Hudson's Bay retail sales increased 9.3%
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Retail sales, which include digital sales from all banners, were $2,632 million, an increase of $225 million or 9.3% from $2,407 million in the prior year.
On a local currency basis, consolidated same store sales increased by 3.2%, with increases of 2.3% at DSG, 2.6% at Saks Fifth Avenue and 12.1% at OFF 5TH. Digital commerce sales totaled $304 million, a year-over-year increase of 35.1%.
In terms of merchandise category performance, sales growth at DSG was driven by men's apparel, ladies' shoes, outerwear and home products. Sales growth at Saks Fifth Avenue was led by designer clothing, menswear and accessories. Sales growth at OFF 5TH was driven by strength in menswear, women's shoes and accessories.
Gross profit, inclusive of a $13 million benefit from a conforming change related to the classification of advertising expense credits between SG&A and cost of sales at Saks, was $1,073 million. Excluding the impact of this item, adjusted gross profit was $1,060 million in the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2014 compared to $925 million in the fourth quarter of the prior year.
Adjusted gross profit for the comparable prior year period excludes a negative $39 million impact stemming from the amortization of inventory-related purchase price accounting adjustments related to the acquisition of Saks.
The increase in adjusted gross profit dollars of $135 million can be attributed to improved performance at DSG and Saks, combined with a favourable reporting benefit arising from the conversion of US dollars to Canadian dollars. Adjusted gross profit as a percentage of retail sales was 40.3% in the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2014 compared to 38.4% in the fourth quarter of the prior year.
Fourth quarter SG&A expenses were $736 million compared to $796 million in the prior year. Excluding the $13 million impact of the conforming change related to the classification of advertising expense credits referenced above, adjusted SG&A expenses were $723 million in the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2014.
Further excluding the net impact of normalization adjustments of ($20) million ($120 million in the prior year), normalized SG&A expenses as a percentage of retail sales were 28.2% in the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2014 compared to 28.1% in the fourth quarter of the prior year.
Despite making significant investments in our HBC digital business, incurring higher occupancy costs associated with the Queen Street sale and leaseback transaction completed in the first quarter of Fiscal 2014 and accruing for additional performance-based incentive compensation, fourth quarter normalized SG&A expenses expressed as a percentage of sales were essentially flat on a year-over-year basis.
Excluding the net impact of normalization adjustments of ($10) million ($157 million in the prior year), normalized EBITDA was $318 million compared to $253 million in the prior year, a year-over-year increase of $65 million. Normalized EBITDA as a percentage of retail sales was 12.1% in the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2014 compared to 10.5% in the prior year.
Finance costs were $111 million compared to $38 million in the fourth quarter of the prior year, an increase of $73 million.
The increase can be primarily attributed to a $34 million non-cash write-off of deferred financing costs related to the fourth quarter mortgage financing on the ground portion of the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship property in New York City, along with a net increase of $53 million in non-cash finance-related charges associated with the mark-to-market of outstanding share purchase warrants issued in connection with the acquisition of Saks.
These cost increases were partially offset by a decline in other interest expense.
Fiscal 2014 summary
Retail sales were $8,169 million, an increase of $2,946 million or 56.4% from $5,223 million in the prior year. The increase is primarily attributable to the inclusion of Saks for the full fifty-two week period ended January 31, 2015.
On a local currency basis, consolidated same store sales increased by 2.7%, with increases of 1.5% at DSG, 2.1% at Saks Fifth Avenue and 15.1% at OFF 5TH. Digital commerce sales totaled $900 million, including $651 million from Saks and growth of 66% at DSG.
In terms of merchandise category performance, sales growth at DSG was driven by men's apparel, ladies' shoes, dress clothes and outerwear. Sales growth at Saks Fifth Avenue was led by menswear and accessories. Sales growth at OFF 5TH was strong across the majority of categories.
Fiscal 2014 gross profit, inclusive of the fourth quarter $13 million benefit from the conforming change related to the classification of advertising expense benefits referenced above, was $3,276 million compared to $2,006 million in the prior year.
Excluding the impact of this item, and the negative $40 million (negative $39 million in the prior year) impact stemming from the amortization of inventory-related purchase price accounting adjustments related to the acquisition of Saks, adjusted gross profit was $3,303 million for Fiscal 2014 compared to $2,045 million in the prior year, an increase of $1,258 million.
The year-over-year increase in adjusted gross profit dollars can be primarily attributed to the inclusion of Saks for the full fifty-two week period, combined with a favourable reporting benefit arising from the conversion of US dollars to Canadian dollars.
Adjusted gross profit as a percentage of retail sales was 40.4% in Fiscal 2014 compared to 39.2% in the prior year, an increase of 120 basis points.
This increase was driven in large part by the inclusion of Saks for the full fifty-two week period, which contributed higher gross profit as a percentage of retail sales than DSG, along with year-over-year improvement in the gross profit rate at DSG.
Fiscal 2014 SG&A expenses were $2,759 million compared to 1,826 million in the prior year. Excluding the $13 million impact of the conforming change related to the classification of advertising expense credits referenced above, adjusted SG&A expenses were $2,746 million in Fiscal 2014.
The year-over-year increase can be primarily attributed to the inclusion of Saks for the full fifty-two week period combined with an unfavourable reporting impact arising from the conversion of US dollars to Canadian dollars. Further excluding the net impact of normalization adjustments of $54 million ($182 million in the prior year), normalized SG&A expenses as a percentage of retail sales were 33% in Fiscal 2014 compared to 31.5% in the prior year, an increase of 150 basis points.
This increase was driven in large part by the full-year impact of incremental strategic investments in our HBC digital business, higher occupancy costs associated with the Queen Street sale and leaseback transaction and performance-based incentive compensation, partially offset by the operating synergies of approximately $50 million realized in Fiscal 2014. Absent these items, normalized SG&A expenses as a percentage of retail sales were 32.3% in Fiscal 2014.
Excluding a first quarter gain of $308 million on the Queen Street sale and leaseback transaction, partially offset by the net impact of normalization adjustments of $73 million ($191 million in the prior year), normalized EBITDA was $612 million in Fiscal 2014 compared to $405 million in the prior year, an increase of $207 million. Normalized EBITDA as a percentage of retail sales was 7.5% in Fiscal 2014, compared to 7.8% in the prior year.
Finance costs were $262 million in Fiscal 2014 compared to $261 million in the prior year. Finance costs for the current year include $71 million of incremental interest expense on long-term debt primarily incurred to finance the acquisition of Saks, $34 million of non-cash charges from the write-off of deferred financing costs in conjunction with the fourth quarter mortgage financing on the ground portion of the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship property in New York City.
Finance costs also include $18 million of non-cash charges and $12 million of penalties related to the retirement of debt utilizing proceeds from the Queen Street sale and leaseback transaction, and $44 million in non-cash finance-related charges associated with the mark-to-market of outstanding warrants.
Finance costs in the prior year included $153 million of non-cash mark-to-market charges on equity commitment forwards and $12 million of bridge financing fees, both of which related to the acquisition of Saks.
Unless otherwise indicated, all amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars ■