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Burlington Stores, Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 25 November 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 7 raised, 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Total sales grew 7%: Total sales rose 7% to $2,706 million. Net income was $105 million, against $91 million a year earlier. Source
  • Gross margin rose 30 basis points: Merchandise margin rose 10 basis points and freight expense improved 20 basis points, together lifting gross margin. Source
  • Traffic fell after back-to-school: Traffic to stores dropped sharply after back-to-school, which management attributed to unseasonably warm temperatures in major markets. Source
  • Comparable trend recovered from mid-October: Comparable sales picked up to mid-single digits from mid-October as weather cooled, and management said the trend continued through the first three weeks of November. Source
  • Inventory rose 15%: Merchandise inventories rose 15% to $1,658 million, while comparable store inventories fell 2%. Source
  • Operating income target of $1.6B by 2028: Management said operating income is expected to reach about $1.6B by 2028, and that it is tracking very well against that target. Source
  • Adjusted EPS figures differ: The text's $1.80 Adjusted EPS excludes $8 million of after-tax bankruptcy acquired lease expenses; the reconciliation table shows $1.68 without that add-back. Source

“We were very pleased with our strong margin and earnings performance in the third quarter.”

Michael O’Sullivan, CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Total sales growth SourceFiscal 2025 (52 weeks ending January 31, 2026)approximately 8%Raised from 7% to 8%
Comparable store sales growth SourceFiscal 20251% to 2%Kept
Capital expenditures, net of landlord allowances SourceFiscal 2025approximately $950 millionKept
Net new stores SourceFiscal 2025104Raised from approximately 100
Depreciation and amortization SourceFiscal 2025approximately $395 millionRaised from approximately $385 million
Adjusted EBIT margin change SourceFiscal 2025 versus 52 weeks ended February 1, 2025increase of 60 to 70 basis pointsRaised from increase of 20 to 40 basis points
Bankruptcy acquired lease expenses excluded from Adjusted EBIT SourceFiscal 2025$34 millionRaised from $33 million
Net interest expense SourceFiscal 2025approximately $50 millionKept
Adjusted effective tax rate SourceFiscal 2025approximately 25%Kept
Adjusted EPS SourceFiscal 2025$9.69 to $9.89Raised from $9.19 to $9.59
Fully diluted share count SourceFiscal 2025approximately 64 million sharesKept
Total sales growth SourceFourth quarter of Fiscal 20257% to 9%
Comparable store sales growth SourceFourth quarter of Fiscal 20250% to 2%Kept
Adjusted EBIT margin change SourceFourth quarter of Fiscal 2025 versus fourth quarter of Fiscal 2024increase of 30 to 50 basis points
Effective tax rate SourceFourth quarter of Fiscal 2025approximately 26%
Adjusted EPS SourceFourth quarter of Fiscal 2025$4.50 to $4.70Raised
Bankruptcy acquired lease expenses excluded from fourth-quarter results SourceFourth quarter of Fiscal 2025approximately $7 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year Adjusted EPS guidance raised to $9.69 to $9.89 from $9.19 to $9.59. Source
  • Guidance raised: Fourth-quarter earnings guidance raised, per management. Source
  • Guidance raised: Full-year Adjusted EBIT margin expansion guidance raised to 60 to 70 basis points from 20 to 40 basis points. Source
  • Guidance raised: Net new store guidance raised to 104 from approximately 100; depreciation and amortization raised to approximately $395 million from $385 million. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year comparable store sales range of 1% to 2% is unchanged. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Total sales grew 7%: Total sales rose 7% to $2,706 million. Net income was $105 million, against $91 million a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBIT margin up 60 basis points: Management said Adjusted EBIT margin rose 60 basis points and Adjusted EPS grew 16%, both excluding bankruptcy acquired lease expenses. Source
  • Diluted EPS of $1.63: Diluted EPS was $1.63 against $1.40 a year earlier, with diluted shares of 64.1 million against 64.6 million. Source

Margins and costs

  • Gross margin rose 30 basis points: Merchandise margin rose 10 basis points and freight expense improved 20 basis points, together lifting gross margin. Source
  • Tariff impact offset, per management: Management said merchandising and operating teams offset the negative margin effect of tariffs. Source
  • SG&A rate fell 40 basis points: SG&A was 35.0% of net sales against 35.4%. Adjusted SG&A, excluding bankruptcy acquired lease expenses, was 26.7% against 26.9%. Source
  • Sourcing costs up in dollars: Product sourcing costs were $214 million against $209 million, but fell 40 basis points as a share of net sales. Source
  • Effective tax rate rose: Effective tax rate was 24.1% against 23.2% a year earlier. Source

“Although we are pleased with our recent comp trends, in the coming weeks we will be up against strong comparisons from last year, so at this point we are maintaining our previously issued 0% to 2% fourth quarter comp guidance.”

