Dick’s Sporting Goods shares rise after second-quarter sales surge 21%, retailer raises forecast

Dick’s Sporting Goods shares rose Wednesday after the retailer reported sales growth of 21% for the fiscal second quarter and raised its outlook for the year.

The stock was up about 11% in premarket trading.

The big-box retailer’s sales have soared during the coronavirus pandemic, as customers have bought workout clothes, sneakers, golf clubs and other outdoor equipment. Sales in the second quarter were 45% higher than the same quarter of 2019.

Here’s what the company did for its second quarter ended July 31 compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by Refinitiv:

• Earnings per share: $5.08 adjusted vs. $2.80 expected
• Revenue: $3.27 billion vs. $2.85 billion expected

Net income rose nearly 80% to $495.5 million, or $4.53 share, from $276.8 million, or $3.12 per share, a year earlier.

Excluding items, it earned $5.08 per share, far higher than the $1.85 per share expected by analysts surveyed by Refinitiv.

Net sales rose to $3.27 billion from $2.71 billion a year earlier, outpacing estimates of $2.85 billion.

Same-store sales, which track sales at stores open for at least 12 months, were up 19.2% in the second quarter.

Dick’s has added new merchandise and opened more experiential stores, as its sales have taken off. It launched a men’s athleisure brand, VRST, in March. It opened its largest store yet, called House of Sport, in a suburb of Rochester, New York, in April. The store includes an indoor rock climbing wall, putting green, health and wellness shop — and a track and turf field outside. And it’s tried to tap into consumers enthusiasm for pandemic-inspired hobbies, from playing tennis to running in the neighborhood.

CEO Lauren Hobart credited strong consumer demand, more e-commerce offerings and a better experience for athletes for the performance.

Dick’s Executive Chairman Ed Stack, who was formerly CEO, said the retailer is investing “to reimagine the athlete experience in our core business and with new concepts.”

“We said 2021 was going to be the most transformational year in our history, and so far, it certainly has been,” he said in a press release.

The company now expects its full-year earnings to range from $11.00 to $11.45 per share and its full-year adjusted earnings to be between $12.45 and $12.95 per share.

Based on its second-quarter performance, Dick’s said it would step up its capital spending. The company said it planned a special dividend of $5.50 per share and would double its planned share repurchases for the year to a minimum of $400 million.

As of Monday’s close, Dick’s Sporting Goods shares are up about 104% this year. The stock closed up 2.33% on Monday to $114.39, bringing the company’s market value to $10.21 billion.

Read the company’s press release here.