A.K.A Brands sees losses widen in 2022, CEO steps down due to health issues

A.K.A Brands announced on Thursday revenues for the fiscal year 2022 increased 8.8% to $611.7 million, despite a double-digit sales plummet in the fourth quarter ending December 31.

The San Francisco-based company said quarterly sales dropped 18% to ​to $149.1 million, resulting in a net loss of $173.9 million or $1.35 per share, compared to net income of $0.0 million or $0.00 per share in the fourth quarter of 2021.

For the fiscal year 2022, net losses widened to $176.7 million or $1.37 per share, compared to net loss of $6 million or $0.06 per share in 2021.

“I want to recognize our brands and teams for their unwavering dedication in 2022 in the face of external pressures and a dynamic environment,” said Jill Ramsey, CEO, A.K.A Brands.

“As we went through the quarter, we saw lower marketing effectiveness given the highly promotional environment, and we made the strategic decision to reduce our spend compared to last year in an effort to balance growth and profit. Additionally, as we aggressively tightened our inventory in the second half of the year, there were fewer new styles in our women’s brands during the peak holiday selling period. These decisions, combined with the macroeconomic pressures, impacted our performance in the quarter but enabled us to protect the integrity and durability of our brands and business model for the long term.”

Coinciding with earnings update, the owner of Culture Kings, Princess Polly and Mnml brands said Ramsey will be "taking time to work through unforeseen medical issues," and will step down from her role as CEO in the interim. During this time, Ciaran Long, chief financial officer, will serve as acting chief executive officer on an interim basis.

For the full year fiscal 2023, the fashion and sports apparel company said it expects net sales between $570 million and $600 million.