Birkenstock Beats Fourth-quarter Revenue Expectations on Strong Demand

FILE PHOTO: A shopper walks past a Birkenstock shoe store in London, Britain, October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A shopper walks past a Birkenstock shoe store in London, Britain, October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
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Birkenstock Beats Fourth-quarter Revenue Expectations on Strong Demand

FILE PHOTO: A shopper walks past a Birkenstock shoe store in London, Britain, October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A shopper walks past a Birkenstock shoe store in London, Britain, October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

Birkenstock beat analysts' expectations for fourth-quarter sales and forecast annual revenue above estimates on Thursday, in the German luxury sandal maker's first results since going public, betting on higher pricing and strong demand.
The company's sandals and clogs retail for as much as $350 a pair, and the strong results follow signs of ebbing global luxury demand, as well as lackluster sales expectations from Nike and JD Sports Fashion.
Sales are getting a lift from the company's investments to tap into the post-pandemic move away from formal dressing to more casual and informal wear, mainly in the US.
The company's quarterly revenue rose to 374.54 million euros ($407.7 million) from 321.61 million euros a year earlier, compared with market expectations of 357.39 million euros, according to LSEG data.
The company forecast fiscal 2024 revenue to be between 1.74 billion euros and 1.76 billion euros, compared to analysts' expectations of 1.72 billion euros.
Shares ended 2023 about 19% higher after a disappointing market debut in October.



Abercrombie & Fitch Lifts Sales Forecast on Trendy Apparel Demand; Lofty Expectations Hit Shares

A hiring sign is displayed in front of Abercrombie & Fitch at the Tysons Corner Center mall on August 22, 2024 in Tysons, Virginia. (Getty Images via AFP)
A hiring sign is displayed in front of Abercrombie & Fitch at the Tysons Corner Center mall on August 22, 2024 in Tysons, Virginia. (Getty Images via AFP)
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Abercrombie & Fitch Lifts Sales Forecast on Trendy Apparel Demand; Lofty Expectations Hit Shares

A hiring sign is displayed in front of Abercrombie & Fitch at the Tysons Corner Center mall on August 22, 2024 in Tysons, Virginia. (Getty Images via AFP)
A hiring sign is displayed in front of Abercrombie & Fitch at the Tysons Corner Center mall on August 22, 2024 in Tysons, Virginia. (Getty Images via AFP)

Abercrombie & Fitch raised its annual sales target on Wednesday after reporting better-than-expected quarterly revenue, but shares of the company fell 14% as investors expected a bigger forecast bump from the high-flying retailer.

The stock has surged about 89% so far this year after nearly quadrupling in 2023.

"While the market may have been looking for a stronger guidance lift for the year, given momentum across the business, we see a beat and raise as impressive given a moderating top line outlook in response to a choppy macro environment across many of Abercrombie's specialty retail peers," said Dana Telsey, analyst at Telsey Advisory Group.

Abercrombie has been revamping its merchandise with new styles, featuring dressier apparel and cargo pants while tapping into growing demand for wide-legged jeans, helping it draw in fashion-savvy shoppers.

Retailers ranging from department store chains Macy's to home improvement chain Home Depot struck a cautious note and trimmed their annual sales forecasts, blaming weak discretionary demand. Strong results from Target and Walmart showed shoppers were looking for bargains amid budget constraints.

Sales at the Abercrombie brand jumped 26% in the quarter ended Aug. 3, while its Hollister division reported a 17% rise due to better-than-expected back-to-school selling.

The company now expects net sales to rise between 12% and 13% in fiscal 2024, compared with its prior forecast of around 10% growth.

Abercrombie CEO Fran Horowitz said the forecast raise came despite "an increasingly uncertain environment".

The company saw benefits from lower promotions and lower cotton costs, which helped it improve its gross profit rate by 240 basis points to 64.9%. However, it expects pressure from freight costs in the back half of the year.

In the second quarter, it reported profit of $2.50 per share, beating an estimate of $2.22, according to LSEG data.

Net sales rose 21% to $1.13 billion in the second quarter, compared with analysts' estimate of $1.10 billion.