US-based Authentic Brands Group has completed a transaction to take US retailer Guess? private and acquire a majority stake in its intellectual property. The transaction removed the company from public markets and restructured ownership of its assets. Under the agreement, Authentic acquired 51% of substantially all of Guess?’s intellectual property while existing shareholders retained the remaining 49%. Carlos Alberini and Maurice, Paul and Nicolai Marciano became rolling shareholders in the intellectu ...

Logo of jester cap with thought bubble.Image source: The Motley Fool.DATEThursday, July 24, 2025 at 8:45 a.m. ETCALL PARTICIPANTSChief Executive Officer — Vincenzo James VenaChief Financial Officer — Jennifer L. HamannExecutive Vice President, Marketing and Sales — Kenyatta G. RockerExecutive Vice President, Operations — Eric J. GehringerTAKEAWAYSAdjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share -- $3.03, up 12%, after excluding a $115 million deferred tax benefit and a $55 million Brakeperson buyout labor expense.Operat ...

NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Authentic Brands Group (Authentic), a global brand development and licensing platform, and Guess?, Inc. (NYSE: GES) today announced they have completed the transaction to take Guess? private. Authentic now owns 51% of substantially all Guess? intellectual property, and existing Guess? shareholders, Maurice Marciano, Paul Marciano, Nicolai Marciano and Carlos Alberini and certain of their respective trusts, foundations and affiliates (collectively, the "Rolling Shareh ...

Guess (GES) could be a solid choice for investors given its recent upgrade to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). This upgrade primarily reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates, which is one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices.The Zacks rating relies solely on a company's changing earnings picture. It tracks EPS estimates for the current and following years from the sell-side analysts covering the stock through a consensus measure -- the Zacks Consensus Estimate.Since a changing earnings pic ...

NEW YORK, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Winmark Corp. (NASD: WINA) will replace Guess? Inc. (NYSE: GES) in the S&P SmallCap 600 effective prior to the opening of trading on Monday, January 26. Authentic Brands Group LLC and the Rolling Stockholders are acquiring Guess? in a deal expected to close soon pending final closing conditions. Following is a summary of the change that will take place prior to the open of trading on the effective date: | Effective Date | Index Name | Action | Company Name | Ticker | ...

Core Viewpoint - Three stocks with strong income characteristics and a buy rank are highlighted for investors to consider, including Guess, Inc., JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., and Science Applications International Corporation [1][2]. Group 1: Company Summaries - **Guess, Inc. (GES)**: This lifestyle and apparel company has seen a 5.6% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days. It has a dividend yield of 5.4%, significantly higher than the industry average of 0.0% [1]. - **JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (JKS)**: This solar energy company has experienced a substantial 39.3% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days. It offers a dividend yield of 4.4%, also above the industry average of 0.0% [2]. - **Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)**: This technology services company has seen a 3.8% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings over the last 60 days. It has a dividend yield of 1.3%, compared to the industry average of 0.0% [2][3].

Core Viewpoint - Investors in Guess? Inc. should closely monitor stock movements due to significant activity in the options market, particularly the high implied volatility of the Jan. 16, 2026 $34.75 Put option [1] Group 1: Implied Volatility - Implied volatility indicates the market's expectations for future price movements, suggesting that a significant event may be anticipated that could lead to a major price change [2] - High implied volatility in options often signals that traders expect a substantial move in the underlying stock, which could be due to an upcoming event [2] Group 2: Analyst Sentiment - Guess? currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) in the Textile – Apparel industry, which is in the top 25% of the Zacks Industry Rank [3] - Over the past 60 days, one analyst has raised earnings estimates for the current quarter, while no analysts have lowered their estimates, resulting in a decrease of the Zacks Consensus Estimate from $1.53 to $1.47 per share [3] Group 3: Trading Strategies - The high implied volatility surrounding Guess? shares may indicate a developing trading opportunity, as options traders often seek to sell premium on options with high implied volatility [4] - Seasoned traders utilize this strategy to capture decay, hoping that the underlying stock does not move as much as initially expected by expiration [4]

Core Insights - lululemon athletica inc. (LULU) and Guess? Inc. (GES) are positioned differently in the global apparel market, with LULU focusing on premium athleisure and GES as a heritage lifestyle brand [2][3] Group 1: lululemon (LULU) - LULU has achieved a 7% revenue growth in Q3 of fiscal 2025, with international revenues increasing by 33% and China Mainland revenues up by 46% in constant currency [5][6] - The company's "Power of Three x2" plan aims to double men's, digital, and international revenues by 2026, emphasizing product innovation and category expansion [6] - Despite its premium positioning, LULU faces challenges from rising trade and tariff pressures, which have impacted gross margins [7][8] - LULU's stock trades at a forward P/E of 15.97X, which is below its 3-year median of 37.04X but above GES's 9.7X [21][22] Group 2: Guess (GES) - GES has a strong international presence, particularly in Europe and Asia, and focuses on categories like denim and handbags [9][10] - In Q3 of fiscal 2026, GES reported improved gross margins due to lower promotions and better inventory discipline, despite macro pressures [13] - GES's stock has shown a total return of 47.4% over the past six months, outperforming LULU's decline of 9% [19] - The company is prioritizing margin expansion and cash generation, with ongoing investments in digital platforms and omni-channel capabilities [12][13] Group 3: Comparative Analysis - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GES suggests an 8% year-over-year sales growth for fiscal 2026, while LULU's estimate indicates a 4.5% growth [14][16] - Recent estimate revisions for GES reflect growing investor confidence, while LULU's estimates show a decline in EPS [14][18][26] - Overall, GES is viewed as a more compelling investment choice due to its attractive valuation, steady international growth, and disciplined cost management [25][26]

