Crocs, Inc. (NASDAQ: CROX ) is widely discussed in the value investing community. It seems to be too cheap to ignore trading at a forward P/E of just 7.55x, gross margins consistently above 60%, and high cashThe stock market and value investing are my greatest passions. I bought my first shares at the age of 11, and since then, my fascination with capital markets has only grown stronger. Today, I look back on nine years of in-depth experience. Every day, I dive into company research, analyze annual reports, ...

Market Performance in China - Crocs is thriving in China while other major U S brands are losing ground [1] - WSJ visited a Shanghai store to investigate Crocs' success [1]

Core Insights - Crocs Inc. is positioned for growth in the casual footwear market, despite its stock being down nearly 10% year-to-date and trading at a discount [3] - The company is one of the most profitable in the retail footwear space, with a strong focus on maintaining pricing power and brand image [4][12] Market Growth Potential - The casual footwear market is forecasted to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4% through 2030, with clogs specifically expected to grow at 11.4% CAGR [7] - Crocs defines its total addressable market (TAM) across three segments, all projected to grow globally through 2030 [5] Market Share and Expansion - Crocs has increased its global market share from 0.3% in 2018 to 1.0% in 2024, focusing on "Tier 1 Markets" such as the U.S., Western Europe, India, China, Japan, and South Korea [8] - The company aims to expand its direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales, which have grown from 45.1% of total revenue in 2022 to 49.7% in 2024 [10] Sales and Profitability - Crocs brand unit sales nearly doubled from 67 million in 2019 to 127 million in 2024, with the average selling price (ASP) increasing from $18 to $26 [13] - The company's revenue grew from $1.2 billion in 2019 to $3.3 billion in 2024, demonstrating strong sales growth [13] Financial Performance - Crocs has achieved a 14% annual growth in revenue and a 15% growth in net operating profit after tax (NOPAT) since 2006 [19] - The NOPAT margin improved from 4% in 2014 to 21% in the trailing twelve months (TTM), with return on invested capital (ROIC) rising from 5% to 22% over the same period [20] Shareholder Returns - The company has repurchased $2.1 billion in shares since 2019, representing 37% of its market cap, and has a remaining authorization of $1.3 billion for further repurchases [24][26] - If share repurchases continue at the same rate as 2024, it could represent 8.6% of the current market cap [25] Challenges and Strategic Focus - Crocs has withdrawn its full-year 2025 guidance due to uncertainties related to tariffs but has identified $50 million in potential savings to offset costs [30] - The company prioritizes maintaining margins over increasing sales volume, which supports a strong brand image [31] Valuation Insights - The current price implies that the market expects Crocs' NOPAT to decline by 20%, which may be overly pessimistic given the company's historical growth rates [33] - Scenarios suggest that shares could rise by over 20% even if tariffs impact margins, indicating potential upside in the stock price [36]