Core Insights - Abercrombie & Fitch Inc. (ANF) reported record net sales of $1.1 billion for Q1 fiscal 2025, an 8% increase year over year, but experienced a significant decline in gross margin by 440 basis points due to high freight costs and markdowns on winter inventory [1][9] - The company faces a $50 million margin headwind for fiscal 2025 due to a 10% tariff on all global U.S. imports and a 30% tariff on Chinese imports, impacting profitability despite efforts to adjust sourcing and negotiate with vendors [2] - The Hollister brand outperformed expectations with a 22% net sales growth, which helped mitigate a 4% decline in Abercrombie brand sales, attributed to promotional pressures and tough comparisons from the previous year [3][9] Financial Performance - ANF's operating margin decreased to 9.3% from 12.7% a year ago, reflecting the strain on gross margins [1] - The forward price-to-earnings ratio for ANF is 7.32X, significantly lower than the industry average of 17.32X, indicating potential undervaluation [10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a projected decline of 4.9% in ANF's earnings for 2025, with a slight recovery expected in 2026 with a growth estimate of 3.9% [11] Future Outlook - Management anticipates sequential improvement in gross margin as freight costs ease and carryover inventory is reduced, although challenges remain due to tariffs [4] - The company's strong brand equity, flexible supply chain, and disciplined inventory management are seen as key factors that could help navigate current market pressures [4] Industry Context - Peers such as American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) and Gap Inc. (GAP) are also facing similar cost pressures and are implementing agile supply chain strategies to protect margins [5][6][7]

Core Insights - Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) experienced an 11% drop in shares after releasing its first-quarter fiscal 2025 results, underperforming compared to the Zacks Retail - Discount Stores industry and the broader S&P 500 [1][3] Financial Performance - The company reported an earnings per share (EPS) of $1.59, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.35, and achieved record sales of $1.1 billion, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase [3][5] - Despite strong revenue growth, EPS declined by 25.7% compared to $2.14 in the same quarter last year, and gross margin contracted by 440 basis points to 62% due to inflationary pressures and higher selling expenses [5][10] Brand Performance - The Hollister brand showed robust growth with a 22% increase in sales and 23% comparable sales gains, while the Abercrombie brand faced a 4% decline in sales and a 10% drop in comparable sales [6][9] - The Abercrombie brand's underperformance is concerning as it constitutes nearly 50% of the company's total sales, posing a strategic risk [9][12] Guidance and Market Sentiment - Management raised sales growth expectations for fiscal 2025 to 3-6% but lowered EPS guidance to $9.50-$10.50 from $10.40-$11.40, indicating potential profitability challenges in the second half of the fiscal year [10][19] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS has seen downward revisions, with a 6.2% decline to $10.28 for fiscal 2025 over the past 30 days [17][19] Strategic Initiatives - The company is focusing on long-term growth through brand evolution, international expansion, and enhancing omni-channel capabilities, including plans to open 60 new stores and remodel 40 in fiscal 2025 [11][12] - Abercrombie's brand portfolio revitalization, particularly the success of Hollister, is a key strength, with eight consecutive quarters of growth [12][18] Valuation - ANF is currently trading at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 7.57X, significantly below the industry average of 17.85X and the S&P 500's average of 22.02X, indicating a potential buying opportunity despite investor concerns [13][16]

