Citi Trends, Inc. reported results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended February 3, 2018.

The Company’s 2017 fiscal year included 53 weeks compared with 52 weeks in fiscal 2016. Accordingly, year-over-year comparisons of total sales for the fourth quarter and full year are affected by an extra week of sales in 2017. However, for comparable store sales, the Company is reporting on a comparable weeks basis (e.g. the 14 and 53 weeks ended February 3, 2018 compared with the 14 and 53 weeks ended February 4, 2017, respectively).

Financial Highlights – 14-week fourth quarter ended February 3, 2018

Total sales in the 14-week quarter ended February 3, 2018 increased 14.4% to $212.1 million compared with $185.5 million in the 13-week quarter ended January 28, 2017. The extra week contributed $11.8 million to total sales in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017. Fourth quarter comparable store sales increased 5.6%, comparing the 14 weeks ended February 3, 2018 with the 14 weeks ended February 4, 2017.

Pretax income increased 23.3% to $9.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2017 compared with $8.1 million in last year’s fourth quarter. Income tax expense increased to $4.7 million in this year’s fourth quarter compared with $2.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2016, including $1.6 million of expense, or $0.12 per diluted share, resulting from the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “TCJA”) in December 2017. Most of the impact of the TCJA on income tax expense related to a one-time, non-cash write-down to remeasure the net deferred tax assets on the Company’s balance sheet based on the lower enacted federal corporate income tax rate.

This year’s fourth quarter net income was $5.2 million, or $6.9 million* when adjusted for the effect of the enactment of the TCJA, compared with $5.6 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016. Earnings per diluted share in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 were $0.38, or $0.50* when adjusted for the effect of the TCJA, compared with $0.38 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016, representing adjusted year-over-year growth of 31.6%.

Financial Highlights – 53-week fiscal year ended February 3, 2018

Total sales in the 53-week fiscal year ended February 3, 2018 increased 8.6% to $755.2 million compared with $695.2 million in the 52-week fiscal year ended January 28, 2017. Comparable store sales increased 4.5%, comparing the 53 weeks ended February 3, 2018 with the 53 weeks ended February 4, 2017.

Pretax income was $23.5 million in fiscal 2017, or $26.0 million* when adjusted for proxy contest-related expenses, compared with $19.4 million in 2016. Income tax expense increased to $8.9 million this year compared with $6.0 million last year, with the increase including the aforementioned $1.6 million of expense resulting from the TCJA enactment.

The Company had net income of $14.6 million, or $17.7 million* when adjusted for proxy contest-related expenses and the effect of the TCJA, in fiscal 2017 compared with $13.3 million in fiscal 2016. Earnings per diluted share in 2017 were $1.03, or $1.26* when adjusted for proxy contest-related expenses and the effect of the TCJA, compared with $0.91 in 2016, representing adjusted year-over-year growth of 38.5%.

Bruce Smith, Chief Executive Officer, commented, “Fourth quarter sales and earnings continued to build on the broad-based strength in all five of our major merchandise categories that we saw in the first three quarters of the year. The highlight of the quarter was a 5.6% comparable store sales increase, particularly since it was on top of a 3.4% increase in last year’s fourth quarter. In addition, expenses were very well-controlled and inventory turns continued to improve. As we have entered fiscal 2018, comparable store sales are up 3% through yesterday.”

Citi Trends opened 20 new stores, relocated or expanded 10 other stores, and closed 4 stores in fiscal 2017.

Capital Return Program

As the next step in the Company’s expanded capital return program announced in April 2017, the Company’s Board of Directors today announced the authorization of another $25 million share repurchase program, which the Company expects to fund from cash on hand.

Also, as previously announced, the Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend payment of $0.08 per share, which will be paid on March 20, 2018 to stockholders of record as of March 6, 2018.

Mr. Smith commented, “These actions taken by our Board are a continuation of the capital return program started in 2015 when we authorized and completed a $15 million share repurchase program and initiated our first quarterly cash dividend. The expansion of the program in 2017 with the authorization and completion of a $25 million share repurchase program and an increase in the dividend rate, coupled with these steps announced today, demonstrate our financial strength, as well as the Board’s commitment to appropriately returning excess capital to stockholders while maintaining the financial flexibility required to invest in and grow our business.”

Guidance

For the 52-week fiscal year ending February 2, 2019, the Company expects:

• Comparable store sales to increase in the range of 2% to 3%, on top of the 4.5% increase in fiscal 2017;

• Total sales to increase in the range of 3% to 4%, including the impact of opening approximately 20 new stores in 2018 and having one fewer week than in the 53-week 2017 fiscal year;

• Earnings per diluted share in the range of $1.55 to $1.70, compared with adjusted earnings per diluted share of $1.26* in fiscal 2017, with the 2018 range including a benefit of $0.23 to $0.25 resulting from the lower income tax rate prescribed by the TCJA. Without this income tax benefit, the guidance implies a 5% to 15% improvement in earnings per diluted share next year. The 2018 guidance is based on a fully diluted share count of 13.7 million shares, an effective income tax rate of 20% and no impact on earnings from having one fewer week, because that week is approximately break-even from a net income standpoint. To the extent the Company repurchases shares under its new program during 2018, the Company expects that earnings per diluted share would benefit accordingly.

Looking at longer term goals, the Company expects to increase comparable store sales at a rate of approximately 3% each year and increase store square footage 2% to 3% each year through new store growth, which would be expected to result in earnings increases of approximately 12% to 15% annually. In addition, the Company expects that the Board’s commitment to appropriately return excess capital to stockholders would continue in the future.