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Macy's, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 18 March 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 4 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Full-year comparable sales returned to growth: Net sales including store closures fell 2.4% to $21.8 billion for fiscal 2025. Go-forward business comparable sales rose 1.7% for the year. Source
  • Quarter EPS lifted by interchange settlement: GAAP diluted EPS was $1.84 and Adjusted diluted EPS $1.67, against $1.21 and $1.80 a year earlier. GAAP includes $328 million of pre-tax interchange settlement income. Source
  • Bloomingdale's comparable sales up 9.9%: Bloomingdale's net sales rose 8.5% in the quarter and 6.3% for fiscal 2025, when comparable sales rose 7.4%. Source
  • Quarterly gross margin down on tariffs: Gross margin rate was 35.2%. Management attributed most of the decline to a tariff impact of about 60 basis points, which it said was in line with its expectations. Source
  • Fiscal shareholder returns totaled $448 million: Dividends were $197 million and repurchases $251 million, covering 17.7 million shares. About $1.1 billion remained under the $2.0 billion authorization. Source
  • Guidance ranges set against 2025 actuals: Each fiscal 2026 range is shown next to the fiscal 2025 actual; net sales ranges reflect store closures that contributed roughly $145 million of annual net sales. Source
  • Reimagine 200 expansion for 2026: Management said strategic initiatives extend to additional stores under the Reimagine 200 label in 2026, after the Reimagine 125 locations. Source

“As we wrap up year two of the Bold New Chapter, I’m pleased with the growth and progress we’re making against our strategic priorities,”

Tony Spring, chairman and chief executive officer of Macy’s, Inc.

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net sales Sourcefiscal 2026$21.4 billion to $21.65 billionNew
Adjusted EBITDA as a percent of total revenue Sourcefiscal 20267.7% to 7.9%New
Adjusted diluted EPS Sourcefiscal 2026$1.90 to $2.10New
Quarterly dividend Sourcequarterly dividend declared February 27, 202619.15 cents per shareRaised from 18.24 cents per share
Reimagine 200 stores Source202675 additional storesNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Annual fiscal 2026 guidance is given in this release; the prior release gave fiscal 2025 guidance. Source
  • New: Reimagine 200 initiative announced for 2026, following the Reimagine 125 locations. Source
  • New: Non-GAAP definitions updated so that Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EPS exclude gains on sale of real estate and benefit plan income. Source

Fourth quarter and fiscal results

  • Full-year comparable sales returned to growth: Net sales including store closures fell 2.4% to $21.8 billion for fiscal 2025. Go-forward business comparable sales rose 1.7% for the year. Source
  • Fourth-quarter comparable sales broadly positive: Quarterly net sales including store closures fell 1.7% to $7.6 billion, while go-forward comparable sales rose 2.0%. Source
  • Quarter EPS lifted by interchange settlement: GAAP diluted EPS was $1.84 and Adjusted diluted EPS $1.67, against $1.21 and $1.80 a year earlier. GAAP includes $328 million of pre-tax interchange settlement income. Source
  • Full-year EPS above prior guidance range: Fiscal 2025 GAAP and Adjusted diluted EPS were both $2.32, against $2.07 GAAP and $2.64 Adjusted in fiscal 2024. Source
  • Quarterly Adjusted EBITDA margin 10.6%: Adjusted EBITDA was $840 million and Core Adjusted EBITDA $837 million, against $903 million and $862 million a year earlier. Source

Nameplate results

  • Bloomingdale's comparable sales up 9.9%: Bloomingdale's net sales rose 8.5% in the quarter and 6.3% for fiscal 2025, when comparable sales rose 7.4%. Source
  • Macy's go-forward comparable sales 0.6%: Macy's nameplate net sales fell 3.2% including store closures; its comparable sales rose 0.4%, and Reimagine 125 locations rose 0.9%. Source
  • Bluemercury comparable sales up 1.3%: Bluemercury net sales rose 2.5% in the quarter; for fiscal 2025, net sales rose 2.6% and comparable sales 1.6%. Source

“Looking to 2026 and beyond, we are ready to build on our progress.”

Tony Spring, chairman and chief executive officer of Macy’s, Inc.

