La-Z-Boy Incorporated Q4 2023 Earnings Call
[music].
Greetings and welcome to the La Z Boy fiscal 2023 fourth quarter Conference call. At this time, all participants are in a listen only mode.
A question and answer session will follow the formal presentation.
If anyone should require operator assistance during the conference. Please press star zero on your telephone keypad.
Please note this conference is being recorded.
I will now turn the conference over to your host Bob pollution, Chief Financial Officer of Lazy Boy incorporated Mr. Lucian you may begin.
Thank you Holly.
Good morning, everyone and thank you for joining us to discuss our fiscal 2023 fourth quarter and full year results.
Before we get started I'd like to take a moment to introduce Mark Becks, Our recent who recently joined lazy boy as our new director of Investor Relations and corporate development.
Many on this call will know him given his diverse background and hardline retail research and consumer and retail investment banking adviser global public and private brands.
Contact information can be found in yesterday's press release.
Mark.
Thank you Bob Good morning, everyone. It is a pleasure to be with you.
Joining Bob and me on the call. This morning is one the Whittington Lazy boys, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Melinda will open and close the call and Bob will speak to segment performance and the financials midway through.
We will then open the call to questions slides will accompany this presentation and you may view them through our webcast link which will be available for one year and a telephone replay of the call will be available for one week beginning this afternoon.
Before we begin the presentation I'd like to remind you that some statements made in today's call include forward looking statements about la Z boy's future performance and other matters.
Although we believe these statements to be reasonable our actual results to differ materially.
The most significant risk factors that could affect our future results are described in our annual report on Form 10-K, we encourage you to review those risk factors. There was all other key information detailed in our SEC filings also our earnings release is available under the news and events tab on the Investor Relations page of our website and includes a reconciliation.
Affiliations of certain non-GAAP measures, which are also included as an appendix at the end of our conference call slide deck with that I will now turn the call over to Melinda Whittington Lazy Boys, President and Chief Executive Officer Melinda.
Mark and good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us to walk through our fourth quarter results I'm excited to share that we have delivered second a second consecutive year of record results during continued economic and industry volatility.
Yesterday following the close of market, we reported record results for fiscal 'twenty three highlights for the year included record consolidated operating profit operating margin and earnings per share for the fiscal year.
Delivered sales were also a record for a 52 week fiscal year.
Record delivered sales profits and operating margin for our company owned retail segment.
Strong cash flow generated from operating activities of over $200 million.
Improved delivery lead times back essentially to pre COVID-19 levels.
And continued progress against our century vision growth strategy.
All in we're proud of our performance against the challenging macro backdrop sales were $2 $3 billion up 2% after adjusting for last year's 50 <unk> week.
Strong top line results led to an all time non-GAAP operating margin of nine 5% 840 basis point improvement versus fiscal year 'twenty two.
Improvements in profitability drove record full year non-GAAP earnings per share of $3 86.
24% ahead of last year, and 80% more than pre pandemic fiscal 19.
Importantly, our supply chain team has collectively reduce delivery lead times back to pre pandemic levels, enabling our customers and consumers to experience our brand promise once again custom furniture with speed to market a key differentiator in our fragmented market.
Please.
The success achieved in fiscal year 'twenty three is a testament to the continued hard work and perseverance of our dedicated and talented teams across the enterprise I'm proud of the leadership team, we have built and the bench we are developing across the company our employees have been and continue to be among our greatest asset.
And were the key drivers of these amazing results.
Going a bit deeper on trends total written sales for our retail segment were up 4% versus last year's fourth quarter.
This reflects an increase of 41% versus a pre pandemic 2019 fourth quarter.
A 9% CAGR over those four years as a result of higher pricing improves conversion higher design sales, new store openings and independent furniture Gallery acquisitions.
Same store written sales for our retail segment in the fourth quarter were about flat versus prior year positive comps in February and April were offset by negative comps in March as the banking crisis temporarily impacted consumer spending patterns.
