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GAP Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 raised, 2 lowered, 5 new, 5 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Sales rose 1% on 2% comparable growth: Net sales were $3.5 billion, up 1%. Comparable sales rose 2%, the ninth consecutive quarter of positive comparable sales. Store sales rose 3% and online sales fell 2%. Source
  • Gross margin fell 130 basis points to 40.5%: Gross margin was 40.5%, down 130 basis points. Merchandise margin fell 100 basis points, including an estimated net tariff impact of about 200 basis points. Rent, occupancy, and depreciation deleveraged 30 basis points. Source
  • About $80 million tariff relief assumed: Guidance assumes a 10 percent Section 122 tariff rate on inventory received after February 24 through July 24, 2026, worth about $80 million of net relief, or about 50 basis points of margin. Source
  • $464 million returned in the quarter: Cash returned to shareholders through the ASR, open-market repurchases, and quarterly dividends, as detailed in the points that follow. Source
  • Full-year sales growth cut to 1% to 2%: Full-year net sales growth guidance was lowered to up 1% to 2% from up 2% to 3%, on the $15.4 billion fiscal 2025 base. Source
  • Adjusted EPS guidance raised: Adjusted diluted EPS guidance rose to $2.30 to $2.40 from $2.20 to $2.35. Reported diluted EPS guidance is $2.83 to $2.93, including the settlement gain and donation. Source
  • Second-quarter sales guided flat to down 1%: Second-quarter guidance is net sales flat to down 1%, gross margin flat to down 50 basis points, and operating expense deleverage of about 110 to 120 basis points. Source

“Gap brand delivered a standout quarter with a double-digit comp, marking one of the brand’s strongest performances in over two decades.”

Richard Dickson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales SourceFiscal 2026Up 1% to 2% year-over-yearLowered from Up 2% to 3% year-over-year
Gross margin SourceFiscal 2026Flat to up slightly year-over-yearKept
Adjusted operating expense (% of net sales) SourceFiscal 2026About flat year-over-yearKept
Adjusted operating margin SourceFiscal 2026About 7.3% to 7.5%Kept
Net interest income SourceFiscal 2026Approximately $25 millionRaised from Approximately $10 million to $15 million
Effective tax rate SourceFiscal 2026Approximately 25%Lowered from Approximately 27%
Diluted weighted average share count SourceFiscal 2026Approximately 375 millionNew
Adjusted diluted earnings per share SourceFiscal 2026Approximately $2.30 to $2.40Raised from Approximately $2.20 to $2.35
Diluted earnings per share (reported) SourceFiscal 2026$2.83 to $2.93Raised from $2.71 to $2.86
Capital expenditures SourceFiscal 2026Approximately $650 millionKept
Net store closures (company-operated) SourceFiscal 2026About flatKept
Net tariff relief to gross profit and operating income SourceFiscal 2026Approximately $80 millionNew
Net sales SourceSecond quarter fiscal 2026Flat to down 1% year-over-yearNew
Gross margin SourceSecond quarter fiscal 2026Flat to down 50 basis pointsNew
Operating expense (% of net sales) SourceSecond quarter fiscal 2026Deleverage approximately 110 basis points to 120 basis pointsNew

