We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Avon (AVP) Surges 59% in 6 Months: Will Momentum Sustain?
Read MoreHide Full Article
Avon Products, Inc. is gaining momentum on the back of the execution of its ‘Open Up Avon’ strategy. This strategy emphasizes on reviving the company’s direct selling business model, renovating the brand, enhancing e-commerce and other capabilities to aid a performance-driven transformation. Also, Avon focus on e-commerce expansion by improving digital tools is encouraging. Further, the company remains committed to accomplish the financial targets for 2021.
Backed by these tailwinds, shares of the company have surged 59% in the past six months, comfortably outperforming the industry’s 21.6% rally. The stock has also outperformed the Consumer Staples sector and the S&P 500 Index that advanced 8.5% and 5.2%, respectively. Further, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock is hovering close to its 52-week high of $4.47. With a long-term earnings growth rate of 7.5%, Avon is positioned to attain new highs. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Let’s delve deeper into the factors that have been driving the company’s performance.
Factors Narrating Avon’s Growth Potential
Avon is on track with the "Open Up Avon" strategy, which is aiding its bottom-line performance. As part of the plan, the company expects to improve operating efficiency, slash inventory levels and reduce portfolio complexity by certain restructuring efforts, including 25% decrease in Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), 15% reduction in inventory levels and 10% job cuts. These job cuts are estimated to fetch Avon annualized pre-tax savings of nearly $97 million by 2019 end. All these efforts are likely to help it simplify operations and generate higher cost savings.
Also, the company is capitalizing on the growth opportunities in the fast-growing e-commerce realm, hence making this platform a major growth driver. It remains committed to improving digital tools and e-commerce channel for bolstering Average Representatives sales.
The company’s new Avon ON app, which is an end-to-end solution to aid the Representatives, is currently available in 18 markets. In fact, this app is a 100% mobile tool, incorporating all the services in one suitable place to simplify and expand Representatives’ business. Further, ‘My Avon store’ is now accessible across 27 markets, while digital Avon brochure is now available in all markets. Backed by all these initiatives, the company has been steadily expanding the percentage of sales through the online channel. In fact, Avon targets doubling e-commerce sales in 2019.
Apart from these, the company is on track with its financial targets for 2021. It intends to generate total cost savings of $400 million by expanding manufacturing and distribution, outsourcing efficiencies, zero-based redesigning of back office functions, reducing certain facilities and managing revenue, interest and tax. In addition, management expects to invest roughly $300 million toward commercial, digital & IT infrastructure projects. Investments in the digital & IT infrastructure initiatives also include reinforcing the company’s balance sheet, where its cash-generating abilities must exceed the investment plans. Through this strategy, it expects to achieve revenue growth of low single digits and margin expansion of low double digits by 2021.
Further, the company’s growth efforts place it well for competition with peers like e.l.f. Beauty (ELF - Free Report) , Coty (COTY - Free Report) and Estee Lauder (EL - Free Report) , in the cosmetics space.
Hurdles on the Way
The company’s EMEA segment has been displaying soft trends due to significant challenges in Russia, a declining beauty market with increased competition and weaker sales leader engagement. Second-quarter 2019 revenues in EMEA dropped 15% year over year and 8% in constant currency. This was mostly due to significantly soft trends in Russia.
Notably, Russia's beauty market is highly competitive, particularly in direct selling. In the reported quarter, constant-dollar revenues in Russia fell 12%. Currently, the company is focused on reviving business in Russia through increased training, upgrading brochures, product innovations, deploying direct delivery to customers and expanding the digital business. However, we expect the operations in Russia to take some time to stabilize and return to growth.
Nevertheless, we expect all aforementioned growth drivers to offset minor hurdles and continue to sustain momentum.
Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside?
Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana.
Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look.
Image: Bigstock
Avon (AVP) Surges 59% in 6 Months: Will Momentum Sustain?
Avon Products, Inc. is gaining momentum on the back of the execution of its ‘Open Up Avon’ strategy. This strategy emphasizes on reviving the company’s direct selling business model, renovating the brand, enhancing e-commerce and other capabilities to aid a performance-driven transformation. Also, Avon focus on e-commerce expansion by improving digital tools is encouraging. Further, the company remains committed to accomplish the financial targets for 2021.
Backed by these tailwinds, shares of the company have surged 59% in the past six months, comfortably outperforming the industry’s 21.6% rally. The stock has also outperformed the Consumer Staples sector and the S&P 500 Index that advanced 8.5% and 5.2%, respectively. Further, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock is hovering close to its 52-week high of $4.47. With a long-term earnings growth rate of 7.5%, Avon is positioned to attain new highs. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Let’s delve deeper into the factors that have been driving the company’s performance.
Factors Narrating Avon’s Growth Potential
Avon is on track with the "Open Up Avon" strategy, which is aiding its bottom-line performance. As part of the plan, the company expects to improve operating efficiency, slash inventory levels and reduce portfolio complexity by certain restructuring efforts, including 25% decrease in Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), 15% reduction in inventory levels and 10% job cuts. These job cuts are estimated to fetch Avon annualized pre-tax savings of nearly $97 million by 2019 end. All these efforts are likely to help it simplify operations and generate higher cost savings.
Also, the company is capitalizing on the growth opportunities in the fast-growing e-commerce realm, hence making this platform a major growth driver. It remains committed to improving digital tools and e-commerce channel for bolstering Average Representatives sales.
The company’s new Avon ON app, which is an end-to-end solution to aid the Representatives, is currently available in 18 markets. In fact, this app is a 100% mobile tool, incorporating all the services in one suitable place to simplify and expand Representatives’ business. Further, ‘My Avon store’ is now accessible across 27 markets, while digital Avon brochure is now available in all markets. Backed by all these initiatives, the company has been steadily expanding the percentage of sales through the online channel. In fact, Avon targets doubling e-commerce sales in 2019.
Apart from these, the company is on track with its financial targets for 2021. It intends to generate total cost savings of $400 million by expanding manufacturing and distribution, outsourcing efficiencies, zero-based redesigning of back office functions, reducing certain facilities and managing revenue, interest and tax. In addition, management expects to invest roughly $300 million toward commercial, digital & IT infrastructure projects. Investments in the digital & IT infrastructure initiatives also include reinforcing the company’s balance sheet, where its cash-generating abilities must exceed the investment plans. Through this strategy, it expects to achieve revenue growth of low single digits and margin expansion of low double digits by 2021.
Further, the company’s growth efforts place it well for competition with peers like e.l.f. Beauty (ELF - Free Report) , Coty (COTY - Free Report) and Estee Lauder (EL - Free Report) , in the cosmetics space.
Hurdles on the Way
The company’s EMEA segment has been displaying soft trends due to significant challenges in Russia, a declining beauty market with increased competition and weaker sales leader engagement. Second-quarter 2019 revenues in EMEA dropped 15% year over year and 8% in constant currency. This was mostly due to significantly soft trends in Russia.
Notably, Russia's beauty market is highly competitive, particularly in direct selling. In the reported quarter, constant-dollar revenues in Russia fell 12%. Currently, the company is focused on reviving business in Russia through increased training, upgrading brochures, product innovations, deploying direct delivery to customers and expanding the digital business. However, we expect the operations in Russia to take some time to stabilize and return to growth.
Nevertheless, we expect all aforementioned growth drivers to offset minor hurdles and continue to sustain momentum.
Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside?
Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana.
Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look.
See the pot trades we're targeting>>