Our commitment to improving lead times, restoring lazy boy brand marketing support to pre pandemic levels and strong in store execution enabled our company owned retail segment to deliver positive same store written sales in four of the last five months and growth of one 4% over the second half of the fifth.
Full year versus prior year.
This represents a significant strengthening versus the negative 13% same store sales comparison in the first half of the fiscal year, which was up against a strong pandemic driven base period.
More importantly, our retail business is growing share as our second half results compare favorably to the overall furniture and furnishings industry, which saw a decline of one 9% over the same period.
Our objective remains the same to continuously gain share in this fragmented market regardless of existing market conditions, we are leveraging the discipline of our team industry, leading marketing and the strength of our balance sheet to drive continuous improvements in our approach and value for our consumers.
Our retail network is growing and our vertical supply chain is a true differentiator.
These competitive advantages are unlocking a long term runway for growth.
Fourth quarter written same store sales for the entire lazy boy furniture galleries network, including independently owned galleries were down 3% versus the prior year period, but up 19% against the pre pandemic fiscal 2019 fourth quarter, a 4% CAGR over that period.
Turning to Joy burden written sales for the fourth quarter were down 24% versus a year ago, reflecting challenging consumer trends similar to those experienced across many online furniture retailers compounded by the impact of the banking crisis.
Some of this performance resulted from our decisive action to reduce marketing spend given the softer overall demand environment, reflecting our balanced focus on profitability.
Notably.
Comparable written sales improved sequentially by month as our fourth quarter progressed, we anticipate joy bird comps inflicting mid year, our fiscal year 'twenty four when we lap the industry wide online slowdown experienced last summer and early fall.
As we face a challenging macroeconomic environment and the disruption to the retail industry and furniture market in fiscal year 'twenty. Three we remain focused on investing prudently to strengthen our capabilities and drive profitable long term growth through our century vision strategic pillars.
During the last year, we made significant progress against the number of our century vision objectives spur.
Specifically to the lazy boy brand.
We acquired eight independent furniture galleries stores and opened six new furniture galleries stores with five of those being in our own retail segment, continuing our path to increasing our retail penetration.
We opened two outlet by lazy boy stores in Columbus, Ohio, and Chicago, Illinois to test potential formats to expand our reach to value seeking consumers.
We completed significant consumer research and segmentation, which will inform future product innovation over the coming years.
And we've leveraged these consumer research results to develop a new marketing campaign aimed at broadening the appeal of lazy boy to more consumers, which will be launched this fall.
And we initiated a test market to assess the potential of new products aimed at consumers looking for a modern furniture luck.
We also strengthened foundational capabilities across the company as furniture demand has reverted to pre pandemic levels and normal seasonality, we have improved efficiency of our operations, resulting in lower costs and improve cash flow through a significant reduction in inventory.
We have made significant investments back into our business to modernize key systems and improve HR and supply chain capabilities for future growth.
Finally, we recently announced leadership organization changes, which more effectively align the operation of our business units across the lazy boy brand, our entire furniture galleries network and our portfolio of other brands.
And finally on delivering we opened six new small format urban showrooms, including the ROE in downtown Los Angeles, and Capitol Hill in Seattle.
This brings our total store count to 10 as we seek to continue to grow Joy bird with a true omnichannel experience for consumers.
Improvement in gross margin as the fiscal year progress, we will continue to fuel consistent levels of marketing support to profitably grow the business in a sustainable manner.
The brand continues to have significant opportunity to grow share, which will be the focus as we make prudent choices to return to profitability.
As we begin fiscal year 'twenty four will leverage the foundations, we built in 'twenty, three and our strong balance sheet to make continued progress against our century vision objectives. Specifically, we're focused on first continuing to grow and update our la Z boy furniture galleries stores through new stores.
Acquired stores and Remodels to provide an outstanding end to end consumer experience.
