Birkenstock has reported forecast-beating fourth-quarter revenue but earnings that missed the mark in its first results since going public, sending its shares lower in Thursday premarket trading.
The iconic German shoe company posted a 16% rise in revenue to €374.54 million ($407.8 million) for the three months to September 30, 2023, beating Wall Street consensus estimates for revenue of €357.39 million.
It sank to a net loss of €28.3 million for the quarter, from a €58 million profit a year earlier, partly due to expenses associated with the IPO.
Adjusted earnings per share halved to €0.14 from €0.28, missing estimates of €0.17.
“The past year has been the most successful year in our 250-year-long tradition, and we entered our first year as a publicly listed company shortly thereafter,” CEO Oliver Reichert commented in a statement.
“As a footbed company with a unique business model and a proven engineered distribution model, we offer a product with a purpose and that withstands short-term market or fashion trends, because it serves a primal human need - to walk as nature intended.”
The company has guided investors to expect 2024 revenues to rise by 17-18% on a constant currency basis to between €1.74 billion and €1.76 billion, with all segments and channels contributing to the growth. It expects adjusted underlying earnings (EBITDA) of €520 million to €530 million on a constant currency basis.
Its shares were down 8% at $45.97 ahead of the opening bell.