Hello. Good morning and welcome to the North West Company third quarter conference call.

Joining me here today is John King, our Chief Financial Officer, and Alexis Cloutier, our VP, Legal and Corporate Secretary. Alexis will begin with our disclosure statement.

Thank you, Dan. Before we begin today, I remind you that certain information presented may constitute forward-looking statements.

Such statements reflect North West current expectations, estimates, projections, and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, which could cause actual performance and financial results in the future to vary materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements.

Any forward-looking statements are current only as of the date they're made, and the company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future results, or otherwise, other than what's required by law. For additional information on these risks, please see North West Annual Information Form and its MD&A under the heading Risk Factors.

Thanks, Alexis. I'm going to start with an overview of our results for the quarter and then move on to comment on our outlook and the Next 100 Program, and then I'll be opening up for questions.

All right, let me begin by summarizing the story this quarter. Overall, we delivered solid net earnings gains with a very challenging quarter from a top-line perspective.

Sales in the quarter decreased 0.5% compared to last year. That's primarily due to less money in market resulting from reduced child and family services funding in Canada and a lower permanent fund dividend in Alaska.

Despite these headwinds, we delivered a 12.9% increase in net earnings compared to last year, driven by improved gross profit rates from our Next 100 work and lower expenses. All right, let's unpack that, starting with sales.

Consolidated same-store sales decreased by 1.7% this quarter compared to a 4% increase last year. That's primarily due to the headwinds in our Canadian operations and the challenge of matching strong sales comps from Q3 last year.

Canadian operations sales decreased 2%, with same-store sales down 2.8% compared to a strong 4.9% increase in Q3 of last year. The lower sales in Canada was primarily due to a decrease in money in market from the elimination of funding for the Inuit Child First food voucher program and a reduction in funding for Jordan's Principle programs compared to last year.

A decrease in drinking water settlement payments and Climate Action Incentive payments compared to the third quarter last year were also factors, but to a lesser degree. A decrease in money in market combined with consumers shifting their spending from general merchandise to food were the primary reasons for the 3.1% decrease in general merchandise and other sales in Canadian operations, as higher airline revenue from third-party cargo and passenger business and an increase in pharmacy sales were more than offset by an 11.1% decrease in same-store general merchandise sales.

On a positive note, all of our stores in the communities impacted by wildfire evacuations have resumed operations and had a modest decrease in sales for the quarter. All right, I'm going to switch gears now and just briefly comment on the international sales.

Sales in our international operations were flat for the quarter, as an increase in same-store food sales of 1% offset a decrease of 9.9% in same-store general merchandise sales. In Alaska, a lower Permanent Fund Dividend of $1,000 compared to $1,700 last year, combined with consumers shifting more of their spending to food, were the key factors contributing to the decrease in general merchandise sales.

Softer economic conditions in the South Pacific markets were also a factor. With that deeper dive on sales, I'll briefly comment on consolidated gross profit and expenses.

Gross profit increased 1.4% for the quarter, with the gross profit rate up 64 basis points compared to the third quarter last year. This improvement reflects the positive impacts from our Next 100 work, particularly the ongoing refinement of our merchandise assortment and expanded private label offering in both our Canadian and international operations.

A change in sales blend, including lower wholesale sales and a decrease in general merchandise seasonal markdowns in our international operations compared to last year, were also factors. Expenses decreased by 1% for the quarter and were down 13 basis points as a rate to sales, largely due to reduced share-based compensation costs primarily related to the changes in the company's share price and a decrease in vessel repairs in Transport Nanuk.

We also incurred $1.3 million in one-time costs related to the execution of our Next 100 Program, which were more than offset by the benefits from our Next 100 initiatives. We continue to see store labor productivity gains, which are resulting in lower store staff costs as a percentage of sales, in addition to other cost savings initiatives, such as reduced print media.

The net impact of all these factors, combined with a decrease in interest expense and a lower effective tax rate, resulted in a 12.9% increase in net earnings for the quarter. All right, now let me talk briefly about our outlook and provide a few comments on the Next 100 Program.

Since we provided commentary on the key factors we expect to impact our outlook in the report to shareholders, I will just comment on the expected near-term impact of money in market in Canada. The elimination of ICFI food voucher funding and a reduction in Jordan's Principle program funding are expected to continue to impact sales in Q4, with some offsets anticipated from an increase in consumer demand from First Nation child-in-care settlement payments.