Core Insights - Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) reported first-quarter fiscal 2025 results with both top and bottom lines exceeding Zacks Consensus Estimates, although year-over-year earnings per share (EPS) declined by 25.7% [1][3] Financial Performance - The company achieved net sales of $1.1 billion, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.06 billion [2] - Comparable sales improved by 4%, driven by broad-based growth across regions and strong performance from the Hollister brand [2][4] - Abercrombie's EPS for the quarter was $1.59, beating the consensus estimate of $1.35 [1] Brand Performance - Hollister brand reported a 22% increase in sales to $549.4 million, while Abercrombie brand sales fell by 4% to $547.9 million [9] - Hollister's comparable sales grew by 23%, while Abercrombie's fell by 10% [9] Regional Sales - Sales in the Americas rose by 7% to $874.8 million, EMEA sales increased by 12% to $185 million, and APAC sales gained 5% to $37.5 million [8] - Comparable sales in the Americas rose by 4%, 6% in EMEA, and 2% in APAC [8] Margins and Expenses - Gross margin contracted by 440 basis points year-over-year to 62%, partially offset by a 140 basis point operating expense leverage [11] - Selling expenses increased by 11.1% year-over-year to $399.9 million, while general and administrative costs decreased by 7.7% to $174.9 million [12] Financial Health - Abercrombie ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $511 million and no net long-term borrowings [13] - The company repurchased 2.6 million shares for approximately $200 million, reducing the share count by 5% [14] Outlook - For Q2 fiscal 2025, net sales are projected to rise by 3-5% from $1.13 billion in the prior year, with EPS expected between $2.10 and $2.30 [15] - For fiscal 2025, the company anticipates sales growth of 3-6%, with an operating margin of 12.5-13.5% [16][17] - Abercrombie plans to open 60 new stores, remodel 40, and close 20 [18]

Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF 14.10%) are flying higher on Wednesday. The company's stock had gained 15% as of 2:36 p.m. ET. The jump came as the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite were mostly flat.The clothing retailer reported its first-quarter numbers before the market opened on Wednesday, beating Wall Street targets.A positive quarter despite tariffsAbercrombie released its Q1 earnings, revealing a strong quarter and guidance even in the face of tariff uncertainty. The company delivered earnings per ...

Core Insights - Abercrombie & Fitch reported $1.1 billion in revenue for the quarter ended April 2025, a year-over-year increase of 7.5% [1] - The EPS for the same period was $1.59, down from $2.14 a year ago, with a surprise of +17.78% over the consensus estimate of $1.35 [1] - The reported revenue exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate by +3.82% [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Abercrombie's shares returned +11.1% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +7.4% change [3] - The company has a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating potential underperformance in the near term [3] Store and Sales Metrics - Total number of stores at the end of the period was 790, slightly below the estimated 797 [4] - Comparable store sales for Hollister increased by 23%, significantly above the average estimate of 8.8% [4] - Comparable store sales for Abercrombie decreased by 10%, worse than the average estimate of -6.4% [4] - Total comparable store sales increased by 4%, surpassing the average estimate of 1.3% [4] - Net sales for Hollister were $549.36 million, exceeding the estimate of $498.67 million, representing a +22.3% change year-over-year [4] - Net sales for Abercrombie were $547.95 million, below the estimate of $575.23 million, reflecting a -4.1% change year-over-year [4]

Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) Q1 2026 Earnings Call May 28, 2025 08:30 AM ET Company Participants Mohit Gupta - VP - Investor RelationsFran Horowitz - CEO & DirectorRobert Ball - SVP & CFODana Telsey - CEO and Chief Research OfficerCorey Tarlowe - SVP - Equity ResearchScott Lipesky - EVP & COOMarni Shapiro - Managing PartnerAlexandra Straton - Equity Research Managing DirectorMauricio Serna - Executive DirectorRick Patel - Managing DirectorJanet Kloppenburg - President Conference Call Participants Matt Boss - E ...

Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) Q1 2026 Earnings Call May 28, 2025 08:30 AM ET Speaker0 Good day, and welcome to the Abercrombie and Finch First Quarter Fiscal Year twenty twenty five Earnings Call. At this time, all participants are in a listen only mode. After the speakers' presentation, there will be a question and answer session. Today's conference is being recorded. At this time, I would like to turn the conference over to Mo Gupta. Please go ahead. Speaker1 Thank you. Good morning, and welcome to our first ...

A Abercrombie & Fitch store is seen on April 09, 2025 in New York City.Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch soared on Wednesday, even after the retailer slashed its profit outlook due to tariffs, which are expected to hit its business by $50 million. The company is now expecting full year earnings per share to be between $9.50 and $10.50, down from a previous range of between $10.40 and $11.40. Analysts were expecting earnings of $10.33 a share, according to LSEG. In addition, Abercrombie raised the top end of its ...

