J.Jill swings to loss in difficult Q4
Women’s apparel retailer J.Jill had a disappointing fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 with declining sales and a shift from profit to loss.
J.Jill reported a net loss of $3.5 million for the fourth quarter ended Jan. 31, 2026. This is a drastic drop compared to net income of $2.2 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024. This net loss included $3.1 million in expenses related to the loss on debt refinancing in the period.
Net loss per share was $0.23 for the quarter compared to $0.14 in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted net loss per share was $0.02 compared to $0.32 a year earlier. The company incurred approximately $4.5 million of incremental tariff costs compared to the prior-year period
Net sales for quarter decreased year-over-year 3.1% to $138.4 million compared to $142.8 million. Total company comparable sales, which includes comparable store and direct to consumer sales, decreased by 4.8%. One bright spot was direct-to-consumer net sales, which represented 53.5% of net sales and were up 2.6% year-over-year.
J.Jill opened seven stores during the quarter. The store count at the end of the fourth quarter was 256 stores compared to 252 stores at the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024.
Full Year
For the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2026, the company's net income fell 29% to $27.9 million compared to $39.5 million for the fiscal year ended Feb. 1, 2025. Net income per share was $1.82 compared to $2.61 the prior fiscal year. Adjusted net income per share was $2.44 compared to $3.47.
Net sales decreased 2.3% to $596.5 million year-over-year compared to $610.9 million. Total same-store sales, which includes comparable store and direct to consumer sales, decreased by 3.1% year-over-year. Direct to consumer net sales, which represented 48.2% of net sales, decreased 0.8% year-over-year.
The company opened nine new stores and closed five stores during fiscal 2025, ending the year with 256 stores compared to 252 stores at the end of fiscal 2024.
Guidance
For the first quarter of fiscal 2026, J.Jill expects net sales to decline 5% to 7% year over year. Similarly, the company reported comparable sales could decline 7% to 9% year over year.
For the full year of fiscal 2026, the company expects net aales to be flat to down 2% compared to fiscal 2025. Comparable sales are expected to decline 1% to 3% compared to fiscal 2025. The company also hedged its bets on new store growth planning for approximately five new stores.
[READ MORE: J.Jill names first chief growth officer]
“Throughout 2025, we deliberately embarked on a period of testing and learning to build the foundation for expanding our customer file,” said Mary Ellen Coyne, president and CEO of J.Jill, Inc. "As we moved into the second half of the year, we validated new opportunities within our product assortment, piloted customer acquisition strategies, and implemented enhanced operational capabilities. We are encouraged by the early progress on these initiatives and remain focused on the important work required to position the business for sustainable growth.”
