Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
What: Shares of Conn's (CONN 6.55%) gained as much as 10% today after turning in a strong earnings report.
So what: The retailer-lender of durable goods saw same-store sales soar in the quarter, up 15.6%, lapping an increase of 16.5% the year before as revenues jumped 33.6% to $335.4 million and topped expectations of $328.5 million. Conn's credit performance also improved as loan delinquency rates improved, and earnings per share improved from $0.61 a year ago to $0.80, beating estimates at $0.73.
Now what: CEO Thomas Wright noted that the company's solid performance continued into May with 13% same-store sales growth, and Conn's has continued to aggressively expand, with 17 to 20 new stores expected for the full year, increasing its base by about 25%. For the full year, management guided EPS at $3.40 to $3.70, in line with estimates at $3.52. With same-store sales increasing by double digits, an improving credit profile, and its store count growing quickly, Conn's seems to have the right formula to continue rewarding shareholders.
