Retail

Urban Outfitters Earnings: Just Good Enough

Chris Lange

Published: March 7, 2017 4:45 pm

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 2:10 pm

Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN) reported fiscal fourth-quarter financial results after markets closed on Tuesday. The company posted $0.55 in earnings per share (EPS) and $1.03 billion in revenue versus consensus estimates from Thomson Reuters that called for $0.56 in EPS and $1.04 billion in revenue. The same period of last year reportedly had EPS of $0.61 and $1.01 billion in revenue.

Comparable Retail segment net sales were flat for the quarter. By brand, comparable Retail segment net sales increased 2.0% at Urban Outfitters and 1.2% at Free People, but they decreased 2.9% at the Anthropologie Group.

In terms of its segments for the quarter, the company reported:

• Urban Outfitters had net sales of $413.8 million.
• Anthropologie Group had net sales of $424.0 million.
• Free People had net sales of $186.3 million.

On the books, Urban Outfitters cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $359.2 million at the end of the quarter, versus $327.3 million in the same period from last year.

As of January 31, there are 6.0 million common shares remaining under the company’s current repurchase authorization.

Richard A. Hayne, CEO, commented:

We are pleased to announce record fourth quarter and full year sales driven mostly by the continued success in the direct-to-consumer channel. As we enter a new year, we will continue to shift our efforts and spend into our fastest growing channel.

Shares of Urban Outfitters closed Tuesday down 1% at $25.41, with a consensus analyst price target of $29.77 and a 52-week trading range of $24.29 to $40.80. Following the release of the earnings report, the stock was initially up 2.3% at $26.00 in the after-hours trading session.