Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE:BBW) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

Michael Baker: One more real quick. I was going to ask if you think student loans led to that — or repayment of student of loans, I should say, restarting those repayments — led to the weakness in October. But if it — I would presume maybe not if it is coming back towards the end of November, or maybe the — I don’t know if there’s any way to know if your customer may be sort of step back a little bit as we’re restarting student loans and now they sort of have incorporated that into the budget? Or do you think student loans had anything to do with what you saw in October?

Sharon Price John: I believe that the shift in consumer — macro consumer sentiment in the second — two weeks of October, which has been widely reported at this point, probably a large combination of things, is that a piece of it could be. Can I link that directly to us? I really have no data to do that. But is it in the [melu] of what consumers are considering when they do or don’t shop or how many things they’re choosing when they go or what price point they’re willing to pay, all of those things in some way could impact consumer confidence, but that would be a difficult thing for me to link that directly to Build-A-Bear.

Operator: Thank you. At this time, I’d like to turn the floor back over to Sharon John for closing comments.

Sharon Price John: Thank you, operator. And thanks to everyone really for joining us today on our third quarter call. I did want to let you know that later today, Build-A-Bear is honored to be participating in the closing bell ceremony here at the New York Stock Exchange where we’re having this call today. We will be following that bell ringing with the 100th anniversary Wall Street Christmas tree lighting celebration, which we look forward to to kick off this amazing holiday season. And the performance tonight will be featuring our own Glisten and Merry Mission theme song. So as you kick off your holiday season as well, we would like to wish you and your families a wonderful, wonderful holiday.

Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your participation. This concludes today’s event. You may disconnect your lines and log off the webcast at this time, and enjoy the rest of your day.