Tractor Supply (NASDAQ:TSCO) shares tumbled 6.09% in pre-market trading on Thursday, despite the company reporting better-than-expected third-quarter earnings. The rural lifestyle retailer's stock decline comes as investors digest its narrowed full-year guidance and slower comparable store sales growth.
For the third quarter, Tractor Supply reported earnings per share of $0.49, surpassing analyst estimates of $0.48 and marking an 8.89% increase from the same period last year. The company's quarterly sales reached $3.719 billion, meeting analyst expectations and representing a 7.24% year-over-year growth. Comparable store sales growth came in at 3.9%, while the gross margin stood at 37.4%.
However, the company's outlook for fiscal year 2025 seems to have spooked investors. Tractor Supply narrowed its full-year guidance, now expecting revenue growth of 4.6-5.6% and comparable store sales growth of 1.4-2.4%. The company projects full-year earnings per share in the range of $2.06 to $2.13. The lower end of this guidance and the modest comparable store sales growth forecast may be contributing to the negative market reaction, as investors reassess the company's growth prospects in light of economic uncertainties.