A client sporting a protecting masks walks previous a sale signal at an American Eagle Outfitters Inc. clothes retailer at Westfield San Francisco Centre in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Thursday, June 18, 2020.
Michael Quick | Bloomberg | Getty Pictures
American Eagle Outfitters reported Wednesday fiscal first-quarter earnings and gross sales that topped analysts’ estimates, as customers spent their cash on new types of denim, summer time swimwear, and cozy bras and underwear from Aerie.
Its shares have been down round 1% on the information in prolonged buying and selling, nonetheless, as the corporate did not present a monetary outlook for the complete yr. The inventory had closed the day up greater than 5%.
The outcomes observe robust showings earlier within the week from each Urban Outfitters and Abercrombie & Fitch. The three retailers’ executives are pointing to pent-up demand — significantly amongst youthful shoppers — who’re wanting to get out of the home and socialize once more. And as they do this, they need new outfits to don in entrance of household and pals.
American Eagle had already preannounced in April that its first-quarter gross sales have been on tempo to high $1 billion.
Momentum has continued to speed up into the second quarter, it stated Wednesday.
Here is how American Eagle did for the interval ended Could 1, in contrast with what analysts have been anticipating, based mostly on Refinitiv estimates:
- Earnings per share: 48 cents adjusted vs. 46 cents anticipated
- Income: $1.03 billion vs. $1.02 billion anticipated
American Eagle’s internet revenue for the interval ended Could 1 grew to $95.5 million, or 46 cents per share, in contrast with a lack of $257.2 million, or $1.54 per share, a yr earlier. Excluding one-time changes, the corporate earned 48 cents per share, 2 cents forward of analyst expectations.
Income climbed to $1.03 billion from $551.7 million a yr earlier. That beat estimates for $1.02 billion.
Gross sales on the firm’s namesake American Eagle model have been up barely from 2019 ranges, it stated, at $728 million. Whereas Aerie’s income surged 89% on a two-year foundation, to $297 million.
Jen Foyle, chief inventive officer at American Eagle Outfitters and world president of Aerie, stated in an interview with CNBC that the corporate has pulled again on promotions, serving to to spice up income. The enterprise is also reacting quicker to trend traits, comparable to the recognition of high-rise and wide-leg pants, she defined. And it’s getting smarter about suggesting different items on mannequins in shops and on-line to finish whole seems to be.
“We proceed to only give attention to actually getting the outfits [right] and finishing the look,” Foyle stated. “Specializing in tops and attire and trend. … We have actually began to assault that, quick.”
American Eagle shares are up about 76% yr up to now.
Buyers with their City Outfitters procuring baggage in Soho in New York
Richard Levine | Corbis | Getty Pictures
Activewear offers a lift
On Tuesday, City Outfitters reported fiscal first-quarter earnings 54 cents per share on income of $927.4 million. Analysts had been searching for earnings 17 cents per share on gross sales of $900.1 million, in keeping with a Refinitiv survey.
The retailer, which additionally owns Anthropologie and Free Folks, stated gross sales rose 7.3% from 2019 pre-pandemic ranges. Comparable gross sales on a two-year foundation surged 44% at Free Folks, jumped 9% at City Outfitters and rose 1% at Anthropologie.
Demand amongst ladies for exercise garments did not decelerate through the quarter both, the corporate stated. It noticed an ongoing urge for food for athleisure put on, together with sports activities bras and leggings, that may be worn from the gymnasium to the grocery retailer. Its Free Folks Motion model inside Free Folks grew greater than 300% from 2019.
City Outfitters Chief Govt Richard Hayne stated the corporate is benefiting from customers who’re “flush with money” as a result of they have not been spending on meals out at eating places, going to motion pictures and live shows, or touring. These social actions are steadily coming again, he stated, however City Outfitters expects demand for its attire and equipment to stay inflated via at the least the second quarter due to pent-up procuring.
Keep-at-home garments nonetheless robust
Abercrombie & Fitch, meantime, reported Wednesday adjusted first-quarter earnings per share of 67 cents on income of $781.4 million. That got here in higher than the lack of 38 cents per share and income of $687 million that analysts had been searching for.
On a two-year foundation, the retailer’s complete internet gross sales have been up 6%. Gross sales at its namesake Abercrombie model rose 59.6% yr over yr, and have been up 11% from 2019 ranges. At Hollister, gross sales jumped 62% from the year-ago interval, and have been up 3.3% on a two-year foundation.
Abercrombie CEO Fran Horowitz declined to offer an annual outlook however stated second-quarter internet gross sales needs to be at or above pre-pandemic ranges.
The corporate noticed ongoing energy in its denim enterprise and in going-out tops, but additionally in cozy, stay-at-home put on. In line with Abercrombie, spending on the latter class hasn’t slowed down, regardless of many Individuals starting to enterprise out of the home extra steadily and having already spent a lot cash on sweatpants and pajama units in 2020.
The funding agency Jefferies stated it views Abercrombie, American Eagle and City Outfitters, along with the off-price sector, as the largest near-term beneficiaries of a brand new trend cycle.
“We see proof of a burgeoning trend cycle that ought to yield multi-quarter advantages, if not longer,” Jefferies analyst Janine Stichter stated in a be aware to purchasers.
Particularly, Stichter pointed to a shift towards shoppers favoring wide-legged bottoms over skinny denim and different tight-fitting pants, popping out of the Covid pandemic. As that shift transpires, she stated, shoppers might want to buy new tops and completely different footwear to go along with the these sorts of pants silhouettes. The companies that supply all of these items are positioned to see a spike in gross sales, Jefferies predicts.
City Outfitters’ shares closed Wednesday up greater than 10%, having risen greater than 55% yr up to now. Abercrombie shares completed the day up almost 8%, after hitting a 52-week excessive in intraday buying and selling of $43.90, and are up greater than 86% for the yr.