As we noted in our outlook, the distribution of first class of child-in-care settlement payments to individuals in the communities we serve began with a very small number of payments at the end of Q3, and there has been a modest increase in the volume of payments so far in the fourth quarter. We expect the distribution of child-in-care settlement payments to ramp up in 2026 and extend for a number of years beyond 2026, based on the requirements for individuals in the removed child class to reach the age of majority before payments are issued, combined with the anticipated opening of the application process and distribution of settlement payments for the other eight classes.

Regarding the Next 100 Program, we remain focused on driving operational excellence and cost efficiencies. From a category management perspective, we continue to refine our merchandise assortments and procurement strategy, with a focus on the expansion of our private label offering.

Throughout 2025, we have ramped up the rollout of new merchandise assortments and expanded the private label offering in both our Canadian and international operations. Although it is still early in the process, feedback from customers has been positive, and the trends of private label penetration are encouraging.

The implementation of store-based inventory forecasting and replenishment technology and a new warehouse management system are also underway. With these new processes and tools, we expect to improve on shelf availability for our customers and streamline the merchandise ordering processes for our store and warehouse teams.

We are pleased with progress and results to date, but also recognize that there's still a lot of work to do as we continue to learn and refine this new operating model. Let me wrap up by saying that the Next 100 operational excellence focus has helped mitigate some of the external headwinds that impacted our results this quarter, and the foundation we're building is expected to continue to deliver value to our customers, shareholders, and employees going forward.

With that, Operator, I will now open up the call for any questions.

Hey, good morning, guys. Thanks for taking my question.

To start, I guess can you maybe just help us understand the relative impact of the various factors you called out driving the same-store sales decline in Canada? With respect to the declines in government funding specifically, is that stable or did that kind of worsen compared to last quarter?

Turn it up, it's hard to hear.

Can you repeat that question?

You cut...

Yeah. Sure sure sure thing, I'll go again.

Could I'm just wondering if you could help us understand the relative impact of the you got me? Just want to understand the relative impact of the various factors driving the same-store sales decline in Canada.

Then with respect to the declines in in government funding for for some of those programs, is that stable or or did that worsen compared to Q2?

Lots to unpack there. Look, I'll give you the full down.

The biggest impact on sales was definitely the money in market. That's, I think, something that I think we've been pretty consistent with that and clear on some of the messaging that we've identified, especially with the ICFI, the Jordan's Principle, the pullback in funding, and the slower pace, I guess, than some of the market has anticipated.

Although we've always said that I think Q1 is when we thought we were expecting some of the payments from the child benefit. I would say, money in market is the number one headwind.

Big-ticket motorized sales reduction, that's also a big one. Obviously, they're higher price point, lower margin, but that's been a pretty big impact as well.

Definitely some thumb-pointing, we've engaged with a new vendor, our supply chain that we just rolled out this year where we've moved over to a new system on a push system, and there was some disruption there. I would say, not nearly the degree as some of the others, but there was probably higher out-of-stock on our shelves than typical just as a result of some of the turbulence that we experienced, which would be expected.

Definitely reacted very quickly, and are looking very positive as far as how we're rebounding from that and being a lot stronger as a result of it, I might add. With reducing prices, I know we're just getting into it, but with the private label program, obviously lowering prices, increasing gross profit, but lowering prices for our customers had some impact, not a lot, but certainly something to be considered as the private label program is starting to gain a lot of traction in our markets.

Don't forget we're comping some big quarters. Double-digit, I think, of this year, certainly Q3, Q4, and then Q1 into next with a lot of the money that was in the market previously.

However, as we indicated, we are expecting to be able to offset that in Q1 with more of the childcare benefit money coming in. I'll also say that with respect to payments, look, there has been some press out there.

If you recall, I've been pretty consistent with forecasting in Q1 is when we thought a majority of the money is going to come. The childcare benefit did ramp up from the previous quarter, but again, it's not anywhere near the level that we're anticipating.

I think I answered your question, sir.

That's great. Appreciate those comments.

Then on Next 100, appreciate all the commentary there. I guess can you maybe just update us with respect to which initiatives you still see the most low-hanging fruit for at this point?

Then maybe just at a higher level, how far along would you say you are in the overall journey of executing Next 100, as we're exiting 2025 here?

As we're exiting 2025, oh, there's a number of different initiatives. The low-hanging fruit, not sure there's any more low-hanging fruit, but we're in execution phase.

As as I indicated on the private label, we're starting to get it ramped up. I would say we had it executed October-November, but it's, with some fixes in place, we're on a nice trajectory there.

Things are getting better and better as we go on. On the other hand, the supply chain optimization, it was a little rocky.

We anticipate that the headwinds are behind us, and but yet it's going to be still a pretty good journey. We've got the pilots, stores are done.