Other revenue and credit card

  • Other revenue up 15.9% in quarter: Credit card revenues, net rose 17.1% to $205 million, and Macy's Media Network revenue rose 12.5% to $72 million. Source
  • Full-year card revenue rose on portfolio health: Fiscal 2025 Macy's Media Network net revenue was $188 million, up 6.8% from the prior year. Source

Margins, costs and tariffs

  • Quarterly gross margin down on tariffs: Gross margin rate was 35.2%. Management attributed most of the decline to a tariff impact of about 60 basis points, which it said was in line with its expectations. Source
  • Full-year gross margin and markdowns: Fiscal 2025 gross margin was 38.0%, with a 40 basis point tariff impact and markdowns on early Spring product in the second quarter. Source
  • Quarterly SG&A dollars fell, rate rose: The decrease reflected closed-store benefits and cost containment; SG&A as a share of total revenue rose 10 basis points to 29.8%. Source
  • Fiscal SG&A down $90 million: Fiscal 2025 SG&A was $8.2 billion, with investment in Reimagine 125, Bloomingdale's and digital partly offsetting savings. Rate rose 20 basis points to 36.4%. Source

“Bloomingdale’s exceptional performance underscores its ability to elevate the customer experience and capture demand across premium contemporary to luxury businesses.”

Tony Spring, chairman and chief executive officer of Macy’s, Inc.

Inventory and balance sheet

  • Inventory down 1.3% year over year: Management said the composition and level of inventories are well-positioned heading into fiscal 2026. Source
  • No material debt maturities before 2030: Total debt was $2.4 billion at year end; cash and cash equivalents were $1.2 billion and $2.0 billion of asset-based credit capacity was available. Source

Cash flow and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow of $797 million: Operating cash flow was $1.43 billion; property, equipment and capitalized software spend was $740 million, with $107 million of disposal proceeds. Fiscal 2024 free cash flow was $679 million. Source
  • Fiscal shareholder returns totaled $448 million: Dividends were $197 million and repurchases $251 million, covering 17.7 million shares. About $1.1 billion remained under the $2.0 billion authorization. Source
  • Fourth-quarter repurchases of 2.3 million shares: Shares repurchased for $50 million in the quarter; year-end common shares outstanding were 263.0 million. Source

Fiscal 2026 guidance basis

  • Guidance ranges set against 2025 actuals: Each fiscal 2026 range is shown next to the fiscal 2025 actual; net sales ranges reflect store closures that contributed roughly $145 million of annual net sales. Source
  • Prudent approach given discretionary spend: Management said the guidance takes a prudent approach and gives flexibility to respond to competition and the external environment. Source
  • Investment in Reimagine 200 and luxury: Guidance reflects investment in these locations and nameplates, and fewer non-go-forward store closures in fiscal 2025 than in fiscal 2024. Source

Strategy and store initiatives

  • Reimagine 200 expansion for 2026: Management said strategic initiatives extend to additional stores under the Reimagine 200 label in 2026, after the Reimagine 125 locations. Source
  • Chief executive cites Bold New Chapter progress: Chairman and CEO Tony Spring said the company is ready to build on progress in 2026 and beyond as year two of the strategy closes. Source
  • Luxury and premium demand at Bloomingdale's: Management said Bloomingdale's performance shows its ability to capture demand across premium contemporary to luxury businesses. Source

Coming up, as management said on 18 March 2026

  • Dividend record and payment dates: The declared quarterly dividend is payable to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 13, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Comparable sales SourceQ4 +1.8%; fiscal 2025 +1.5%
Inventory Sourcedown 1.3% year over year
Store closings Source64 closed Macy's locations in fiscal 2025
Gross margin Source35.2% quarter; 38.0% fiscal year

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management cited macroeconomic and geopolitical factors that could influence discretionary spend as a reason for its guidance approach. Source
  • Regulatory: Guidance assumes tariffs weigh more in the first half of fiscal 2026 than the second half, with the first quarter most affected. Source
  • Operational: Non-go-forward Macy's locations offset comparable sales growth at other channels during fiscal 2025. Source
  • Financial: Lower asset sale gains reduced results year over year, as the company monetized non-go-forward assets in fiscal 2025. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Quarterly net sales exceeded the company's guidance, per the release. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it remains committed to closing underproductive stores, with a disciplined approach to transactions. 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.