Best Buy earnings fall 16%

digitalbabe

Premium Supporter
Apr 12, 2009
42,351
USA
From Twice news:

Minneapolis - Weak demand for 3D and IPTVs, and a $222 million restructuring charge to close stores in China and Turkey, led to a 16.4 percent profit decline for Best Buy during its fiscal fourth quarter.

Net earnings, unadjusted for the one-time charge, totaled $651 million for the three months, ended Feb. 26, on net sales of $16.3 billion. Revenue slipped 1.7 percent as comp-store sales slid 4.6 percent worldwide.

"Overall demand for key consumer electronics products was a challenge for the industry last year," CEO Brian Dunn said in a statement. But the company managed to "partially mitigate these challenges and build critical capabilities for profitable growth," he said, including continued growth in connectivity and improvements in its online and international businesses.

In the U.S., fourth-quarter revenue slipped 3.7 percent to $12.1 billion and comp-store sales fell 5.5 percent. Operating income declined 10.3 percent to $986 million.

Broken out by category, comps for CE, the company's largest category, declined 6.5 percent, home office comps slipped 2.5 percent, and entertainment hardware and software fell 14.3 percent.

The declines were largely attributed to weak consumer demand for advanced TVs and soft sales of netbook computers, compared with the year-ago period when Windows 7 was launched.

The declines were partially offset by a low double-digit comp increase in mobile phones, driven by growth in smart phone sales.

Other gainers included appliances, up 6.5 percent; services -- comprised of extended warranties, service contracts, computer-related services, product repair, and delivery and installation of home theater, mobile audio and appliance products -- up 7.5 percent; and online sales, up 11 percent.

Best Buy estimates that it lost market share during the quarter due to early holiday promotions by competitors and the high market-share levels it commanded during the prior-year period.

For the full year, revenue rose 1.1 percent to $50.3 billion, and net earnings slipped 3 percent to $1.3 billion.

Looking ahead, the company expects that "challenges in the macro environment will continue to impact consumer spending within the retail and CE industries," CFO Jim Muehlbauer said, resulting in full-year revenue gains of 1 percent to 4 percent in 2011, and comp sales that will be flat to down 3 percent.

Muehlbauer said this year Best Buy will continue to drive growth in profitable areas, focus and restructure its international portfolio to enhance returns and improve its capital allocation strategy, and control costs. The company is budgeting for about $800 million in capital expenditures.
 
They can't compete with Amazon :p. Remember us having this discussion? BB price matching internet prices is not good for them. Fry's electronics is doing the same thing too now.
 
Yeah, they definitely can't compete on price, largely because of operational costs Amazon just doesn't have. They exist because the average consumer and those not as price sensitive/savvy as internet shoppers, and want to "touch and feel" products, and not order sight unseen. And many people are visual impulse buyers, wanting to take the product home immediately. But since the visual "cross-sell" is a major tool of "in person" stores, these physical stores aren't going anywhere-as long as they can maintain profit in the green, anyway. Competition and "choice" is always good, so I actually hope BB, and others stays around in the marketplace. Though I do most shopping online, it's never good when choices are eliminated for the consumer.
 
The last thing I bought at best buy was on it's release date, the salt steelbook. I rarely shop at overpriced best buy. Like it's been stated, they can't compete with amazon's prices.
 
Best Buy tries to to do too much I think. When you get to the check out line, it's like a supermarket. They have magazines, candy, soft drinks and small electronics like beard trimmers awaiting impulse buyers. Things are too difficult to find in the stores as well. Take blu rays for example, they have a smaller dedicated blu ray section than they have had previously. Instead of keeping blu rays in a particular section, they have them distributed on separate 'island' shelf sections, making them more difficult to find. I think they would be better off if they narrowed their business scope to what they are good at, selling electronics as opposed to selling vacuum cleaners etc.
 
I think the impulse buys are good and bad ... maybe a bit too much but definitely good to see some candy, drinks etc. there.

Also it said in the article things like appliances are up in sales, and that overall they werent down 16% in regards to sales and revenues ...

see,
For the full year, revenue rose 1.1 percent to $50.3 billion, and net earnings slipped 3 percent to $1.3 billion.

it was the restructuring taken place in the 4th quarter that brought on the 16% # decline

and a $222 million restructuring charge to close stores in China and Turkey, led to a 16.4 percent profit decline
 
You lay me off, then decline 16%, see how much business I brought.. I haven't bought a thing since I left, and told all my good customers to shop elsewhere.

:D :cool:
 
I only go there every now and then. I go shop there for video game stuff. Not all the time, but a good amount. When I buy a/v equipment I am definitely there first to try and then buy at Amazon lmao! :p