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Best Buy Co., Inc.: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 3 March 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 9 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Comparable sales declined 0.8%: Enterprise comparable sales fell 0.8% in the quarter, against a 0.5% rise a year earlier, and rose 0.5% for the full year against a 2.3% decline. Quarterly revenue was $13.81 billion, against $13.95 billion. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose; adjusted EPS edged up: Diluted EPS was $2.56 against $0.54, and adjusted diluted EPS was $2.61 against $2.58. Full-year diluted EPS was $5.04 against $4.28, and adjusted diluted EPS $6.43 against $6.37. Source
  • Domestic revenue down 1.1%: Domestic revenue of $12.58 billion fell 1.1%, mainly on the 0.8% comparable decline. Home theater and appliances were the largest weighted drags, partly offset by computing and mobile phones. Source
  • Market share at least flat: Company data sources showed overall market share at least flat in the quarter, while Enterprise comparable sales declined 0.8%. Source
  • Domestic gross rate held flat: Domestic gross profit rate was 20.9%, approximately flat. Growth in Best Buy Ads and Marketplace was largely offset by lower product margin rates. Source
  • Domestic SG&A fell on lower pay: Domestic adjusted SG&A was $2.00 billion, or 15.9% of revenue, against $2.03 billion or 16.0%. Lower compensation and lower Best Buy Health expense offset Marketplace and Best Buy Ads spending. Source

“We are pleased to report better-than-expected profitability for the fourth quarter”

Corie Barry, Best Buy CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFY27$41.2 billion to $42.1 billionNew
Comparable sales change SourceFY27(1.0%) to 1.0%New
Adjusted operating income rate SourceFY274.3% to 4.4%New
Adjusted effective income tax rate SourceFY27approximately 25.5%New
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFY27$6.30 to $6.60New
Capital expenditures SourceFY27approximately $750 millionNew
Share repurchases SourceFY27approximately $300 millionNew
Comparable sales change Sourcefirst quarter of FY27approximately 1%New
Adjusted operating income rate Sourcefirst quarter of FY27approximately 3.9%New

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: FY27 financial guidance issued; the release gives no FY26 guidance figures. Source
  • New: Regular quarterly dividend raised 1% to $0.96 per share, from $0.95 in the previous quarter. Source

Quarter and full-year results

  • Comparable sales declined 0.8%: Enterprise comparable sales fell 0.8% in the quarter, against a 0.5% rise a year earlier, and rose 0.5% for the full year against a 2.3% decline. Quarterly revenue was $13.81 billion, against $13.95 billion. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose; adjusted EPS edged up: Diluted EPS was $2.56 against $0.54, and adjusted diluted EPS was $2.61 against $2.58. Full-year diluted EPS was $5.04 against $4.28, and adjusted diluted EPS $6.43 against $6.37. Source
  • Operating income rate expanded: Operating income was 5.2% of revenue in the quarter against 1.6%, and 3.3% for the year against 3.0%. Adjusted operating income was 5.0% against 4.9% in the quarter and 4.3% against 4.2% for the year. Source

Segments and regions

  • Domestic revenue down 1.1%: Domestic revenue of $12.58 billion fell 1.1%, mainly on the 0.8% comparable decline. Home theater and appliances were the largest weighted drags, partly offset by computing and mobile phones. Source
  • Domestic online sales declined: Domestic online revenue of $4.91 billion fell 2.3% on a comparable basis and was 39.0% of domestic revenue, against 39.5% last year. Full-year comparable online sales rose 1.3%. Source
  • International revenue rose on currency: International revenue of $1.24 billion rose 0.5%, with favorable foreign exchange offsetting a 1.3% comparable decline. Full-year International comparable sales rose 2.3%. Source

“Moving forward to FY27, we are excited about the momentum in our business”

Matt Bilunas, Best Buy CFO

Products, customers and demand

  • Computing and phones led growth: Computing and mobile phones were 47% of domestic revenue and rose 5.4% comparably. Consumer electronics (29% of revenue) fell 7.3%, appliances (9%) fell 10.5%, and services (6%) rose 4.6%. Source
  • Market share at least flat: Company data sources showed overall market share at least flat in the quarter, while Enterprise comparable sales declined 0.8%. Source
  • International entertainment fell sharply: International entertainment comparable sales fell 14.8% on a 10% revenue share, while International computing and mobile phones (47% share) rose 2.6%. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Domestic gross rate held flat: Domestic gross profit rate was 20.9%, approximately flat. Growth in Best Buy Ads and Marketplace was largely offset by lower product margin rates. Source
  • International gross rate fell: International gross profit rate was 20.5% against 21.4%, primarily from lower product margin rates. Source
  • Domestic SG&A fell on lower pay: Domestic adjusted SG&A was $2.00 billion, or 15.9% of revenue, against $2.03 billion or 16.0%. Lower compensation and lower Best Buy Health expense offset Marketplace and Best Buy Ads spending. Source
  • Tax rate fell on lapping impairment: Effective tax rate was 25.6% against 47.2%. Adjusted effective tax rate was 22.3% against 21.0%. Source
  • International SG&A fell on pay: International adjusted SG&A was $189 million, or 15.3% of revenue, against $194 million or 15.7%. Currency was a partial offset. Source

“For the year, we returned to positive comparable sales and expanded our operating income rate”

Corie Barry, Best Buy CEO

Strategy and investment

  • Marketplace scaled in the U.S.: The company launched and scaled its U.S. digital Marketplace, which increased the available product count for customers. Source
  • Best Buy Ads partners nearly doubled: Best Buy Ads grew, and the number of ad partners almost doubled compared with the prior year. Source
  • Employees credited for results: The CEO credited more than 80,000 employees for the hard work, dedication and resourcefulness behind the year's results. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Cash returned in Q4 and FY26: The company returned $272 million in Q4, through $199 million of dividends and $73 million of repurchases. Full-year returns of $1.07 billion were $801 million of dividends and $273 million of repurchases. Source
  • Operating cash flow declined: Cash provided by operating activities was $1.96 billion for the year, against $2.10 billion. Additions to property and equipment were $704 million, against $706 million. Source
  • Inventory rose modestly: Merchandise inventories were $5.23 billion at January 31, 2026, against $5.09 billion a year earlier. Source

Coming up, as management said on 3 March 2026

  • Dividend payable April 14: The $0.96 quarterly dividend is payable on April 14, 2026, to holders of record at the close of business on March 24, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Enterprise comparable sales change, Q4 FY26 Source(0.8)%
Domestic comparable online sales change, Q4 FY26 Source(2.3)%
Online share of domestic revenue, Q4 FY26 Source39.0%
Domestic gross profit rate, Q4 FY26 Source20.9%
Merchandise inventories at January 31, 2026 Source$5,230 million

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management said customer demand for the industry was slightly softer during the holiday quarter. Source
  • External: Management said it expects to navigate a mixed macro environment in FY27. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said Q4 comparable sales were within the guidance range set for the quarter. 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.