ARKO Corp. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results

RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ARKO Corp. (Nasdaq: ARKO) ("ARKO” or the "Company”), a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest convenience store operators in the United States, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and the full year ended December 31, 2024.

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Key Highlights (vs. Year-Ago Period)^1,2

• Net loss for the quarter was $2.3 million compared to net income of $1.1 million.  For the year, net income was $20.8 million compared to $34.6 million.
• Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $56.8 million compared to $61.8 million.  For the year, Adjusted EBITDA was $248.9 million compared to $276.3 million. 
• Merchandise margin rate for the quarter increased to 33.0% compared to 32.9%.  For the year, merchandise margin rate increased to 32.8% compared to 31.8%.
• Merchandise contribution for the quarter was $134.9 million compared to $146.8 million; more than half of the merchandise contribution decline for the quarter was associated with the Company's accretive dealerization program.  For the year, merchandise contribution was $579.6 million compared to $585.1 million.
• Retail fuel margin for the quarter was 38.7 cents per gallon compared to 39.2 cents per gallon, resulting from macroeconomically-driven lower fuel prices and reduced price volatility. For the year, retail fuel margin increased to 39.6 cents per gallon compared to 38.8 cents per gallon.
• Retail fuel contribution for the quarter was $100.2 million compared to $109.3 million. For the year, retail fuel contribution was $428.2 million compared to $435.3 million.

• As part of the Company's developing transformation plan, the Company converted 153 retail stores to dealer sites during the year ended December 31, 2024, including approximately 100 stores converted in the fourth quarter of 2024. The Company expects to convert a meaningful number of additional stores throughout 2025, including another approximately 100 retail stores by the end of the first quarter of 2025. The stores converted to dealer locations in 2024 are expected to produce an annualized benefit to combined wholesale segment and retail segment operating income of approximately $8.5 million. The Company now expects that, at scale, its channel optimization will yield a cumulative annualized benefit of operating income in excess of $20 million. This channel optimization is also expected to enable the Company to better focus and prioritize future investments in its remaining retail stores.
• In 2024, the Company expanded its planned pipeline of NTI (new-to-industry) stores to eight, including two stores that opened in 2024 and an additional two stores opened in the first quarter of 2025. The Company expects to open the four remaining NTI locations over the course of 2025.
• The Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.03 per share of common stock to be paid on March 21, 2025 to stockholders of record as of March 10, 2025.

² All figures for fuel costs, fuel contribution and fuel margin per gallon exclude the estimated fixed margin or fixed fee paid to the Company's wholesale fuel distribution subsidiary, GPM Petroleum LP ("GPMP”) for the cost of fuel (intercompany charges by GPMP).

"We navigated a challenging macroeconomic environment in 2024, while advancing the development of our multi-year transformation plan," said Arie Kotler, Chairman, President, and CEO of ARKO. "We made progress with our dealerization program by strategically refining our retail footprint, strengthening merchandising initiatives, and enhancing customer engagement through value-driven promotions for in-store merchandise and, more recently, a more aggressive value offer at the pump. Our focus on operational efficiencies and the dealerization program allowed us to manage through industry-wide headwinds while making strategic investments in high-growth areas, such as food service and other tobacco products to meet evolving customer preferences.”

Mr. Kotler continued: "Looking ahead to 2025, we remain committed to driving sustainable long-term growth and value creation for our stakeholders. We plan to strengthen our competitiveness by continuing to invest in higher-growth categories, delivering further value to our customers and further optimizing our store portfolio. We are acutely focused on delivering innovative, value-driven solutions that enhance the customer experience while maximizing profitability and expanding revenue opportunities.”

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Segment Highlights

Retail

For the year ended December 31, 2024, merchandise contribution decreased $5.6 million, or 0.9%, compared to the year ended December 31, 2023, while merchandise margin increased to 32.8% in 2024 from 31.8% in 2023. The decrease in merchandise contribution was due to a decrease in same store merchandise contribution of $17.0 million and a decrease in merchandise contribution of $11.6 million related to underperforming retail stores that were closed or converted to dealers, partially offset by incremental merchandise contribution from recent acquisitions of $21.7 million.

