10:41 AM EST, 02/26/2025 (MT Newswires) -- TJX's (TJX) fiscal fourth-quarter results topped market estimates amid same-store sales growth across all divisions, while the discount retailer expects its earnings to fall in the ongoing three-month period year over year.

The TJ Maxx parent anticipates earnings to come in between $0.87 and $0.89 per share for the first quarter, reflecting an annual decrease of 4% to 6% from the prior-year period's $0.93. The current consensus on FactSet is for EPS to increase to $0.98. Comparable store sales are pegged to grow by 2% to 3%, compared with the Street's forecast for a 3.4% rise.

"As we begin a new year, we are confident that remaining focused on the off-price fundamentals of our great company will continue to serve us well," Chief Executive Ernie Herrman said in a Wednesday statement. "Longer term, we see many opportunities to successfully grow our business and deliver value to even more consumers around the world."

For the three months through Feb. 1, the retailer's net income ticked up to $1.23 a share from $1.22 the year before, ahead of the average analyst estimate of $1.16. Sales edged down to $16.35 billion from $16.41 billion, but topped the Street's view for $16.21 billion.

Comparable store sales moved 5% higher buoyed in part by growth in customer transactions at every division, according to Herrman. The metric surpassed the 3.1% increase modeled by the Street.

Marmaxx, which includes TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Sierra stores, comparable store sales rose 4%, while HomeGoods US grew by 5%. TJX Canada and International, which includes Europe and Australia, logged gains of 10% and 7%, respectively.

Gross profit margin rose to 30.5% from 29.8% last year mainly due to lower inventory shrink expense and strong markon.

For fiscal 2026, the company expects EPS to be in a range of $4.34 to $4.43 and comparable store sales to be up 2% to 3%. The Street's projection is for GAAP EPS of $4.56 and same-store sales growth of 3.4%. In the previous fiscal year, EPS jumped 10% to $4.26 while comparable store sales rose 4%.

Foreign currency exchange rates and transactional foreign exchange are estimated to be a headwind of about 3% on EPS growth for the fiscal year, TJX said.

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