Conn’s Q4 profit plunges 44%; exploring sale of loan portfolio
The Woodlands, Texas -- Conn’s Inc. on Tuesday reported a bigger-than-expected 44% decrease in its fourth-quarter profit amid ongoing problems with its credit-financing business. The retailer said it is exploring a sale of all or a portion of its loan portfolio and will stop selling video game products, digital cameras and certain tablets. It also said it remains on track to open 15 to 18 stores this year.
For the fourth quarter ended Jan. 31, Conn’s reported a profit of $15.5 million, down from $27.7 million in the year-ago period.
Consolidated revenues in the quarter increased 18.2% to $426.7 million due to new store openings. Same-store sales rose 1.3%.
"In the fourth quarter, the retail segment expanded with new store growth and positive same store sales,” said Theodore M. Wright, Conn’s chairman and CEO. “Delinquency rates are improving; however, our provision for credit losses reflects our expectation that delinquency levels and charge-offs will remain elevated over the short-term. Underwriting standards progressively tightened over the course of fiscal 2015 and our ability to resolve less than 60-day delinquency has improved. We still have work to do to demonstrate sustained effectiveness in reducing delinquency in later stages.”