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Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 2 September 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net sales grew on new stores: Net sales rose 9.1% to $741.3 million. The company attributed the growth to new store unit growth. Source
  • Adjusted earnings per share rose: Adjusted net income rose 40.3% to $85.4 million. Adjusted diluted EPS rose 43.4% to $1.42, from $0.99 a year earlier. Source
  • Gross margin rose 360 basis points: Gross margin reached 43.5%, up from 39.9%. Management attributed the rise mainly to lower supply chain costs from tariff refunds and lower tariff rates. Source
  • Tariff refunds added 380 basis points: IEEPA tariff refunds contributed 380 basis points to gross margin in the quarter. Source
  • Comparable sales fell on smaller baskets: Comparable store sales fell 1.8% against a 5.0% gain a year earlier. Management attributed the decline to lower average basket size. Source
  • Cash and investments reached $507.1m: Total cash and investments rose $46.8 million to $507.1 million. This included cash and equivalents, short-term and long-term investments. Source
  • Second-quarter buybacks of $84.0m: The company spent $84.0 million to repurchase 1.107 million shares in the second quarter. Source

“We believe our sales results were negatively impacted by the combination of less favorable weather, continued economic pressure on the consumer, and an elevated promotional environment”

Eric van der Valk, President and Chief Executive Officer

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Management intends to reinvest the tariff refunds in pricing actions. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net sales grew on new stores: Net sales rose 9.1% to $741.3 million. The company attributed the growth to new store unit growth. Source
  • Adjusted earnings per share rose: Adjusted net income rose 40.3% to $85.4 million. Adjusted diluted EPS rose 43.4% to $1.42, from $0.99 a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin widened: Adjusted EBITDA was $127.1 million, or 17.1% of net sales, compared with $93.8 million, or 13.8%, in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • First-half diluted EPS rose: Year-to-date diluted EPS was $2.34 for the twenty-six weeks, compared with $1.76 a year earlier. Source

Stores and customer base

  • Store count reached 686: The company ended the quarter with 686 stores, up from 613 a year earlier, a store growth rate of 11.9%. Source
  • Openings fell from prior year: The company opened 15 stores in the quarter, compared with 29 a year earlier. One store was closed in the period. Source
  • Ollie’s Army membership grew: Ollie’s Army loyalty membership reached 18.1 million, up 12.7%. The prior quarter reported 17.5 million members. Source

“remain committed to reinvesting in price and strengthening our competitive position”

Eric van der Valk, President and Chief Executive Officer

Margin and cost trends

  • Gross margin rose 360 basis points: Gross margin reached 43.5%, up from 39.9%. Management attributed the rise mainly to lower supply chain costs from tariff refunds and lower tariff rates. Source
  • Tariff refunds added 380 basis points: IEEPA tariff refunds contributed 380 basis points to gross margin in the quarter. Source
  • SG&A rate rose on fixed-cost deleverage: SG&A rose to 26.6% of net sales, up 80 basis points, driven mainly by fixed-cost deleverage and an extra merchandise flyer. Source
  • Pre-opening costs fell 42%: Pre-opening expenses were $5.2 million, down 42.0%, reflecting fewer openings and lower dark rent expense. Source

Demand and consumer backdrop

  • Comparable sales fell on smaller baskets: Comparable store sales fell 1.8% against a 5.0% gain a year earlier. Management attributed the decline to lower average basket size. Source
  • Consumers keep seeking value: Management said consumers continue to seek value, and pressures on customers are creating closeout supply. Source
  • Backdrop harder than expected: Management said the combined pressures led to a more challenging backdrop than it had originally expected. Source

“we believe Ollie's is well positioned to deliver long-term profitable growth through any retail environment.”

Eric van der Valk, President and Chief Executive Officer

Cash, investments and buybacks

  • Cash and investments reached $507.1m: Total cash and investments rose $46.8 million to $507.1 million. This included cash and equivalents, short-term and long-term investments. Source
  • Second-quarter buybacks of $84.0m: The company spent $84.0 million to repurchase 1.107 million shares in the second quarter. Source
  • $121.5m left on authorization: Share repurchase authorization remaining at quarter end was $121.5 million. Source
  • Capital spending rose in quarter: Quarterly capital expenditures were $43.3 million, up from $26.4 million a year earlier. Share repurchases were $84.0 million. Source

Strategy and price reinvestment

  • Tariff refunds to fund pricing: Management intends to reinvest the $28.3 million of refunds in pricing actions to strengthen its competitive position. Source
  • Flexible model and vendor ties: Management cites its flexible business model, vendor relationships, scale and team as the basis for its approach. Source
  • Value pricing positioning: The company describes its stores as offering prices up to 70% below traditional retailers in a treasure hunt setting. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Comparable store sales Source-1.8%
Average basket size Sourcedecreased
Inventory Source$704,433 thousand (vs $637,236 thousand)
Store openings Source15 (vs 29)
Store closings Source1
Gross margin Source43.5%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management cites less favorable weather, continued consumer economic pressure and an elevated promotional environment as factors weighing on sales. Source
  • Operational: One store was closed in the quarter due to storm damage. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management says it intends to reinvest the refunds in pricing actions. Source
  • Not stated: Management says it continued executing its key strategic initiatives 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.