This will deliver more profit to the enterprise as we increase the size of our company owned retail business leverage its fixed cost structure and benefit from the integrated wholesale retail margin.
We expect to open up to nine new stores during the fiscal year, and we will continue to complete acquisitions of independent furniture galleries stores when they become available.
We recently announced an agreement to purchase two stores in Colorado in the first quarter of fiscal year 'twenty four.
Second we are refining our brand channel strategy to expand the distribution and availability of lazy boy products in order to meet our consumers with the right products, where they prefer to shop.
With this strategy, we will achieve greater comfort studio penetration and an increase in lazy boy branded space as well as expand into new distribution markets with select product offerings.
Third we are honing our brand message by leveraging consumer insights and our brand heritage of comfort and quality to resonate with a broader consumer base, Vienna, and enhanced marketing campaign, and continuing to test product brand and channel format offerings to increase lazy boys brand reach and.
Consideration.
Fourth we're strengthening our foundational capabilities, we remain committed to improving the agility of our supply chain to manage volatility and in consumer demand.
And improved gross margins to support marketing investment for top line results and improved wholesale operating margins.
And finally, we're improving <unk> gross margins and increasing marketing efficiency to regain and sustained profitability as we continue to grow the brand.
Now, let me turn the call over to Bob to review the results in more detail Bob.
Thank you Melinda.
As a reminder, we present our results on both a GAAP and non-GAAP basis, we believe the non-GAAP presentation better reflects underlying operating trends and performance of the business.
non-GAAP results exclude items, which are detailed in our press release and in the tables in the appendix section of our conference call slides.
Finally, please note that the comparison year of fiscal 2022 includes 53 weeks of business, while its fiscal 2023 included a normal 52 weeks.
On a consolidated basis fiscal 'twenty, three fourth quarter sales decreased 18% to $561 million versus the prior year quarter, reflecting lower delivered unit volume, partially offset by favorable product and channel mix and the effects of pricing and surcharge actions.
Excluding the extra week in the prior year's fourth quarter was approximately $49 million fourth quarter sales decreased 12%, reflecting lower delivered unit volume as the backlog return to pre pandemic levels.
Consolidated GAAP operating income decreased to $54 million and non-GAAP operating income was $55 million.
A decrease of 15% versus last year's 14 week fourth quarter on the lower sales.
Consolidated GAAP operating margin was nine 6% and non-GAAP operating margin was nine 8%, reflecting a 40 basis point improvement versus last year gap.
GAAP diluted EPS was <unk> 79 for fiscal 'twenty, three fourth quarter versus $1 33 in the prior year quarter.
non-GAAP diluted EPS was <unk> 99 in the current year quarter versus $1, seven and last year's 14 week quarter.
As I move to the segments discussion my comments from here will focus on our non-GAAP reporting unless specifically stated otherwise.
Starting with the retail segment for the quarter retailers delivered sales were $243 million a record for the fourth quarter.
A 4% increase over the prior year's fourth quarter and a 12%.
Higher tire sales adjusting for prior years extra week.
Led by a 7% increase in delivered same store sales versus the adjusted year ago quarter.
Retail posted record high non-GAAP operating profit dollars for our fourth quarter and non-GAAP operating margin increased to 15, 5% versus 13% in the prior year quarter, driven primarily by fixed cost leverage on the higher delivered sales volume.
As Melinda noted growing our La Z boy furniture galleries network is a key element of century vision and we look forward to our company owned retail segment, continuing to grow and becoming an even larger contributor to our long term success.
For our wholesale segment delivered sales for the quarter declined to $395 million, a 23% decrease versus the prior year period, and 17% lower after adjusting for last years extra week.
The decreases.
Increase was primarily due to lower delivered unit volume as the backlog returned to pre pandemic levels, partially offset by pricing and surcharge actions.
non-GAAP operating margin for the wholesale segment was eight 7% versus eight 8% in last year's fourth quarter.
