Village Super Market, Inc. Reports Results for the Fourth Quarter Ended July 26, 2025

SPRINGFIELD, N.J., Oct. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Village Super Market, Inc. (NSD-VLGEA) today reported its results of operations for the fourth quarter ended July 26, 2025.

Fourth Quarter Highlights

• Net income of $15.5 million, an increase of 1% compared to $15.4 million in the fourth quarter of the prior year

• Adjusted net income of $15.6 million, a decrease of 8% compared to adjusted net income of $16.9 million in the fourth quarter of the prior year

• Sales increased 3.7% and same store sales increased 1.6%

• Same store digital sales increased 11%

Year-To-Date Fiscal 2025 Highlights

• Net income of $56.4 million, an increase of 12% compared to $50.5 million in the prior year-to-date period

• Adjusted net income of $56.9 million, an increase of 8% compared to adjusted net income of $52.6 million in the prior year-to-date period

• Sales increased 3.8% and same store sales increased 2.1%

• Same store digital sales increased 10%

• Grand opening of a 72,000 sq. ft. ShopRite replacement store in Watchung, NJ
  
  

Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2025 Results

Sales were $599.7 million in the 13 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to $578.2 million in the 13 weeks ended July 27, 2024. Sales increased due to an increase in same store sales of 1.6% and the opening of the Watchung, NJ replacement store on April 9, 2025. Same store sales increased due primarily to digital sales growth, continued growth in recently replaced or remodeled stores, higher pharmacy sales and inflation in the meat and dairy departments. These increases were partially offset by cannibalization of existing stores from the Watchung replacement store opening and recent competitive store openings. New stores, replacement stores and stores with banner changes are included in same store sales in the quarter after the store has been in operation for four full quarters. Store renovations and expansions are included in same store sales immediately.

Gross profit as a percentage of sales decreased to 28.17% in the 13 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to 29.34% in the 13 weeks ended July 27, 2024 due primarily to decreased departmental gross margin percentages (.44%), lower patronage dividends and other rebates received from Wakefern (.42%), higher LIFO charges (.14%), an unfavorable change in product mix (.12%) and higher promotional spending (.10%) partially offset by decreased warehouse assessment charges from Wakefern (.05%). Departmental gross margin percentages decreased due primarily to price investments and cost inflation.

Operating and administrative expense as a percentage of sales decreased to 23.11% in the 13 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to 24.20% in the 13 weeks ended July 27, 2024. Adjusted operating and administrative expenses decreased to 23.34% in the 13 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to 24.20% in the 13 weeks ended July 27, 2024. The decrease in Adjusted operating and administrative expenses is due primarily to lower employee costs (.68%), sales leverage on occupancy and facility costs (.13%), reduced advertising spending (.10%), decreased external fees associated with digital sales (.06%), lower security spending (.04%) and reduced facility insurance costs (.04%) partially offset by increased legal and consulting fees (.12%) and increased utilities rates (.06%).

Impairment of assets in the 13 weeks ended July 26, 2025 of $1.5 million includes non-cash impairment charges on the long-lived assets of one Gourmet Garage store and assets held for sale. Impairment of assets in the 13 weeks ended July 27, 2024 of $2.1 million includes non-cash charges for long-lived assets at the automated micro-fulfillment center which was closed in September 2024.

Depreciation and amortization expense increased in the 13 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to the 13 weeks ended July 27, 2024 due primarily to capital expenditures.

Interest expense decreased in the 13 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to the 13 weeks ended July 27, 2024 due primarily to lower average outstanding debt balances.

Interest income decreased in the 13 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to the 13 weeks ended July 27, 2024 due primarily to lower interest rates on variable rate notes receivable from Wakefern and demand deposits invested at Wakefern.

The Company’s effective income tax rate was 31.4% in the 13 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to 29.4% in the 13 weeks ended July 27, 2024.

Year-To-Date Fiscal 2025 Results

Sales were $2.321 billion in the 52 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to $2.237 billion in the 52 weeks ended July 27, 2024. Sales increased due to an increase in same store sales of 2.1%, the opening of the Watchung, NJ replacement store on April 9, 2025 and the opening of the Old Bridge, NJ replacement store on March 17, 2024. Same store sales increased due primarily to digital sales growth, continued growth in recently remodeled stores, higher pharmacy sales and inflation in the meat and dairy departments. These increases were partially offset by cannibalization of existing stores from the Watchung replacement store opening and recent competitive store openings.

