All in, we delivered enterprise positive same-store sales of 1.3% with strength in retail, helping to compensate for soft, but still positive same-store sales in the wholesale business.
Our Sally Beauty retail business in the U.S. and Canada delivered same-store sales growth of 3.7% for the quarter.
For the fourth quarter, hair color was up over 22% in Sally Beauty's U.S. and Canadian retail business, with unit growth and increased AUR.
We also saw strength in the nail category for Sally Beauty's U.S. and Canadian retail business, which was up 11%.
We grew adjusted earnings per share over the prior year by 9%.
And we continued our focus on cost controls, cash management and liquidity, and generated over $131 million in free cash flow.
Following our fast launch of Ship-From-Store and Same-Day Delivery in Q3, we launched 'Buy Online / Pickup In-Store' at Sally Beauty and it will reach all U.S. stores nationwide within a few weeks.
We completed the national rollout of our new Private Label Rewards Credit Card Program to both Sally and BSG customers in the U.S. In just the first month, we had approvals for over 80,000 new card members with a slight weighting to the professional stylists over the retail consumer.
We expanded our Ship-From-Store capabilities to 2,400 stores in the U.S. and nine provinces in Canada.
Now, let's turn to our thoughts on the current economic environment and our outlook for next year.
Additionally, they can find How-To content on our digital sites, starting with Hair Color 101 all the way through more complex application techniques.
We will also replatform the BSG digital experience focused firmly on the pro and add further fulfillment options for BSG in the second half of fiscal year 2021.
On the BSG side, card benefits include an additional 3% discount on purchases and adds better flexibility for stylists and pros to manage their cash flow and business.
Third, as a significant part of our company's history, growth, and current assortment, our Sally Beauty division is partnered with over 25 black-owned brands in our current textured hair category.
They increased by 1.3%.
Consolidated revenue was $958 million for the quarter, a decrease of less than 1% from the prior year.
The increase in same-store sales, led by our Sally Beauty U.S. and Canadian retail business was offset by COVID-19's modest impact on parts of our Beauty Systems Group business during the quarter, and a smaller store base with 23 fewer stores compared to the prior year.
Finally, we saw a favorable impact from foreign currency translation of approximately 20 basis points on reported sales.
For the fourth quarter, e-commerce sales were $63 million, representing growth of 69% over the prior year, led by our Sally U.S. and Canadian e-commerce platform which delivered growth of over 113%.
Retaining these new customers was obviously a key focus for us and in the fourth quarter, we saw repeat purchases from approximately 60% of that new customer group.
Similarly, last quarter we saw opportunity from competitor disruptions in the pro-channel where BSG saw 40,000 new hair color customers walk into our stores during the quarter.
During the fourth quarter, we saw repeat purchases from approximately 50% of those new customers.
Consolidated gross margin for the quarter was 51.1%, which is the highest gross margin rate in at least eight years.
This represented a 150 basis point increase as compared to the prior year.
Consolidated gross profit for the fourth quarter was $489.1 million, an increase of approximately $10 million from the prior year.
As a percentage of sales, selling, general and administrative expenses were 38.3% compared to 37.7% in the prior year, driven primarily by higher e-commerce delivery expenses, which were expected and are something that we're working speedily upon, continued transformation investments and the deleveraging impact of lower sales volume compared to the prior year.
GAAP operating earnings and operating margin in the fourth quarter were $119.7 million and 12.5%, respectively, compared to $116.1 million and 12%, respectively in the prior year.
After excluding charges related to the company's previously announced restructuring efforts in both years and COVID-19-related income in the current year from a Canadian wage subsidy, adjusted operating earnings and adjusted operating margin were $120.3 million and 12.6%, respectively compared to $115.3 million and 11.9%, respectively in the prior year.
GAAP diluted earnings were $0.62 per share and adjusted diluted earnings were $0.63 per share, both compared to $0.58 in the prior year, representing growth of approximately 7% and 9%, respectively as compared to the prior year.
In the fourth quarter, the company had net earnings of $70.2 million compared to $69 million in the prior year, an increase of 1.7%.
Adjusted EBITDA was modestly higher at $146.6 million in the quarter compared to $144 million in the prior year.
Adjusted EBITDA margin also increased to 15.3%.
Global Sally Beauty segment same-store sales increased by 1.7% for the fourth quarter.
The Sally Beauty business in the U.S. and Canada, which represent 80% of the segment sales for the quarter had a same-store sales increase of 3.7% in Q4.
Europe had a decrease in same-store sales for the quarter, while Latin America had a significant decline in same-store sales, given approximately 15% of the stores were closed for more than half the quarter due to COVID-19.
Our global Sally Beauty segment generated revenue of $577 million in the quarter, an increase of about 1% compared to the prior year, driven primarily by the increase in same-store sales, a favorable foreign exchange impact of approximately 40 basis points, partially offset by 42 fewer stores compared to the prior year.
Our global Sally Beauty e-commerce business continued to show strength with growth of 86% in the quarter, led by our U.S. and Canadian e-commerce platforms, which delivered growth of 113%.
For the quarter, gross margin for the accounting segment landed at 57.6%, an increase of 180 basis points compared to the prior year.
