Gap Inc. reported lower-than-expected revenue for the fourth quarter, as same-store sales plunged at its Gap and Banana Republic stores. However, the retail company beat earnings expectations.
Gap’s diluted earnings came in at 61 cents a share with revenue of $4.4 billion for the quarter. That includes 45 cents a share for non-recurring tax benefits and 12 cents a share in impairment charges related to its Intermix business, which is under strategic review. Analysts polled by FactSet had expected 19 cents a share, on sales of $4.7 billion.
Same-store sales at its namesake stores fell -6%. amid COVID-mandated store closures and restrictions in Canada, China, Europe and Japan. But North America comparable sales were positive.
Banana Republic Global comparable sales plummeted -22%. Athleta stores had +26% rise in comparable sales, while Old Navy stores comparable sales increased +6%.
Digital sales increased +49%, representing 46% of net sales during the quarter.
For fiscal 2021, Gap is projecting earnings to be in the range of $1.20 to $1.35 per share. Analysts had been expecting earnings of $1.28 per share.
The company is expecting net sales to be up a mid- to high-teens percentage compared with 2020, assuming Covid-related effects continue in the first half of 2021, and the retailer returns to pre-pandemic level of sales in the second half of the year, the company said. Analysts predicted year-over-year revenue growth of 14.1%, according to Refinitiv poll.