07.01.15
For the first quarter ended May 2, 2015, Ulta Beauty’s net sales increased 21.6% to $868.1 million from $713.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2014 and comparable sales increased 11.4% compared to an increase of 8.7% in the first fiscal quarter.
The 11.4% same store sales increase was driven by 7.2% growth in transactions and 4.2% growth in average ticket, according to the beauty retailer, which also said retail comparable sales increased 9.7%, including salon comparable sales growth of 10.3%.
Ulta’s salon sales increased 20.5% to $51.3 million and e-commerce sales grew 49.8% to $44.0 million, representing 170 basis points of the total company comparable store sales increase of 11.4%. Operating income increased 33.0% to $107.6 million (12.4% of net sales) compared to $80.9 million (11.3% of net sales) in the first quarter.
“The Ulta Beauty team delivered an excellent start to 2015, with better than expected sales and earnings growth in the first quarter,” said Mary Dillon, CEO. “We achieved our best comparable sales growth since 2011, driven by strong traffic growth in both retail and e-commerce, market share gains across all categories, and continued successful execution of our marketing strategies. We also drove significant operating margin expansion, with a healthy balance of product margin improvement and marketing and payroll expense leverage.”
During the first quarter, the company opened 24 stores, and closed one shop, ending the first quarter with 797 stores and square footage of 8,425,381.
For the second quarter of fiscal 2015, Ulta currently expects net sales in the range of $854-$868 million.
The 11.4% same store sales increase was driven by 7.2% growth in transactions and 4.2% growth in average ticket, according to the beauty retailer, which also said retail comparable sales increased 9.7%, including salon comparable sales growth of 10.3%.
Ulta’s salon sales increased 20.5% to $51.3 million and e-commerce sales grew 49.8% to $44.0 million, representing 170 basis points of the total company comparable store sales increase of 11.4%. Operating income increased 33.0% to $107.6 million (12.4% of net sales) compared to $80.9 million (11.3% of net sales) in the first quarter.
“The Ulta Beauty team delivered an excellent start to 2015, with better than expected sales and earnings growth in the first quarter,” said Mary Dillon, CEO. “We achieved our best comparable sales growth since 2011, driven by strong traffic growth in both retail and e-commerce, market share gains across all categories, and continued successful execution of our marketing strategies. We also drove significant operating margin expansion, with a healthy balance of product margin improvement and marketing and payroll expense leverage.”
During the first quarter, the company opened 24 stores, and closed one shop, ending the first quarter with 797 stores and square footage of 8,425,381.
For the second quarter of fiscal 2015, Ulta currently expects net sales in the range of $854-$868 million.