This was primarily due to fixed cost deleveraging on lower unit volume, mostly offset by lower material and freight costs improved product mix and pricing of surcharge actions.
Sequentially from Q3, non-GAAP operating margin increased 210 basis points, reflecting continued operational efficiency improvements even on lower post pandemic volumes.
Joy Bird, which is reported in corporate and other recorded deliver sales of $37 million, a 31% decrease versus the prior year quarter and 25% lower after adjusting for last years extra week.
The decline was driven by lower unit volume from more cautious consumer spending and reduced marketing investment as we work to balance growth and profitability.
As noted we anticipate joy bird written sales to inflect in midyear fiscal 'twenty four once we've lapped the online industry wide slowdown.
For the quarter <unk> significantly narrowed its loss versus the prior three quarters due to improvements in gross margin lower marketing spend and other SG&A reductions.
SG&A spending included the opening of three new stores during the quarter, which are expected to add momentum to written sales throughout fiscal 2024.
Moving on to full year results for fiscal 2023.
Sales were roughly flat versus the prior year at $2 3 billion in.
And excluding the extra week in fiscal 2020, twos fourth quarter delivered sales were up 2% due to improved product mix and the effects of pricing and surcharge actions, partially offset by lower unit volume.
Consolidated GAAP operating income increased to a record $211 million and non-GAAP operating income was a record $223 million, a 17% increase versus last year.
Consolidated GAAP operating margin was 9% and non-GAAP operating margin was a record nine 5% 140 basis points higher than fiscal 2022.
GAAP diluted EPS was a record $3 48 for fiscal 'twenty three versus $3 39.
In fiscal 'twenty two.
Finally, non-GAAP diluted EPS was a record $3 86 for the year versus $3 11.
In fiscal 'twenty, two representing a 24% increase.
Pulling all this together for the fiscal year consolidated non-GAAP gross margin for the entire company was 410 basis points higher than the prior year.
Primarily due to segment mix with a higher percentage of sales from retail which carries a higher gross margin.
And the benefits of favorable pricing and surcharge actions, partially offset by higher full year material and freight costs.
Consolidated non-GAAP SG&A as a percentage of sales for the full year increased by 270 basis points, primarily reflecting segment mix with a higher percentage of sales from retail, which carries higher fixed costs and an increase in marketing spend back to pre pandemic levels for the lazy boy brand.
Our effective tax rate on a GAAP basis for fiscal 'twenty, three was 26, 2% versus 25, 9% in fiscal 2022.
<unk> tax rate varies from the 21% federal statutory rate, primarily due to state taxes to slight increase in the effective tax rate was due to a higher retail profit mix, resulting in higher state income tax.
We expect our effective tax rate to be in the range of $25 five to 26, 5% for fiscal 2024.
Turning to cash.
For the year, we generated $205 million in cash from operating activities, an increase of 160% versus fiscal 'twenty to finishing the year strong with $78 million in operating cash generated in Q4 alone.
Strong cash generation in the quarter was driven by profit performance and significant progress in reducing receivables and inventories partially offset by a decrease in customer deposits.
We ended fiscal 'twenty, three with $347 million in cash and no debt.
We spent $69 million in capital during the year, primarily related to retail store openings and upgrades plant upgrades at our manufacturing and distribution facilities and technology projects.
Also spent $22 million on acquisitions of independent La Z boy furniture galleries stores as well as guaranteed payments from prior year acquisitions.
For the full fiscal 'twenty three year, we returned $35 million to shareholders via dividends and share repurchases, including $8 million paid in dividends in the fourth quarter.
Before turning the call back from a Linda let me highlight several important items for fiscal 2024.
As a reminder, fiscal 'twenty fiscal years 2022, and 2023 included a significant increase in delivered sales due to the backlog of Covid related furniture orders.
Fiscal 'twenty three results included approximately $300 million of backlog related delivered sales, which will not repeat in fiscal 2024.