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year net sales growth guidance was reduced to up 1% to 2% from up 2% to 3%. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year effective tax rate guidance was reduced to approximately 25% from approximately 27%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Net interest income guidance rose to approximately $25 million from approximately $10 million to $15 million. Source
  • Guidance raised: Adjusted diluted EPS guidance rose to approximately $2.30 to $2.40 from approximately $2.20 to $2.35. Source
  • Guidance raised: Reported diluted EPS guidance rose to $2.83 to $2.93 from $2.71 to $2.86, reflecting the settlement gain and donation. Source
  • New guidance: Second-quarter fiscal 2026 guidance was given for the first time; the prior release gave first-quarter guidance only. Source
  • New guidance: Full-year diluted share count guidance of approximately 375 million was added; the prior release gave no figure. Source
  • New guidance: Quantified net tariff relief of about $80 million, based on a 10 percent Section 122 tariff rate, was added to guidance. Source
  • Guidance kept: Full-year gross margin, adjusted operating expense, adjusted operating margin, capital expenditures and net store closures guidance was kept. Source
  • New: A $200 million accelerated share repurchase program was executed during the quarter, resulting in 8.3 million shares repurchased. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Sales rose 1% on 2% comparable growth: Net sales were $3.5 billion, up 1%. Comparable sales rose 2%, the ninth consecutive quarter of positive comparable sales. Store sales rose 3% and online sales fell 2%. Source
  • Reported profit included a settlement gain: Operating income was $445 million, or 12.7% of net sales, and included a $313 million net gain from a credit card interchange fee litigation settlement. Diluted EPS was $0.90. Source
  • Adjusted results exclude settlement and donation: Excluding the settlement gain and a concurrent $50 million charitable donation, adjusted operating income was $182 million, adjusted operating margin was 5.2%, and adjusted diluted EPS was $0.38. Source

Brands and regions

  • Gap brand comparable sales rose 10%: Gap net sales were $796 million, up 10%, with comparable sales up 10%. Management said the brand strengthened its presence in destination categories including denim, fleece, and kids and baby. Source
  • Old Navy comparable sales rose 1%: Old Navy net sales were $2.0 billion, up 1%, with comparable sales up 1%. It continued to win in denim, active, and kids and baby, while women's dresses drew a weaker customer response. Source
  • Banana Republic posts fourth positive quarter: Banana Republic net sales were $431 million, up 1%, with comparable sales up 2%. It was the fourth consecutive quarter of positive comparable sales, with growth in men's and women's. Source
  • Athleta sales fell 12% during rebuild: Athleta net sales were $270 million, down 12%, with comparable sales down 11%. Management said the brand is rebuilding for the long term and plans a reimagined assortment in the second half. Source
  • United States makes up most net sales: U.S. net sales were $3.1 billion, Canada $262 million, and other regions $152 million. Revenue from strategic initiatives in the Other column was $4 million. Source

“Performance across our other brands was varied, reflecting both the different stages of their transformation and some brand-specific dynamics.”

Richard Dickson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Costs, margins and tariffs

  • Gross margin fell 130 basis points to 40.5%: Gross margin was 40.5%, down 130 basis points. Merchandise margin fell 100 basis points, including an estimated net tariff impact of about 200 basis points. Rent, occupancy, and depreciation deleveraged 30 basis points. Source
  • Underlying merchandise margin rose: Underlying merchandise margin expanded, driven mainly by the Gap brand and better inventory management. Average unit retail rose across all brands. Source
  • Adjusted operating expense rose to 35.3%: Adjusted operating expense was $1.2 billion, or 35.3% of net sales, after excluding the settlement gain and donation. The first quarter of fiscal 2025 figure was 34.3%. Source
  • Effective tax rate lower after adjustment: The effective tax rate was 24.7% and the adjusted effective tax rate was 22.5%, excluding the net impact of the non-recurring items. Source
  • About $80 million tariff relief assumed: Guidance assumes a 10 percent Section 122 tariff rate on inventory received after February 24 through July 24, 2026, worth about $80 million of net relief, or about 50 basis points of margin. Source
  • Tariff benefit partly held against fuel costs: The company is reserving the full estimated tariff benefit. About half is intended to offset possible sustained higher fuel costs, with the rest available for promotional and competitive changes. Source

Demand, online and stores

  • Online sales fell 2% to 38% of sales: Online sales decreased 2% compared with last year and were 38% of total net sales. Source
  • Ending inventory flat at $2.1 billion: Ending inventory was $2.1 billion, flat compared with last year. Source
  • Store sales up 3%; about 3,500 locations: Store sales rose 3%. The company ended the quarter with nearly 3,500 store locations in about 35 countries, of which 2,477 were company-operated. Source
  • Company-operated stores net up three: Company-operated stores rose by three net, with Gap Asia up 5 and Banana Republic Asia up 3, while Old Navy closed 1 and Banana Republic North America closed 4. Square footage was 29.6 million. Source

“At the same time, we are increasing capital returns to shareholders, reflecting the growing strength of our balance sheet and our strong conviction in the long-term potential of the company.”

