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Abercrombie & Fitch: Teens Drive This Stock to New Heights
6/5/07
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6/1/07
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Entering into one of its thumping, hormonal, youth-oriented stores today, who would ever think that clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE:ANF) started out in 1892 as a staid hunting store. Times have certainly changed.
Nowadays, ANF is best known for its highly provocative ads featuring beautiful young people in various stages of undress, and the sticker shock of its clothing, which teenagers are begging their parents to buy for them. Abercrombie & Fitch indeed has nailed its target audience: Teenagers. They can't get enough of Abercrombie & Fitch, and I don't see this slowing.
While CEO Michael Jeffries has a questionably over-generous compensation package, he has done a remarkable job since taking leadership in 1992. Under his aegis, the brand has made solid strides.
Abercrombie & Fitch has learned from some of Gap Inc.'s (NYSE: GPS) mistakes, in particular, that trying to target too broad of an age group can result in failure. Countering this, ANF have opened store brands that target smaller market segments, including the very successful (with over 400 stores and growing) West Coast surfing brand of stores, Hollister, which offsets the preppier East Coast image of the ANF brand; a more grown-up brand known as Ruehl, and also a young kids' brand.
It also refuses to cheapen its brand by offering discounts, a wise decision in my book, though something other analysts feel might dig into revenues. But revenues have been growing at an impressive 20% a year over the last five years, the company has no long-term debt, and it has its eye now on the international markets. I love the prospects for this store. As of its SEC 10-k filing in February 2007, ANF was operating 994 stores in the U.S. and Canada.
It is just starting with its international expansion efforts, and in terms of its growth curve, I'm reminded of a phenomenon like Gap in 1982. On March 22, ANF opened a flagship store in London that has become a destination for Euro-teens and 20-somethings visiting England; it's always packed with shoppers.
Type of stock: I'm bullish on this casual clothing retailer's prospects, and in its push into international terrain . Its growth curve reminds me of where the Gap was in the early 80's.
Price target: Some analysts feel this stock is far too rich at its current price of $81.72. I disagree. ANF will hit $100 this year and will continue into the stratosphere as teenagers all over the globe await the possibility of an ANF store opening in their hometown.
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Abercrombie & Fitch: Teens Drive This Stock to New Heights
Nowadays, ANF is best known for its highly provocative ads featuring beautiful young people in various stages of undress, and the sticker shock of its clothing, which teenagers are begging their parents to buy for them. Abercrombie & Fitch indeed has nailed its target audience: Teenagers. They can't get enough of Abercrombie & Fitch, and I don't see this slowing.
While CEO Michael Jeffries has a questionably over-generous compensation package, he has done a remarkable job since taking leadership in 1992. Under his aegis, the brand has made solid strides.
Abercrombie & Fitch has learned from some of Gap Inc.'s (NYSE: GPS) mistakes, in particular, that trying to target too broad of an age group can result in failure. Countering this, ANF have opened store brands that target smaller market segments, including the very successful (with over 400 stores and growing) West Coast surfing brand of stores, Hollister, which offsets the preppier East Coast image of the ANF brand; a more grown-up brand known as Ruehl, and also a young kids' brand.
It also refuses to cheapen its brand by offering discounts, a wise decision in my book, though something other analysts feel might dig into revenues. But revenues have been growing at an impressive 20% a year over the last five years, the company has no long-term debt, and it has its eye now on the international markets. I love the prospects for this store. As of its SEC 10-k filing in February 2007, ANF was operating 994 stores in the U.S. and Canada.
It is just starting with its international expansion efforts, and in terms of its growth curve, I'm reminded of a phenomenon like Gap in 1982. On March 22, ANF opened a flagship store in London that has become a destination for Euro-teens and 20-somethings visiting England; it's always packed with shoppers.
Type of stock: I'm bullish on this casual clothing retailer's prospects, and in its push into international terrain . Its growth curve reminds me of where the Gap was in the early 80's.
Price target: Some analysts feel this stock is far too rich at its current price of $81.72. I disagree. ANF will hit $100 this year and will continue into the stratosphere as teenagers all over the globe await the possibility of an ANF store opening in their hometown.
hilaryonstocks at 1:34:00 PM EDT Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | digg this
