Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, branded footwear retailer Genesco (NYSE: GCO) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Genesco's business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

Genesco facts

Headquarters (founded) Nashville, Tenn. (1924)
Market Cap $1.5 billion
Industry Apparel retail
Trailing-12-Month Revenue $2.4 billion
Management Chairman/CEO Robert Dennis
CFO James Gulmi
Return on Equity (average, past 3 years) 10.2%
Cash/Debt $54.8 million / $35.7 million
Competitors Collective Brands
Mainland Headwear Holdings
Weyco Group

Sources: S&P Capital IQ and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, 88% of the 129 members who have rated Genesco believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward.  

Earlier this week, one of those Fools, TMFWreath, tapped Genesco as a particularly timely bargain opportunity: "Bad news for shoe retailers (DSW specifically) has pushed [Genesco] down into undervalued territory recently. What investors don't see is that [Genesco] has consistently beaten EPS expectations over time and constantly improved gross, operating, and net margins."

If you want market-thumping returns, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future. Of course, despite a strong four-star rating, Genesco may not be your top choice.

We've found another retailer we are incredibly excited about -- excited enough to dub it "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2012." We have compiled a special free report for investors to uncover this stock today. The report is 100% free, but it won't be here forever, so click here to access it now.

Want to see how well (or not so well) the stocks in this series are performing? Follow the TrackPoisedTo CAPS account.