BTIG has maintained its Neutral rating on Foot Locker (NYSE: NYSE:FL), highlighting the company's continued progress in the second quarter.
The firm recognized Foot Locker's higher sales and gross margins, particularly noting the strength in the core Foot Locker brand and a stabilization in its Champs stores.
The report emphasized that both top-line revenue and gross margins have shown improvement, a trend that seems to have extended into the third quarter.
BTIG pointed out encouraging signs from associated brands such as HOKA, a division of Deckers Outdoor Corporation (NYSE: NYSE:DECK) with a Buy rating and a $1,200 price target, On (NYSE: ONON) with a Neutral rating, and VF Corporation (NYSE: NYSE:VFC) also rated Neutral.
Despite reiterating its guidance, the analyst mentioned some concerns that may affect investor sentiment. These include a slight decrease in gross margin expectations due to underperformance at WSS and in Europe, and a softer outlook for the third quarter primarily because of the timing of selling, general, and administrative expenses.
The report suggests that these factors increase the importance of a fourth-quarter earnings improvement.
In other recent news, Foot Locker has been the focus of several analysts due to its financial performance and strategic initiatives. Piper Sandler resumed coverage on Foot Locker, assigning a Neutral rating and setting a price target of $30.00, expressing caution due to the stock trading at a higher multiple of future earnings per share.
Despite positive trends in its second-quarter results for 2024, the firm expressed skepticism regarding Foot Locker's guidance for the second half of the year.
Foot Locker's efforts to diversify its brand mix beyond Nike (NYSE:NKE) were noted, with successful inclusions like On Running, HOKA, UGG, and New Balance. However, concerns were raised about potential market share losses due to brands prioritizing their direct-to-consumer channels and a soft macroeconomic environment.
In terms of analyst notes, BTIG maintained a neutral rating for Foot Locker, adjusting its Q2 earnings per share estimate to a loss due to anticipated higher expenses. Meanwhile, Telsey Advisory Group maintained a Market Perform rating, highlighting the potential for growth from a diversified brand portfolio.
Citi revised its outlook for Foot Locker, predicting a narrower Q2 loss, attributing this to stronger comparable store sales and gross margin. However, Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) downgraded Foot Locker shares due to a more cautious forecast for the company's future earnings per share.
InvestingPro Insights
As Foot Locker (NYSE:FL) navigates its retail challenges, InvestingPro data provides a deeper understanding of the company's financial health and market performance. With a market capitalization of $2.77 billion, the company's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio stands at -7.58, reflecting investor concerns about profitability. However, the adjusted P/E ratio for the last twelve months as of Q1 2025 is 48.76, suggesting expectations of future earnings growth.
InvestingPro Tips indicate a mix of caution and optimism for Foot Locker. Analysts have revised their earnings upwards for the upcoming period, showing confidence in the company's potential to improve its financial results. Additionally, Foot Locker has seen strong returns over the last month and three months, with price total returns of 24.0% and 42.53%, respectively. This positive momentum could be a sign of investor confidence in the company's strategic direction.
For those considering an investment in Foot Locker, there are over 10 additional InvestingPro Tips available, offering a comprehensive analysis of the company's prospects. These tips, along with real-time metrics and data, can be found on InvestingPro's dedicated page for Foot Locker (https://www.investing.com/pro/FL), providing valuable insights for informed investment decisions.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.