Lazy boy sales at this level of normalized demand, excluding the backlog represent a 17% increase over our pre COVID-19 fiscal 2019 sales.
Due to the uncertainty surrounding geopolitical and macroeconomic trends, we are planning with the expectation that industry furniture demand will in dollar terms be flat to down 5% in fiscal 'twenty four versus fiscal 'twenty three.
We expect to perform better than that and grow total company sales ahead of the industry from our backlog adjusted base.
Consistent with our century vision strategy, we continue to target sales growth exceeding the industry growth rate and double digit operating margins over the long term.
As one considers the cadence throughout fiscal 2024, we expect seasonality and a weaker near term economic outlook.
Our result in a stronger back half of our fiscal year versus the front half. Additionally.
Additionally, we will increase investment in support of our new marketing campaign in Q2.
To start out this fiscal year, we expect sales in Q1 fiscal 'twenty, four which is generally the lowest sales quarter in the fiscal to be in the range of $470 million to $490 million, 14% to 18% higher than our most recent pre pandemic first quarter and we see operating margins to be in the range of six.
<unk>, 5% to seven 5%.
We anticipate non-GAAP adjustments for purchase accounting charges for the year to be in the range of a penny to three pennies per share.
We expect capital expenditures to be in the range of $55 million to $60 million for fiscal 'twenty four as we continued to invest to strengthen the company for the future consistent with our century vision strategy.
Our capital allocation strategy over the long term is to invest approximately half of operating cash flow into the business and returned the other half to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.
It was 50 50 split may vary in any given year.
In the near term, including fiscal 'twenty four we have numerous strategic investments to make as we execute century vision and anticipate capital allocation to be skewed towards investments in the business, where our rois are two to three times our cost of capital.
In addition.
Presuming no significant worsening in macroeconomic trends, we expect to resume share repurchases at dollar levels consistent with pre COVID-19 repurchase activity.
As a reminder, we have seven 3 million shares available under our share repurchase authorization as of our fiscal year end.
And now I will turn the call back to Melinda Thanks, Bob.
I am more excited than ever about the future of lazy boy incorporated at our core we have great brands are strong and growing company owned retail segment and an increasingly agile supply chain. We are instilling a renewed focus on the consumer.
And new product innovation and have a talented and focused team in place to execute our century vision strategy.
Going ahead of the industry and delivering double digit non-GAAP operating margins over the long term.
While the macroeconomic environment will remain volatile our balance sheet is strong and will allow us to move through this uncertain period, while making important investments to strengthen our business for the future.
We have every intention of growing from a normalized post COVID-19 base, gaining share and believe the best is yet to come as we deliver long term profitable growth and returns for all stakeholders.
We thank you for your time this morning, and I'll turn the call back to Mark.
Thank you Melinda we will begin the question and answer period now Holly. Please review the instructions for getting into the queue to ask questions.
Certainly at this time, we will be conducting a question and answer session. If you would like to ask a question. Please press star one on your telephone keypad, a confirmation tone will indicate your line is in the question queue. You May Press Star two if you would like to remove your question from the Q.
For participants using speaker equipment, it may be necessary to pick up your handset before pressing the star keys, one moment, while we poll for questions.
Your first question for today is coming from Anthony <unk> at Sidoti <unk> Company.
Good morning, guys. Thank you for taking the questions. So first just a housekeeping question if I may.
And in terms of the quarterly sales breakdown, maybe Bob you could speak to the pricing versus volume.
For the quarter.
In specific percentages.
Well it all.
If you don't have those numbers in front of you just may be in more in general terms.
The.
I don't have those numbers right in front of me right now Youre, saying if this is for Q4 you are saying.
Yeah, just just curious as far as pricing.
As far as price against surcharge actions.
Obviously those helped the revenue.
Numbers versus unit volumes, which were down so I was just wondering if you had if not.