We've rolled it out now to most of the chain in Canada on our forecast and replenishment. We anticipate that it would probably be up and operational fully in '27, but we know there's going to be some benefits certainly throughout 2026.

The CPI work, the Category Performance Improvement plan, I would say we're probably 50 50% through that approximately, and but we expect to see some more benefits into 2026. Probably I'd say it'll probably level off by the end of 2026, and then we'd be comping that into '27.

John, looking at GNFR, we're pretty well into it. I'd say 75% through GNFR.

Goods not for resale. I think that the biggest benefit probably to come is going to be from the supply chain optimization.

That's in our forecast and replenishment, moving away from the pull system that we had in the stores previously and going into a push, working through algorithms to just get more controls and be more accurate with our inventory management.

Great. Thanks.

If I could just sneak one more in. You guys renewed your NCIB last month.

Do you plan to be active on the NCIB going forward or how are you thinking about potential buybacks relative to some of your other priorities?

Our other priorities are in and operating, and we have we have we have, some healthy investments to make in the business now and into 2026, obviously, with some of the things that we talked about and some of the new store new store renovations in some of our major markets. I I think it's it's somewhat TBD, obviously, much like you would look at it depending on what the stock price does.

We are we're we're really optimistic about the future of the company, we have no problem investing more into the NCIB. Yeah.

All right, thanks, Dan. I'll jump back in the queue.

Thank you.

Great, thank you. Just to finish up on the NCIB question.

You do have higher levels of spending short term. Can you comment on what the CapEx rollout looks like this year, next year, and maybe '27?

Then, given that you have a strong balance sheet, would you be willing to supplement any free cash flow with maybe balance sheet leveraging to also fund the NCIB while the share price is depressed?

I think we would look at that absolutely. It's something that we are looking at just how we would want to position ourselves going forward pending our next phase strategy, which is work that we're undergoing as we speak.

In other words, it's much like the same commentary I've made before. We think the best place for the money obviously is investing it in our business and infrastructure in order to generate some strong returns for our shareholders.

If there's no opportunities at that point in time, and we had a buildup of cash, we would certainly look to execute on the NCIB. If we had sustainable higher cash flows, then obviously we would look at working with our dividend.

What does the CapEx look like the next little while? 145 this year still?

145, yep.

How about next year?

160 is I think what we're forecasting currently.

That's above your normal run rates. When do we get back to a more normal level?

I would say the following year, '27. We've had some pretty sizable projects that were kind of in the midst of, Michael.

As soon as we get over that hump, then it will start to normalize, both with some of our IT investment as well some of our major markets that have had a long draw out of capital, I would say. We've just undergone a project.

It's been a three-year project, Qikiqtaaluk in Iqaluit is what I'm talking about. That'll be coming to an end at the end of 2026.

What's 2020 what's a normal level of CapEx that we can expect over time?

It's a great question, especially given the inflation and costs and what it costs to do things in the North. I would say my expectation would be sub-140.

All right, just getting back then. To the NCIB, it seems like you're going to be using a lot of your free cash flow on your dividend and CapEx and growth or excess incremental CapEx.

Your balance sheet at just over one times leverage is very clean relative to other retailers out there. I'm wondering, are you thinking of looking at that now and using some leverage to buy back the stock opportunistically given the low price or are you just waiting until free cash flow comes through?

Currently, we are waiting for free cash flow, Michael. I can tell you that it is fluid, we are undergoing some strategy work right now to understand what our next adventure is.

We wanted to make sure that we focused on execution, obviously, with a number of ideas as to where we would like to go from here. I would say currently, to be frank, it was more thinking about future incremental cash flows spurring down NCIB.

We have not planned to currently flex the balance sheet to buy NCIB right now. I'd say it's somewhat fluid, but that's not in the cards right now.

Okay. Then on the Next 100, that was also mostly covered, but just to summarize on that one.

If you're looking at $100 in total benefit, let's call it, over the course of it, where would you have been in '25 and where do you think you'll be in '26 before getting all of it in '27? Huh.

I would say that's a great question.

Did you say

50%? I'd say 50%.

50% in '25?

Yep.

Then I guess we extrapolate and say 75% or 80% in '26 and then all of it in 100% in '27?

Yep.

Okay. All right.

Good enough. Just to get an idea.

Then I just wanted to touch on some of those Jordan's Principle claims settlement payments. It sounds like the AFN is talking about something like 6,600 payments having been made at this point, which just over $40,000 is about $40,000 each, by the sounds of it.

Which is a pretty big ramp-up compared to zero almost a few months ago. Also only 1% of the total payments that are expected over time.

Why do you think you're not seeing a bigger ramp-up in Q4 in your communities?