We saw Sally Beauty business in the U.S. and Canada also hitting a record gross margin level of 61%.
Segment operating earnings were $103.9 million in the quarter, an increase of 10.6% compared to the prior year, for all the reasons that I've just discussed.
Segment operating margin increased to 18% compared to 16.4% in the prior year.
Total segment same-store sales increased by 0.6% for the quarter.
First, the COVID-19-related shut-downs of California salons in many counties in July and August had an unfavorable impact of approximately 90 basis points on the segment's same-store sales.
Net sales for the segment were $381 million in the quarter, a decrease of 3.3% compared to the prior year.
Finally, we saw an unfavorable foreign exchange impact of approximately 10 basis points.
BSG's e-commerce platform grew by 55% for the fourth quarter driven by consistent demand throughout the quarter.
BSG's gross margin increased by 60 basis points to 41.2% in the quarter, driven primarily by fewer promotions, but partially offset by lower vendor allowances.
Segment operating earnings for BSG were $50.6 million, a decrease of 14.4% compared to the prior year, driven primarily by the decrease in net sales, but partly offset by the increased gross margin rate.
Segment operating margin declined to 13.3% compared to 15% in the prior year.
During the fourth quarter, the company delivered cash flow from operations of $153 million, an increase of 31% compared to the prior year.
Payments for capital expenditures in the quarter totaled $21 million as we continued to invest against our business transformation.
Free cash flow was $131 million in the quarter, which represented a 67% increase as compared to the prior year.
During the fourth quarter, the company used a portion of its cash to reduce its debt levels by $445 million, including paying off its outstanding balance on its revolving line of credit by $375 million, the entire FILO loan balance of $20 million and $50 million of the fixed portion of its Term Loan B. The company did not repurchase any shares during the quarter.
In addition, the company also completed a small acquisition in Quebec, Canada, which added 10 stores, 17 direct sales consultants and exclusive distribution rights to premier professional hair color and hair care brands such as Wella Professional and Goldwell.
At the end of the fourth quarter, the company remains in a very strong liquidity position with $514 million cash on the balance sheet and a zero balance on its $600 million revolving line of credit.
Generally, the company ended the quarter with a leverage ratio of 2.88 times, reflecting our significant cash balance.
For comparison purposes, the leverage ratio that we often cite, as defined in our loan agreement, where the impact of cash on hand is capped at $100 million for net debt calculation purposes was 3.79 times.
For the full fiscal year, consolidated same-store sales decreased by 8.1% due almost entirely to COVID.
Consolidated net sales were $3.51 billion, a decrease of 9.3%, driven primarily by the impact of COVID-19 shut-downs, operating 23 fewer stores and an unfavorable impact from foreign currency translation of approximately 10 basis points.
Global e-commerce sales grew by 103% compared to the prior year, once again led by our U.S. and Canadian e-commerce platforms, which delivered growth of 184%.
GAAP diluted earnings per share for the full fiscal year were $0.99, a decline of 56.2% compared to the prior year, driven primarily by the disrupted operations caused by COVID-19.
Adjusted diluted earnings per share, excluding COVID-19 net expenses in the current year and charges related to the company's transformation efforts in both years, were $1.22, a decline of 46% compared to the prior year.
For the full fiscal year, cash flow from operations was $427 million, an increase of 33% compared to the prior year.
Net payments for capital expenditures totaled $111 million.
Operating free cash flow was $316 million, an increase of 39% compared to the prior year.
For the full fiscal year, the company repurchased 4.7 million shares at an aggregate cost of $61.4 million.
Currently, of our 450 stores in Europe, approximately 180 stores are completely closed due to COVID-19 restrictions with the remaining stores either fully open or operating curbside, where permissible.
Given all of this, we are not able to provide detailed financial guidance for fiscal 2021.
The company will, however, take advantage of the current leasing environment and relocate approximately 70 stores.
As we grow increasingly confident that the environment has stabilized to our satisfaction, we will consider deploying additional excess cash to reduce our debt levels in the direction of moving our leverage ratio to 2.5 times.

Summary:
Our Sally Beauty retail business in the U.S. and Canada delivered same-store sales growth of 3.7% for the quarter.
Following our fast launch of Ship-From-Store and Same-Day Delivery in Q3, we launched 'Buy Online / Pickup In-Store' at Sally Beauty and it will reach all U.S. stores nationwide within a few weeks.
Now, let's turn to our thoughts on the current economic environment and our outlook for next year.
We will also replatform the BSG digital experience focused firmly on the pro and add further fulfillment options for BSG in the second half of fiscal year 2021.
GAAP diluted earnings were $0.62 per share and adjusted diluted earnings were $0.63 per share, both compared to $0.58 in the prior year, representing growth of approximately 7% and 9%, respectively as compared to the prior year.
During the fourth quarter, the company used a portion of its cash to reduce its debt levels by $445 million, including paying off its outstanding balance on its revolving line of credit by $375 million, the entire FILO loan balance of $20 million and $50 million of the fixed portion of its Term Loan B. The company did not repurchase any shares during the quarter.
Given all of this, we are not able to provide detailed financial guidance for fiscal 2021.