Core Viewpoint - American Eagle Outfitters Inc (NYSE:AEO) has experienced a pullback from four-year highs but is currently above significant technical support levels, indicating potential stability in the stock price [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - AEO's stock is positioned just above the put-heavy 23 strike, which is close to its December low following a post-earnings bull gap [1] - The stock has achieved a 40% year-over-year gain, reflecting strong performance despite recent fluctuations [2] Group 2: Analyst Ratings and Market Sentiment - Out of 13 analysts covering AEO, 11 rate it as a "hold" or worse, indicating a generally cautious outlook [2] - Short interest in AEO represents 10.8% of the stock's available float, suggesting a significant level of bearish sentiment among investors [2] Group 3: Options Market Insights - Historical data since 2021 indicates that AEO has seen strong call option returns on Fridays when the stock was below its ascending 50-day moving average, highlighting potential trading opportunities [2]

Core Viewpoint - Capri Holdings Limited (CPRI) presents an attractive investment opportunity following a challenging period marked by issues related to the Michael Kors brand and a failed acquisition attempt [1] Group 1 - The company has faced difficulties in recent years, particularly with the Michael Kors brand, which has impacted its overall performance [1] - The potential for recovery and growth in Capri Holdings is highlighted, suggesting a bullish outlook for investors [1]

Core Insights - Tapestry, Inc. (TPR) reported strong second-quarter fiscal 2026 results, surpassing revenue and earnings estimates, and raised its fiscal 2026 guidance [1][9] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings were $2.69 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.20, and reflecting a 34% year-over-year increase [4] - Net sales reached $2,502.4 million, beating the consensus estimate of $2,310 million, with a 14% year-over-year increase [4] - Excluding the impact of Stuart Weitzman, pro forma net sales increased by 18% on both nominal and constant-currency bases [5] Brand Performance - Coach brand net sales were $2.14 billion, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.95 billion, marking a 25% year-over-year increase [7] - Kate Spade's sales were $360 million, below the consensus estimate of $368 million, representing a 14% decline year-over-year [7] Regional Sales Insights - North America sales increased 17% year-over-year to $1.72 billion, while Greater China improved 35% to $343.1 million [8] - European revenues rose 27% to $159.1 million, while Japan saw a 9% decline to $128.3 million [8] Margin and Cost Analysis - Adjusted gross profit was $1.89 billion, up 16% from the previous year, with an adjusted gross margin of 75.5%, an increase of 110 basis points [10] - Adjusted operating income rose 31% to $719.8 million, with an adjusted operating margin of 28.8%, up 390 basis points [11] Shareholder Returns - Tapestry returned approximately $400 million to shareholders through share repurchases and declared a quarterly cash dividend of 40 cents per share [15] - For fiscal 2026, the company expects to return $1.5 billion to shareholders, an increase from the previous estimate of $1.3 billion [16] Future Outlook - Management raised the fiscal 2026 revenue outlook to over $7.75 billion, reflecting about 11% growth year-over-year [20] - The company anticipates operating margin expansion of roughly 180 basis points and earnings per share of $6.40-$6.45, representing growth of over 25% year-over-year [22]

