Abercrombie, AnnTaylor, JoS. A. Bank Hit Highs
BOSTON (TheStreet) -- U.S. stocks rallied Thursday as Chinese and American manufacturing indices gained. These specialty retailers recorded highs.
3. JoS. A. Bank
(JOSB)
rose 3.9% to $56.85, hitting a high of $56.93.
Quarter
: JoS. A. Bank yesterday reported a fiscal fourth-quarter profit of $1.91 a share and sales of $279 million, beating consensus expectations by a margin of 6.7% and 7%, respectively. Full-year comparable store sales increased 6.3%.
Stock
: JoS. A. Bank has doubled during the past year, outperforming U.S. indices. The stock trades at a price-to-projected-earnings ratio of 14 and a price-to-cash-flow ratio of 12, reflecting 20% and 28% discounts to industry averages.
Consensus
: Of analysts covering JoS. A. Bank, three advise purchasing its shares and three recommend holding them.
Stern, Agee & Leach
expects the stock to advance 18% to $67. It has already surpassed other price targets, implying limited growth potential.
2. AnnTaylor Stores
(ANN)
climbed 4%, closing at a high of $21.52.
Quarter
: AnnTaylor posted a fiscal fourth-quarter profit of $40,000 and broke even on a per-share basis, after losing $376 million, or $6.66, a year earlier. The operating margin rose to 1%. AnnTaylor has $210 million of cash and $2.7 million of debt.
Stock
: AnnTaylor has quadrupled in the past year, beating major benchmarks. The stock sells for a price-to-sales ratio of 0.7 and a price-to-cash-flow ratio of 9.1, 29% and 47% discounts to industry averages. It's expensive based on projected earnings.
Consensus
: Of researchers following AnnTaylor, five rate its stock "buy", 12 rate it "hold" and one rates it "sell."
Thomas Weisel Partners
( TWPG) and
Piper Jaffray
(PJC) - Get Report
project a price of $23, a potential 8% gain.
Jefferies
(JEF) - Get Report
upgraded the stock to "hold."
1. Abercrombie & Fitch
(ANF) - Get Report
gained 2.2% to $46.65, hitting a high of $46.73.
Quarter
: Fiscal fourth-quarter net income dropped 31% to $47 million, but earnings per share fell 13% to 68 cents. Revenue declined 6.2% to $936 million. The operating margin narrowed to 9.4%. Abercrombie has $712 million of cash and $71 million of debt.
Stock
: Abercrombie has soared 91% in the past year, outpacing U.S. indices. The stock sells for a price-to-book ratio of 2.2 and a price-to-cash-flow ratio of 10, 28% and 42% discounts to industry averages. It's costly based on projected earnings and sales.
Consensus
: Of firms evaluating Abercrombie, 14 rate its stock "buy", 17 rate it "hold" and three rate it "sell."
Jesup & Lamont
projects a share price of $55, a potential 18% gain.
Goldman Sachs
(GS) - Get Report
is less optimistic, expecting the stock to hit $50.
View Stockpickr's Daily 52-Week Highs Portfolio
-- Reported by Jake Lynch in Boston.