales.
details at: https://www.ulta.com/investor/news-events/press-releases/detail/185/ulta-beauty-announces-first-quarter-fiscal-2024-results