RH CEO confident in the retailer’s expansion plans: ‘We still feel like we’re just warming up’

RH CEO Gary Friedman advised CNBC on Thursday he was confident in the firm’s expansion imaginative and prescient, even when some might query the luxurious furnishings retailer’s strikes into the European market or new industries altogether.

“It takes a long time to build something extraordinary in this world, and we still feel like we’re just warming up, honestly,” Friedman mentioned in interview with Jim Cramer on “Mad Money.” “We’re more excited than we’ve ever been and we see more opportunity than we’ve ever seen.”

RH, previously generally known as Restoration Hardware, is planning to open shops in England and Paris subsequent yr as a part of the California-based firm’s worldwide expansion.

The firm can also be shifting additional into hospitality — it already operates eating places — with the debut of its RH Guesthouse idea in New York City. That is ready to open this fall, adopted by an RH Guesthouse in Aspen, Colorado, subsequent yr. Friedman rejects labeling them as accommodations, saying RH is attempting to “create a new market for privacy and luxury.”

In Aspen, RH additionally has plans to develop properties in what it is calling its first “RH ecosystem.”

“A lot of the things we’re going to do are just going to be, initially, misunderstood. And until they’re seen and respected … then you can’t ignore it,” Friedman mentioned.

Friedman is confident in the firm’s means to achieve success in Europe, pointing to RH’s expertise sourcing product from the area, together with its place as the prime Italian bedding and Belgian linen sellers in the world.

Friedman acknowledged that on the floor, RH’s foray into new industries like residential actual property could seem odd for an organization historically considered as a retailer. “But if you’re trying to build one of the most admired brands in the world, if you want to do something extraordinary, you can’t take an ordinary path,” he mentioned.

Friedman’s look Thursday on “Mad Money” got here at some point after RH posted fourth-quarter income and earnings that surpassed analyst expectations. RH completed fiscal 2020 with gross sales of $2.85 billion. In a letter to shareholders, Friedman wrote that RH believes the “data supports the RH brand reaching $5 to $6 billion in North America and $20 to $25 billion globally.”

RH shares rose 9% in Thursday’s session, closing at $529.08 apiece. The inventory is up virtually 400% in the previous 12 months.