Q2 2026 Land's End Inc Earnings Call

September 3, 2026

Operator: Please stand by. Your meeting is about to begin. Hello, and welcome everyone joining today's Lands' End second quarter fiscal 2026 earnings call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. Later, you will have the opportunity to ask questions during the question-and-answer session. To register to ask questions at any time, please press star one on your telephone keypad. Please note this call is being recorded. We are standing by if you should need any assistance. It is now my pleasure to turn the meeting over to Tom Altholz. Please go ahead.

Please stand by. Your meeting is about to begin.

Hello and welcome, everyone. Thank you for joining today's lunch and second quarter fiscal 2026 earnings call.

At least some participants are in a listen-only mode.

Later, you will have the opportunity to ask questions during the question and answer session.

To register to ask questions at any time, please press star 1 on your telephone keypad.

Please note, this call is being recorded. We are standing by if you should need any assistance.

Tom Altholz: Good morning, and thank you for joining us for a discussion of our second quarter of fiscal 2026 results, which were released this morning and can be found on our website, landsend.com. I am Tom Altholz, Lands' End Senior Director of Financial Planning and Analysis, and I am pleased to join you today with Charlie Cole, our Chief Executive Officer, and Bernard McCracken, our Chief Financial Officer. After the prepared remarks, we will conduct a question-and-answer session. Please also note the information we are about to discuss includes forward-looking statements. Such statements involve risk and uncertainties. The company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed on this call. Factors that could contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those items noted and included in the company's SEC filings, including our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

It is now my pleasure to turn the meeting over to Tom Altholz. Please go ahead.

Good morning, and thank you for joining us for the discussion of our second quarter fiscal 2026 results.

Which will release this morning. Thank you. It can be found on our website, landsend.com.

I'm Tom Altholz, Lance and Senior Director of Financial Planning and Analysis.

And I'm pleased to join you today with Charlie Cole, our Chief Executive Officer, and Bernie McCracken, our Chief Financial Officer.

After the prepared remarks, we will conduct a question and answer session.

Please also note the information we are about to discuss includes forward-looking statements.

Such statements involve risks and uncertainties; the company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed on this call.

Factors that could contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those items noted and included in the company's SEC filings.

Tom Altholz: The forward-looking information that is provided by the company on this call represents the company's outlook as of today. We do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements made by us. Subsequent events and developments may cause the company's outlook to change. During this call, we will be referring to non-GAAP measures. These non-GAAP measures are not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures can be found in our earnings release issued earlier today, a copy of which is posted in the investor relations section of our website at landsend.com. With that, I will turn the call over to Charlie.

Including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

The forward-looking information that is provided by the company on this call represents the company's outlook as of today. We do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements made by us.

Subsequent events and developments may cause the company's outlook to change.

During this call, we will be referring to non-GAAP measures. The non-GAAP measures are not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

A reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures can be found in our earnings release issued earlier today.

A copy of which is posted in the investor relations section of our website at landsend.com.

Charlie Cole: Thank you, Tom, and good morning, everyone. I am honored to be joining you for my first earnings call as CEO of Lands' End. I have spent my career leading digital and e-commerce companies through customer engagement and brand transformations, and I am excited to be utilizing that experience to help unlock the next phase of growth for this iconic American brand. As you know, I joined the company on 13 July, and I have spent the past several weeks getting to know the company. Since then, I have been meeting with teams across the company, reviewing the business, and listening to customers to ensure a strong foundation to evaluate and execute on the right opportunities ahead. What I have found reinforces my confidence in the strength of this brand, loyalty of our customer base, and a strong culture that remains a genuine competitive advantage.

With that, I'll turn the call over to Charlie.

Thank you, Tom, and good morning, everyone.

I'm honored to be joining you for my first earnings call as CEO of Lands' End.

I have spent my career leading digital and e-commerce companies through customer engagement and brand transformations.

And I'm excited to utilize that experience to help unlock the next phase of growth for this iconic American brand.

As you know, I joined the company on July 13th.

That's not the past several weeks—getting to know the company.

Since then, I've been meeting with teams across the company, reviewing the business, and listening to customers to ensure a strong foundation to evaluate and execute on the right opportunities ahead.

Charlie Cole: It's clear to me that the opportunity is significant, and we have strong strategic direction. The work now is ensuring the infrastructure is in place to support it. Put simply, Lands' End is a great business with tremendous opportunity ahead. With that, let me take you through the highlights of the quarter. Across the business, our teams made deliberate decisions on marketing spend, on customer acquisition, and on inventory, which we believe position us well for the back half of the year. The product portfolio had clear bright spots this quarter, continuing to leverage product solutions through our key franchises. Women's and men's apparel, especially knits, had a good quarter overall. Bag performance, led by our iconic five-pocket tote, was a meaningful driver of growth and new customer acquisition.

What I found reinforces my confidence in the strength of this brand, the loyalty of our customer base, and a strong culture that remains a genuine competitive advantage.

It's clear to me that the opportunity is significant, and we have strong strategic direction.

The work now is ensuring the infrastructure is in place to support it.

Put simply, Lands' End is a great business with tremendous opportunity ahead.

With that, let me take you through the highlights of the quarter.

Across the business, our teams made deliberate decisions on marketing, spent on customer acquisition, and our inventory, which we believe position us well for the back half of the year.

