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GameStop vs. Best Buy: Which Retail Stock Has Better Upside?
ZACKSยท 2025-07-29 17:01
Core Insights - GameStop Corp. (GME) is undergoing a significant transformation from a traditional video game retailer to a tech-oriented company, while Best Buy Co., Inc. (BBY) is enhancing its digital-first omnichannel strategy [2][3][22] GameStop (GME) - GameStop's collectibles segment experienced a remarkable growth of 54.6% year-over-year, reaching $211.5 million, now accounting for 28.9% of total revenues [4] - The company has successfully reduced adjusted SG&A expenses by nearly 25% to $225.3 million, improving operational leverage with SG&A at 30.8% of net sales [5] - GameStop's gross margin increased by 680 basis points to 34.5%, contributing to an adjusted operating income of $27.5 million and adjusted EBITDA of $38.6 million [5] - The company ended the fiscal first quarter with over $6.4 billion in cash and securities, a significant increase from $1 billion a year earlier, and acquired 4,710 Bitcoins to appeal to a younger consumer base [6] - Despite these improvements, total net sales fell 16.9% year-over-year to $732.4 million, driven by declines in hardware, accessories, and software sales [7] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GME's fiscal 2025 sales implies a year-over-year decline of 6.3%, but EPS is expected to surge by 127.3% [14] Best Buy (BBY) - Best Buy is recognized for its resilience and customer-focused approach, showing strength in computing, tablets, mobile phones, and gaming, with a 6% comparable sales growth in computing and tablet categories [8][10] - Online sales constituted 31.7% of domestic revenues, with nearly 60% of orders delivered or available for pickup within one day, highlighting the effectiveness of its omnichannel model [10] - The company is investing in customer experience with enhanced in-store zones and strategic partnerships, particularly in mobile activations [11] - However, BBY faces renewed tariff pressures and soft demand in key product categories, leading to a revised fiscal 2026 revenue outlook of $41.1 billion to $41.9 billion [12][13] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BBY's fiscal 2026 sales suggests a slight decline of 0.2%, with EPS expected to decrease by 2.4% [14] Stock Performance and Valuation - GameStop's shares have declined 17.5% over the past three months, reflecting investor skepticism, while Best Buy's stock has risen 1.6%, indicating market confidence in its execution [17] - GameStop is trading at a forward price-to-sales (P/S) multiple of 3.14, above its three-year median of 1.28, while Best Buy's forward P/S multiple is at 0.34, below its median of 0.38 [19] - GameStop is viewed as a more compelling investment opportunity due to its transformation strategy and improving financials, while Best Buy's growth is hindered by macroeconomic challenges [22][23]