Dick's shares take a hit on disappointing holiday sales
Reaction to Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods announced Wednesday that it ended sales of assault-style rifles and was no longer selling any guns to customers under 21 in a move that drew early support from investors despite calls from some to boycott the Findlay-based retailer.
CORAOPOLIS — Dick's Sporting Goods shares slid before the opening bell Tuesday on some disappointing holiday sales numbers.
Sales at existing stores fell 2 percent during the fourth quarter, which was about double the decline Wall Street was expecting. Industry analysts watch that figure closely as a barometer of a retailer's health as it excludes the volatility of stores recently opened or closed.
Dick's is fending off competition from Amazon.com and other online sports gear sellers. The company said in November that profits this year would be under pressure because of new investments it's making to boost performance.
The Findlay-based retailer stepped into the national spotlight last month when, in the aftermath of a school massacre in Parkland, Fla., it banned the sale of assault-style rifles and the sale of all guns to anyone under 21.
Other retailers followed suit, including Walmart, which also raised its minimum age rules for firearms.
For the period ended Feb. 3, Dick's Sporting Goods Inc. earned $116 million, or $1.11 per share. A year earlier the company earned $90.2 million, or 81 cents per share.
Excluding certain items, earnings were $1.22 per share. That's 2 cents better than analysts expected, according to a survey by Zacks Investment Research.
Revenue rose to $2.66 billion, from $2.48 billion, with online sales up about 9 percent. But that was still shy of Wall Street projections for $2.73 billion.
Dick's expects 2018 earnings of about $2.80 to $3 per share. Analysts polled by FactSet predict $2.79 per share.
Shares fell 6 percent before the opening bell on Tuesday.
The Pittsburgh Business Times reports Dick's has plans to open 19 new stories this year, while relocating four of them.
The PBT said a press release from the company announced eight of those new stores should be open within the first quarter of 2018. The report also said the company has no plans to open any new Field & Stream or Golf Galaxy stores in 2018.
