Citi cuts Dick’s Sporting Goods target to $200 amid FL buyout

Published 16/05/2025, 11:40
Citi cuts Dick’s Sporting Goods target to $200 amid FL buyout

On Friday, Citi analyst Paul Lejuez adjusted the price target for Dick’s Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS) to $200.00 from the previous $220.00 while maintaining a Neutral rating on the retailer’s stock. The new target sits within the broader analyst range of $155 to $273, according to InvestingPro data. This change comes in the wake of Dick’s Sporting Goods’ proposed acquisition of Foot Locker (NYSE:FL) for $24 per share, amounting to a total of $2.4 billion.

The market response to the acquisition news was a sell-off of Dick’s Sporting Goods shares, which dropped approximately 15%, erasing about $2.5 billion in market capitalization—the exact sum offered for the purchase of Foot Locker. The decline adds to a challenging year for DKS, with InvestingPro showing a year-to-date return of -21.3%. Lejuez noted that this reaction suggests the market is effectively attributing no value to Foot Locker within the deal. InvestingPro subscribers have access to 10+ additional ProTips and comprehensive valuation metrics for deeper analysis.

Lejuez remarked that the situation presents an interesting dynamic, as Dick’s Sporting Goods’ stock now carries the potential for added value extraction from Foot Locker, akin to a "free option." However, he also pointed out that the narrative around Dick’s Sporting Goods has become more complex due to the acquisition.

Despite the intriguing market reaction and the perceived lack of value assigned to Foot Locker, Lejuez advised caution. He highlighted that there is no immediate incentive to buy the stock, given the lack of clarity from management regarding their plans for changes, potential investments, and the timing of expected improvements post-acquisition.

Lejuez concluded by expressing a cautiously optimistic view but reiterated that there is no change to the Neutral rating, citing a balanced risk/reward scenario for Dick’s Sporting Goods shares. The market’s valuation of the Foot Locker acquisition will continue to be a point of focus for investors monitoring the retailer’s strategic moves.

In other recent news, Dick’s Sporting Goods reported better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter of 2025, yet their stock experienced a significant decline. The company has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Foot Locker for an estimated enterprise value of $2.5 billion, pending regulatory and shareholder approval, expected to finalize in the second half of 2025. Analysts have weighed in on this potential acquisition, with Telsey Advisory Group lowering its price target for Dick’s Sporting Goods to $220, while UBS and DA Davidson maintained higher targets of $260 and $273, respectively. Moody’s has placed all ratings of Foot Locker on review, with possible upgrades contingent on the successful completion of the acquisition by Dick’s Sporting Goods.

UBS analyst Michael Lasser noted potential shareholder value accretion from the merger, projecting a mid- to high-teens percentage increase by 2026. DA Davidson’s Michael Baker emphasized the strategic alignment of the acquisition with Dick’s Sporting Goods’ growth strategy, drawing parallels to past successful expansions. Stifel analysts, however, maintained a Hold rating with a $192 price target, citing a cautious outlook on the company’s strategic shift towards mergers and acquisitions. Despite these varied analyst perspectives, the acquisition is seen as a strategic move to enhance Dick’s Sporting Goods’ market presence and competitive stance in the sporting goods retail sector.

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