By Russ and Tiña De Maris
Camping World’s CEO, Marcus Lemonis, fashions himself as a businessman, television personality, philanthropist and politician. In his television personality, he steered the reality TV show The Profit, wherein he advises struggling business owners on how to make good. The promotional photos show Lemonis sitting on a throne of paper money. It’s not clear if the show’s title is a play on words wherein Lemonis might be suggesting he’s some kind of prophet, but for Camping World Holdings, he may need to rename himself The Loss.
Last Wednesday was a day of reckoning for stockholders, as the company released its second quarter financials. How did it go? Here’s the take from investment advisor blog, The Motley Fool: “Camping World investors were prepared to deal with flat sales and falling earnings. Yet even though the retailer managed to produce modest revenue growth, weaker earnings due to industry headwinds showed just how vulnerable Camping World could be if the RV market doesn’t bounce back quickly.”
Lemonis’ RV jewel box took a pillaging with the company reporting a net income down 27 percent compared to a year ago. Stock market “prophets” had suggested company share earnings would be 66 cents per share – but investors got a far less 46 cents. Revenues didn’t hit the skids nearly as badly, but were still down a little more than 2 percent from a year ago.
Where did the money go? Camping World’s new RV sales were down more than 6 percent, and the big 18 percent jump in used RVs sales was burned up just trying to keep the total number of RV sales relatively stable. While customers weren’t as interested in buying new low-dollar (average $33,000) RVs, they were still spending money on the Good Sam plans and services, up 6 percent. Motley Fool points out that while 6 percent may not sound like much, it’s a big deal for Camping World, because there’s a huge markup in what the company gets out of their offers.
The next day, Thursday, Camping World’s stock took a huge hit – dropping to $8.60 a share, its lowest price ever. It recovered slightly Friday, closing at $8.91. Its 52-week high was $23.60 back in October.
The blog reports Lemonis tried to calm down uptight investors. Quoting him, “While some of the broader macro factors impacting the RV industry are outside of our control right now, we are focused on optimizing our assets and improving the RV consumer experience.” Broader macro factors weren’t apparently of interest to investors, as the company stock submarined 9 percent after the announcement was made. Is Camping World stock a “dog”? Apparently, sagging sales don’t make for wagging tails.
##RVT909
Good riddance if Camping World goes belly-up. The only regret should be that Lemonis will likely still walk away a multi-millionaire, even while the lackeys who did his bidding by selling his dishonest goods and services might fall on hard times. The only way any of these conmen and shysters ever learn anything — IF they learn anything — is when they lose their life’s savings the way so many of their victims have…
“fashions himself as a businessman, television personality, philanthropist and politician” .. hmmm. Except for philantropist, remind anyone of POTUS?
My thoughts exactly!
No, and this is no place for political opinion, thank you very much…..
Are you saying Marcus should put his hat in the ring. Those candidates already running might not appreciate that too much 🙂
Be nice. People don’t have to bash this guy all the time in this website do they. BE THANKFUL you don’t have to call yourself POTUS. I’m sure the rest of us are. Look at the pale dot again and take a moment to think about it.
Wake up. Stop bashing this guy. How many people will suffer if his company fails. Business have good and lean years, I am sure Marcus will turn it more into the black, as time goes on.
I know of no business plan that can prosper WITHOUT RETURNING CUSTOMERS! Chuck, your own survey a few months ago proves that Camping World is chock full of VERY UNHAPPY CUSTOMERS!
I’m not into finances, I lost a lot when GM filed bankruptcy, but it appears to me lemonis does not have the Midas touch as he thinks. Maybe instead he has the Sadim touch where everything he touches turns to rusty tin, at least in the RV world.
I will not enrich lemonis’ wealth with one cent of my money. I avoid camping world like a disease infested country. Being as nice as I can, Never buy anything from CW.