Best Buy says persistent slower sales of electronics in Canada — and a decision to close the Future Shop chain — left a significant dent in its first-quarter results.
The Minneapolis, Mn.- based retailer reported international revenue dropped 22% in the period to US$668 million, dragged lower by the consolidation of its Canadian brands and “ongoing softness” in the local market which led to more sales.
The company also said currency fluctuations played a role in the weakness during the quarter, and projected that changes to the brand in Canada will have an even bigger impact during the second quarter, which ends in early August.
Best Buy expects international revenue will drop 30-35% on “overall disruption” from store closures and currency exchange rates.
In March, Best Buy Canada announced the closure of 66 Future Shop locations, with the remaining 65 stores to be re-branded as Best Buy. The company said along with the Future Shop consolidation, it would invest up to $200 million on improvements that include increasing staffing levels.
Overall, the electronics retailer reported a first-quarter profit of US$129 million, down from $461 million a year ago.
The results topped Wall Street expectations, according to a survey of 15 analysts by Zacks Investment Research.
Best Buy shares have fallen 13% since the beginning of the year, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 index has risen slightly more than 3%. The stock has increased 37% in the last 12 months.
