Tractor Supply Company, based in Brentwood, Tennessee, operates over 2,000 stores under its flagship farm-and-ranch brand, serving rural and suburban customers with everything from animal feed to workwear. The Petsense chain, acquired in 2016, was intended to capture the standalone pet specialty market but struggled to generate consistent profits. The current closures mark a strategic pullback from that effort.
In its most recent earnings report, published last week, Tractor Supply disclosed it would shutter 75 Petsense stores nationwide. The release noted that, as of the end of June, 209 Petsense by Tractor Supply outlets were operating in 23 states.
CEO Hal Lawton said on the earnings call: "Following a disciplined review of Petsense, we've decided to close approximately 75 underperforming stores. We believe these actions will improve returns, simplify the business, and allow us to direct resources towards higher growth, higher return opportunities."
He explained that the affected locations were not generating enough revenue to pay for site-specific costs such as rent, wages, and stock. Halting those losses frees up capital that can be redirected into the company's main operations, he added.
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Tractor Supply's move to reduce Petsense's footprint coincides with its ongoing heavy investment in its primary farm-and-ranch retail chain, serving rural and suburban shoppers with items from animal feed to workwear. Pet-related efforts continue to be a key growth driver for the company, supported by the Allivet online pharmacy and VIP Petcare vaccination services offered in its main stores.
Additionally, Lawton said that after the shutdowns, he believes the firm will "have a very strong, profitable Petsense business" that will fit seamlessly into its larger pet ecosystem, which encompasses Allivet and VIP Petcare. He further stressed that the Petsense adjustments are not seen as impacting the renewed growth of pet product sales in Tractor Supply's main stores, which operate independently of Petsense.
After the closure of these 75 underperforming locations, Tractor Supply will operate roughly 134 Petsense stores across the remaining states. The closures are part of a broader effort to focus on higher-performing assets and improve overall profitability.
Tractor Supply also scaled back its expansion plans. Money freed up from the reduced expansion schedule will be reallocated to projects such as store renovations under Project Fusion, designed to boost the productivity of Tractor Supply's current locations.
During the earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Kurt Barton stated that the "strategic repositioning of Petsense is expected to create a healthier, more profitable business that better complements our Tractor Supply stores and strengthens our ability to serve pet customers across our integrated pet ecosystem."
Tractor Supply stock (ticker: TSCO) was trading at $31.80, up 2.51% for the day.
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