Deckers Outdoor's Competitive Edge Eroding As HOKA Slows, Tariffs Mount: Analyst

Core Viewpoint - Deckers Outdoor Corporation's shares are experiencing a decline following the release of its fourth-quarter financial results for FY25, which, despite beating analyst expectations, led to downgrades from analysts due to increased uncertainty and a soft outlook for Q1 FY26 [1][2][3]. Financial Performance - The company reported fourth-quarter revenue of $1.02 billion, surpassing analyst estimates of $1.01 billion, and earnings of $1 per share, exceeding estimates of 59 cents per share [1]. - For the first quarter of FY26, Deckers expects revenue between $890 million and $910 million, below the estimate of $925.86 million, and earnings between 62 cents and 67 cents per share, compared to the estimate of 81 cents per share [2]. Analyst Downgrades - KeyBanc analyst Ashley Owens downgraded Deckers from Overweight to Sector Weight, citing concerns about HOKA's future sales trajectory and a notable slowdown in growth [3][5]. - Telsey Advisory Group analyst Dana Telsey also downgraded the company to Market Perform from Outperform and reduced the price forecast from $240 to $120 [5]. Market and Strategic Concerns - Analysts highlighted weaker customer acquisition, macroeconomic pressures, and a strategic shift toward wholesale expansion as factors that may dilute brand momentum [4]. - Recent price increases could negatively impact consumer demand, and HOKA's growth has decelerated faster than expected, although UGG's performance helped offset some of this slowdown [6]. Revenue Outlook and Stock Performance - The revenue outlook remains uncertain due to unpredictable consumer responses to pricing increases in the retail sector, with analysts noting potential margin headwinds from a shift toward wholesale and increased tariff costs [6][7]. - Following the downgrades, DECK shares fell by 19.9% to $100.94 [7].