Image source: Kate Spade & Co.
What: Shares of Kate Spade & Co (KATE) fell 15% in May, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence, after the company reported first-quarter earnings.
So what: Sales rose 14.5% in the quarter to $274 million after excluding wind-down operations. Maybe most impressive, direct-to-consumer comparable sales were up 19%, showing the company adapting to the e-commerce movement.
What investors really had their eyes on, however, was full-year revenue guidance of $1.385 billion to $1.410 billion and earnings of $0.70 to $0.80 per share. Both figures were on the low end of what analysts expected.
Now what: Luxury brands have had a rough year with global economic growth slowing, so Kate Spade's growth is impressive given the macro backdrop. While shares were down, I think the company is performing well and analysts had just set expectations too high before the quarter.
A lot of companies are having a hard time adapting to the e-commerce business, and with Kate Spade adapting well, this is a retail brand that should continue to take market share going forward.