Core Viewpoint - Ralph Lauren Corporation reported stronger holiday-quarter earnings and upgraded its annual outlook due to sales growth and margin expansion across multiple regions [1] Financial Performance - For the quarter ended December 27, 2025, revenue increased by 12% year-on-year to $2.40 billion, with a 10% rise in constant currency [1] - Net income reached $362 million, while adjusted net income was $387 million, compared to $297 million and $308 million a year earlier [2] - Gross profit totaled $1.68 billion, with gross margin widening by 150 basis points to 69.9% [2] - Operating income was reported at $471 million and adjusted at $503 million [2] Regional Performance - North America revenue advanced 8% to $1.07 billion, with retail comparable sales up 7% and wholesale up 11% [3] - Europe reported growth of 12% to $676.5 million, or 4% in constant currency, while Asia surged 22% to $620.3 million with 20% comparable-store growth [4] - Asia generated $197.3 million with a 31.8% margin, North America recorded $292.7 million at 27.1%, and Europe produced $179 million with a margin slip of 150 basis points to 26.4% [4] Direct-to-Consumer and Store Expansion - Global direct-to-consumer comparable sales rose at a high-single-digit rate, while wholesale revenue increased by double digits [3] - The quarter saw the opening of 32 new owned and partnered stores in various cities and the addition of 2.1 million direct-to-consumer customers [5] Year-to-Date Performance - For the nine months ending December 27, 2025, net revenue reached $6.13 billion, up from $5.38 billion in the same period last year [6] - Net income climbed to $789.5 million from $613.9 million, with gross profit rising to $4.29 billion from $3.68 billion [6] - Operating income increased to $990.6 million from $777.1 million [6] Future Outlook - Ralph Lauren expects high-single to low-double-digit constant-currency revenue growth and operating-margin expansion of 100–140 basis points for the year [7]

Group 1 - Abercrombie & Fitch Co. will host its quarterly earnings conference call on March 4, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. ET, with a press release detailing fourth quarter and full year results expected shortly after 7:30 a.m. ET [1] - A presentation of the fourth quarter and full year results will be available on the company's website at approximately 7:30 a.m. ET [1] - Participants can access the conference call by registering for a dial-in number and access code, or by listening to a live webcast available on the company's investor relations website [2] Group 2 - Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is a global, digitally led omnichannel specialty retailer of apparel and accessories, catering to kids through millennials [3] - The company operates a family of brands, including Abercrombie and Hollister, with a commitment to quality and comfort [4] - Abercrombie & Fitch Co. operates approximately 830 stores across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, along with e-commerce sites [4]

Core Insights - The company reported a 1.7% increase in comparable store sales for the 4-week period ended January 31, 2026, compared to the same period in the previous year [1] - Total net sales for the same period rose by 3.7% to $61.8 million, up from $59.5 million in the prior year [2] Men's Business Performance - Men's sales decreased by 2.5% for the 4-week fiscal period ended January 31, 2026, compared to the previous year [2] - Men's business accounted for approximately 44% of total sales, down from 46.5% in the same period last year [2] - Overall price points for men's products increased by about 4% during the fiscal month [2] Women's Business Performance - Women's sales increased by 6.5% for the 4-week fiscal period ended January 31, 2026, compared to the previous year [3] - Women's business represented approximately 58% of total sales, up from 53.5% in the same period last year [3] - Overall price points for women's products increased by about 6.5% during the fiscal month [3] Accessory Sales - Accessory sales for the combined men's and women's categories increased by approximately 1% compared to the prior year [4]

Core Insights - Lulu's Fashion Lounge Holdings, Inc. has appointed Heidi Crane as its permanent Chief Financial Officer, effective February 4, 2026, after serving as fractional CFO since October 13, 2025 [1][2] Company Overview - Lulus is a California-based attainable luxury fashion brand for women, offering modern and feminine designs at accessible prices for various occasions [3] - Founded in 1996, Lulus aims to make every woman feel confident and celebrated, providing fresh styles daily based on direct consumer feedback [3] - The company emphasizes exceptional customer service through its personal stylists, bridal concierge, and customer care team [3] Leadership Transition - CEO Crystal Landsem expressed confidence in Heidi Crane's leadership, highlighting her financial discipline and strategic insight as key to supporting the company's long-term growth [2] - Heidi Crane brings over 17 years of CFO experience, having previously held positions at FightCamp, BH Cosmetics, and TechStyle Fashion Group, along with foundational roles at Diageo PLC and Dole Food Company [2]

Core Insights - Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. (BOOT) reported strong third-quarter results for 2026, with both revenue and earnings meeting expectations and showing year-over-year growth, leading management to raise its fiscal 2026 guidance [1][9] Quarterly Performance - BOOT's earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $2.79, an increase from $2.43 in the same period last year, which had included a 22-cent benefit from the former CEO's resignation [2] - Net sales reached $705.6 million, reflecting a 16% year-over-year increase, driven by new store openings and same-store sales growth [2] Same-Store Sales and Expansion - Consolidated same-store sales grew by 5.7% year over year, with retail same-store sales increasing by 3.7% and e-commerce same-store sales rising significantly by 19.6% [3] - The company opened 25 new stores during the quarter, bringing the total to 514 stores [3] Margin and Cost Performance - Gross profit increased by 17.7% year over year to $281.2 million, with gross margin improving by 60 basis points to 39.9% [4] - Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) expenses rose to $166.5 million from $139.4 million, primarily due to higher payroll and operational costs associated with more stores [5] - Income from operations was $114.8 million, up from $99.5 million, although operating margin contracted by 10 basis points to 16.3% [6] Financial Health - At the end of the quarter, BOOT had $200 million in cash and cash equivalents and total shareholders' equity of $1.28 billion [7] - The company repurchased 67,279 shares for $12.5 million during the quarter and anticipates capital expenditures of $125-$130 million, net of estimated landlord tenant allowances [7] Future Guidance - For the fourth quarter, BOOT plans to open 15 new stores and expects net sales between $525 million and $535 million, indicating year-over-year growth of 16% to 18% [8] - Consolidated same-store sales are projected to increase by 3% to 5%, with retail and e-commerce same-store sales expected to grow by 2.2%-4.2% and 11%-13%, respectively [8] Updated Fiscal 2026 Guidance - BOOT now anticipates fiscal 2026 net sales between $2.24 billion and $2.25 billion, representing a 17% to 18% year-over-year growth, an increase from the previous guidance of $2.20 billion to $2.23 billion [12] - Consolidated same-store sales growth is now forecasted between 6.5% and 7%, improved from the earlier estimate of 4%-6% [12] - Retail same-store sales are expected to be in the range of 5.5%-6%, while e-commerce same-store sales are projected to be 14.5%-15% [12] Earnings Projections - The company expects merchandise margin of $1.138 billion to $1.144 billion, representing about 50.8% of sales, with gross profit projected between $850 million and $855 million [13] - Income from operations is expected to be in the range of $297 million to $301 million, with projected earnings per share between $7.25 and $7.35, an improvement from $5.82 reported in fiscal 2025 [13]

The gloomy jobs news that kicked off 2026 is set to become even worse in the months ahead as a major retail name and a restaurant chain are expected to close all U.S. locations and another major restaurant group plans to close more than 100 of its stores. Eddie Bauer is reportedly planning to file for bankruptcy, which would likely mean the closure of most, if not all, of the brand's roughly 200 stores in the U.S. and Canada. As that situation evolves, Olive Garden parent company Darden Restaurants has ann ...

Core Viewpoint - Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:LULU) is projected to double by 2030, with recent price target adjustments from JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank indicating positive market sentiment towards the stock [1][2]. Group 1: Price Target Adjustments - JPMorgan raised its price target for Lululemon to $209 from $203 while maintaining a Neutral rating after a meeting with the company's VP of Investor Relations [1]. - Deutsche Bank restarted coverage of Lululemon with a Hold rating and set a price target of $228, reflecting a cautious but optimistic outlook [2]. Group 2: Earnings Projections - Following the ICR Conference, JPMorgan increased its Q4 2025 EPS estimate and is projecting FY 2026 EPS at $12.33, slightly below Wall Street's estimate of $12.65 [1]. Group 3: Market Environment - Deutsche Bank anticipates a volatile but broadly risk-on macro environment for 2026, expecting solid revenue trends in the first half of the year due to favorable weather comparisons and increased tax refunds [3]. Group 4: Company Overview - Lululemon Athletica Inc. designs, distributes, and retails technical athletic apparel, footwear, and accessories for both women and men under the lululemon brand on an international scale [4].