Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE) Earnings
Live Ventures Incorporated is expected to report next earnings on August 6, 2026 (in NaN days), with a consensus EPS estimate of $1.27. LIVE has beaten EPS estimates in 0 of its last 6 reported quarters (average surprise -153.6% over the last four).
| Report date | EPS est | EPS actual | Surprise | Revenue | Rev. surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2026 | — | $0.23 | — | $103M | — |
| Feb 12, 2026 | — | $-0.02 | — | $109M | — |
| Dec 11, 2025 | — | $-0.04 | — | $114M | — |
| Aug 7, 2025 | — | $0.60 | — | $113M | — |
| May 8, 2025 | — | $5.05 | — | $107M | — |
| Feb 6, 2025 | — | $-0.74 | — | $112M | — |
| Dec 12, 2024 | $1.83 | $-0.58 | -131.7% | $113M | +2.5% |
| Aug 8, 2024 | $1.23 | $-0.81 | -165.9% | $124M | +18.0% |
| Feb 8, 2024 | $1.44 | $-0.22 | -115.3% | $118M | +13.1% |
| Dec 20, 2023 | $1.43 | $-1.45 | -201.4% | $104M | +1.5% |
| Aug 10, 2023 | $1.15 | $0.55 | -52.2% | $92M | -10.3% |
| May 11, 2023 | $2.21 | $0.49 | -77.8% | $91M | -8.9% |
Source: company filings + earnings calendar. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
Earnings call summary
Q2 FY2026 · May 14, 2026
AI summary of management’s prepared remarks and analyst Q&A. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
Management highlights
- Overall Consolidated Financial Performance * Total consolidated revenue decreased by $4.1 million (3.8%) to $102.9 million year-over-year. * Gross profit decreased by $600k (1.6%) to $34.6 million, while gross margin improved 80 basis points to 33.6% year-over-year, driven by improved margins across three segments and a more favorable revenue mix weighted to the higher-margin retail entertainment segment. * Reported operating loss was $2 million, compared to $2.1 million operating income in the prior year. Excluding the $4 million non-cash goodwill impairment charge, adjusted consolidated operating income was ~$2 million, nearly flat year-over-year. * Reported net loss was $2.4 million ($0.80 diluted loss per share), compared to net income of $15.9 million ($5.05 diluted EPS) in the prior year. The prior year period benefited from a $22.8 million gain related to a seller note modification, while the current quarter included the goodwill impairment charge. * Adjusted EBITDA was $5.9 million, a decrease of $600k (8.8%) year-over-year. - Liquidity and Balance Sheet * Ending total cash availability was $39.8 million, consisting of $15.2 million cash on hand and $24.6 million in available credit capacity across lines of credit. * Working capital was $74.4 million as of quarter-end, up from $62.1 million as of September 30, 2025. * Total assets were $392.5 million and total stockholders' equity was $92.9 million as of quarter-end. * Total debt was reduced by ~$8 million compared to March of the prior year. - Cost Management * General and administrative expenses decreased 2.3% to $27.7 million, driven by targeted cost reduction initiatives in retail flooring and flooring manufacturing, including lower compensation and professional fees, offset by higher costs in retail entertainment. * Sales and marketing expense increased 3.4% to $4.9 million, driven by higher sales activity in the retail flooring segment.
Guidance
Management did not issue formal numerical guidance for the full fiscal year or remaining half of the fiscal year. The company stated it is committed to building on the operating progress achieved in retail entertainment and flooring manufacturing during the second quarter, while focusing on driving further cost efficiencies and operational improvements in the underperforming retail flooring business through the second half of Fiscal Year 26.
Segment performance
1. Retail Entertainment: Revenue was $21.2 million, up $2.7 million (14.8%) year-over-year. It contributed ~20.6% of consolidated revenue, up from ~17.3% in the prior year period, and delivered 32.8% operating income growth. 2. Retail Flooring: Revenue was $20.2 million, down $7.2 million (26.2%) year-over-year, contributing ~19.6% of consolidated revenue, down from ~25.6% in the prior year. It recorded a $1.9 million increase in operating loss and included a $1.4 million gain from employee retention credits. 3. Flooring Manufacturing: Revenue was $30.3 million, down $1 million (3.2%) year-over-year, contributing ~29.4% of consolidated revenue, and delivered 24% operating income growth. 4. Steel Manufacturing: Revenue was $32.5 million, up $1.1 million (3.4%) year-over-year, contributing ~31.6% of consolidated revenue. Revenue growth came from higher sales volumes in fabricated, hardened wear, tool, and dye businesses, offset by lower revenue in metal forming, assembly, and finishing solutions. A non-cash goodwill impairment charge of ~$4 million was recorded in this segment.
Risks & headwinds
- Continued significant headwinds from softness in the new home construction and home refurbishment markets are negatively impacting sales across both the retail flooring and flooring manufacturing segments, driving large revenue declines in retail flooring. - Persistent market uncertainty and slowing customer demand in the automotive and appliance end markets served by the steel segment's metal forming and stamping business led to lower-than-expected production volumes, which triggered the $4 million non-cash goodwill impairment charge in the quarter. - Acquisition activity carries inherent risk, as the company has made missteps in prior acquisitions that required post-acquisition adjustment and process improvements.
Analyst Q&A
Q: Can you explain why the $4 million goodwill impairment charge was recorded in this quarter, and is it a cash or non-cash loss? /
A: The company performs annual goodwill impairment testing in Q4, but is required to run an impromptu test if a triggering event occurs. Slowing demand from automotive and appliance customers served by the steel segment's metal forming business led to lower-than-expected production volumes, creating market uncertainty that triggered the impairment. This is entirely a non-cash, paper loss with no impact on EBITDA or operating cash flows. Under current GAAP, goodwill is not amortized, so impairment is the only way to reduce goodwill on the balance sheet.
Q: Is the company currently pursuing new acquisitions, or is its focus on paying down existing debt from past deals? /
A: The company's acquisition strategy remains unchanged: it is open to evaluating attractive opportunities as they arise, and is not actively pursuing a diversification goal. While there are no pending acquisitions at this time, the company is using the current period of inactivity to pay down debt, and has reduced total debt by approximately $8 million year-over-year.
Q: Does the company target new acquisitions in its existing operating segments, or will it diversify into new industries, and what have you learned from past acquisition missteps? /
A: The company is willing to pursue opportunities in any industry that meets its investment criteria, but existing market presence often generates more acquisition leads in current segments like steel. From past missteps, the company has learned to continually refine its due diligence process. It conducts post-mortem assessments after every acquisition to identify what worked and what did not, and incremental improves processes to mitigate downside risk moving forward.