Michael O’Sullivan, CEO

Traffic, weather and comparable sales

  • Traffic fell after back-to-school: Traffic to stores dropped sharply after back-to-school, which management attributed to unseasonably warm temperatures in major markets. Source
  • Comparable trend recovered from mid-October: Comparable sales picked up to mid-single digits from mid-October as weather cooled, and management said the trend continued through the first three weeks of November. Source
  • Harder comparisons ahead in fourth quarter: Management said comparisons against last year get harder in the coming weeks, so it kept its fourth-quarter comparable sales range. Source

Inventory position

  • Inventory rose 15%: Merchandise inventories rose 15% to $1,658 million, while comparable store inventories fell 2%. Source
  • Reserve share of inventory rose: Reserve inventory was 35% of total inventory, against 32% a year earlier and 50% at the end of the second quarter. Source
  • Reserve stock bought opportunistically: Management said reserve inventory is mostly merchandise bought opportunistically and held for later store sends or next season. Source

“At this point, we are tracking very well against this earnings target.”

Michael O’Sullivan, CEO

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Liquidity of $1,532 million: Liquidity was $1,532 million, made up of $584 million unrestricted cash and $948 million of ABL availability. Source
  • Total debt of $2,035 million: Total debt was $2,035 million, including $1,723 million on the Term Loan and $297 million of Convertible Notes, with no ABL borrowings. Source
  • Buybacks of $61 million in quarter: The company repurchased 213,972 shares for $61 million, leaving $444 million on the current authorization. Source
  • Operating cash flow lower, capex higher: Nine-month operating cash flow was $294 million against $320 million; cash paid for property and equipment was $842 million against $527 million. Source

Strategy, store growth and long-term target

  • Operating income target of $1.6B by 2028: Management said operating income is expected to reach about $1.6B by 2028, and that it is tracking very well against that target. Source
  • New stores and margin drive longer term: Management cited the new store opening program and performance, weather-adjusted comparable growth and margin expansion as longer-term drivers. Source
  • Store count rose to 1,211: The company operated 1,211 stores at quarter end, up from 1,138 at the end of the second quarter, across 46 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. Source

Adjusted measures and reconciliation

  • Adjusted EPS figures differ: The text's $1.80 Adjusted EPS excludes $8 million of after-tax bankruptcy acquired lease expenses; the reconciliation table shows $1.68 without that add-back. Source
  • Adjusted EBIT and EBITDA also differ: The text gives Adjusted EBIT of $167 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $266 million; the reconciliation table shows $155.9 million and $255.2 million. Source
  • Non-cash favorable lease costs excluded: Adjusted measures also exclude non-cash net favorable lease costs of $1.9 million in the quarter, tied to the 2006 Bain Capital acquisition. Source

Coming up, as management said on 25 November 2025

  • Fourth quarter runs to January 31: The fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 covers 13 weeks ending January 31, 2026, the period for the stated fourth-quarter guidance. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Comparable store sales Source+1% in the third quarter
Gross margin rate Source44.2% of net sales, up 30 basis points
Merchandise inventories Source$1,658 million, up 15%
Comparable store inventories Sourcedown 2%
Stores operated at quarter end Source1,211

Risks management discussed

  • External: Tariffs had a negative margin impact in the quarter, which management said was offset by merchandising and operating teams. Source
  • Demand: Traffic fell after back-to-school, which management attributed to unseasonably warm weather in major markets. Source
  • Demand: Comparisons against last year get harder in the coming weeks, which management cited in holding fourth-quarter comparable sales guidance. Source
  • Operational: Inventory rose 15% while comparable store inventory fell 2%, a gap management reported without further comment. Source
  • Financial: Anticipated bankruptcy acquired lease expenses excluded from adjusted results total $34 million for fiscal 2025. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management referred to the earlier 2028 operating income target and said it is tracking very well against it. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it is maintaining the previously issued fourth-quarter comparable sales range. 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.