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Bath & Body Works, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 27 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 new, 5 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales declined 3% in quarter: Net sales were $1,378 million, down 3% from $1,424 million. Gross profit was $587 million against $646 million. Source
  • Results exceeded March guidance: Against March guidance of a 4% to 6% net sales decline, sales fell 3%. Adjusted EPS of $0.32 compared with guidance of $0.24 to $0.30. Source
  • Adjusted operating income fell: Adjusted operating income was $151 million against $209 million a year earlier, and adjusted net income was $65 million against $105 million. Source
  • Gross profit fell on higher costs: Costs of goods sold, buying and occupancy rose to $791 million from $778 million, and gross profit declined to $587 million from $646 million. Source
  • Interchange settlement gain cut expenses: The $88 million gain from payment card interchange litigation settlements, net of legal fees, reduced general, administrative and store operating expenses to $356 million from $437 million. Source
  • Full-year guidance held: Management kept its full-year 2026 ranges for net sales, GAAP and adjusted EPS, and free cash flow from the March release. Source
  • CFO Boratto steps down June 12: Chief Financial Officer Eva Boratto steps down effective June 12, and the release thanks her for her leadership. Source

“Our first-quarter results exceeded guidance, but remain below the standard our brand is capable of delivering.”

Daniel Heaf, chief executive officer of Bath & Body Works

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales SourceFull-year 2026down 4.5% to down 2.5%Kept
Diluted EPS (GAAP) SourceFull-year 2026$3.00 to $3.25Kept
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFull-year 2026$2.40 to $2.65Kept
Free cash flow SourceFull-year 2026approximately $600 millionKept
Operating cash flow and capital expenditures SourceFull-year 2026$870 million operating cash flow; $270 million capital expendituresKept
Net sales SourceSecond quarter 2026decline between 5% to 3%New
Diluted EPS (GAAP) SourceSecond quarter 2026$0.20 to $0.25New

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Full-year 2026 net sales, GAAP diluted EPS and adjusted diluted EPS guidance were reaffirmed without change. Source
  • New guidance: Second-quarter 2026 net sales and GAAP diluted EPS guidance was given for the first time in this release. Source
  • New: Chief Financial Officer Eva Boratto steps down effective June 12, and Tom Javitch becomes interim CFO. Source
  • New: The guidance now states that tariff refunds are not assumed, which the March release did not mention. Source

Quarter results versus guidance

  • Net sales declined 3% in quarter: Net sales were $1,378 million, down 3% from $1,424 million. Gross profit was $587 million against $646 million. Source
  • Results exceeded March guidance: Against March guidance of a 4% to 6% net sales decline, sales fell 3%. Adjusted EPS of $0.32 compared with guidance of $0.24 to $0.30. Source
  • Reported EPS rose on one-time items: Reported diluted EPS was $0.90 against $0.49, and operating income was $231 million against $209 million. The reported figures include an $88 million interchange settlement gain. Source
  • Adjusted operating income fell: Adjusted operating income was $151 million against $209 million a year earlier, and adjusted net income was $65 million against $105 million. Source

Channel sales and regions

  • Store sales fell 4.3%: Stores in the U.S. and Canada had sales of $1,062 million, down 4.3% from $1,110 million. Store results include fulfilled buy online pick up in store orders. Source
  • Direct sales slipped 1.5%: Direct sales in the U.S. and Canada were $246 million, down 1.5% from $250 million. Source
  • International sales rose 9%: International and Other sales rose 9.0% to $70 million from $64 million, including franchise royalties and wholesale sales. Source

“We believe that the foundation we are building will drive improved performance over time”

Daniel Heaf, chief executive officer of Bath & Body Works

Costs, margins and one-time items

  • Gross profit fell on higher costs: Costs of goods sold, buying and occupancy rose to $791 million from $778 million, and gross profit declined to $587 million from $646 million. Source
  • Interchange settlement gain cut expenses: The $88 million gain from payment card interchange litigation settlements, net of legal fees, reduced general, administrative and store operating expenses to $356 million from $437 million. Source
  • Tax benefit lifted reported results: A $62 million tax benefit from resolving certain tax matters was recorded, and the tax line became a $17 million benefit against a $41 million provision. Source
  • Interest expense eased slightly: Interest expense was $69 million against $71 million, and other income, net was $4 million against $8 million. Source

Balance sheet and debt

  • Cash rose from a year earlier: Cash and cash equivalents were $820 million at May 2, 2026, against $636 million a year earlier. Source
  • Debt lower and equity deficit narrowed: Long-term debt was $3,613 million against $3,886 million, and total equity was a deficit of $1,131 million against a deficit of $1,450 million. Source
  • Easton assets held for sale: Easton assets held for sale were $81 million, against $97 million a year earlier. Source

“I leave with confidence in Daniel’s leadership and the strategy he has put in place”

Eva Boratto, Chief Financial Officer

Cash flow and capital returns

  • Operating cash flow rose: Net cash provided by operating activities was $244 million against $188 million in the first quarter a year earlier. Source
  • Capital expenditures increased: Capital expenditures were $49 million against $37 million a year earlier. Source
  • No buybacks in quarter: The company made no share repurchases in the quarter, against $136 million a year earlier. Dividends paid were $40 million against $43 million. Source

Full-year and second-quarter guidance

  • Full-year guidance held: Management kept its full-year 2026 ranges for net sales, GAAP and adjusted EPS, and free cash flow from the March release. Source
  • Second-quarter guidance first given: Second-quarter guidance covers net sales and GAAP diluted EPS. The release gives no adjusted second-quarter EPS guidance. Source
  • Tariff refunds excluded from guidance: The guidance excludes tariff refunds and share repurchases. The March release mentioned only repurchases. Source

Consumer First Formula and brand

  • Consumer First Formula drives execution: The release frames the quarter around progress against the Consumer First Formula, covering hero categories, brand modernization and wider reach. Source
  • Early proof points on brand work: Management says efforts on hero categories, brand modernization and reach are starting to resonate with consumers, with early proof points. Source
  • Impact to build into 2027: Management expects the impact of these efforts to build through the rest of 2026 and more meaningfully in 2027. Source

Leadership change

  • CFO Boratto steps down June 12: Chief Financial Officer Eva Boratto steps down effective June 12, and the release thanks her for her leadership. Source
  • Interim CFO has long company tenure: Javitch has been with the company more than 16 years and at L Brands 25 years, and has held senior finance roles including EVP of Brand Finance. Source
  • Chief executive cites interim CFO expertise: Heaf cited Javitch's expertise from product through store operations and supply chain as the basis for the interim appointment. Source

Coming up, as management said on 27 May 2026

  • Interim CFO takes over at departure: Tom Javitch becomes interim chief financial officer when Boratto leaves. Source
  • Permanent CFO search underway: The company has started a search for a permanent CFO with help from an executive search firm. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Inventories Source$782 million vs $869 million
Company-operated store openings and closings Source13 opened, 17 closed (U.S.); 1,923 stores in total
Partner-operated international store openings and closings Source8 opened, 2 closed; 579 stores

Risks management discussed

  • External: Tariff refunds are excluded from the guidance, as the release states. Source
  • Operational: Business transformation activities cost $8 million pre-tax in the quarter, tied to the Consumer First Formula. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said first-quarter results exceeded the guidance it gave in March. Source
  • Not stated: Management kept the full-year 2026 EPS guidance it gave in March. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.