We can follow up later, if you don't have that in front of you.
Directionally Anthony all of our big <unk> pricing, so youll recall the industry over the last three plus years priced up about 30% and we were more or less in line with that.
If I look at Q4, a year ago versus now.
All of those surcharge of all of those all of those increases in pricing there'd be no no.
No action is taken and that was more than a year behind in that so that would be true in our wholesale business and then pass through to retail as well what you would see in pricing and it's why it's not as big of a driver assimilate you saw over the last couple of years is.
Certainly mix.
Mix is strong and as we were as we were kind of kind of going through and delivering well in our retail business. When mix is strong to retail that tends to help us.
And because the average the average products solid in our retail stores and our furniture galleries tends to be a bit stronger and we did as we talked even last quarter across all of our businesses and wholesale start to take some <unk>.
Some specific re merchandizing actions.
To make sure we were competitive in the marketplace.
You would have thought you'd have a bet of uncertain products a bit of pricing down Q4 last year versus Q4, this year, but compared to what you've seen in the last several years back theres not theres not huge drivers and those numbers of pricing changes.
Got it yes, thank you for that color Melinda.
So as far as.
Inventory levels.
Our retail partners that you sell into the wholesale basis can you comment on that I mean, I know last year. It seemed like there was no.
Or even the earlier this year a lot of bloated inventory levels.
With.
A lot of.
Retailers and saying that they have too much inventory. So what is your sense now.
Are we in better shape now of versus earlier this year.
Just wanted to get some color on that please.
Yes, Anthony things are better than they were early this early this year. The first couple of quarters. This year it was extremely.
Difficult for folks to take take on product because they have their inventories are so high so things have gotten better I wouldn't say it's back to normal.
What we hear from our some of our customers. Some customers are actually back to normal inventories, but they are planning on going to a lower than that and the reason why is in the current environment with a potential recession in the future but folks.
Folks are actually looking at lowering what they've normally been ignore we've been carrying from an inventory standpoint, so off of your security 10.
And they are back to 10, they are looking at continuing to move that down.
It sounds like seven I'm, making up numbers as an example of a reduction and that will reduce their risk from a from a cash flow or improve their cash flow and reduce the risk if we get into a recession surge or trying to right size their inventories with the consumers as the consumer demand.
As a little bit volatile right now so we're seeing that type of activity and we are still seeing some some smaller dealers with just too much and they haven't got.
If there are a number of needs to be Tam. There. There is still a 12 or 13. So were seeing are a combination of those things it's still much better than it was in Q1 and Q2.
So thats encouraging to hear.
And then.
Terms of your own retail segment did very well once again here in this quarter.
How should we think about the sustainability of these trends and then as a follow up as far as the retail segment. I know you talked about opening up to nine stores I assume that's on a gross basis or is that are you.
Or is that net of any closings that you're planning to do.
Yes, so overall retailing now while we've continued obviously the market is volatile the furniture industry.
Is volatile, but what we continue to see quarter after quarter, particularly in our furniture galleries and very specifically in our company owned retail that where we're playing offense, where we're investing in the marketing where we are out executing the consumer is still buying and so that is very <unk>.
Our intention is to keep that going.
Believe very much in our company owned retail as as a huge differentiator for us because we both we invest no the consumer there, which can inform everything about our product and our approach, but it also gives us full control end to end from raw material to end consumer delivery.
Of that experience and so we do believe our retail will be a disproportionate growth factor over the long term and to your point.
That's organic that's inorganic.
Execution excellence, so part of that is as part of our century vision, we've talked about across the network. We're at about three call. It in round numbers. When we started century vision, we are round about 350 stores and we believe.
Current footprint everything else being equal there is room for about 400 at the current tenant of style and footprint that we have so our overall intention is to net close to 10, new stores a year across the furniture Gallery now to your point on any given year.
