Bullish indicating open at $55-$60, IPO prices at $37
Introduction & Market Context
Wittchen SA (WSE:WTN), the Polish luxury accessories and luggage retailer, presented its Q1 2025 financial results on May 23, 2025, revealing modest revenue growth amid challenging market conditions. The company’s stock is currently trading at 18 PLN, down 1.11% as investors digest the mixed performance metrics.
The presentation highlighted Wittchen’s continued focus on its omnichannel strategy across European markets, with particular emphasis on balancing online and offline sales channels while expanding its product assortment. Despite achieving slight revenue growth, the company faced significant pressure on profitability metrics during the quarter.
Quarterly Performance Highlights
Wittchen reported Q1 2025 revenue of 93.8 million PLN, representing a modest 0.8% increase year-over-year. However, profitability metrics declined across the board, with EBIT falling 42.7% to 3.9 million PLN and net profit decreasing 13.3% to 4.2 million PLN compared to Q1 2024.
As shown in the following financial results summary:
The company’s gross profit margin contracted by 1.8 percentage points to 62.0%, while EBIT margin declined 3.2 percentage points to 4.2%. EBITDA fell 16.3% to 11.8 million PLN. These results reflect ongoing cost pressures, particularly in personnel expenses which increased 3% due to rising minimum wages.
A more detailed breakdown of the quarterly performance trends can be seen in this comprehensive financial table:
Despite the profit challenges, Wittchen maintained strong unit sales growth, with the number of products sold increasing by 10% year-over-year, indicating that volume growth was offset by pricing pressures.
Omnichannel Strategy and European Presence
Wittchen continues to execute its omnichannel strategy, with online sales now accounting for 57% of total revenue. The company operates 42 online stores, including 8 owned websites and 34 marketplace platforms across 23 European countries. Online sales grew 6% year-over-year, adding 3.0 million PLN to the top line.
The company’s European footprint is visualized in the following map, showing its physical store presence across multiple countries:
Offline sales represent 36% of total revenue, with Wittchen operating 114 physical stores spanning 10,486 square meters of retail space (an increase of 737 square meters year-over-year). The store network includes 89 locations in Poland and 25 international stores across Czechia, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Austria, Germany, and Ukraine (franchise).
International sales accounted for 19% of total revenue in Q1 2025, down from 21% in the same period last year. The company noted a 4.7% decline in international sales, attributing this to the appreciation of the Polish złoty and challenging market conditions in Germany and Czechia.
The quarterly sales trends across different channels are illustrated in this chart:
Product Mix and Inventory Management
Wittchen’s product assortment continues to evolve, with notable growth in the clothing category, which increased from 6% of sales in Q1 2024 to 11% in Q1 2025. Wallets remain the company’s core product category, maintaining a 51% share of sales, while bags decreased from 20% to 15% of the mix.
The company’s inventory levels increased during the quarter, primarily due to the expansion of suitcase and clothing product ranges. Inventory per square meter rose by 13%, while accounts receivable remained stable and liabilities were comparable to Q1 2024 levels.
The following chart illustrates the evolution of Wittchen’s product mix:
Forward-Looking Statements
Looking ahead, Wittchen outlined several strategic priorities for 2025, including improving sales and marketing efficiency, enhancing online marketing, expanding its store network, optimizing marketplace partnerships, boosting international sales, and adjusting logistics processes.
The company’s key takeaways and future outlook are summarized in this slide:
Management acknowledged ongoing sales pressure but emphasized their focus on process optimization in e-commerce and retail operations. The company plans to continue expanding its product range while controlling costs, with the ultimate goal of returning to stronger revenue growth.
Wittchen also highlighted its dividend policy, noting that it paid 3.57 PLN per share from 2023 earnings, representing a yield of 10.8%. The company’s stable ownership structure, with the Wittchen family controlling 60% of shares, provides continuity in strategic direction.
As Wittchen navigates the challenging retail environment, its ability to balance omnichannel growth with profitability improvement will be crucial for investor confidence in the coming quarters.
Full presentation:
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