Investors interested in Consumer Discretionary stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Has American Outdoor Brands, Inc. (AOUT) been one of those stocks this year? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Consumer Discretionary sector should help us answer this question.American Outdoor Brands, Inc. is one of 272 companies in the Consumer Discretionary group. The Consumer Discretionary group currently sits at #9 wit ...

Core Viewpoint - U.S. consumer confidence has significantly increased due to a recent jumbo rate cut by the Federal Reserve and optimism about future interest rate cuts, indicating a positive outlook on the economy's health [1][3][5]. Consumer Confidence - The consumer confidence index rose to 108.7 in October from 99.2 in September, marking the highest level in nine months [3]. - The Present Situation Index increased by 14.2 points to 138, while the Expectations Index rose by 6.3 points to 89.1, well above the recession threshold of 80 [4]. Economic Context - Despite a cooling job market, consumer perceptions improved, contributing to the rise in confidence [5]. - The Federal Reserve's recent 50 basis point rate cut and indications of potential further cuts have bolstered consumer optimism [6][7]. Investment Opportunities - Given the positive consumer sentiment, investing in discretionary stocks is recommended, including: - **American Outdoor Brands, Inc. (AOUT)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 59.4% with a Zacks Rank 1 [8][9]. - **Crocs, Inc. (CROX)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 7.3% with a Zacks Rank 2 [11]. - **Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH)**: Expected earnings growth rate of over 100% with a Zacks Rank 2 [14]. - **Netflix, Inc. (NFLX)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 64.4% with a Zacks Rank 2 [17]. - **Mattel, Inc. (MAT)**: Expected earnings growth rate of 20.3% with a Zacks Rank 2 [19].

Group 1 - American Outdoor Brands, Inc. (AOUT) is currently outperforming its peers in the Consumer Discretionary sector, with a year-to-date gain of 8.3% compared to the sector average of 5.1% [2] - AOUT holds a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), indicating strong analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook, with full-year earnings estimates increasing by 16.7% in the past quarter [2] - The company is part of the Leisure and Recreation Products industry, which has seen an average loss of 10.1% this year, further highlighting AOUT's strong performance relative to its industry [3] Group 2 - Atour Lifestyle Holdings Limited Sponsored ADR (ATAT) is another notable stock in the Consumer Discretionary sector, achieving a return of 61% year-to-date and also holding a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [3] - The Leisure and Recreation Services industry, to which ATAT belongs, has performed well with a year-to-date increase of 18.5%, ranking 69 in the Zacks Industry Rank [3] - The Consumer Discretionary sector overall is ranked 8 in the Zacks Sector Rank, which evaluates the strength of various groups based on the average Zacks Rank of individual stocks [1]

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of confirming the sustainability of a trend in short-term investing, highlighting that successful trades depend on sound fundamentals and positive earnings estimates [1]. Group 1: Stock Performance - American Outdoor Brands, Inc. (AOUT) has shown a solid price increase of 5.1% over the past 12 weeks, indicating investor confidence in its potential upside [2]. - AOUT has maintained a price increase of 9.7% over the last four weeks, suggesting that the upward trend is still intact [2]. - The stock is currently trading at 86.7% of its 52-week High-Low Range, indicating a potential breakout [2]. Group 2: Fundamental Strength - AOUT holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy), placing it in the top 5% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimate revisions and EPS surprises [3]. - The Zacks Rank system has a strong historical performance, with Rank 1 stocks averaging an annual return of +25% since 1988 [3]. - The Average Broker Recommendation for AOUT is also 1 (Strong Buy), reflecting high optimism from the brokerage community regarding its near-term price performance [3]. Group 3: Investment Strategy - The article suggests that AOUT may not experience a trend reversal soon, making it a viable option for trend investing [4]. - In addition to AOUT, there are other stocks that meet the criteria of the "Recent Price Strength" screen, which can help investors identify potential winning stocks [4]. - The Zacks Research Wizard can assist in backtesting stock-picking strategies to ensure they have produced profitable results in the past [4].

