Skechers (SKX) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.34 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.17 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.33 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 14.53%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this shoe company would post earnings of $0.74 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.65, delivering a surprise of -12.16%.Over the last four quarters, the company ha ...

Core Viewpoint - Carter's, Inc. is expected to report a decline in both revenue and earnings for the first quarter of 2025, influenced by challenging macroeconomic conditions and reduced consumer demand [1][3][4]. Revenue and Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter revenues is $621.3 million, reflecting a 6.1% decrease from the previous year [2]. - The consensus estimate for quarterly earnings is 53 cents per share, indicating a 48% decline from the year-ago quarter [2]. - Carter's has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 45.7%, with the last quarter's earnings beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 39% [2]. Market Conditions and Challenges - The company faces persistent inflation and high interest rates, which are significant hurdles for its core demographic of families with young children [3]. - Consumer demand for Carter's products has weakened due to reduced discretionary income and the absence of pandemic-era financial support [3]. - The retail segment is expected to experience continued softness in consumer spending, while the wholesale business shows some resilience [4]. Financial Performance Expectations - Carter's projected net sales for the first quarter of 2025 are between $615 million and $625 million, down from $661 million in the previous year [7]. - Adjusted earnings are expected to be between 45 and 55 cents per share, a decline from $1.04 reported in the prior-year quarter [7]. - The company anticipates adjusted operating income of $30 million to $35 million, down from $55 million in the year-ago quarter, with an expected adjusted operating income of $31.4 million, representing a 43% year-over-year decrease [7]. Sales Projections - Total sales in the U.S. Retail business are expected to decline in the mid-single-digit to high-single-digit range [8]. - U.S. Wholesale sales are anticipated to decrease by high-single digits year-over-year, while international sales are expected to dip in the mid-single digits [8]. - Comparable sales in the U.S. Retail business are projected to be down mid- to high-single digits, with a model predicting a 6% decline in U.S. Retail and a 6.9% decline in U.S. Wholesale [8]. Cost and Margin Pressures - The company has been experiencing higher selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) as a percentage of sales, due to fixed cost deleverage from lower sales and increased distribution and transportation costs [5]. - The higher SG&A expense rate is expected to strain operating margins and reduce profitability [5]. Strategic Initiatives - Carter's is focusing on strategic initiatives to improve long-term performance, including enhancing merchandise assortments and refining inventory management [9]. - The company is implementing measures such as improved pricing and optimized inventory management, along with strengthening its e-commerce capabilities [9]. Valuation Perspective - From a valuation standpoint, Carter's is trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 9.89X, which is below its five-year high of 21.14X and the industry average of 21.58X, presenting an attractive opportunity for investors [12]. - CRI's shares have lost 30.5% in the past three months, compared to a 24.5% decline in the industry [13].

Company Performance - Skechers (SKX) closed at $47.63, marking a +1.97% move from the prior day, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.13% [1] - Over the past month, Skechers shares have lost 18.72%, significantly underperforming the Consumer Discretionary sector's loss of 7.24% and the S&P 500's loss of 6.3% [1] Upcoming Earnings - The upcoming earnings release is scheduled for April 24, 2025, with an expected EPS of $1.18, indicating an 11.28% decline compared to the same quarter last year [2] - Revenue is predicted to be $2.44 billion, reflecting an 8.31% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year [2] Full Year Estimates - For the full year, earnings are projected at $4.42 per share and revenue at $9.72 billion, showing changes of +6.25% and +8.42% respectively from the preceding year [3] - Recent changes to analyst estimates indicate a positive outlook for the company's business and profitability [3] Valuation Metrics - Skechers is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 10.57, which is a premium compared to its industry's Forward P/E of 9.54 [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 0.75, lower than the average PEG ratio of 0.83 for the Shoes and Retail Apparel industry [7] Industry Context - The Shoes and Retail Apparel industry is part of the Consumer Discretionary sector and currently holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 226, placing it in the bottom 9% of over 250 industries [8] - Research indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [8]