Gross profit as a percentage of sales decreased to 28.57% in the 52 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to 28.70% in the 52 weeks ended July 27, 2024 due primarily to an unfavorable change in product mix (.15%), higher promotional spending (.08%) and decreased departmental gross margin percentages (.06%) partially offset by higher patronage dividends and rebates received from Wakefern (.07%), decreased warehouse assessment charges from Wakefern (.09%).

Operating and administrative expense as a percentage of sales decreased to 23.92% in the 52 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to 24.34% in the 52 weeks ended July 27, 2024. Adjusted operating and administrative expense as a percentage of sales decreased to 23.95% in the 52 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to 24.30% in the 52 weeks ended July 27, 2024. The decrease in Adjusted operating and administrative expenses is due primarily to lower employee costs (.16%), sales leverage on occupancy and facility costs (.13%), lower facility insurance costs (.06%) and reduced supply spending (.06%) partially offset by higher utility rates (.07%).

Depreciation and amortization expense increased in the 52 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to the 52 weeks ended July 27, 2024 due primarily to capital expenditures.

Impairment of assets in the 52 weeks ended July 26, 2025 includes non-cash impairment charges on the long-lived assets of one Gourmet Garage store and assets held for sale. Impairment of assets in the 52 weeks ended July 27, 2024 includes non-cash charges for long-lived assets at the automated micro-fulfillment center which was closed in September 2024.

Interest expense decreased in the 52 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to the 52 weeks ended July 27, 2024 due primarily to lower average outstanding debt balances.

Interest income decreased in the 52 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to the 52 weeks ended July 27, 2024 due primarily to lower interest rates earned on variable rate notes receivable from Wakefern and demand deposits invested at Wakefern.

The effective income tax rate was 31.1% in the 52 weeks ended July 26, 2025 compared to 30.6% in the 52 weeks ended July 27, 2024. The increase in the effective income tax rate is due to the prior year including a favorable deferred tax asset revaluation to reflect changes in state tax rates.

Village Super Market operates a chain of 34 supermarkets in New Jersey, New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania under the ShopRite and Fairway banners and three Gourmet Garage specialty markets in New York City.

Forward Looking Statements

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this Press Release are or may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities law. The Company cautions the reader that there is no assurance that actual results or business conditions will not differ materially from future results, whether expressed, suggested or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect developments or information obtained after the date hereof. The following are among the principal factors that could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements: general economic conditions; competitive pressures from the Company’s operating environment; the ability of the Company to maintain and improve its sales and margins; the ability to attract and retain qualified associates; the availability of new store locations; the availability of capital; the liquidity of the Company; the success of operating initiatives; consumer spending patterns; the impact of changing energy prices; increased cost of goods sold, including increased costs from the Company’s principal supplier, Wakefern; disruptions or changes in Wakefern's operations; the results of litigation; the results of tax examinations; the results of union contract negotiations; competitive store openings and closings; the rate of return on pension assets; labor shortages; disruptions to supply chains; and other factors detailed herein and in the Company’s filings with the SEC.

We provide Non-GAAP measures, including Adjusted net income and Adjusted operating and administrative expenses as management believes these supplemental measures are useful to investors and analysts. These Non-GAAP financial measures should not be reviewed in isolation or considered as a substitute for our financial results as reported in accordance with GAAP, nor as an alternative to net income, operating and administrative expense or any other GAAP measure of performance. Adjusted net income and Adjusted operating and administrative expense are useful to investors because they provide supplemental measures that exclude the financial impact of certain items that affect period-to-period comparability. Management and the Board of Directors use these measures as they provide greater transparency in assessing ongoing operating performance on a period-to-period basis. Other companies may have different definitions of Non-GAAP Measures and provide for different adjustments, and comparability to the Company's results of operations may be impacted by such differences. The Company's presentation of Non-GAAP Measures should not be construed as an implication that its future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items.

The following tables reconcile Net income to Adjusted net income and Operating and administrative expenses to Adjusted operating and administrative expenses: