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On Thursday, UBS analyst Jay Sole adjusted the price target for Wolverine World Wide (NYSE:WWW) shares, reducing it to $26 from the previous $29, while retaining a Buy rating on the stock. Currently trading at $15.18, InvestingPro analysis suggests the stock is undervalued. Sole’s assessment comes in the wake of Wolverine World Wide’s fourth quarter of 2024 performance, which surpassed operational expectations, with EBITDA reaching $128 million. The company’s leading brands, Merrell and Saucony, were highlighted as central to its ongoing recovery efforts.
Despite a guidance for the fiscal year 2025 that fell short of consensus expectations, causing Wolverine World Wide’s stock to decline by 16.7%, Sole remains optimistic about the company’s prospects. The stock has experienced significant volatility, with a 75% gain over the past year but a 29% decline year-to-date. The analyst attributes the stock’s recent drop to short-term challenges, including foreign exchange headwinds that are estimated to affect sales by 200 basis points and earnings per share by 700 basis points.
Sole’s confidence in Wolverine World Wide is underpinned by the expectation of a 19% compound annual growth rate in earnings per share over the next five years, ending in fiscal year 2029. This projection is supported by anticipated low-single to mid-single-digit percentage sales growth, improvements in operating margins, and effective cash flow management. The company, which boasts a 38-year track record of consistent dividend payments and a current yield of 2.56%, is expected to utilize its cash flow to reduce debt and buy back shares. For deeper insights into Wolverine World Wide’s financial health and growth prospects, InvestingPro subscribers can access exclusive analysis, including 12 additional ProTips and comprehensive valuation metrics.
The UBS analyst anticipates that Wolverine World Wide will exceed sales and earnings per share forecasts in the near term, which should propel the stock towards the newly set $26 price target. With a gross profit margin of 44.5% and positive free cash flow yield of 13%, Wolverine World Wide’s commitment to investing in its Active brands is seen as a key driver of sustained top-line growth, which is a central element of Sole’s thesis on the stock’s future performance.
In other recent news, Wolverine World Wide reported its fourth-quarter 2024 earnings with an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.42, aligning with analyst expectations. The company achieved a revenue of $495 million, slightly surpassing the forecast of $492.12 million. This marks a return to revenue growth for the first time since early 2023. Despite these positive results, Wolverine’s fiscal year 2025 outlook did not meet market expectations, primarily due to foreign exchange headwinds and a reduced forecast for top-line growth.
Telsey Advisory Group responded by lowering its price target for Wolverine shares from $23.00 to $17.00, maintaining a Market Perform rating. They highlighted the company’s effective inventory management and efforts to reduce debt as positive steps. Stifel also adjusted its price target from $29.00 to $27.00, retaining a Buy rating, and noted Wolverine’s strong balance sheet management and potential for upward revisions in 2025.
Wolverine’s Merrell brand saw a modest 1% revenue increase, while Saucony and Sweaty Betty experienced declines. Analysts from Stifel expressed confidence in Wolverine’s conservative guidance for 2025, suggesting that any growth beyond expectations could improve profitability. Wolverine’s guidance for 2025 projects revenue growth of 2.5-4.3%, with an adjusted EPS range of $1.05 to $1.20, reflecting a potential 25-41% increase.
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