Richard Dickson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Capital and shareholder returns

  • $464 million returned in the quarter: Cash returned to shareholders through the ASR, open-market repurchases, and quarterly dividends, as detailed in the points that follow. Source
  • ASR delivers 8.3 million shares: The $200 million accelerated share repurchase delivered 6.9 million shares in the first quarter, with 1.4 million more due on completion in the second quarter. Source
  • Open-market buybacks of 8 million shares: Beyond the ASR, the company repurchased 8 million shares in the open market for $201 million during the first quarter. Source
  • Quarterly dividend up 6% to $0.175: Dividends of $63 million were paid at $0.175 per share, up 6% from the prior year. The board approved a second-quarter dividend of $0.175 per share. Source
  • $599 million left on buyback authorization: After the ASR and open-market repurchases, $599 million remained under the existing share repurchase authorization. Source
  • Free cash flow $78 million: Free cash flow was $78 million, against negative $223 million a year earlier. Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments reached $2.6 billion, up 15%. Source

Full-year and second-quarter guidance

  • Full-year sales growth cut to 1% to 2%: Full-year net sales growth guidance was lowered to up 1% to 2% from up 2% to 3%, on the $15.4 billion fiscal 2025 base. Source
  • Adjusted EPS guidance raised: Adjusted diluted EPS guidance rose to $2.30 to $2.40 from $2.20 to $2.35. Reported diluted EPS guidance is $2.83 to $2.93, including the settlement gain and donation. Source
  • Net interest income and tax rate revised: Net interest income guidance is about $25 million, up from $10 million to $15 million. Effective tax rate guidance is about 25%, down from about 27%, and diluted shares about 375 million. Source
  • Second-quarter sales guided flat to down 1%: Second-quarter guidance is net sales flat to down 1%, gross margin flat to down 50 basis points, and operating expense deleverage of about 110 to 120 basis points. Source
  • Margin, expense, capex and closures held: Full-year gross margin, adjusted operating expense, adjusted operating margin, capital expenditures of about $650 million, and net store closures of about flat were kept from the prior guidance. Source

Strategy and market position

  • Playbook continues with growth accelerators: Management said it remains focused on continuous improvement in the core business while seeding growth accelerators to amplify the reach and relevance of the portfolio. Source
  • Further US market share gains reported: The company reported further US market share gains, using Circana data for the 12 months ending April 2026. Source
  • Franchise network near 1,000 stores: Franchise partners operated approximately 1,000 franchise stores as of May 2, 2026, alongside the company-operated store base. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 May 2026

  • Tariff rates revert after July 24: After July 24, 2026, the tariff rate reverts for the rest of the year to the IEEPA-level rates reflected in the prior guidance. Source
  • Tariff benefit concentrated in Q2 and Q3: Most of the tariff benefit is expected in the second and third fiscal quarters, based on the timing of receipts. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Comparable sales Source2%
E-commerce share Source38% of net sales
Inventory Source$2.1 billion, flat year over year
Store openings and closings Source3 net company-operated openings
Gross margin Source40.5%

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Tariff rates and trade policy could change, and the company noted uncertainty in the operating environment for the rest of the year. Source
  • External: Management reserved part of the tariff benefit against possible sustained higher fuel costs. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: The prior release guided first-quarter gross margin down about 150 to 200 basis points. Gross margin fell 130 basis points, which management described as exceeding that guidance. Source
  • Not stated: After the quarter's repurchases, $599 million remained under the share repurchase authorization. Source
  • Not stated: The first-quarter dividend of $0.175 per share approved in the March release was paid during 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.