Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Under Armour (UAA) Rides High on Growth Strategies: Apt to Hold

Read MoreHide Full Article

Under Armour, Inc. (UAA - Free Report) appears encouraging, thanks to its robust business strategies. The company’s focus on strengthening its brands through enhanced customer connections, effective innovations, better price points and a loyalty program should help it to hold its ground firmly in the current challenging market.

Let’s delve deeper.

Detailing Strategies

Under Armour has been progressing smoothly on its multi-year transformation plan. The company is focused on strengthening its brand through enhanced customer connections, effective innovations and strict go-to-market processes. Additionally, the company strives to boost its operating model as well as return greater profitability and value to shareholders. The company’s long-term growth strategy is focused on improving sales through product innovation, building long-term relationships with key wholesale partners, investments in its own stores and digitization to directly reach customers, and selling more inventory at full price.

UAA is focusing on digitization by converting real-time data and analytics to drive brand interest and consideration within its largest categories of training and running. Under Armour also initiated a loyalty program in North America, UA Rewards, on a pilot basis. Restructuring initiatives, cost management, inventory balance and emphasis on productivity should position the company for growth.

Zacks Investment Research
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Recently, management announced three priorities to drive clarity and business alignment across the company. Management is calling this initiative Protect This House 3 or PTH3. These priorities include driving global brand heat, staying relentlessly focused on elevating design and building better products and driving growth in the United States. With this plan, management is optimistic about creating a more advantageous position to unlock consistent and sustainable growth for its shareholders over the long term.

In addition, Under Armour has been trying to boost its direct-to-consumer business through store-expansion initiatives and enhancement of its e-commerce platform. Management has been investing in boosting digital capabilities to drive growth in the direct-to-consumer channel. This includes buy online and pick up in store facilities and flexible payment capabilities. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023, the company’s direct-to-consumer revenues increased 3% to $454 million due to a 6% rise in e-commerce revenues, which represented 46% of the total direct-to-consumer business in the quarter.

Furthermore, Under Armour is enhancing its global footprint and market share. Though the company generates a major portion of its revenues from the North America region, it intends to expand business operations to other parts of the world. It has also rolled out e-commerce platforms in countries like Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and Chile. Revenues from the international business increased 16% (up 21% on a currency-neutral basis) to $526 million in the fiscal fourth quarter. Within the international business, net revenues from the EMEA jumped 14% to $259.5 million. Revenues from the Asia-Pacific business region grew 24% to $224.9 million.

What Else?

Analysts look optimistic about the company. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2025 sales and earnings per share is currently pegged at $6.23 billion and 64 cents, respectively. These estimates show corresponding increases of 5% and 29.7% year over year.

We note that the shares of this athletic footwear, apparel and accessories dealer have increased 5.2% over the past month, outperforming the industry’s 1.3% growth.  This current Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company has an expected long-term earnings growth rate of 9.9%.

To wrap up, Under Armour is well-poised for growth based on the aforementioned strengths.

Eye These Solid Picks

Some better-ranked companies are Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) , Crocs (CROX - Free Report) and lululemon athletica (LULU - Free Report) .

Royal Caribbean sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

RCL has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 26.4%, on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RCL’s 2023 sales and earnings per share (EPS) indicates increases of 47.9% and 158.3%, respectively, from the year-ago period’s reported levels.

Crocs, which offers casual lifestyle footwear and accessories, presently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The expected EPS growth rate for three to five years is 15%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Crocs’ current financial-year sales and EPS suggests growth of 13.1% and 2.8% from the year-ago period’s reported figure. CROX has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 21.8%, on average.

lululemon athletica is a yoga-inspired athletic apparel company. LULU carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for lululemon athletica’s current financial-year sales and EPS suggests growth of 16.7% and 18%, respectively, from the year-ago corresponding figures. LULU has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 9.9%, on average.

Published in