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Tapestry, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 November 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 5 raised, 2 lowered, 1 new, 4 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue up 13 percent reported: Net sales were $1.70 billion, up 13% reported and 12% constant currency. Pro forma sales, excluding Stuart Weitzman, were $1.69 billion, up 16%. Source
  • Operating margin rose on leverage: GAAP operating margin was 19.3%, up 260 basis points; non-GAAP operating margin was 20.9%, up 200 basis points. The divestiture of Stuart Weitzman contributed 110 basis points of the non-GAAP increase. Source
  • Coach revenue up 22 percent: Coach net sales were $1.43 billion, up 22% reported and 21% constant currency. Coach non-GAAP operating income was $488.6 million. Source
  • Gen Z drove new customer growth: The company acquired over 2.2 million new customers globally. Gen Z consumers, growing versus prior year, were about 35% of new customers. Source
  • Non-GAAP gross margin up 120 basis points: Non-GAAP gross margin was 76.5%, up 120 basis points, from operational improvements of about 170 basis points and a 70 basis point divestiture benefit. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow $103 million: Adjusted free cash flow was an inflow of $103 million, compared with $41 million in the prior year period. Source
  • First-quarter buybacks of $500 million: The company spent $500 million to repurchase over 4.7 million shares at an average cost of about $106 per share. Source
  • Amplify growth strategy in four pillars: Management said the Amplify Growth Strategy has four pillars, which it advanced in the quarter. Source

“Our first quarter outperformance marked a powerful start to this next chapter.”

Joanne Crevoiserat, Chief Executive Officer of Tapestry, Inc.

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net revenue SourceFiscal 2026in the area of $7.3 billionRaised from approaching $7.2 billion
Pro forma revenue growth SourceFiscal 20267% to 8% on a nominal basisRaised from mid-single-digit rate on a pro forma basis
Foreign currency effect on revenue SourceFiscal 202670-basis point tailwindLowered from 80-basis point tailwind
Operating margin expansion SourceFiscal 2026about 50 basis points versus prior year
Underlying operating margin expansion SourceFiscal 2026roughly 280 basis pointsRaised from more than 250 basis points
Tariff and duty impact on operating margin SourceFiscal 2026approximately 230 basis pointsKept
Net interest expense SourceFiscal 2026approximately $65 millionKept
Tax rate SourceFiscal 2026approximately 18%Kept
Weighted average diluted share count SourceFiscal 2026approximately 212 million sharesLowered from 213 million shares
Diluted EPS (non-GAAP) SourceFiscal 2026$5.45 to $5.60Raised from $5.30 to $5.45
Adjusted free cash flow SourceFiscal 2026$1.3 billion
Share repurchases SourceFiscal 2026approximately $1.0 billionRaised from $800 million
Total shareholder returns SourceFiscal 2026$1.3 billion, about 100% of anticipated adjusted free cash flowNew
Annual dividend per share SourceFiscal 2026$1.60Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year revenue guidance rose from approaching $7.2 billion to about $7.3 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Diluted EPS guidance rose from $5.30 to $5.45 to $5.45 to $5.60. Source
  • Guidance raised: Planned share repurchases rose from $800 million to about $1.0 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Underlying margin expansion guidance rose from more than 250 basis points to roughly 280 basis points. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Diluted share count guidance fell from 213 million to about 212 million shares. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Currency tailwind to revenue guidance fell from 80 basis points to 70 basis points. Source
  • New: Management set a fiscal 2026 total return target of $1.3 billion through dividends and buybacks. Source
  • New: The company established a commercial paper program, with $240 million outstanding at quarter end. Source
  • New: The Amplify Growth Strategy, built on four pillars, was advanced this quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue up 13 percent reported: Net sales were $1.70 billion, up 13% reported and 12% constant currency. Pro forma sales, excluding Stuart Weitzman, were $1.69 billion, up 16%. Source
  • Operating margin rose on leverage: GAAP operating margin was 19.3%, up 260 basis points; non-GAAP operating margin was 20.9%, up 200 basis points. The divestiture of Stuart Weitzman contributed 110 basis points of the non-GAAP increase. Source
  • EPS grew on both bases: GAAP diluted EPS was $1.28, up 61%; non-GAAP diluted EPS was $1.38, up 35%. Items affecting comparability reduced EPS by $0.10. Source

Segments and regions

  • Coach revenue up 22 percent: Coach net sales were $1.43 billion, up 22% reported and 21% constant currency. Coach non-GAAP operating income was $488.6 million. Source
  • Kate Spade revenue down 8 percent: Kate Spade net sales were $260.2 million, down 8% reported and 9% constant currency, against $283.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • North America and Europe gains: Pro forma constant currency gains were North America 18%, Europe 32%, and total APAC 8%, including Greater China 19%. Management said these markets outperformed expectations. Source

“From this position of strength, we are raising our full year outlook, reinforcing that our advantages are structural and sustainable.”