The product portfolio has clear bright spots this quarter, continuing to leverage product solutions for our key franchises.

Women's and men's apparel, especially knits.

Charlie Cole: Our swim business continued to execute on owning the weather with high single-digit revenue growth in the US e-commerce business in the quarter. The areas generating real momentum are the ones I'm most energized about. For example, totes remain one of our strongest new to brand acquisition tools, and value-added services like embroidery and personalization make the economics even more attractive. Our US new to file customer count grew double digits, largely driven by totes and swim, demonstrating our continued ability to use accessories to reach new demographics. Wigs is a category we're excited to develop year-round, and early indicators are positive. Initial reads on outerwear and Christmas stockings are also encouraging, give us good initial visibility into Q3 and Q4. Beyond the product, our marketing activity in Q2 generated some real highlights.

New customer acquisition.

Our swim business continued to execute on owning the weather with high single-digit revenue growth, and the U.S. e-commerce business in the quarter.

The areas generating real momentum are the ones I'm most energized about.

For example, totes remain one of our strongest new-to-brand acquisition tools, and value-added services like embroidery and personalization make the economics even more attractive.

Our U.S. new-to-file customer count grew double digits, largely driven by totes and swims.

Demonstrate our continued ability to use accessories to reach new demographics.

The latest category, we're excited to develop year-round, and early indicators are positive.

Initial reads on outerwear and Christmas stockings are also encouraging, giving us good initial visibility into Q3 and Q4.

Charlie Cole: Our collaborations with TNT and Wawa and our presence in Nantucket each put Lands' End in front of new and younger audiences in ways that felt authentic to who we are, driving real engagement across social platforms and building the kind of brand equity that compounds over time, not just immediate conversion. We were especially pleased with our Wawa collaboration, where our iconic tote to over 2.6 billion impressions, and more importantly, sold out in hours. These types of activations are driving a step change in our social media following. Of note, traffic across our social channels, including Instagram, increased over 30% year over year. While it is early in my tenure, I already see a meaningful opportunity to strengthen how we reach, engage, and convert customers. We have a strong data foundation and a loyal core customer base.

Beyond the product, our marketing activity in Q2 generated some real highlights.

Our collaborations with TNT and Wawa, and our presence in Nantucket, each put Lands' End in front of new and younger audiences in ways that felt authentic to who we are.

Driving real engagement across social platforms, and building the kind of brand equity that compounds over time—not just immediate conversion.

We are especially pleased with our WAWWA collaboration, where our connect totaled over 2.6 billion impressions and, more importantly, sold out in hours.

These types of activations are driving a step change in our social media following.

Of note, traffic across our social channels, including Instagram, increased over 30% year-over-year.

While it is early in my tenure, I already see a meaningful opportunity to strengthen how we reach, engage, and convert customers.

Charlie Cole: The opportunity is to use that foundation more effectively, including through more personalized marketing, better customer targeting, and greater efficiency at acquisition. We will pursue that work deliberately with the core Lands' End customer at the center of our strategy. Turning to inventory. Our inventory levels in the second quarter were higher than the prior year due to tariff uncertainty last year. Current year inventory is more representative of pre-2025 levels and is within our planned parameters, which include increases due to continued tariff headwinds and challenges processing value-added service orders with our new warehouse management system. Our US e-commerce business increased 9% compared to Q2 2025, reflecting the recovery with the rollout of our new warehouse management system across our distribution centers in the first quarter. That issue has been addressed in our core US e-commerce business, and we caught up with shipments by the end of the quarter.

We have a strong data foundation and a loyal core customer base.

The opportunity is to use that foundation more effectively, including through more personalized marketing, better customer targeting, and greater efficiency in acquisition.

We will pursue that work, delivering with the core lines and customer at the center of our strategy.

Create inventory.

Our inventory levels in the second quarter will be higher than the prior year due to Tara and certainty last year.

Current year inventory is more representative of pre-2025 levels and is within our planned parameters.

These include increases due to continued tariff headwinds and challenges processing value-added services orders with our new warehouse management system.

Our U.S. e-commerce business increased 9%, compared to Q2 2025.

Reflecting the recovery with the rollout of our new warehouse management system across the distribution centers in the first quarter.

Charlie Cole: In our third-party marketplace business, the standout was Nordstrom. The anniversary sale was a strong moment for the brand and our franchise categories, outerwear and wonder wear in particular, continue to resonate in that channel. Across our marketplaces, we continue to pursue a disciplined strategy that emphasizes quality and higher margin sales over volume. In our Europe business, we made several deliberate pivots and the early results are encouraging. Revenue finished essentially flat, but our product margin performance was strong, reflecting the strategic choice to leverage key franchises to build the business for long-term success. This, paired with our successful efforts to reach new customers at lower cost and through more deliberately differentiated storytelling in our markets, give us confidence in the path ahead for our Europe business.

That issue has been addressed at our core U.S. e-commerce business, and we caught up with shipments by the end of the quarter.

And in our third-party Marketplace business, the standout was Nordstrom.

The anniversary sale was a strong moment for the brand, and our franchise categories—outerwear and Wanderweight in particular—continue to resonate in that channel.

Across our marketplaces, we continue to pursue a disciplined strategy that emphasizes quality and higher margin sales over volume.

In our European business, we made several deliberate pivots, and the early results are encouraging.

Revenue finished essentially flat, but our product margin performance was strong, reflecting the strategic choice to leverage key franchises to build the business for long-term success.

This.

Paired with successful efforts to reach new customers at lower cost, and through more deliberately differentiated storytelling in our markets.

Charlie Cole: In addition to the improvement in profitability this quarter, Amazon Germany went live in August, and we are excited to leverage our global experience on Amazon with an entirely new customer. Turning to Lands' End Outfitters, our B2B business. Underlying demand was solid in the quarter, though revenue performance does not fully reflect that. Challenges in our value-added services related to our new warehouse management system and concentrated in B2B customers carried into Q2, which was not anticipated and are reflected in our results. Revenue increased approximately 4% year over year, with strength in national accounts partially offset by warehouse management system challenges that impacted the timing of school uniform shipments. Within national accounts, the story is positive, with the enterprise segment up year to date by more than 15% versus last year, led by growth in our airline accounts.

Give us confidence in the path ahead for our Europe business.

In addition to the improvement in profitability, this quarter Amazon Germany went live in August, and we're excited to leverage our global experience on Amazon with entirely new customers.

Starting to Land and Outfitters are B2B businesses.

Underlying demand was solid in the quarter, though revenue performance does not fully reflect that.

Challenging, our value-added services related to our new warehouse management system and concentrated in B2B customers carried into Q2, which was not anticipated and are reflected in our results.

Revenue increased approximately 4% year-over-year, with strength in national accounts partially offset by the warehouse management system. Challenges impacted the timing of school uniform shifts.

Charlie Cole: We entered a new multi-year partnership with Delta Air Lines in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, and employee reception to the program was overwhelmingly positive. Today, Delta is in the wear testing phase of its Distinctly Delta uniform collection, with more than 1,400 frontline employees participating across the system. Feedback and insights from the wear test will be incorporated into final product refinements ahead of the planned second half 2027 rollout. Our school uniform business was impacted by challenges within our new warehouse management system related to processing value-added service products. As a result, shipments were delayed and backlog levels were significantly higher than the prior year, reducing revenue recognition during the quarter. Improving operations at Lands' End Outfitters is a priority.

With national accounts, the story's positive with a 15% increase versus last year, led by growth in our airline accounts.

We entered a new multi-year partnership with Delta Airlines in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, and employee reception to the program was overwhelmingly positive.

Today, Delta is in the wear-testing phase of the Distinctly Delta uniform collection, with more than 1,400 frontline employees participating across the system.

Feedback and insights from the wear tests will be incorporated into final product refinements ahead of the planned second-half 2027 rollout.

Business was impacted by challenges within our new warehouse management system related to processing value-added service products.

As a result, shipments were delayed and backlog levels were significantly higher than the prior year, reducing revenue recognition during the quarter.

Charlie Cole: We have and will continue to take action, including working to increase output capacity, improve efficiency in our production process, and prioritize shipment of orders to get ahead of customer timing dynamics. We continue to be encouraged by the early progress of our intellectual property joint venture with WHP Global. As previously disclosed, the JV amended several significant licensing agreements that are expected to generate more than $150 million of long-term guaranteed royalty value, reinforcing our confidence in the long-term growth opportunities created by the partnership. I'll now turn it over to Bernie to discuss our second quarter financial performance in more detail.

Improving the operations at Lands' End and Outfitters is a priority.

We have, and will continue to, take action, including working to increase output capacity and improve efficiency in our production process.

And prioritize shipment of orders to get ahead of customer timing dynamics.

We continue to be encouraged by the early progress of our intellectual property joint venture with WHP Global.

As previously disclosed, the JV amended several significant licensing agreements that are expected to generate more than $150 million of long-term, guaranteed royalty value, reinforcing our confidence in the long-term growth opportunities created by the partnership.

Bernie McCracken: Thank you, Charlie. For the second quarter of 2026, total revenue was $302 million, an increase of 3% compared to the second quarter of last year. Our US e-commerce business saw a sales increase of 9% compared to the second quarter of 2025. As Charlie discussed, the order backlog from the new warehouse management system challenges in the first quarter benefited Q2 and positively impacted results. We are confident that the warehouse management system issue has been addressed in our core US e-commerce business. Our third-party marketplace business decreased approximately 20% as we continue to prioritize profitable, high-quality sales and brand integrity over lower margin promotional volume. While we saw a decline in revenue, our like-for-like gross margin compared to last year improved by over 500 basis points year over year, reflecting the benefits of our disciplined strategy by individual marketplace.

I'll now turn it over to Bernie to discuss our second quarter financial performance in more detail.

Thank you, Charlie.

For the second quarter of 2026, total revenue was $302 million.

An increase of 3%, compared to the second quarter of last year.

Our U.S. e-commerce business saw a sales increase of 9% compared to the second quarter of 2025.

As Charlie discussed, the order backlog from the new warehouse management system challenges in the first quarter benefited Q2 and positively impacted results.

We're confident that the warehouse management system issue has been addressed in our core U.S. e-commerce business.

Our third-party marketplace business decreased approximately 20% as we continue to prioritize profitable, high-quality sales.

And brand integrity over lower margin, promotional volume.

While we saw a decline in revenue.

Our like-for-like growth margin compared to last year improved by over 500 basis points year-over-year.

Bernie McCracken: Sales from Lands' End Outfitters increased 4% from the second quarter of 2025. The increase was driven by our enterprise accounts, which more than offset the impact of the warehouse management system challenges in our school uniform business processing value-added service products. Sales in Europe increased 1% year over year, primarily driven by a strategic shift to a franchise-first assortment that simplified the business and drove improved product margins. Gross profit increased by $14 million, or 10% compared to last year. Gross margin in the second quarter was 52%, an approximately 320 basis point improvement from the second quarter of 2025. The gross margin increase was primarily driven by the IEEPA tariff refund, partially offset by the new royalty structure associated with the JV and increased costs associated with our new warehouse management system. SG&A expenses increased by $6 million year over year.

in the benefits of our disciplined strategy by individual marketplace.

Sales from Lands' End and Outfitters increased 4% from the second quarter of 2025.

The increase was driven by our enterprise accounts, which more than offset the impact of the warehouse management system challenges.

In our school uniform business, processing value-added service products.

Thousand Europe increased. 1% year-over-year.

By a strategic shift to a franchise. First, an assortment that simplified the business and drove improved product margins.

Gross profit increased by $14 million, or 10%, compared to last year.

Gross margin in the second quarter was 52%, an approximately 320 basis point improvement from the second quarter of 2025.

The gross margin increase was primarily driven by the IEEPA tariff refund.

Partially offset by the new royalty structure associated with the JV, and increased costs associated with our new warehouse management system.

Bernie McCracken: As a percentage of net revenue, SG&A increased by approximately 80 basis points, primarily driven by investment in digital marketing and operational inefficiencies from the temporary disruption of the new warehouse management system. For the second quarter, we reported adjusted net income of $2.7 million, or $0.09 per share. We delivered adjusted EBITDA of $11 million in the second quarter, representing a year-over-year decrease of $4 million. The receipt of IEEPA tariff refunds was offset by the new royalty structure associated with the JV and the challenges in our new warehouse management system, processing value-added service products for school uniforms. Moving to our balance sheet. Inventories at the end of the second quarter were $342 million, up 13% compared to last year. Inventory levels increased largely due to the intentionally lean inventory position we held a year ago amid tariff uncertainty.

SG&A expenses increased by $6 million year-over-year.

As a percentage of net revenue, SG&A increased by approximately 80 basis points.

Primarily driven by investment in digital marketing and operational inefficiencies from the temporary disruption of the new warehouse management system.

For the second quarter, we reported adjusted net income of $2.7 million, or $0.09 per share.

We delivered adjusted IBA of $11 million in the second quarter.

representing a year-over-year decrease of dollars.

The receipt of tariff refunds was offset by the new royalty structure associated with the JV, and the challenges in our new warehouse management system processing value-added service products for school uniforms.

Moving to our balance sheet.

Inventories at the end of the second quarter were $342 million.

Up 13% compared to last year.

Bernie McCracken: Inventory is more aligned with typical norms and our planned levels, including the impact of continued tariff headwinds. We remain confident in our holiday assortment and expect inventory to remain within typical levels. Turning to our debt. We ended the second quarter with $60 million in ABL borrowings, compared to $35 million last year. As discussed previously, we used the majority of the $300 million in cash proceeds from the WHP Global transaction to fully repay our term loan, leaving us with enhanced liquidity and significantly reduced interest payments. The remainder of the transaction consideration was used for transaction-related corporate expenses and taxes. As a reminder, in conjunction with the 1 April closing of the WHP Global transaction, our board authorized the repurchase of up to $100 million of common stock through 31 March 2029.

Inventory levels increased largely due to the intentionally lean inventory position we held a year ago amid tariff uncertainty.

Inventory is more aligned with typical norms and our plan levels, including the impact of continued tariff headwinds.

Expect inventory to remain within typical levels.

Turning to our debt, we ended the second quarter with $60 million in ABL borrowings.

compared to $35 million last year.

As discussed previously, we used the majority of the $1 million in cash proceeds from the WHP Global transaction to fully repay our term loans.

This leaves us with enhanced liquidity and significantly reduced interest payments.

The remainder of the transaction consideration was used for transaction-related corporate expenses and taxes.

Bernie McCracken: During Q2, we repurchased approximately 900,000 shares for approximately $11 million, bringing the remaining balance of the authorization to $89 million as of the end of the quarter. Now moving to guidance. Our guidance reflects the impacts of tariffs at current implemented rates, and we are continuing to execute mitigation measures to manage tariff headwinds for the remainder of fiscal 2026. For Q3 2026, we expect net revenue of $300 million to $330 million, adjusted net income of $2 million to $6 million, and adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.07 to $0.20. Adjusted EBITDA in the range of $14 million to $18 million. For fiscal 2026, we now expect net revenue of $1.3 billion to $1.35 billion, adjusted net income of $13 million to $21 million, and adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.44 to $0.72.

As a reminder, in conjunction with the April 1st closing of the WHP Global transaction, our board authorized the repurchase of up to $100 million of common stock through March 31, 2029.

During the second quarter, we repurchased approximately 900,000 shares for approximately $11 million.

Bringing the remaining balance of the authorization to $89 million as of the end of the quarter.

Now, moving to guidance.

Our guidance reflects the impacts of tariffs at currently implemented rates, and we are continuing to execute mitigation measures to manage tariff headwinds for the remainder of fiscal 2026.

In the third quarter of 2026, we expect

Net revenue of millions to $330 million.

Adjusted net income of $6 million.

And adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.07 to $0.20.

Adjusted Ava in the range of $14 million to $18 million.

For fiscal 2026, we now expect,

Net revenue of 1.3 billion.

Bernie McCracken: Adjusted EBITDA in the range of $62 million to $70 million. Full year guidance incorporates approximately $40 million in capital expenditures. With that, I will turn the call back over to Charlie.

To $1.35 billion, adjusted net income of $13 million to $21 million, and adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.44 to $0.72.

Adjusted AVA in the range of $62 million to $70 million.

Full-year guidance incorporates approximately $40 million in capital expenditures.

With that, I'll turn the call back over to Charlie.

Charlie Cole: Thank you, Bernie. I want to close by saying how encouraged I am by what I am seeing across this business. The brand has tremendous strength, and we believe the opportunities to unlock its full potential are clear. I also want to take a moment to welcome Jimmy Firolo, who recently joined us as Chief Digital and Technology Officer. Jimmy brings a proven track record of driving digital transformation and customer-centric innovation across leading consumer brands, most recently at Solara Aviation, and prior to that at Singer and Maui Jim. His deep expertise in scaling e-commerce capabilities and elevating the customer experience will be instrumental as we move into the next chapter of growth for Lands' End. Martin Christopher, our former Chief Technology Officer, now reports to Jimmy, bringing strong continuity to our technological transformation. Jimmy's arrival is well timed.

Thank you. Bernie.

I want to close by saying how encouraged I am by what I am seeing across this business.

The brand has tremendous strength, and we believe the opportunities to unlock its full potential are clear.

I also want to take a moment to welcome Jimmy Folo, who recently joined us as Chief Digital and Technology Officer.

Jimmy brings a proven track record of driving digital transformation and customer-centric innovation across leading consumer brands, most recently at Solairus Aviation and prior to that at Singer and Maui Jim.

This deep expertise in scaling, e-commerce capabilities, and elevating the customer experience will be instrumental as we move into the next chapter of growth for Lands' End.

Martin Christopher, our former Chief Technology Officer, now reports to Jimmy, bringing strong continuity to our technological transformation.

Charlie Cole: The focus right now is on tactical excellence to ensure we have the right infrastructure, technology, and customer acquisition capabilities in place heading into the peak holiday selling season. That includes meeting customer expectations on shipping and fulfillment and deepening personalization across our offerings. That work connects to something underappreciated about this business. Through decades of catalog and e-commerce engagement, we have built a foundation of owned customer data that few retailers can match. As we apply AI-powered capabilities across merchandising, marketing, and customer retention, proprietary data combined with AI-enabled execution becomes a competitive advantage that grows more valuable over time. I look forward to meeting many of you in the months ahead. What I can tell you is that my conviction in Lands' End and in this team is only growing. With that, we look forward to your questions.

Jimmy's arrival is well, timed

The focus right now is on tactical excellence to ensure we have the right infrastructure, technology, and customer acquisition capabilities in place heading into the peak holiday selling season.

That includes meeting customer expectations on shipping and fulfillment, and deepening personalization across our offerings.

That work connects to something underappreciated about this business.

Through decades of catalog and e-commerce engagement, we have built a foundation of owned customer data that few retailers can match.

As we apply AI-powered capabilities across merchandising, marketing, and customer retention, proprietary data combined with AI-enabled execution becomes a competitive advantage that grows more valuable over time.

I look forward to meeting many of you in the month ahead.

What I can tell you is that my conviction in Lands' End and in this team is only growing.

With that, we look forward to your questions.

Operator: Thank you. If you would like to ask a question, please press star one on your keypad. To leave the queue at any time, press star two. Once again, that is star and one to ask a question. We will take our first question from Dana Telsey with Telsey Advisory Group. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Thank you.

If you would like to ask a question, please press star 1 on your keypad.

To leave the queue at any time, press star two.

Once again, that is *star* and 1 to ask a question.

Dana Telsey: Hi. Good morning, everyone, and welcome, Charlie. Charlie, in your purview, as you think about the opportunities for Lands' End going forward and given your background, how do you see the enhanced execution, the involvement in technology, what happens with e-commerce? How does it fit the different categories, whether it is the e-commerce, international, Outfitters, third party, and obviously the new relationship with WHP Global? What is your North Star going forward? Then I have a quick question on just the here and now.

We'll take our first question from the Chelsea group. Your line is open.

What happened to e-commerce? How does it fit into the different categories? Whether it's e-commerce, International Outfitters, third party, and obviously the new relationship with WHP. What's your North Star going forward?

Charlie Cole: Dana, thank you so much for the welcome. I really appreciate that, and thank you for the question. This question is so far reaching because it involves a lot of buzzwords, so I am going to try to decouple them. My long-term vision for Lands' End is we are a modern AI engine that drives almost our entire customer experience. I want to unpack that a little bit. A modern AI engine can simultaneously evaluate so many things, so I will start with focusing on the e-commerce side of things, and then I will get into Lands' End Outfitters and Europe as well. It can evaluate a customer's purchase history, their browsing behavior, the weather, the geography, the search patterns, inventory availability, full price sell-through targets, category affinity, and it can evaluate all these things at the same time.

And then I have a quick question on just the here and now.

Dana, thank you so much for the welcome. I really appreciate that. And thank you for the question.

So, one of these—this question is far-reaching because it involves a lot of buzzwords. I'm going to try to decouple them.