Financial Performance - For the three months ended November 1, 2025, product sales increased to $760.32 million, up from $705.51 million for the same period last year, representing a growth of 7.7%[13] - Net revenue for the nine months ended November 1, 2025, reached $2.21 billion, compared to $2.06 billion for the same period in the previous year, reflecting an increase of 7.2%[13] - Gross profit for the three months ended November 1, 2025, was $335.98 million, compared to $321.88 million for the same period last year, indicating a growth of 4.4%[13] - The company reported a net earnings of $29.39 million for the three months ended November 1, 2025, compared to a net loss of $20.76 million for the same period last year[13] - Net earnings for the nine months ended November 1, 2025, were $6,438,000, a significant improvement from a net loss of $(13,485,000) in the same period last year, representing a turnaround of approximately 148%[18] - Total net revenue for the three months ended Nov 1, 2025, was $791.427 million, a significant increase from the previous year[108] - For the nine months ended Nov 1, 2025, total net revenue was $2.212 billion, with product sales amounting to $2.130 billion[109] Assets and Liabilities - Total assets as of November 1, 2025, amounted to $3.01 billion, an increase from $2.77 billion as of February 1, 2025, representing a growth of 8.7%[12] - Current liabilities remained stable at $831.91 million as of November 1, 2025, compared to $831.33 million as of February 1, 2025[12] - The company’s long-term debt and finance lease obligations increased to $299.54 million as of November 1, 2025, compared to $150.67 million as of February 1, 2025[12] - Total debt and finance lease obligations as of November 1, 2025, amounted to $326,252, with long-term obligations at $299,542[114] Cash Flow and Investments - Cash flows from operating activities showed a net cash used of $(37,956,000), an improvement compared to $(61,555,000) in the prior year, indicating a reduction in cash outflow by about 38%[18] - Net cash used in investing activities was $(71,795,000), a decrease from $(85,333,000) in the prior year, indicating a 16% improvement in cash management[18] - The company reported a net cash provided by financing activities of $68,777,000, contrasting with a net cash used of $(61,977,000) in the prior year, indicating a positive shift in financing strategy[18] Expenses - Selling, general and administrative expenses for the three months ended November 1, 2025, were $309.03 million, up from $279.39 million for the same period last year, an increase of 10.6%[13] - The company reported depreciation and amortization expenses of $54,762,000, up from $51,114,000, reflecting a 5% increase year-over-year[18] - Advertising and marketing expenses for the three and nine months ended November 1, 2025, were $25.3 million and $76.3 million, respectively, compared to $25.7 million and $68.6 million for the same periods in 2024[51] Shareholder Activities - Dividends paid during the period totaled $43,413,000, down from $167,187,000, representing a reduction of approximately 74%[18] - The cash dividend declared per share for the three months ended November 1, 2025, was $0.225, down from $0.300 in the same period in 2024[90] - The company had remaining authority under the 2024 Share Repurchase Program to purchase approximately $139.8 million of its common stock as of November 1, 2025[89] Acquisitions and Mergers - Guess? announced the acquisition of all operating assets and a 50% interest in the intellectual property assets of rag & bone on April 2, 2024[25] - The company completed the acquisition of rag & bone on April 2, 2024, which included 34 stores in the U.S. and two in the U.K.[59] - A proposed take-private transaction with Authentic Brands Group was announced on August 20, 2025, offering shareholders $16.75 per share in cash[26] - The merger agreement includes a strategic partnership where Authentic would own 51% of the company's intellectual property[27] - The company’s stockholders adopted the merger agreement on November 21, 2025, with certain regulatory approvals still pending[29] Inventory and Receivables - The company's inventories increased to $692.266 million as of November 1, 2025, compared to $562.649 million as of February 1, 2025, representing a rise of about 23.1%[98] - As of November 1, 2025, total accounts receivable amounted to $417.175 million, up from $397.815 million as of February 1, 2025, reflecting a growth of approximately 4.3%[97] - Approximately 43% of the Company's total net trade accounts receivable were subject to credit insurance coverage as of November 1, 2025[49] Legal and Regulatory Matters - The Company is involved in legal proceedings, including a customs tax assessment totaling €9.8 million ($11.3 million) from the Italian Customs Agency, which the Company is appealing[182] Pension and Benefits - The net periodic defined benefit pension cost for the three months ended November 1, 2025, was $1.821 million, with a total cost of $5.329 million for the nine months ended[189] - The foreign pension plans had a total projected benefit obligation of $77.2 million and plan assets of $63.1 million as of November 1, 2025, resulting in a net liability of $14.1 million[188] Market Conditions - The Company continues to monitor macroeconomic conditions, including inflation and consumer spending declines, which are negatively impacting its business[36]

Core Viewpoint - Markets are experiencing gains following weak private jobs data, which has led to increased expectations for a rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve in its upcoming meeting [2]. Group 1: Market Performance - After initial weakness, markets have shown resilience, achieving gains for two consecutive days [1]. - The rally on Wednesday was driven by disappointing job data, with ADP reporting a loss of 32,000 jobs in November, significantly below the expected gain of 40,000 [2]. Group 2: Economic Implications - The weak job data has reinforced investor belief that the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates in its final meeting of the year on December 9-10 [2]. - While the current market rally may provide short-term benefits, ongoing job losses could indicate deeper economic issues, raising concerns about the sustainability of this rally [3].