Joanne Crevoiserat, Chief Executive Officer of Tapestry, Inc.

Customers and channels

  • Gen Z drove new customer growth: The company acquired over 2.2 million new customers globally. Gen Z consumers, growing versus prior year, were about 35% of new customers. Source
  • Direct-to-consumer up 16 percent: Total direct-to-consumer revenue rose 16% pro forma constant currency, with mid-teens growth in both Digital and global brick and mortar. Management said it achieved increasing profitability in both channels. Source
  • Leathergoods accelerated at Coach: Leathergoods growth accelerated, led by Coach handbags, which posted a mid-teens percentage increase in average unit retail. Source

Gross margin, costs and tariffs

  • Non-GAAP gross margin up 120 basis points: Non-GAAP gross margin was 76.5%, up 120 basis points, from operational improvements of about 170 basis points and a 70 basis point divestiture benefit. Source
  • Tariffs and currency cut gross margin: The tariff and duty impact reduced gross margin by 70 basis points, and currency reduced it by 60 basis points, in the quarter. Source
  • SG&A ratio on non-GAAP basis: Non-GAAP SG&A was $939 million, or 55.6% of sales. Source
  • Quarterly tax rate: The tax rate was 13.8% on a GAAP basis and 13.7% on a non-GAAP basis. Source

“We remain confident in our bright future, with a proven track record and an unwavering commitment to deliver compounding growth and long-term shareholder value.”

Joanne Crevoiserat, Chief Executive Officer of Tapestry, Inc.

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Adjusted free cash flow $103 million: Adjusted free cash flow was an inflow of $103 million, compared with $41 million in the prior year period. Source
  • Cash and borrowings at quarter end: Cash and short-term investments were $743 million, and total borrowings were $2.64 billion. Source
  • Inventory roughly flat year on year: Inventory was $1.02 billion at quarter end, against $1.03 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Capital spending and cloud costs up: CapEx and cloud computing implementation costs were $38 million, versus $30 million a year earlier. Source

Shareholder returns

  • First-quarter buybacks of $500 million: The company spent $500 million to repurchase over 4.7 million shares at an average cost of about $106 per share. Source
  • Quarterly dividend of $0.40: The Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.40 per common share, payable December 22, 2025, to holders of record on December 5, 2025. Source
  • Cash paid for dividends and buybacks: The cash flow statement shows $83.3 million of dividends paid and $698.2 million of common stock repurchases in the quarter. Source

Strategy and organizational items

  • Amplify growth strategy in four pillars: Management said the Amplify Growth Strategy has four pillars, which it advanced in the quarter. Source
  • Stuart Weitzman sale completed: The divestiture of Stuart Weitzman was completed on August 4, 2025. Source
  • Organizational efficiency costs recorded: Organizational efficiency costs were primarily technology and severance costs, shown as items affecting comparability. Source

Fiscal 2026 guidance raised

  • Full-year guidance raised: Management raised fiscal 2026 revenue, EPS, and buyback guidance on a non-GAAP basis, and kept dividend guidance. Source
  • Interest and tax assumptions unchanged: Net interest expense guidance and tax rate guidance were both unchanged from prior guidance. Source
  • Organizational efficiency costs excluded: Guidance excludes non-recurring costs from the organizational efficiency efforts. Source

Store footprint

  • Coach stores net gain of three: Coach opened 11 directly-operated stores and closed 8 during the quarter, a net gain of 3. Source
  • Kate Spade stores net down two: Kate Spade opened 3 directly-operated stores and closed 5, a net decrease of 2. Source
  • Total directly-operated stores up one: Total directly-operated stores were 1,292 at September 27, 2025, up from 1,291 at June 28, 2025. Source

Coming up, as management said on 6 November 2025

  • Second quarter results on February 5, 2026: The company expects to report second quarter fiscal 2026 results on February 5, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
New customers acquired (global) Sourceover 2.2 million
Gen Z share of new customers Sourceapproximately 35%
Directly-operated stores, total Source1,292

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management said results could differ materially from the guidance given external factors. Source
  • External: Currency and tariffs together offset part of the gross margin gain in the quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Management said first-quarter revenue and earnings increases were ahead of expectations. Source
  • Met: Management said the Amplify plan was introduced at its September investor day. 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.