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each last Consolidated XXXX sales of and our groups Tommy Lilly of increases Johnny environment Both $XXX two generated in in first of during of above of included mid-single-digit were sales executed macroeconomic strong million, year's percentage operating operating Was first well quarter first in margins increase for and which brands, fiscal sales XX%. growing operating excess achieved quarter net uncertain the million. an Our group, XXXX. XX% for a sales Pulitzer net Bahama largest of million $XXX quarter the and $XX
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gross XXX in benefited inbound Pulitzer. gross over pre-pandemic gross in approximately margin freight gross additional has quarter margins first by by use. last returned both of mix from of saw of as freight Importantly, addition item driven costs Johnny no higher where Was sales sales, to the e-commerce as margin addition a higher and year increased adjusted We we to lower levels, Lilly the was in expanded Tommy well which to points influenced sales, XX.X% Bahama and XXXX, basis from benefits higher flash the better margin
Adjusted $XXX year. compared million were million to last SG&A $XXX expenses
to not associated in increases fuel SG&A and advertising prior our the quarter included expenses did costs, growth. This million costs, with expenses, $XX future business, businesses Was are anticipated year other of the which employment also sales support There Johnny and in own SG&A we variable period. other for
incurred is Pulitzer the re-platforming note, tech SG&A of summer. million related e-commerce XX% income Of compared of the costs existing website to to sales expected adjusted e-commerce margin by result or stack, we operating $XX which yielded million Lilly $X of ongoing Was to Johnny of million be The in to this $XX completed this operating all a utilizing force XXXX.
increased operating higher of was Despite EPS $X.XX. acquisition the interest and the increased we partially of growth due higher expense the the X% interest year-over-year tax by This achieved to period. offset taxes, to expense to year tax rate higher with to Johnny an income compared increased Was due and associated prior borrowings
our good or our million Johnny position year-over-year FIFO basis, sheet, inventory. I'll the a $XX for in a on the million inventories forecast move inventory. remainder up with of Was to now on XX% beginning balance to of on $XX deliver with year, including We're
product of even and planned supporting increased sales cost, core that inventory grew of for balances addition styles higher to growth, seasons or addition live the due In many quantities years. to
at equivalents, we our year-end our or balance levels. below to short-term borrowings year, year. finished the our our end $XXX on forward, the fund the well after year at of be used of with cash investments million balances We and a credit acquisition -- of inventory We quarter beginning sheet of under revolving $XX borrowings revolving as Looking the credit borrowings facility million Was. our having last some at of last expect cash, to under as agreement Johnny
$XX during $XX debt to funding capital first allowed Our $XX first expenditures $XX quarter last compared million also million million reduce to meaningfully of year in million operations outstanding the and of cash flow quarter, the $XX by from while of us dividends. million
for the flows of borrowings anticipate We expect and cash substantially of robust the year the of all by outstanding the our year. rest end repaying
I'll now on our for spend some outlook XXXX. time
existing XX% and billion The XXXX year between growth the sales full and in XX% sales the full to e-commerce we the compared growth the For brick-and-mortar in to full-price of Was mid-single-digit as low net channel consists as of range, increase XXXX. well and $X.XX in year, flat to XX-week billion benefit our to of of in Johnny which $X.XX sales the expect billion $X.XX includes growth wholesale. be in generally planned of brands
in We The more proportion a wholesale for rates higher of expansion inclusion year-over-year lower cost modest anticipate reduction favorably business modest the year of decrease a the was Was much full of to continued XXXX. margin and gross expansion proportion expectation margin will gross margin the sales, Johnny include higher our freight we as of full-price for more sales, achieved XXXX also XXXX. gross of than which direct-to-consumer full the a first the the by freight quarter, in impacted throughout year
in offset IT higher grow resulting SG&A both opening are sales and margins higher technology modestly we and expense information IT our SG&A, and cost, by a in depreciation gross and as higher both spend, partially mortar in increased expected mortar rate business, sales from higher employment in at including IT spend more than including continue advertising driving expected to and brick and which XXXX spend invest awareness people brick locations be infrastructure, additional higher expenses increased is to These XXXX to locations. and
the Considering sales. levels percentage expect all between of margin to these, XX% decrease we and from XX.X% XXXX of a operating will
the quarters third $X debt we quarter incurred expense half Additionally, $X XXXX and third, XXXX. debt the year our outstanding of reduce the for second, million, for each full compares interest about or outstanding when expense as million quarter. we million we This of interest anticipate less interest and $X continue that first had expense to of the in levels until during interest higher no fourth at with to of of expense
such a approximately operating from certain and year benefited the We tax loss some utilizations compared favorable allowances. rate as effective higher also to valuation XX% of items expect which XXXX XX% in of reversal prior
and tax EPS operating expected of with between is income year After existing to $XX.XX of in $XX.XX in the considering as adjusted adjusted items, we the Was our XXXX, of versus year being XXXX of inclusion $XX.XX incremental and be businesses Johnny a operating offset interest these lower those in income EPS full expense invest last and income by businesses expense.
in XXXX, $XXX lower of the XXXX, the expense, deleveraging, $XXX $XXX approximately we expect quarter to sales million we the expect tax second benefit in compared In as margin, divesting of of of tax impacted the quarter restricted higher interest to awards by the slightly to sales, we expect XX% XXXX. be a in with second quarter rate million the certain lower effective sales SG&A tax million of share quarter. favorably associated but gross late the rate of In second higher quarter at
in XXXX. primarily The the by increased We is year-over-year to $X.XX the driven spent interest gross EPS result investments larger expectation quarter and the being $X.XX of SG&A expense quarter than EPS second lower second-quarter compared generated to sales. $X.XX the profit from adjusted in this increased between and in of
Expanding I'd compared on theme million discuss in being to XXXX. year, expected investment million the are our fiscal $X like outlook approximately XXXX fiscal XXXX in for to to an XXXX. of be Capital CapEx $XX expenditures briefly
quarter, buildout the associated last Marlin full-price includes brands, year, relocations are increase locations, locations associated with weight. the Was these half the and end planned spend As all result with a few new in brick-and-mortar XX including Johnny second these we about across locations, with new three in of including mentioned by a remodels, XX about increase a the Bars being which approximately of CapEx stores should along of XX more additions net of and closures number store with
one-half with spend This expenditure about of planned associated these capital represent brick-and-mortar XXXX. amount the for locations
analytics, insights, artificial our will management data system and omnichannel our we with and e-commerce cyber continue data security, including Additionally, capabilities, intelligence, technology in and also and including infrastructure. automation investments various initiatives customer
brands. with Georgia for center enhance anticipate direct-to-consumer at we to associated distribution capabilities our a multiyear Finally, spend Lyons, its throughput project channel
on capital to from from in generating flow expect We positive $XXX level our position well operations of XXXX, to and including liquidity a very increase of $XX increase our excess million have a a after flow working in we operations million, cash million cash as which outlook $XXX cash XXXX. of significantly in
rate, This of level payment by the expenditures, our flow from outstanding dividends fund cash debt positive planned current XXXX our at all end cash of operations the ample of the the all substantially capital of provides flow repayment year. to and of of
table margins, beyond. upper operating Our to these the and at in XXXX XX% set growth for actions margins investments will on or XXXX pressure mid above topline well single-digit put and
for Shamali? today we'll you Thank call questions. for and turn time your now the