Core Viewpoint - Investors are seeking growth stocks that can deliver above-average growth and exceptional returns, but identifying such stocks can be challenging due to their inherent risks and volatility [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Kontoor Brands (KTB) is highlighted as a recommended growth stock based on the Zacks Growth Style Score, which evaluates a company's real growth prospects beyond traditional metrics [2] - The company has a favorable Growth Score and a top Zacks Rank, indicating strong potential for growth investors [2] Group 2: Earnings Growth - Kontoor's historical EPS growth rate is 7.8%, but the projected EPS growth for this year is 12.5%, significantly outperforming the industry average of 1.7% [4] Group 3: Asset Utilization - Kontoor's asset utilization ratio (sales-to-total-assets ratio) is 1.27, indicating that the company generates $1.27 in sales for every dollar in assets, which is higher than the industry average of 1.16 [5] Group 4: Sales Growth - The company's sales are expected to grow by 19.3% this year, contrasting sharply with the industry average of 0% [6] Group 5: Earnings Estimate Revisions - There has been a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions for Kontoor, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year increasing by 0.8% over the past month [7] Group 6: Investment Potential - Kontoor has achieved a Growth Score of B and a Zacks Rank of 2 due to positive earnings estimate revisions, suggesting it is a solid choice for growth investors [9]

Core Insights - Kontoor Brands reported third-quarter revenue growth that met Wall Street expectations, but the market reacted negatively due to concerns over profitability and cost pressures [1] - The company highlighted strong contributions from Helly Hansen and market share gains for Wrangler, while addressing challenges in the Lee segment, particularly in China [1] - CEO Scott Baxter acknowledged lower operating margins and shipment timing shifts that impacted overall performance [1] Financial Performance - Revenue for Q3 was $853.2 million, slightly below analyst estimates of $857.1 million, representing a 27.3% year-on-year growth [6] - Adjusted EPS was $1.44, beating analyst estimates of $1.40 by 3.2% [6] - Adjusted EBITDA was $134.3 million, exceeding estimates of $125.4 million, with a margin of 15.7% [6] - The company reaffirmed its full-year revenue guidance at $3.11 billion and slightly raised its Adjusted EPS guidance to $5.50 [6] - Operating margin decreased to 7.5% from 14.7% in the same quarter last year [6] - Market capitalization stands at $4.01 billion [6] Analyst Insights - Analysts raised questions regarding the impact of shipment timing shifts at Wrangler, with CFO Joseph Alkire noting solid demand but a shift in order flow to Q4 [6] - Pricing strategies were discussed, with coordination with retail partners to address tariffs, indicating competitive positioning across markets [6] - Concerns about organic revenue growth guidance and inventory planning were addressed, with management emphasizing brand strength and digital momentum [6] - Project Jeanius is expected to realize $50 million in gross savings by 2025, with full savings anticipated in 2026 [6] - Management suggested that the Lee segment may stabilize and return to growth by late 2026, with synergies from Helly Hansen expected to be realized in 2026 [6]

Group 1 - The article highlights positive developments in the Wrangler brand, challenges faced by the Lee brand, and significant restructuring expenses [1] - The acquisition of Long-only investment is noted to have a full impact on the quarter, focusing on operational evaluations and long-term earnings potential [1] - Quipus Capital emphasizes a buy-and-hold investment strategy, prioritizing operational aspects over market-driven dynamics [1] Group 2 - The article indicates that most recommendations from Quipus Capital will be holds, reflecting a cautious approach in a bullish market [1] - A small fraction of companies are deemed suitable for a buy recommendation at any given time, underscoring a selective investment strategy [1]

Core Viewpoint - Kontoor Brands (KTB) has received an upgrade to a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a positive outlook on its earnings estimates, which significantly influence stock prices [1][3]. Earnings Estimates and Stock Price Impact - The Zacks rating system is based on changes in earnings estimates, which are strongly correlated with near-term stock price movements [4][6]. - Institutional investors often rely on earnings estimates to determine a company's fair value, leading to stock price fluctuations based on their buying or selling actions [4]. Company Performance and Outlook - The upgrade for Kontoor suggests an improvement in the company's underlying business, which could lead to higher stock prices as investors respond positively [5][10]. - Kontoor is projected to earn $5.48 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2025, with a 2.9% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate over the past three months [8]. Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with a strong historical performance, particularly for Zacks Rank 1 stocks, which have averaged a +25% annual return since 1988 [7][9]. - The upgrade to Zacks Rank 2 places Kontoor in the top 20% of Zacks-covered stocks, indicating a strong potential for market-beating returns in the near term [10].

Core Insights - Kontoor Brands reported Q3 revenue of $853 million, a 27% increase, impacted by a shift in shipment timing [1][2] - Operating income decreased by 35% to $64 million, while adjusted operating income rose by 14% to $122 million [1] - Net income fell by 48% to $37 million compared to the previous year [2] Revenue by Brand - Wrangler brand generated global revenue of $471 million, a 2% increase, with a 3-point impact from shipment timing [3] - Lee brand's global revenue was $187 million, an 8% decrease, affected by proactive inventory management in China [4] - Helly Hansen achieved global revenue of $193 million, with US revenue at $40 million and international revenue at $153 million [5] Full Year Outlook - Kontoor Brands anticipates full-year revenue at the high end of the previous outlook range of $3.09 to $3.12 billion, reflecting a 19% to 20% increase [6] - Adjusted gross margin is expected to be approximately 46.4%, an increase of 130 basis points from the previous year [6]

Core Insights - Kontoor Brands, Inc. (KTB) is a prominent apparel company known for its Wrangler and Lee brands, operating in a competitive market with rivals like Levi Strauss & Co. and VF Corporation [1] - The company reported an earnings per share (EPS) of $1.44, exceeding the estimated EPS of $1.41, but its actual revenue of approximately $853.2 million fell short of the estimated $879.1 million due to shipment timing issues [2][6] - The Wrangler brand significantly contributed to the company's improved gross margins and operational execution during Q3 2025, despite the revenue shortfall [3] Financial Metrics - KTB has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of approximately 16.24, indicating market valuation of its earnings [4][6] - The price-to-sales ratio stands at about 1.54, reflecting investor sentiment towards its revenue [4] - The enterprise value to sales ratio is around 2.08, suggesting the market's valuation of the company's total worth relative to its sales [4] Leverage and Liquidity - The company's financial leverage is indicated by a debt-to-equity ratio of about 3.07, showcasing its reliance on debt financing [5][6] - KTB's current ratio of approximately 2.18 demonstrates its ability to cover short-term liabilities with short-term assets [5] - An earnings yield of 6.16% indicates potential value for investors relative to the company's share price [5]

Core Insights - Kontoor Brands is raising its full year outlook due to stronger revenue and earnings growth, enhanced cash generation, and benefits from Project Jeanius, which aims to transform its global operating model and optimize its supply chain [1] Revenue Outlook - Revenue is now expected to be at the high end of the previous outlook range of $3.09 to $3.12 billion, indicating a growth of approximately 19 to 20 percent compared to the prior year [1] Operational Strategy - The forecast includes a 30 percent reciprocal tariff on China and a 20 percent reciprocal tariff on other sourcing countries, except Mexico, and the company plans to offset tariff impacts through price increases, supply chain optimization, and inventory management over a 12-to-18-month period [3] Pricing Strategy - Pricing adjustments have been implemented as part of a comprehensive strategy to mitigate tariff impacts, with changes effective mid-June for direct-to-consumer and in July for wholesale [4] Revenue Performance - Q3 2025 revenue reached $853 million, reflecting a 27 percent increase compared to the prior year [4] - Wrangler brand revenue increased by 2 percent to $471 million, contributing to broad-based growth and market share gains [5] Market Share Gains - Wrangler's U.S. revenue grew by 1 percent, driven by an 11 percent increase in direct-to-consumer sales, while U.S. wholesale remained flat due to shipment timing shifts [6] - Wrangler's international revenue increased by 6 percent, supported by a 5 percent rise in wholesale and a 12 percent increase in direct-to-consumer [6] - Q3 marks Wrangler's 14th consecutive quarter of market share gains, with the core men's and women's bottoms business gaining 80 basis points of market share [7]

GREENSBORO, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $KTB--Kontoor Brands, Inc. (NYSE: KTB) today reported financial results for its third quarter ended September 27, 2025. "Our third quarter results exceeded expectations driven by the strength of our expanded brand portfolio, gross margin expansion, and operational execution,†said Scott Baxter, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors. "While a shift in the timing of shipments impacted revenue growth, Wrangler drove another quarter o. ...

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has initiated an investigation into approximately 232,209 Chrysler 2020 model year Jeep Gladiator and Wrangler vehicles sold in the U.S. due to concerns over potential safety issues [1] Group 1 - The investigation involves specific models, namely the Jeep Gladiator and Wrangler, from the 2020 model year [1] - The total number of vehicles under scrutiny is 232,209, indicating a significant scale of the inquiry [1]

Company Investment - Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) announced a historic $13 billion investment over the next four years to enhance its manufacturing capabilities in the U.S. [3] - This investment will support the production of five new vehicles and aims to increase overall production by 50% compared to current levels, along with introducing 19 refreshed products and updated powertrains by 2029 [3][4]. Specific Allocations - The investment includes $600 million to reopen the Belvidere Assembly Plant for Jeep production, $400 million to upgrade the Toledo Assembly Complex for Wrangler and Gladiator models, and additional funding for the Warren Truck plant to develop a new range-extended EV and ICE SUV [5]. - There will also be investments in Kokomo, Indiana, to produce the GMET4 EVO engine, which will help mitigate approximately $1.74 billion in tariff costs on affected vehicles and components [5]. Market Reaction - Following the announcement, Stellantis shares saw a premarket increase of 0.4% after previously closing over 2.5% lower, with a peak increase of 5% noted in premarket trading [6].