This past year, we were a bit under that as we were starting that machine up and we will still get them aggressively close underperforming stores and a rather than keep them open just to track a number but yes, we do intend to net increase our stores. Both total total furniture Gallery network as well as company owned.
Well it sounds good and well thank you very much and best of luck. Thanks.
Thanks Anthony.
Your next question for today is coming from Zachary Donnelly with Keybanc.
Hey, Bob Apple Linda Thanks for taking our questions.
I just had a.
Okay. So I know you mentioned that comps were positive in February .
Negative and March would be the bank failures that kind of took place during that time and then turned back to positive in April I, just want to make sure first I have that right and then kind of following April can you provide any sort of information or detail on.
How comps are performing following the end of the quarter.
Yes, so I'll take that Zack first of all yes, you have that right. There was a little bit of mid quarter kind of trends slow down, but then we were back on again and of course these are.
These are trends on on our retail business right, where again, we're playing playing offense to make sure we are driving strong results.
As far as how we were.
Couple of weeks into our new fiscal year here.
Memorial Day, I think for the industry.
<unk> results were were mixed.
Given overall lower traffic trends and again some of that is still getting back to normal seasonality and it's always been a slower period, but I think across the industry, we're definitely seeing the consumers slower this year.
And our own retail, though we felt like memorial day was solid pretty much in line with our expectations and our intention is to keep playing offense and keep those comps coming in positive.
And ahead of the industry.
Gotcha. Thank you I appreciate that and then on the wholesale segment.
I know you had mentioned that favorable channel and product mix and it's helped offset lower delivered unit volume.
With product mix and channel mix can you, maybe just remind us.
On product, whether or not upholstery or case goods kind of helps you out there and then on channel mix as well within wholesale.
If you saw any benefit from lazy boys network of furniture galleries versus major dealers versus retailers outside of the network.
That would just be really helpful.
Sure.
Let me clarify when we talk channel mix for us.
The vast majority of our business is really upholstery.
So when we talk channel and product mix it tends to be more around are you talking about like an opening price point based care versus are you talking in a high end.
Sofa sectional with power and weather and all of those types of things so.
What we're manufacturing in our wholesale business, let's say.
Ballpark.
Little over half of what we're manufacturing are selling through furniture galleries and those tend to be.
Higher higher.
Higher cost products higher value products that tend to be more upgrades more custom more bells and whistles added to the product, whereas the other kind of less than half of our business that tends to sell through general dealer channels. So enter.
Entities that sell price.
Private a variety of of manufacturers product right. We're one of a series of brands those tend to be less customized maybe more opening price point.
Type product so what we see is when our furniture galleries are doing well and within our own retail is doing well you tend to get a product mix that is the higher end product of what we offer that cleared up.
Yeah.
That clears it up thank you very much.
And then.
I know last time.
We had spoke.
You mentioned that you weren't really seeing.
Any sort of huge discounts where promotions within the furniture space and lazy boy themselves, where we're keeping to more targeted promotions more so at entry price point, Assortments and things of that nature is.
Is that still the case today or are you seeing competitors become more promotional.
Given the more volatile economic backdrop.
We've seen a slight increase and some promotional activity and we've taken some additional steps.
During the fourth quarter.
Now that market is it related to ensuring that we remain competitive across our portfolio of products and how we merchandise our products tailored to the different customers into the sort of the different channels. So we've seen a little bit about that but it's not a major concerning factor for US right now we keep our eye on it obviously.
But it's not having a major.
What I'll call negative impact on our margins and our sales at this time.
Got you. Thank you.
That's it for me I really appreciate the time. Thank you okay. Thanks Ed.
We have reached the end of the question and answer session and I will now turn the call over to the management team for closing remarks.
Thank you for joining us on the conference call and Melinda, Bob and I will be available to answer any questions should you have any follow ups, thanks and have a great day.
Thank you. This concludes today's conference and you may disconnect. Your lines at this time. Thank you for your participation.
Okay.