For the fourth quarter of 2024, retail fuel contribution decreased $9.1 million to $100.2 million compared to the prior year period, with a same store fuel contribution decrease of $7.4 million attributable to gallon demand declines reflecting the challenging macro-economic environment. Fuel margin of 38.7 cents per gallon was down 0.5 cents per gallon compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, resulting from lower fuel costs and reduced price volatility this year. In addition, a decrease in retail fuel contribution of $3.7 million was related to underperforming retail stores that were closed or converted to dealers, partially offset by incremental fuel contribution from the SpeedyQ acquisition of approximately $1.8 million. 

For the year ended December 31, 2024, fuel contribution decreased $7.1 million, or 1.6%, compared to the year ended December 31, 2023, while fuel margin per gallon increased. Same store fuel margin per gallon for 2024 increased to 39.7 cents per gallon from 39.0 cents per gallon for 2023. Incremental fuel contribution from recent acquisitions of approximately $16.8 million was more than offset by a decrease in same store fuel contribution of $18.6 million. In addition, a decrease in fuel contribution of $6.1 million was related to underperforming retail stores that were closed or converted to dealers compared to 2023.

Wholesale

For the year ended December 31, 2024, wholesale operating income increased $0.8 million, compared to 2023. An increase of approximately $3.4 million in other revenues, net, was partially offset by a decrease in fuel contribution of approximately $2.6 million in 2024 compared to 2023. At fuel supply locations, fuel contribution decreased by $0.5 million, and fuel margin per gallon remained consistent with 2023, primarily due to decreased prompt pay discounts related to lower fuel costs and lower volumes at comparable wholesale sites, which was partially offset by incremental contribution from recent acquisitions and the retail stores converted to dealers. At consignment agent locations, fuel contribution decreased $2.1 million while fuel margin per gallon increased for 2024 compared to 2023, primarily due to incremental contribution from recent acquisitions and the retail stores converted to dealers, which was offset by lower rack-to-retail margins and decreased prompt pay discounts related to lower fuel costs.

Fleet Fueling

For the year ended December 31, 2024, fuel contribution increased by $8.4 million compared to the year ended December 31, 2023. At proprietary cardlocks, fuel contribution increased by $7.9 million, and fuel margin per gallon also increased for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to the year ended December 31, 2023. At third-party cardlock locations, fuel contribution increased $0.5 million, and fuel margin per gallon also increased for 2024 compared to 2023. These changes were primarily due to higher volumes and the cardlocks acquired in the Company's acquisition of certain sites from WTG Fuels Holdings, LLC in 2023.

Site Operating Expenses

For the quarter ended December 31, 2024, convenience store operating expenses decreased $13.0 million, or 6.5%, compared to the prior year period primarily due to a decrease of $14.3 million from underperforming retail stores that were closed or converted to dealers and a decrease in same store operating expenses of $2.2 million, or 1.2%. The decrease in convenience store operating expenses was partially offset by incremental expenses related to the SpeedyQ acquisition that closed in April 2024.

For the year ended December 31, 2024, convenience store operating expenses increased $11.2 million, or 1.4%, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily due to $33.1 million of incremental expenses related to recent acquisitions. The increase in site operating expenses was partially offset by a decrease in same store operating expenses of $0.4 million, and $22.1 million of reduced expenses for underperforming retail stores that were closed or converted to dealers.

Liquidity and Capital Expenditures

As of December 31, 2024, the Company's total liquidity was approximately $841 million, consisting of approximately $262 million of cash and cash equivalents and approximately $579 million of availability under lines of credit. Outstanding debt was $881 million, resulting in net debt, excluding lease related financing liabilities, of approximately $619 million. Capital expenditures were $36.1 million, and $113.9 million for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024, respectively. 

Quarterly Dividend and Share Repurchase Program

The Company's ability to return cash to its stockholders through its cash dividend program and share repurchase program is consistent with its capital allocation framework and reflects the Company's confidence in the strength of its cash generation ability and strong financial position.

The Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.03 per share of common stock to be paid on March 21, 2025 to stockholders of record as of March 10, 2025.

There was approximately $25.7 million remaining under the share repurchase program as of December 31, 2024. 

Company-Operated Retail Store Count and Segment Update

The following tables present certain information regarding changes in the retail, wholesale and fleet fueling segments for the periods presented: