大和发布研报称，对特步国际(01368)2025年预测仅作微调，但将2026年每股盈利预测下调2%，以反映 核心特步品牌收入增长可能放缓。该行重申对该公司"买入"评级，估值基于不变的12倍市盈率，应用于 2025至2026年每股盈利平均值(此前为2025年每股盈利);将12个月目标价从6.6港元上调至7港元。 大和又认为，特步国际童装业务将带来进一步上行潜力，管理层预计，该业务未来可见的增长将超越成 人市场。按同口径计算，该行预测公司2025年盈利增长约5%。 特步国际今年上半年净利润按同口径同比增长6.4%，分别超出该行及市场共识预期19%及17%，主要得 益于强劲的营运成本控制，以及专业运动(索康尼(Saucony)及迈乐(Merrell)品牌)业务的营运利润率超出 预期，同比增长6.1个百分点至10%。大和表示，尽管业绩超预期，但对特步2025年预测仅作微调，因 预计下半年营运利润率将因季节性因素减弱，同时Saucony在下半年的市场推广活动(及相关成本)可能 增加。 大和认为，特步国际业绩中最突出之处在于，尽管2025年上半年收入增长放缓，大众市场及专业运动部 门的营运利润率仍保持韧性。然而，鉴于下半 ...

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the report is that Daiwa has made slight adjustments to the earnings forecast for Xtep International (01368) for 2025, while lowering the 2026 earnings per share forecast by 2% due to potential slowdown in core brand revenue growth [1] - Daiwa maintains a "Buy" rating for the company, with a target price raised from HKD 6.6 to HKD 7, based on a consistent 12x price-to-earnings ratio applied to the average earnings per share for 2025 and 2026 [1] - Xtep International's net profit for the first half of this year increased by 6.4% year-on-year on a comparable basis, exceeding Daiwa's and market consensus expectations by 19% and 17% respectively, driven by strong operational cost control and improved operating profit margin in the professional sports segment [1] Group 2 - Despite the better-than-expected performance, Daiwa only made slight adjustments to the 2025 forecast, anticipating a decrease in operating profit margin in the second half of the year due to seasonal factors and increased marketing costs for Saucony [1] - The most notable aspect of Xtep International's performance is the resilience of operating profit margins in both the mass market and professional sports segments, despite a slowdown in revenue growth in the first half of 2025 [1] - The company is expected to face challenges in maintaining profit margins in the second half of 2025 due to product launches and store openings, including the release of Triumph 23 in July 2025 and lifestyle products in Q4 of this year [1] Group 3 - Daiwa believes that Xtep International's children's clothing business will provide further upside potential, with management expecting growth in this segment to outpace that of the adult market [2] - On a comparable basis, Daiwa forecasts the company's earnings growth to be approximately 5% in 2025 [2]

Core Insights - Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (WWW) reported a strong second quarter in 2025, with revenues increasing by 11.5% year over year to $474.2 million, driven by brand momentum, particularly from Saucony and Merrell [1][10] Brand Performance - Saucony achieved record second-quarter revenues, rising 41.5% year over year, with a gross margin expansion of 560 basis points, supported by successful product launches and expanded lifestyle distribution [2][10] - Merrell experienced a revenue growth of 10.7% and nearly 600 basis points of margin expansion, bolstered by modernized trail offerings and increased lifestyle footwear appeal [3][10] - Sweaty Betty narrowed its revenue decline to 6.1% while improving margins by over 500 basis points, focusing on restoring its premium positioning through targeted campaigns [4] - The Wolverine brand also showed progress with new premium product introductions, contributing to overall growth alongside Saucony and Merrell [5] Competitive Landscape - Key competitors in the footwear industry include Deckers Outdoor Corporation, Tapestry, Inc., and Urban Outfitters Inc., with Deckers showing strong performance through its flagship brands HOKA and UGG [6][7][8][9] Financial Metrics - WWW's shares have gained 29.3% year to date, contrasting with a 1.5% decline in the industry [11] - The company trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 19.78X, significantly below the industry average of 30.45X [12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for WWW's financial 2025 earnings indicates a year-over-year growth of 44%, with a 17.2% increase projected for 2026 [13]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for the second quarter was $474 million, exceeding the high end of the outlook of $450 million, driven by stronger performance in both active and workgroups [31] - Ongoing revenue increased by 11.6% compared to the prior year, with a constant currency growth of 10.4% [32] - Adjusted diluted earnings per share rose to $0.35 from $0.15 in the prior year, reflecting strong revenue growth and gross margin expansion [38] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Saucony achieved a revenue increase of 42% in the quarter, with broad-based growth across regions and channels [34] - Merrell grew by 11%, marking its fourth consecutive quarter of growth, supported by strong wholesale performance [36] - Sweaty Betty's revenue declined by 6%, but this was an improvement compared to the first quarter, indicating progress in reestablishing the brand's premium positioning [36] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Global wholesale revenue was the primary driver of performance, with international growth slightly outpacing the U.S. [32] - The active group revenue increased by 16% compared to the prior year, led by Saucony and Merrell [33] - The workgroup revenue grew by 2% compared to the prior year, indicating a sequential improvement [36] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on becoming a consumer-obsessed brand builder, emphasizing innovative and trend-right products [47] - A new brand building playbook has been effective, leading to improved revenue trends for five consecutive quarters [7] - The company is navigating a volatile macro environment and has taken actions to mitigate the impact of tariffs [7][40] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the company's positioning to navigate ongoing changes in the global marketplace [7] - The outlook for the second half of the year anticipates moderated year-over-year growth compared to the first half due to timing shifts normalizing [43] - The company expects to continue seeing benefits from pricing discipline and cost initiatives, with gross margin anticipated to remain strong [58] Other Important Information - The company has made significant progress in reducing net debt, which was $568 million at the end of the second quarter, down 15% compared to the previous year [39] - The company is implementing strategic price increases on select products to offset tariff-related headwinds while maintaining investment in brand building [41] Q&A Session Summary Question: Follow-up on Saucony's growth in the second half - Management highlighted broad-based growth in both performance and lifestyle segments, driven by a reinvigorated product pipeline and effective storytelling [52][54] Question: Sustainability of current gross margin levels - Management expressed confidence in sustaining gross margins at current levels due to improved pricing discipline and cost initiatives [58][59] Question: Go-to-market strategy for DTC growth - Management acknowledged the need for improvement in the DTC channel and emphasized a focus on consistent messaging and innovative product flow [63][66] Question: Saucony's performance in newly expanded doors - Management indicated a strong focus on sell-through rates and responsible growth as they lap new door expansions [67][70] Question: Merrill's growth momentum and future outlook - Management noted that Merrill has gained market share and is well-positioned for future growth due to new product introductions and thoughtful distribution strategies [81] Question: Operating cash flow and leverage expectations - Management confirmed a focus on sustainable long-term profitable growth, with a bank-defined leverage of 2.9 times at the end of the second quarter, down from 3.9 times a year ago [88]