What happened
A disappointing earnings report and some notable changes in governance were dinging the stock of auto parts retailer Monro (MNRO -1.03%). They helped drive the company's shares down by almost 9% as of early morning Friday week to date, according to data compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
So what
It's rare for a stock to get hot after it posts a lackluster set of quarterly figures, and Monro was not an exception. On Thursday it published its earnings results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023; despite same-store sales rising at a nearly 5% clip in the face of macroeconomic challenges, net income saw quite a notable drop.
Additionally, the auto parts retailer missed analyst estimates not only on the top and bottom lines, but also with its first-quarter revenue guidance. Investors can absorb misses on trailing earnings, but disappointment with future periods is often far more dispiriting.
Meanwhile, changes are afoot with both Monro's shareholder structure and its board of directors. The company is eliminating its Class C preferred shares; stockholders of this class will have their securities converted into Monro common stock at a rate of 1 to more than 61.
The company estimates that if all Class C preferred stock is converted, this will constitute over 2% of its total equity value. While that isn't especially dilutive it does affect the value of the existing common stock, at least mildly. This likely compounded the disappointment some investors were feeling about the quarterly figures.
Now what
Regarding its board of directors, Monro announced a "board declassification plan," in which it will eliminate the rather oddball two-class structure of the board (the pair are elected to two-year terms in alternating years). In lieu of that, it's instituting a far more standard single-class system, with each board member being elected to a one-year term.
