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Editorial Advisory Board

  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
  • Ruti Ben-Shlomi, Ph.D., LightSolver
  • James Butler, Ph.D., Hamamatsu
  • Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Ph.D., Columbia University
  • Justin Sigley, Ph.D., AmeriCOM
  • Professor Birgit Stiller, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Leibniz University of Hannover
  • Professor Stephen Sweeney, University of Glasgow
  • Mohan Wang, Ph.D., University of Oxford
  • Professor Xuchen Wang, Harbin Engineering University
  • Professor Stefan Witte, Delft University of Technology

Apparel and Accessories Stocks Q2 Recap: Benchmarking Carter's (NYSE:CRI)

CRI Cover Image

Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at Carter's (NYSE: CRI) and the best and worst performers in the apparel and accessories industry.

Thanks to social media and the internet, not only are styles changing more frequently today than in decades past but also consumers are shifting the way they buy their goods, favoring omnichannel and e-commerce experiences. Some apparel and accessories companies have made concerted efforts to adapt while those who are slower to move may fall behind.

The 16 apparel and accessories stocks we track reported a strong Q2. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 3.1% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 14.9% below.

Thankfully, share prices of the companies have been resilient as they are up 8.5% on average since the latest earnings results.

Weakest Q2: Carter's (NYSE: CRI)

Rumored to sell more than 10 products for every child born in the United States, Carter's (NYSE: CRI) is an American designer and marketer of children's apparel.

Carter's reported revenues of $585.3 million, up 3.7% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 3.4%. Despite the top-line beat, it was still a softer quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

“Our second quarter sales performance showed stabilization and momentum, particularly in our direct-to-consumer businesses, which achieved comparable sales growth in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico,” said Douglas C. Palladini, Chief Executive Officer & President.

Carter's Total Revenue

The stock is down 2.9% since reporting and currently trades at $31.77.

Read our full report on Carter's here, it’s free.

Best Q2: Figs (NYSE: FIGS)

Rising to fame via TikTok and founded in 2013 by Heather Hasson and Trina Spear, Figs (NYSE: FIGS) is a healthcare apparel company known for its stylish approach to medical attire and uniforms.

Figs reported revenues of $152.6 million, up 5.8% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 5.5%. The business had a stunning quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS and EBITDA estimates.

Figs Total Revenue

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 11.7% since reporting. It currently trades at $7.33.

Is now the time to buy Figs? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Movado (NYSE: MOV)

With its watches displayed in 20 museums around the world, Movado (NYSE: MOV) is a watchmaking company with a portfolio of watch brands and accessories.

Movado reported revenues of $161.8 million, up 3.1% year on year, exceeding analysts’ expectations by 3.2%. Still, it was a slower quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Interestingly, the stock is up 12% since the results and currently trades at $19.62.

Read our full analysis of Movado’s results here.

Ralph Lauren (NYSE: RL)

Originally founded as a necktie company, Ralph Lauren (NYSE: RL) is an iconic American fashion brand known for its classic and sophisticated style.

Ralph Lauren reported revenues of $1.72 billion, up 13.7% year on year. This result topped analysts’ expectations by 3.6%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also recorded an impressive beat of analysts’ constant currency revenue estimates and a decent beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

The stock is up 4% since reporting and currently trades at $315.

Read our full, actionable report on Ralph Lauren here, it’s free.

ThredUp (NASDAQ: TDUP)

Founded to revolutionize thrifting, ThredUp (NASDAQ: TDUP) is a leading online fashion resale marketplace offering a wide selection of gently-used clothing and accessories.

ThredUp reported revenues of $77.66 million, up 16.4% year on year. This number surpassed analysts’ expectations by 4%. It was an exceptional quarter as it also put up an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

ThredUp scored the fastest revenue growth and highest full-year guidance raise among its peers. The stock is up 5.6% since reporting and currently trades at $10.25.

Read our full, actionable report on ThredUp here, it’s free.

Market Update

Thanks to the Fed’s rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been on a steady path downward, easing back toward that 2% sweet spot. Fortunately (miraculously to some), all this tightening didn’t send the economy tumbling into a recession, so here we are, cautiously celebrating a soft landing. The cherry on top? Recent rate cuts (half a point in September 2024, a quarter in November) have propped up markets, especially after Trump’s November win lit a fire under major indices and sent them to all-time highs. However, there’s still plenty to ponder — tariffs, corporate tax cuts, and what 2025 might hold for the economy.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our 9 Best Market-Beating Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

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.

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