Lifetime Brands (LCUT) Sales Drop 7%

Lifetime Brands (LCUT 2.31%), the company behind well-known kitchenware and home solutions brands, released its results for Q2 2025 on August 7, 2025. The most important news was a steep drop in both revenue and earnings, including a $(0.50) loss per share (Non-GAAP), which was much lower than the $(0.14) non-GAAP loss analysts had expected. Revenue (GAAP) was $131.9 million, falling short of the expected $138.1 million (GAAP) and marking a 6.9% decline in GAAP net sales from the same period last year. The quarter included a major non-cash impairment charge of $33.2 million related to the U.S. business. Overall, the quarter highlighted mounting pressure from declining sales and tariff-related costs, partly balanced by stable gross margins and tight cost management.

Source: Analyst estimates for the quarter provided by FactSet.

About Lifetime Brands: Business Overview and Recent Strategic Focus

Lifetime Brands designs, sources, and sells kitchenware, tableware, and home solutions products. The portfolio includes both owned and licensed brands such as Farberware, Mikasa, and KitchenAid. These products are sold through mass retailers, e-commerce, and specialty stores, targeting a wide audience with accessible price points.

The company's success depends on brand recognition, strong licensing agreements, close partnerships with major retailers, and a flexible global supply chain. In recent periods, it has focused on diversifying its sourcing away from China to reduce tariff risk, ramping up innovation with in-house design teams, and carefully managing inventory due to highly seasonal sales patterns. Cost controls and supply chain adaptation have been central priorities amid volatile policy and demand conditions.

Quarter Highlights and Performance Drivers

In Q2 2025, Lifetime Brands reported a sharp deterioration in financial results versus the prior year and street expectations, with adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) of -0.50 compared to -0.03 in Q2 2024 and below the analyst estimate of -0.14; GAAP revenue was $131.9 million, also below the analyst estimate of $138.12 million. Adjusted diluted earnings per share (Non-GAAP) was a loss of $(0.50), a greater loss than the prior year’s adjusted net loss per diluted share of $(0.03) in Q2 2024, and significantly below the analyst estimate. Total revenue (GAAP) was $131.9 million, missing expectations and declining from $141.7 million (GAAP) in Q2 2024, with the U.S. segment fell by 8.6% (GAAP) and International net sales (constant currency, non-GAAP) rose 12.4%. These results underscore both deepening demand challenges and the impact of tariffs and shifting retail ordering patterns.

The company recorded a non-cash goodwill impairment of $33.2 million, specifically linked to the U.S. segment and triggered by recent tariff changes. This write-down signals a material downward revision in the value of part of the business and weighed heavily on the net result. Adjusted income from operations slipped to $0.9 million from $5.6 million the previous year, with the adjusted net loss reaching $(10.9) million, compared to $(0.6) million in Q2 2024.

Gross margin (GAAP) remained nearly flat, at 38.6%. The company managed to reduce selling, general and administrative expense by $0.8 million, but this was not enough to fully counter the revenue decline and rising distribution costs. Distribution expense (GAAP) increased to $17.3 million from $15.1 million. Adjusted EBITDA for the trailing twelve months ended June 30, 2025, was $50.7 million, but quarterly declines in GAAP net sales signal weakening operational momentum.

Brand power and retail partnerships were again focal points. No major changes in licensing relationships were noted, and the company maintained close ties with key retail customers such as Walmart, Costco, and Amazon, which together accounted for 43% of sales in 2024. Management called out resilience in newly launched product lines and cited growth at Dollar General, bolstered by the Dolly Parton partnership.

Lifetime Brands ramped up its supply chain diversification efforts in response to recent tariff increases. By the end of 2025, the company aims to have 80% of its manufacturing sourced outside China, shifting more production to Mexico and Southeast Asia. Tariffs led to product price increases across the portfolio, with most products rising between 6–16% in May 2025, and select items exposed to much higher tariff rates. These supply-chain shifts are underway, but bring transitional costs and some inventory build, as the company prepares for seasonal sales peaks in the second half of the year.

Inventory (GAAP) rose to $218.2 million as of June 30, 2025, up from $202.4 million at December 31, 2024, partly due to typical pre-season buildup and partly as a buffer against ongoing supply chain adjustments. Cash flow from operations (GAAP) for the first half of 2025 reached $26.1 million, exceeding the prior year. Total liquidity stood at $96.9 million as of Q2 2025, including cash, a credit facility, and receivable facilities. No material signs of immediate liquidity risk emerged, but the company faces growing inventory risk amid continuing sales declines and demand uncertainty.

Looking Ahead: Guidance and Key Watch Points

Management did not provide a formal outlook for upcoming quarters or for the rest of fiscal 2025. Leadership cited a "tremendous lack of visibility" as the main reason for withholding guidance, reflecting the unpredictability of tariff policies, retailer inventory shifts, and consumer demand. No specific revenue or margin targets were offered in the release or conference call.

With the business under pressure from tariff effects, weak sales trends, and a concentrated customer base, inventory management will be especially important given sales declines heading into the company’s peak seasonal quarters. The quarterly dividend remains unchanged at $0.0425 per share.

Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted.