SpartanNash Company (NASDAQ:SPTN) Q2 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

Benjamin Wood: Great. That’s helpful. And then, just one more, if I may. Just Retail profitability was strong, and you called out higher gross margins. Wondering what drove that? Kind of help us understand the strategy at Retail and the sustainability of the progress maybe beyond some of those real estate remodels you guys have outlined? And then, kind of following up on just the promotional commentary earlier, how is the promotional environment tracking relative to your expectations? And what was your expectations — or what’s in the plan going forward?

Jason Monaco: Hey Ben, this is Jason. Thanks for the question. So, what’s driving performance in our Retail segment, a number of things, and I’ll start with the work we’ve done on the remodels, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t also highlight the banner conversions. We converted seven stores in the Omaha market, and we’ve seen just terrific results. The team did a fantastic job of building a 360 marketing plan, establishing improved loyalty and engagement with our customers and our shoppers, and it’s driving double-digit growth. We feel really good about the banner conversions and the investments we’ve made in those stores and in those communities. In addition to that, we’ve worked hard to ensure that we have the right assortment, the right price points, the right promotional activities, in our stores and, of course, balanced it from a margin standpoint.

You heard margin improved. Margin improved because we have a winning proposition, and we’re delivering the right service in our stores, the right assortment, the right price points, which collectively has led us to see improved or better than market shopper traffic. So, in our markets, we see our shopper traffic significantly outperforming the rest of the market and getting those shoppers in the store, filling their baskets and being very pleased with the experience they have is creating a winning proposition for us. You pair that together with the capital investments, the rebanners, the store remodels, all of that is contributing to improved margin structures and, frankly, solid performance from a growth standpoint in what’s a tough market.

Operator: And we’ll move next to Peter Saleh with BTIG.

Peter Saleh: I want to come back to operating expenses, which were much better than what we were anticipating this quarter. I think you guys outlined three buckets in terms of lower incentive comp and supply chain initiatives and the restructuring. Can you just help us unpack that and how much really was in each bucket on a year-over-year basis in terms of the savings? And how should we be thinking about that going forward in the second half of the year?

Jason Monaco: Yes. Pete, thanks for the question. So, the — as you start to unpack that, we have a commitment, and we’re standing behind that commitment on supply chain transformation. We expect to deliver $20 million to $30 million of annualized benefit this year from supply chain transformation, and we’re well on our way on that front. We’re run rating at that level, and that’s playing a significant role in our improvement in OpEx. The second piece is the variable comp that we mentioned earlier in the call. And together, we see those things as playing a significant role in our overhead expense management. Last but not least, on the go-forward basis, Tony talked a little bit about our go-to-market strategy and the changes that we’ve made there. Collectively, that run rate of $20 million will be there by the end of the year, but we expect to see a little bit of a pickup in OpEx as we roll into the fourth quarter.

Peter Saleh: Understood. Okay. And then I just wanted to take your pulse on the long-term guidance by 2025. I think you guys reiterated that this morning of $300 million of EBITDA. Just wanted to get your sense and your confidence there, given the more modest top line, I mean if we get another step down in the top line, can you still get to that EBITDA number? How are you guys thinking about that? Thank you.