Core Viewpoint - American Outdoor Brands, Inc. (AOUT) stock is currently undervalued compared to the industry, with a forward Price/Earnings ratio of 14.99x, significantly lower than the industry average of 28.75x and the Consumer Discretionary sector's 17.96x [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - AOUT shares have gained 8% over the past three months, while the industry has grown by 19.1% [1] - Competitors such as On Holding AG, Acushnet Holdings Corp., and Academy Sports and Outdoors have seen stock gains of 33.6%, 0.8%, and 5.7%, respectively, during the same period [1] - Analysts have raised earnings estimates for AOUT by 4.1% to 51 cents for the current fiscal year and by 10.8% to 72 cents for the next fiscal year [1] Group 2: Growth Strategy - AOUT's growth strategy focuses on product innovation and expanding distribution, targeting the 175 million Americans engaged in outdoor activities [2] - New product introductions accounted for approximately 23% of net sales in the first quarter of fiscal 2025, with successful launches like the Caldwell Claymore family and Bubba Pro Series Smart Fish Scale [2] Group 3: Sales and Market Expansion - AOUT has expanded its retail footprint, introducing popular brands like BOG and Caldwell to new locations [3] - International sales, particularly in Canada, increased by more than 21% in the first quarter of fiscal 2025, indicating strong international demand [3] - The company anticipates a 2.5% growth in full-year net sales, driven by new product launches and distribution opportunities, although it expects a decline in the shooting sports segment in the second quarter of fiscal 2025 [3] Group 4: Investment Opportunity - AOUT presents an attractive investment opportunity due to its undervalued stock and recent upgrades in earnings forecasts [4] - Successful new product introductions and promising growth in international markets, especially Canada, contribute to the positive outlook [4] - The company currently holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [4]

Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks.Of these, value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. Value investors rely on traditional forms of analysis on key valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are undervalued, leaving ...

The Wall Street rally is back, with the Dow and the S&P 500 hitting fresh highs last week. Positive economic data coupled with the Federal Reserve’s recently announced rate cut is giving a boost to consumer sentiment. On Friday, fresh economic data showed that inflation continued its decline in August.Also, personal income and consumer spending have been steadily increasing. The Federal Reserve’s rate cut is going to ease price pressures further and allow consumers to spend freely ahead of the holiday seaso ...

Core Insights - American Outdoor Brands, Inc. will participate in CL King's 22nd Annual Best Ideas Conference on September 16, 2024, providing an opportunity for investors to engage with the company [1] - The company offers a range of innovative product solutions for outdoor enthusiasts, including categories such as hunting, fishing, camping, shooting, outdoor cooking, and personal security [2] Company Overview - American Outdoor Brands, Inc. is listed on NASDAQ under the ticker AOUT and is recognized for its innovation in outdoor product solutions [2] - The company produces high-quality products under various brands, including BOG®, BUBBA®, Caldwell®, Crimson Trace®, Frankford Arsenal®, Grilla Grills®, Hooyman®, Imperial®, LaserLyte®, Lockdown®, MEAT!TM, Old Timer®, Schrade®, Tipton®, Uncle Henry®, ust®, and Wheeler® [2]

Core Insights - American Outdoor Brands, Inc. (AOUT) reported disappointing 1Q25 results, with revenues 4% lower than the previous year and guidance for a further decline of 8-9% in 2Q25, despite the expectation of growth in FY25 [2][3][5] Financial Performance - AOUT's revenues in 1Q25 were 4% lower than last year, with the shooting category particularly affected due to high demand post-pandemic and a negative outlook despite 2024 being an election year [3][5] - The outdoor segment performed slightly better, with a decline of 1.7%, driven by innovation in new products [3] - Management has guided for revenues to decline by 8-9% in 2Q25, which is concerning as it is the company's highest-selling quarter [3][5] Guidance and Future Outlook - Despite the negative performance in 1Q25 and the guidance for 2Q25, the company has maintained its annual revenue growth guidance of 2.5%, citing confidence in new product introductions in the second half of the fiscal year [5][6] - The timing of new product launches post the highest-selling season raises questions about the effectiveness of this strategy [5] Valuation Concerns - AOUT is trading at an EV of $93 million, equating to 46x earnings, which is considered extremely high given the company's current financial performance and low margins [6] - To achieve a more favorable valuation, AOUT would need to significantly increase revenues to around $350 million at 6% margins, which appears challenging given current trends [6] Operational Leverage - There is potential operational leverage if the company can exceed a revenue threshold, with management indicating a 30% EBITDA contribution for sales above $200 million [7] - This suggests that faster-than-expected growth could lead to substantial improvements in profitability and stock price [7]

American Outdoor Brands, Inc. (AOUT) reported first-quarter fiscal 2025 results, wherein both top and bottom lines surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The company’s top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the sixth straight quarter, whereas the bottom line beat the estimate after missing the preceding quarter.Following the results, the company’s shares increased 4.3% in the after-hour trading session on Sept. 5. AOUT’s Earnings & SalesIn the quarter under review, American Outdoor reported ad ...