Despite our recent coverage of the resurgent sporting goods industry, tiny Sport Chalet
The reason, however, is clear: It's small, both in terms of revenues and market capitalization -- and this is something that should at least be a source of minor pause for investors who aren't accustomed to researching such companies.
But Sport Chalet begs for attention with the kind of results it posted today. The income statement improved across the board, with revenue, gross profits, SG&A expense as a percentage of sales, and net income all above year-ago levels. In short, Sport Chalet is starting to see the benefits of its gradual expansion into Nevada and Northern California, even as it continues to build on its core Southern California base.
As a superstore retailer, Sport Chalet's outlets compare in size with the likes of Sports Authority
The company still has a long way to go to warrant real comparison with its publicly traded competitors. Sport Chalet is just starting to show signs of sustainable free cash flow, for example, and that may come under fire as it continues to expand, boosting capital expenditures. But with the shares reaching a 52-week high today on volume well above its average for the last three months, investors are clearly watching.
Dave Marino-Nachison can be reached at [email protected].