My long-term vision for Land's End is that we are a modern AI engine that drives almost our entire customer experience. And so I want to unpack that a little bit—a modern AI engine can simultaneously evaluate so many things. I'll start with focusing on the e-commerce side of things, and then I'll get into Lands' End Outfitters in Europe as well.

It can evaluate a customer's purchase history, their browsing behavior, the weather, the geography, search patterns, inventory availability,

Charlie Cole: If you think about that, just processing power and where you would want to put that, you would start with e-commerce front-end, CRM messaging, marketing targeting, including catalog segmentation and creative personalization. It is not an exaggeration, Dana, to say that I want an AI engine that sits at the center of our customer experience and enables an experience that our customers have really never seen before. If you wanted pragmatic examples, if somebody who has shopped at Lands' End has exclusively shopped outerwear, they should have a very different experience than someone who is exclusively shopped swim. That does not mean we do not show back and forth, but it does mean we give them a personalized experience to optimize not only conversion, but lifetime value and, frankly, net promoter score as well. That is equally applicable to Europe.

Full price, sell-through targets, category, affinity, and it could evaluate all these things at the same time. And so, if you think about that, just processing power and where you'd want to put that—you start with e-commerce front end.

It's not exaggerating data to say that. I want an AI engine that sits at the center of our customer experience and enables an experience that our customers have really never seen before. And if you wanted pragmatic examples,

If somebody who has shopped at Lands' End has exclusively shopped outerwear,

Charlie Cole: With Europe, we have to be aware of the realities of sort of the different data regulations, so we would be thoughtful of that as well. With Lands' End Outfitters, it is actually the same answer. It is just with a different process. You think about our school business. That is fairly rhythmic, so time becomes a very obvious kind of input where we have to reach out to customers at the right time with the right message based on their school schedule. That is a slight personalization that would allow us to give a much better experience. It is not an exaggeration, Dana, to say from a technology perspective, we are going to build an AI infrastructure that gives us an e-commerce platform that will rival the best in the industry, and that is the core goal.

They should have a very different experience than someone who's exclusively shopped Swift. That doesn't mean we don't show back and forth, but it does mean we give them a personalized experience to optimize not only conversion, but lifetime value. And, frankly, net promoter score as well. That's equally applicable to Europe. With Europe, we have to be aware of the realities of the different data regulations, and so we'd be thoughtful of that as well.

And then, with Land and Outfitters.

It's actually the same answer; it's just with a different process because you think about our School business.

That is fairly rhythmic.

And so, time becomes a very obvious kind of input where we have to reach out to customers at the right time with the right message based on their school schedule. And so that's a slight personalization that would allow us to give a much better experience, but it's not an exaggeration, data-wise, to say, from a technology perspective.

Charlie Cole: I am happy to answer your follow-up question as well.

We are going to build an AI infrastructure that gives us an e-commerce platform that will rival the best in the industry, and that's the core goal. I'm happy to answer your follow-up question as well.

Dana Telsey: Great. Thank you. Warehouse management system, I think which Q2 also had some impacts. Is that complete now? Is there anything on the shaping of Q3 and Q4 and how you are seeing it, whether from a margin perspective or a top-line perspective, how it differs this year from last year?

Charlie Cole: On the warehouse management system topic, we are now running at normal operations, so it is caught up. We are now caught up on throughput. We are still working through a backlog, but operations are proceeding as normal at the same or higher levels than before the warehouse management system issues. It is also worth noting that there is more efficiency to unlock where we can actually put other infrastructure in place, but that will not happen till next year. There is more efficiencies that will be unlocked as we can support the WMS with other software solutions as well. As it pertains to Q3 and Q4, we do not anticipate any effect on our guidance for the WMS, with the exception of the catch-up that will come out of the Lands' End Outfitters division.

Great, thank you. Um, we have the management system, I think, which the second quarter also has some tax. Is that complete now, and is there anything on the shaping of the third and fourth quarter? And how are you seeing it, whether from a margin perspective or a top-line perspective? How does it differ this year from last year?

Running that.

Operations—so it's caught up. We are now caught up on throughput. We are still working through a backlog, but operations are proceeding as normal, at the same or higher levels than before the warehouse management system issues.

It is also worth noting that there's more efficiency to unlock.

Where we can actually put other infrastructure in place, but that will not happen until next year. But there are more efficiencies that will be unlocked, as we can support the WMS with other software solutions as well. As it pertains to Q3 and Q4, we don't anticipate any effect on our guidance with WMS, with the exception of the catch-up that will come out of the Lands' End operator's division.

Dana Telsey: Got it. Just the Q3 guide, anything to unpack there on the margin side and Q4 and remainder of expectations for tariffs? Thank you.

Bought it.

Bernie McCracken: Yeah, Dana, our guidance reflects the current levels of tariffs that are in place. There isn't really any other year-on-year differences that we'll be dealing with. We feel very good about the guidance we gave and the expectations that we will hit that.

And then, just the third quarter guide—anything to unpack there on the margin side and for the fourth quarter and remainder of expectations for tasks? Thank you.

Yeah. Now Dana, um,

Dana Telsey: Thank you.

Our, our guidance reflects the current levels of tariffs that are, uh, in place. And, uh, and the rest of the, there isn't really any other year-on-year differences that will be dealing with. We feel very good about the guidance we gave and and the expectations that we will hit that they hit that.

Thank you.

Operator: Thank you. Our next question comes from Eric Beder with Small Cap Consumer Research. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Thank you.

Eric Beder: Good morning. Just a few quick questions. Let us talk about international here. What should we be thinking about? I know prior people was a kind of a little bit more fashion-forward, a little more of a driver of trend. Is that still how you look at that, and how does that fit in terms of the JV and the other international opportunities?

Our next question comes from Eric Beder with SCC Research. Please go ahead, your line is open.

Good morning.

How about International here? You know what we should be thinking about? I know prior people—it was kind of a fashion, a little bit more fashion-forward, a little more of a driver of trend. Is that still how you look at that? And how does that fit? Um,

Charlie Cole: For international, Eric, our focus is predominantly on our European e-commerce business. The focus there has been to really Our Q2 focus was on margin above everything else. That is driving a less promotional business, which you could qualify as a bit more fashion-forward and a bit more trend-focused. We actually feel really good about where our European business is, and there is some slight nuance to the trends, obviously, even within the continent between Germany, the UK, et cetera. The Lands' End value proposition is the same, frankly, internationally, where we were fortunate enough in June of 2026 to be awarded with the highest rating from Forbes in their Best Brands for Value report. I directly think that spans borders, where we are going to deliver value and durability and kind of leverage our unique heritage in a way that will have international appeal.

In terms of the JV and the other international opportunities,

And the focus there has been to really—Q2 focus was on margin above everything else. And so that's driving a less promotional business, which you could qualify as a bit more fashion-forward and a bit more focused.

Charlie Cole: There will be slight nuances from a merchandising perspective. Trends such as weather is going to affect what people buy depending on where they live, so we are certainly not naive to that. I believe that the Lands' End brand should have international appeal and ultimately have the same foundation regardless of where it is distributed. That would be true also by channel, whether it is direct e-commerce, whether it is with our JV with WHP Global, whether it is with Amazon or other partners. We are going to do everything we can to make sure the Lands' End brand is ubiquitous regardless of where it is in the world.

We actually feel really good about where our European business is and and there is some slight Nuance to the trends. Obviously even within the continent between Germany, the UK Etc. But the lanzan value proposition is the same. Frankly internationally where we were fortunate enough, in June of 2026, to be awarded with the highest rating from 4 and their best brands for Value reports. I directly think that spans borders where we're going to deliver value and durability and kind of Leverage our unique Heritage in a way that will have international appeal. There will be slight nuances from our merchandising perspective, Trends such as whether uh is going to affect what people buy depending on where they live. And so we're certainly not naive to that.

But I believe that the Lands' End brand has international appeal and, ultimately,

Bernie McCracken: Eric, just to add on a little bit is, you will notice this in our comments in the script. The Europe business, while we still consider it to be fashion-forward and to drive some trends, we have pulled it back a little and have got them to be more into our franchises, which is driving a higher profitability.

have the same Foundation regardless of where it's distributed and that'd be true. Also by Channel, whether it's direct e-commerce, whether it's with our JV with whp, whether it's with Amazon or other partners. So we're we're going to do everything we can to make sure that brand is ubiquitous regardless of where is in the world and then Eric just add on a little bit is and you'll notice this in our comments in the script, um, the the Europe business while we still consider it to be fashion forward and and to drive some Trends. We have pulled it back a little and have got them to be more into our franchises, which is driving a higher profitability.

Eric Beder: Okay. Let's talk about the WHP piece a little bit. Where are we in terms of adding new licenses, and when do you believe that those licenses will start to kick in and help drive the joint venture overall profitability, which you shared?

Okay.

Let's talk about the WHP piece a little bit, um,

Bernie McCracken: Yeah. Eric, our guidance reflects the royalties and licensing royalties that we will receive for the remainder of this year. As you know, any kind of licensing agreement has a long tenure before it will benefit us going forward. There's product that needs to be made and outlets to be garnered. Right now, the basics of our guidance reflects the licenses that we had in place and a few of the new smaller licenses that we had signed prior to WHP and that they have taken on into the next level.

When do you believe—okay, so where are we in terms of adding new licenses, and when do you believe that those licenses will start to kick in and help drive, you know, the joint venture overall profitability, which you share in?

Yeah. Eric, our guidance reflects the loyalties and licensing royalties that we will receive for the remainder of this year. As you know, any kind of licensing agreement has a long,

Ten years before, it will benefit us going forward. There’s product that needs to be made and, and, uh, and outlets to be garnered. So, um, right now, the basics of our guidance reflect the licenses that we had in place and a few of the new, smaller licenses that we had signed prior to WHP, and that they have taken, uh, on into the next level.

Eric Beder: Okay. You mentioned here about the potential next year for new software and some of the potential positives, some of the potential rollout, I think potential efficiencies when you get from that. How big should we think of that as an opportunity now in 2027 and going forward? Thank you.

Okay.

Um,

Charlie Cole: Thanks, Eric, for all your questions. Predominantly, it's going to be infrastructure across the warehouse, and you would see the opportunity basically in service levels. I mean, not by on anything else, so I wouldn't expect it to have any direct input to our guidance. But in a similar fashion to my answer to Dana on our technological infrastructure, really it's around enabling a customer experience that will exceed expectations. So in a lot of ways, the benefits will be focused more from a lifetime value perspective, as opposed to direct guidance.