Currently, look, it could be the postal strike. It could be the administrative efficiency of the administrators.

This isn't new, though, right? We've seen this many times before as far as the disbursement of these different payments.

Which is why I would always put a hedge on it on time frame. I can't answer why, but I can tell you that it's not unexpected.

It's something that we're kind of ready for and optimistic, obviously, hopefully for this season that people have a few more dollars in their pockets to enjoy the season. Like I said, more so looking to Q1 of '26 is when we think that it's going to start coming in.

Look, I don't think there's any question on whether it's coming. We know it's coming.

It's just about how quickly it can be processed. I think we can appreciate that the history has shown that it doesn't happen as quickly as everybody would like, including some of the leaders that are obviously advocating on behalf of some of their constituents.

Right. That's clear.

If I remember correctly, some of these other payments that are falling off now, the water settlement payments and things like that, those were smaller than what this one is going to be. The water settlement itself only affected 30 of your communities, I think, if I remember correctly.

So

Just under that, I think, yeah.

Just under? Does this does this Jordan's Principle settlement is this affecting all 140 of your communities?

Is this benefiting all of them?

No, it wouldn't be all of them. A large majority of them, I would say, in northern Canada, but not all of them.

I think the number's about 60, just under half.

Okay. About 60?

Yeah.

Okay. Do you have any sense as to what percentage of that $23 billion of payments that are going to be made are going to end up in your communities?

I think you'd probably have to do your own math on that, Michael, just because there's a lot of assumptions that we make. Knowing you, I think you'll probably get pretty close to an assumption that we would.

No, it's a really highly educated or uneducated [chuckles] It's a very high assumption as to what we had. It wouldn't be productive, I don't think, for us to give you a number.

Last question for you. Could you try to hazard or give us some kind of insight into your capture rates in the past when these types of programs or payments come out in your communities?

No, we don't release that. I will tell you that the capture rates that we've seen in the few that we've had have been on our forecast, pretty consistent with what we had anticipated with slight improvement.

I would say we've been pretty accurate so far. We just need more of it.

All right, thanks, guys.

Thanks.

Thank you. Good morning, guys.

Lots of great color so far, a lot of my questions have been answered. I just wanted to see if I could get a better sense of Dan, you're talking about the fact that you've always said that Q1 is probably when you expect to see some of the more meaningful settlement payments coming through.

Obviously, hasn't been very transparent in terms of the timing from the administrator. I was just curious what kind of visibility you have into the payments beginning in Q1 and kind of how we should think about that actually coming to fruition.

Oh maybe [chuckles] I wouldn't say I'm an expert, but I would say that it's just based on being around the history how we've seen payments administered in the past, it's a hypothesis. It's a guess.

I know I get exposed to the same information that everybody else does. You heard some of the people that are close, they thought it would have been sooner.

I was probably putting a contingency on what some of the other people were identifying. It's not all that scientific, unfortunately.

I wish I could give you more assurances there, but I can't. It's simply a guess based on with putting a hedge or a contingency on what is anticipated or expected with some of the community leaders who are, I'd say on the front line of the negotiations and in constant conversations.

It comes down to bureaucracy, and bureaucracy's controlled by I don't know, if you find out, let me know. The decisions are made, I don't think there's anything to halt it.

It's just on the timing of the payments. I guess that's calming.

It's calming the fact that you know it's coming, but everybody's anticipating, and including obviously the customers that are going to be receiving it. I would think nobody wants it more than them.

That's where we're sitting right now.

No, understood. Thank you.

Then and then maybe just, looking at the Inuit Child First food voucher program and and the reduction in funding from Jordan's Principle programs, which kind of which which weighed on weighed on the Q3 numbers and and, you kind of you highlight as a as a uncertainty in the outlook. Do you have any insight?

Are are those maybe thinking of each of those ones separately, is is there a scenario where the funding for those programs ramps back up or or are those being phased out and, we just have to deal with it going forward and kind of ramp, we comp the impact next year?

The Inuit Child First, I don't anticipate that's going to ramp up again, but I know that there's a lot of works in place to try and get that to be the case. Jordan's Principle, that will ramp up again, I think.

When, I don't know, because it's between a negotiation now with some of the Indigenous leaders on how it's going to be administered. It's already committed to by Canada.

As you recall, the vote came through with the Chiefs in the regions, and they had voted that they weren't going to accept it. It wasn't based on the quantum or the settlement.

It was more based on how is it going to be administered within their communities. As Ontario actually elected to accept it, and the rest of the regions declined it.

That was one of the major causes of some of the retraction of the Jordan's Principle money. I do anticipate that'll come back around, but it's stuck in some political dispute right now.

