WD-40 shares dipped in extended trading Thursday after the cleaning supplies company missed quarterly estimates amid lower sales of its Specialist lubricant and a sales slump in China.
For the first quarter, WD-40 earned 88 cents per share, compared to 95 cents a year ago, as net sales declined 3% to $98.6 million. Analysts had expected earnings of 98 cents per share and revenue of $103.97 million.
The stock fell 4.8% to $182.50 in the after-hours session as the company also reported that net income dropped 8.2% to $12.19 million.
“Our first quarter does not reflect the revenue growth we would like to see in our business,” CEO Garry Ridge said in a news release.
However, he cautioned in an earnings call that “fluctuations in performance of our markets from quarter to quarter are not unusual,” telling analysts that, most importantly, “our long-term strategic drivers continue to perform well and are line with our expectations.”
WD-40 has set a goal of approximately $700 million in revenue by the end of 2025, up from $408 million in 2018. “Though we acknowledge our 2025 targets are aspirational, we believe we can successfully bring those targets within reach,” Ridge said.
In the Americas, WD-40’s maintenance products sales declined 2% as sales of the Specialist product in the U.S. dropped 19% due to the timing of promotional activities.
Asia-Pacific sales fell 15%, with sales in China down 23%. “We remain optimistic about the long-term opportunities in China although we expect a lot of volatility along the way due to the timing of promotional programs, the building of distribution, shifting economic patterns and varying industrial activities,” WD-40 President Steven Brass said.
According to The Motley Fool, WD-40 would have to manage a compound annual growth rate of 9.1% to 9.9% to meet its 2025 sales target. “Considering revenue growth at constant currency has only been at 6% for the last two years, that target looks optimistic,” it said.