You mentioned here about the potential next year for new software and some of the potential positives, some of the potential rollouts. I think potential efficiencies from that—you know, how big should we think of that as an opportunity now, in '27 and going forward? Thank you.

Thanks, Eric, for all your questions.

Predominantly, it's going to be infrastructure across the warehouse, and you would see the opportunity basically in service levels beyond anything else. So I wouldn't expect it to have any direct input to our guidance. But in a similar fashion to my answer to Dana on our technological infrastructure, really it's around enabling a customer experience that will exceed expectations. So in a lot of ways, the benefits will be focused more from a lifetime value perspective, as opposed to direct guidance.

Operator: Thank you. Our next question comes from Michael Kupinski with Noble Capital Markets. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Thank you.

Michael Kupinski: Thank you. Charlie, welcome to Lands' End. The company appears to The quarter indicated that you have some favorable underlying revenue trends. I want to drill down on that a little bit. The Outfitters grew 4.4% despite continued school uniform processing challenges. I was just wondering, can you give us some color on how the order book is trending now, and what growth rate do you believe the business can sustain once operations are fully normalized?

Michael Kapinski with Noble Capital Markets. Please go ahead, your line is open.

Charlie Cole: Michael, thank you for the warm welcome. The Outfitters business also had a real bright spot with enterprise clients as well, which we mentioned. The growth rate is also already aligned in our guidance, but we are remarkably bullish on that business. I would also say, as I referenced when I responded to Dana, there is also increased opportunity by improving their customer experience through that same commerce focus. While we are very bullish on our guidance, we are equally bullish on to improve the customer experience from a front-end perspective, from a messaging perspective, and from a marketing perspective. I am actually visiting with some Outfitters clients next week, including Delta and American Airlines.

Grew like 4.4% despite continued school uniform processing challenges, and I was just wondering—can you give us some color on how the order book is trending now? And what growth rate do you believe the business can sustain once operations are fully normalized?

And so, with the growth rate, it is also already aligned in our guidance, but we're remarkably bullish on that business. I would also say, as I referenced when I responded to Dana,

Charlie Cole: I am excited to get deeper involved in that business.

Michael Kupinski: Got you. In Q2, the US e-commerce revenue increased 9%, and I think part of that was a carryover from the Q1 distribution disruption. What would have been the underlying e-commerce growth excluding that catch-up benefit?

There was also increased opportunity by improving their customer experience through that same commerce focus. So, while we are very bullish on our guidance, we're equally bullish on improving the customer experience from a front-end perspective, from a messaging perspective, and from a marketing perspective. I'm actually visiting with some Outfitters clients next week, including Delta and American Airlines, so I'm excited to get deeper involved in that business.

Bernie McCracken: The US business on a year-to-date basis, since the carryover was completed through the Q2, is flat for the year, or flattish.

Charlie Cole: The US business on a year-to-date basis, since the carryover was completed through the Q2, is flat for the year, or flattish.

Gotcha. And in Q2, the U.S. commerce revenue increased 9%, and I think part of that was a carryover from the Q1 distribution disruption. What would have been the underlying e-commerce growth excluding that catch-up benefit?

Michael Kupinski: Okay. Obviously inventory is up a little bit, and it seems like you are saying that it is a little bit more normalized. Can you talk about specific inventory that you are leaning into the quarter as you go into the holiday season here?

The US business on a year-to-date basis, since the carryover was completed through the second quarter, is flat for the year, or flat-ish.

Okay. And, um, obviously, inventory is up a little bit, and then it seems like you're saying that it's a little bit more normalized. Can you talk about specific inventory that you're leaning into for the quarter as you go into the holiday season here?

Bernie McCracken: Yeah, Michael, I think, one of the keys is comparing year-on-year is that last year we were dealing with a lot of uncertainty around tariffs and where and what countries and what products were going to be tariffed at different rates. We were very conservative in the types of products that we brought in and where they were being produced. So I think you will find, especially when we talk about owning the weather, that our outerwear is going to have a broader assortment than it did last year, where that was the place we were probably most conservative, and that we really feel we will be able to leverage that in the back half of the year, especially as the weather gets colder.

Yeah, Michael, I think one of the keys, right, is comparing year on year. Last year, we were dealing with a lot of uncertainty around tariffs and where, and what countries and what products were going to be.

Tariffs at different rates. And, um, so we were very conservative in the types of products that we brought in and where they were being produced.

Bernie McCracken: As we have talked about over the last couple of years, it is about layering for us, too, that owning the weather is not just for our heavy down coats. It is about having fleece and sweaters, and owning that transition period, too. We are very excited about this back half.

Michael Kupinski: Got you. That is all I have for now. Thank you.

Um, so I think you'll find, um, especially when we talk about owning the weather, that our outerwear is going to have a broader assortment than it did last year, where that was the place we were probably most conservative. And that, we really feel, we'll be able to leverage in the, uh, back half of the year, um, especially as the weather gets colder. But, as we've talked about over the last couple years, it's about layering for us too—that owning the weather isn't just when are our heavy down coats. It's about having fleece and sweaters, um, and owning that transition period too. So we're very excited about this back half.

Bernie McCracken: Thank you, Michael.

Gotcha. That's, uh, that's all I have for now. Thank you.

Operator: Thank you. This concludes our Q&A session as well as our conference call. Thank you for your participation. You may now disconnect.

Thank you. Thanks Michael.

Thank you.

Thank you for your participation. You may now disconnect.

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