The Buckle, Inc. reported fiscal second-quarter net sales of $319.8 million, up 4.6%, with comparable-store sales up 2.1% and online sales up 2.3%, but units per transaction fell about 1% while average unit retail rose 4.5%. Gross margin reached 47.8%, up 40 basis points from a year earlier, yet net income slipped to $44.4 million from $45.0 million and diluted EPS fell to $0.87 from $0.89. The margin improvement included a 65-basis-point benefit from tariff refunds; excluding that, gross margin would have been about 47.2%, below the prior-year level. Operating margin declined to 17.4% from 18.4%, and inventory rose 13.3% to $161.4 million, outpacing sales growth. The company held $322.9 million in cash and investments with no funded debt, and paid a $3.00-per-share special dividend in January.
Buckle IncQ2 net income and EPS fell, operating margin declined to 17.4%, and gross margin improvement relied on a 65bp tariff refund; excluding it margin was below prior year.
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