AEO reports Q3 sales, profit spike

Core Insights - American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) reported a gross profit of $552 million, a 5% increase from $527 million last year, with a gross margin of 40.5%, down 40 basis points from the previous year [1] - The company experienced a net tariff impact of $20 million, which affected the gross margin by 150 basis points [1] - Operating income rose from $106 million to $112 million, while net income increased from $80 million to $91 million [1] Sales Performance - AEO's third quarter revenue was highlighted by Aerie's double-digit comparable sales increase and positive growth at American Eagle, exceeding expectations [2] - Strong momentum continued into the fourth quarter, with a record-breaking Thanksgiving weekend driven by increased demand across brands and channels [3] Future Guidance - Based on stronger sales trends, AEO raised its fourth quarter operating income guidance to $155 to $160 million, anticipating comparable sales growth of 8% to 9% [4] - The previous guidance for fourth quarter operating income was $125 million to $130 million, based on lower single-digit comparable sales [5] - For the year, adjusted operating income guidance increased to $303 million to $308 million, up from prior guidance of $255 million to $265 million [5]