Shares of Five Below Inc. declined sharply on Wednesday, despite the discount retailer surpassing first-quarter profit forecasts and increasing its annual earnings outlook, as it expressed concern about the upcoming impact on consumers.
The Philadelphia-based company increased its comparable-sales forecast for fiscal 2027 to a range of 6% to 8% growth, revising it upward from the previous estimate of about 3% to 5%. However, it kept its guidance for the second half of the year unchanged, citing ongoing caution about consumer sentiment after a quarter where Americans benefited from larger tax refunds.
"We are observing the economic conditions facing our customers: increasing fuel expenses, persistent inflation, and a labor market that is somewhat soft. We believe some of the financial strain they are experiencing was not fully apparent in the first quarter, largely due to tax refunds," stated Chief Financial Officer Daniel Sullivan during an earnings discussion.
"We continue to maintain a cautious stance regarding the broader economic landscape, consumer confidence, and spending patterns," he further noted.
Five Below reported a 23% increase in same-store sales for the first quarter, exceeding analyst projections of an 18% rise.
The firm attributed part of the quarter's sales performance to high demand for a "squishy dumpling" toy that gained popularity on social media, indicating it plans to apply insights from this product's success to boost future store visits.
For the full fiscal year, Five Below now anticipates adjusted earnings per share to be in the range of $8.65 to $9.05, an increase from its earlier forecast of $7.74 to $8.25.
The stock dropped as much as 12% in after-hours trading on Wednesday. Prior to this decline, the share price had advanced 18% year-to-date through Wednesday's market close, outperforming the 13% gain of the S&P MidCap 400 Index.
Other value-oriented retailers, including Dollar Tree Inc. and Dollar General Corp., have also reported quarterly results that exceeded expectations, as they draw in more budget-conscious shoppers from higher income brackets.