THE CATO CORPORATION
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL
CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
(CONTINUED)
27
year’s
second
quarter.
During
the
first
six
months
of
fiscal
2023,
the
Company
opened
eight
stores
and
closed 41 stores.
The Company currently expects to close approximately 80
stores in total in fiscal 2023.
Credit
revenue
of
$0.7
million
represented
0.4%
of
total
revenues
in
the
second
quarter
of
fiscal
2023,
compared to
2022 credit
revenue of
$0.6 million
or 0.3%
of total
revenues. Credit
revenue is
comprised of
interest earned on the Company’s private label credit card portfolio and related fee income.
Related expenses
principally include payroll,
postage and other
administrative expenses and
totaled $0.4 million
in the second
quarter of fiscal 2023, compared to
last year’s second quarter expense of
$0.4 million.
Other revenue, a component of total revenues, was $1.7 million and $3.4 million for the
three and six months
ended July 29, 2023, respectively, compared
to $1.9 million and $3.6 million
for the prior year’s comparable
three
and
six
month
periods.
The
decrease
in
Other
revenue
for
both
the
three
and
six
months
is
due
to
a
decrease
in
gift
card
breakage
and
e-commerce
shipping
revenue
partially
offset
by
increases
in
finance
charges and late fees associated with
the Company’s proprietary credit card.
Cost of
goods sold
was $117.6
million, or
64.9% of
retail sales
and $239.7
million, or
64.5% of retail
sales
for the three and six months
ended July 29, 2023, respectively, compared
to $131.7 million, or 67.6% of retail
sales and
$264.0 million,
or 66.0%
of retail
sales for
the comparable
three and
six month
periods of
fiscal
2022.
The overall
decrease in
cost of
goods sold
as a
percent of
retail sales
for the
second quarter
and first
half of
fiscal 2023
resulted primarily
from both
lower ocean
freight costs
and outbound
freight costs
to our
stores,
partially
offset
by
deleveraging
of
occupancy
and
buying
costs.
Cost
of
goods
sold
includes
merchandise costs (net of discounts and
allowances), buying costs, distribution costs, occupancy costs,
freight
and
inventory
shrinkage.
Net
merchandise
costs
and
in-bound
freight
are
capitalized
as
inventory
costs.
Buying
and
distribution
costs
include
payroll,
payroll-related
costs
and
operating
expenses
for
the
buying
departments and distribution center.
Occupancy costs include rent, real estate taxes, insurance, common area
maintenance, utilities and
maintenance for stores and
distribution facilities. Total gross
margin dollars (retail
sales
less
cost
of
goods
sold
exclusive
of
depreciation)
increased
by
0.5%
to
$63.6
million
for
the
second
quarter
of
fiscal
2023
and
decreased
by
3.0%
to
$131.8
million
for
the
first
six
months
of
fiscal
2023,
compared to $63.3
million and $135.9 million
for the prior year’s
comparable three and six
months of fiscal
2022.
Gross margin as presented may not be
comparable to those of other
entities.
Selling, general and administrative expenses (“SG&A”) primarily include corporate and store payroll, related
payroll
taxes
and
benefits,
insurance,
supplies,
advertising,
bank
and
credit
card
processing
fees.
SG&A
expenses
were
$61.6
million,
or
34.0%
of
retail
sales
and
$123.6
million,
or
33.3%
of
retail
sales
for
the
second quarter and first six months of fiscal 2023, respectively, compared to $60.8 million, or
31.2% of retail
sales and $121.2 million, or 30.3% of retail sales for the prior year’s comparable three and
six month periods.
The increase
in SG&A
for the
second quarter
and first
six months
of fiscal
2023 is
primarily due
to higher
payroll and insurance expense.
Depreciation expense was $2.5 million, or 1.4% of retail sales and $4.9 million, or 1.3% of
retail sales for the
second quarter
and first
six months
of fiscal
2023, respectively,
compared to
$2.8 million,
or 1.4%
of retail
sales and $5.6
million or 1.4%
of retail sales
for the comparable
three and six
month periods of
fiscal 2022,
Interest and other income was $1.3 million, or 0.7% of retail sales and $2.2 million, or 0.6% of retail sales for
the three and six
months ended July 29,
2023, respectively, compared to
$1.9 million, or 1.0%
of retail sales
and
$2.3
million,
or
0.6%
of
retail
sales
for
the
comparable
three
and
six
month
periods
of
fiscal
2022,
respectively.
The decrease for the second quarter and first six months of fiscal 2023 compared to fiscal 2022