What happened
Revlon (REV) shareholders suffered significant losses last year. Their stock dropped 45% in 2020, compared to the 16% increase logged by the S&P 500, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
That result isn't good, but the 2020 returns could have been much worse, given that the stock lost over 80% of its value through early November.
Image source: Getty Images.
So what
The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on the makeup-specialist's business by pushing sales lower and forcing an aggressive cost-cutting and restructuring effort. Revenue dove 29% in the first half of 2020, and operating losses ballooned to $245 million from $33 million a year earlier. Revlon's operations were under pressure before the pandemic struck, but a sustained shift away from makeup demand pushed investor sentiment even lower.
Now what
Revlon ended the year with some positive news that suggested it had plenty of time before its large debt burden pushed it toward bankruptcy. Its third-quarter results showed a modest improvement in sales trends, too, with revenue falling 20%, compared to the prior-quarter's 39% slump. Still, investors should stay cautious about this value stock due to its weak growth prospects, heavy debt load, and uncertain profit outlook.
