The Buckle, Inc.

The Buckle, Inc. (BKE - Snapshot Report) recently posted sales results for the month of June. Comparable store net sales were up 9.6% on a year-over-year basis. Net sales jumped 14.4% to $70.8 million.

Company Description

The Buckle is a retailer of casual apparel, footwear, and accessories for young men and women in the United States. The company’s casual apparel products include denims, bottoms, tops, sportswear, and outerwear.

Known as a denim destination, each store carries a wide selection of fits, styles, and finishes from leading denim brands, including the company’s exclusive brand, BKE.

Headquartered in Kearney, Nebraska, Buckle currently operates 393 retail stores in 40 states, including the recent opening of 3 new stores in Savannah, Georgia; Newport News, Virginia; and Pineville, North Carolina. BKE also closed one store in fiscal April. The Company operated 374 stores in 39 states as of May 7, 2008.

Stellar Sales

The company recently posted sales results for the month of June. Comparable store net sales were up 9.6% on a year-over-year basis. Net sales jumped 14.4% to $70.8 million.

Competitive Income

The Buckle declared a dividend of 20 cents in early June, noting that it is payable on July 27 to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 15. The retailer offers an industry-leading dividend yield of 3%.

Rising Estimates

Current full-year earnings forecasts to $2.65 per share are above the 3 months-ago level of $2.53. For the following year, analysts boosted projections to $2.76 per share, versus the 3 months-ago level of $2.57.

The Buckle’s earnings came in, on average, 8.55% ahead of analysts’ expectation over the past 4 consecutive quarter.

Solid Earnings in the First Quarter

The Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) play posted first-quarter earnings of 58 cents per share, surpassing the previous year’s 41 cents and topping the consensus estimate by 18%.

Results for the second quarter are scheduled for release on August 20.

Strong Fundamentals

The Buckle boasts a strong balance sheet with no debt. The company’s return on average (ROE) of 32% more than triples the industry average of 9%. Its net profit margin of 13.5% sits high above the industry average of 2%.

Read the full analyst report on BKE