I couldn't venture a guess as far as when that's going to be resolved. Once it is resolved, it'll be a positive for sure for the community members in the North.

That's helpful. Thanks, Dan.

Then maybe just turning to the international business, cuz we don't want to leave any stone unturned here. [laughs] You're getting a lot in Canada.

Obviously, kind of flattish same-store sales growth, and obviously, the Permanent Fund Dividend was a negative impact, as well as weaker economic conditions in the South Pacific. Can you talk about what some of the positive offsets were to those two headwinds?

Sure. Some of the positive offsets a little different a lot of book, not necessarily transacted, but there as we have started to sell more big ticket in Alaska, although I think the seasons ahead are going to be stronger than prior, but we will see a big increase in particularly Ski-Doos in Alaska.

Also, we had a new store come online, which was real positive for AC. That was a nice offset as well, new store in Barrow, Alaska.

That's a really nice community, and it's going to be a good asset for North West, for sure. Otherwise, I know that the team is working hard right now.

It's a tough environment in Alaska. The Caribbean, again, is doing fine, and it's had some, it's been stable.

It's really the South Pacific that has been a bit of a drain on, and just getting back from some of the typhoon work, and just the competition is increased and the economy is worsened, it's kind of a tougher situation. We're optimistic next year that some of the strategies that we're putting in place are going to hold us in a good stead.

We're combining some of our operations and building a more impactful, efficient store that's going to take two out and put one in. We think it's going to make a real positive impact in Guam.

Right. Then maybe just finally, with maybe not reduction in SNAP benefits, but the noise around SNAP benefits through the big beautiful bill, did any of that sort of work into your numbers, and was that an impact in the quarter?

In

this quarter? I think that's more this quarter, Stephen, so that will have a little bit of an impact on this quarter.

It was a bit of a Yeah. It did introduce some noise.

That's great. Thanks for the color, guys.

Appreciate it.

For sure. Yep.

Thanks very much. Good morning.

Just starting off on the $23 billion settlement and the payment volumes being low there to date. Have you actually observed any in-market spending from those payments or is that why you're expecting to be more of a Q1 event?

You mean the individuals that did get payments, have we seen an increase in spend of those payments in our stores, is that what you mean?

Correct, yeah.

Yep. Yes, we have.

As we said, we've retained a lot of our expected retention on the money that we've been able to track in markets.

Great. Then just on the two open classes within that settlement.

I guess can you just talk about your expectations around those? I think from my perspective, it seems like more of that the Removed Child Family Class compensation would be flowing to individuals on-reserve and in your markets.

Just curious to hear your thoughts about those two.

We don't really have too much thought around it other than the fact that we're excited for the rest of the classes to open, but this is just getting going, I don't know, maybe I'm not understanding your question. Could you go a little deeper as far as how I think about the quantum?

Is that I guess just with how the money's flowing to the individuals that are eligible under those classes. I guess there would be obviously circumstances where children might have been removed from their homes under the Removed Child Class that are no longer on-reserve, maybe directionally there'd be more money flowing to reserves through the Removed Child Family Class, if that makes sense.

No, I don't know. Like, John, do you understand the question?

I'm having a tough time. Do you mean money going to the reserve, to the Council or the administration on the reserve rather than the individual?

No, to individuals. We can take it offline as well.

That'd be great. Sorry.

Okay. No worries.

Then just on international, on the PFD, we've seen a few years of lower dividends now, and next year is an election year in Alaska, do you think it would be reasonable to assume that we should see a larger PFD next year?

No, I don't think it's a [chuckles] It's not always rational. Next year is not an election year, the election years are usually when they ramp up.

If you remember, it's been as high as $3,000-plus, $1,700 last year, $1,000 this year. I don't anticipate it would go down, but I don't think it would get, in my kind of experiences just watching the cycles, I don't expect it's going to triple.

It's tough to even forecast what it's going to be, but I would not anticipate it would go down. I would say if anything, marginally up, but yeah.

Got it. Then just lastly on private label, I know it's still early days, but I guess could you just provide an update on how many stores are now stocked with those products and just whether you've seen any trade down from the national brands?

Most of the stores are now stocked with the private label, with the exception of a few like, for example, where we're doing a major renovation in Iqaluit, for example, which is a substantial store, and a couple others. Most of the stores are up now with the private label offering.

Perfect. That's all for me.

Thanks.

Thank you.

All right, well thank you, Operator. [clears throat] Yeah, really, I'd just like to wish everybody a very best of the holiday season, and I look forward to speaking to you on our Q4 earnings in April.

Thank you.