Core Viewpoint - Abercrombie & Fitch Co. reported record first quarter net sales of $1.1 billion, reflecting an 8% increase compared to the previous year, driven by broad-based growth across regions, particularly from Hollister brands which saw a 22% increase in sales [2][5][6] Financial Performance - Net sales for the first quarter ended May 3, 2025, were $1,097,311,000, up from $1,020,730,000 in the same quarter of 2024, marking an 8% increase [4][6][7] - Operating income decreased to $101,533,000, down from $129,849,000 year-over-year, resulting in an operating margin of 9.3%, down from 12.7% [6][24] - Net income attributable to Abercrombie & Fitch was $80,413,000, compared to $113,850,000 in the prior year, with diluted earnings per share at $1.59, down from $2.14 [6][24] Segment Performance - Net sales by segment showed the following growth: Americas up 7% to $874,804,000, EMEA up 12% to $185,036,000, and APAC up 5% to $37,471,000 [4][5] - Brand performance indicated Hollister brands grew by 22% while Abercrombie brands saw a decline of 4% [2][5][7] Cash Flow and Capital Allocation - The company repurchased 2.6 million shares for approximately $200 million, representing a 5% reduction in shares outstanding [2][9] - As of May 3, 2025, the company had cash and equivalents of $511 million, down from $864 million a year prior, with total liquidity of approximately $940 million [11][9] Outlook - For the second quarter, the company expects net sales growth in the range of 3% to 5%, with an operating margin projected between 12% and 13% [12][17] - The full-year outlook anticipates net sales growth of 3% to 6% and net income per diluted share in the range of $9.50 to $10.50 [17]

Core Viewpoint - Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is expected to report first-quarter fiscal 2025 results on May 28, with projected revenues of $1.06 billion, indicating a 3.7% growth year-over-year, but earnings per share are anticipated to decline by 36.5% to $1.36 compared to the previous year [1][2]. Financial Performance - The consensus estimate for Abercrombie's first-quarter earnings is $1.36 per share, down from $2.14 in the same quarter last year, reflecting a 36.5% decline [2]. - The company has seen a 4.2% decrease in earnings estimates over the past week, and it has historically delivered an earnings surprise of 14% on average over the last four quarters [2][3]. - The operating margin for the first quarter is expected to be between 8-9%, a significant drop from 12.7% a year ago, with EPS guidance of $1.25-$1.45 [6]. Sales Trends - Abercrombie is experiencing a slowdown in sales growth, projecting a 4-6% increase for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, a stark contrast to the 22% growth in the same period last year [4]. - The company anticipates a 9% increase in adjusted operating expenses and a 26.4% decline in adjusted operating income for the fiscal first quarter [7]. Cost Pressures - Elevated operating and freight costs are expected to pressure margins, with the company forecasting continued margin pressure in the first half of fiscal 2025 [5][19]. - The impact of U.S. tariffs on imports from China, Canada, and Mexico is projected to cost the company $5 million in fiscal 2025 [8]. Brand Performance - Despite slowing sales growth, Abercrombie benefits from strong brand performance, with projected sales growth of 9.9% for the Hollister brand and 1.7% for Abercrombie [9]. - The company has improved store traffic through fashion trends and store optimization, enhancing the shopping experience and supporting e-commerce growth [10]. Stock Performance and Valuation - Abercrombie's shares have declined 51.3% over the past year, underperforming its industry peers, while trading at a forward P/E multiple of 6.79X, below the industry average of 17.68X [11][16]. - The stock is currently priced at $73.17, which is 62.9% below its 52-week high of $196.99 [15]. Strategic Outlook - The company has focused on rebranding and premium casual wear, which has improved brand perception and sales growth [18]. - However, the near-term outlook is challenged by cost pressures and a deceleration in sales momentum, indicating a transition out of a high-growth phase [20][21].