3 Reasons GCO is Risky and 1 Stock to Buy Instead

September 11, 2025 at 00:01 AM EDT

GCO Cover Image

What a time it’s been for Genesco. In the past six months alone, the company’s stock price has increased by a massive 63.1%, reaching $32.89 per share. This run-up might have investors contemplating their next move.

Is there a buying opportunity in Genesco, or does it present a risk to your portfolio? Get the full breakdown from our expert analysts, it’s free.

Why Do We Think Genesco Will Underperform?

We’re glad investors have benefited from the price increase, but we're sitting this one out for now. Here are three reasons why GCO doesn't excite us and a stock we'd rather own.

1. Same-Store Sales Falling Behind Peers

In addition to reported revenue, same-store sales are a useful data point for analyzing Footwear companies. This metric measures the change in sales at brick-and-mortar locations that have existed for at least a year, giving visibility into Genesco’s underlying demand characteristics.

Over the last two years, Genesco’s same-store sales averaged 1.2% year-on-year growth. This performance was underwhelming and suggests it might have to change its strategy or pricing, which can disrupt operations. Genesco Same-Store Sales Growth

2. New Investments Fail to Bear Fruit as ROIC Declines

A company’s ROIC, or return on invested capital, shows how much operating profit it makes compared to the money it has raised (debt and equity).

We like to invest in businesses with high returns, but the trend in a company’s ROIC is what often surprises the market and moves the stock price. Over the last few years, Genesco’s ROIC has unfortunately decreased. Paired with its already low returns, these declines suggest its profitable growth opportunities are few and far between.

Genesco Trailing 12-Month Return On Invested Capital

3. High Debt Levels Increase Risk

As long-term investors, the risk we care about most is the permanent loss of capital, which can happen when a company goes bankrupt or raises money from a disadvantaged position. This is separate from short-term stock price volatility, something we are much less bothered by.

Genesco’s $589.2 million of debt exceeds the $40.99 million of cash on its balance sheet. Furthermore, its 8× net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio (based on its EBITDA of $68.96 million over the last 12 months) shows the company is overleveraged.

At this level of debt, incremental borrowing becomes increasingly expensive and credit agencies could downgrade the company’s rating if profitability falls. Genesco could also be backed into a corner if the market turns unexpectedly – a situation we seek to avoid as investors in high-quality companies.

We hope Genesco can improve its balance sheet and remain cautious until it increases its profitability or pays down its debt.

Final Judgment

We see the value of companies helping consumers, but in the case of Genesco, we’re out. After the recent surge, the stock trades at 17.7× forward P/E (or $32.89 per share). This multiple tells us a lot of good news is priced in - we think there are better stocks to buy right now. We’d recommend looking at one of Charlie Munger’s all-time favorite businesses.

Stocks We Would Buy Instead of Genesco

Donald Trump’s April 2025 "Liberation Day" tariffs sent markets into a tailspin, but stocks have since rebounded strongly, proving that knee-jerk reactions often create the best buying opportunities.

The smart money is already positioning for the next leg up. Don’t miss out on the recovery - check out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).

Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.

StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.