It's summertime, and it looks like the surf's most definitely up for some retailers. For example, Zumiez (NASDAQ:ZUMZ) reported quite an impressive leap in June's same-store sales.
The board sports-related retailer said June comps increased by a whopping 13.7%, compared with a similarly impressive 12.4% increase this time last year. Zumiez's total sales increased 48.8% to $31.5 million.
Interestingly, Zumiez rival Pacific Sunwear (NASDAQ:PSUN) may have had a tough time last year, but it also reported an increase in comps in June. Of course, Pacific Sunwear's weren't quite so heady, up 4.5%. In addition, though, Pacific Sunwear also cut its second-quarter guidance, and spoke of a coming promotional environment.
Zumiez revealed no such concerns. In its short sales call, the company said men's sales represented the most positive contribution to the month's take, and the company remains on plan to open 50 stores this year.
If you're wondering why shares of Volcom (NASDAQ:VLCM) are also booming today, it might be because it distributes its wares through Zumiez (as well as Pacific Sunwear), so it makes sense that some investors might see a hot June as a good indicator for that company as well. (As a matter of fact, I wrote about Volcom's presentation at a recent Wall Street conference yesterday.)
Zumiez definitely qualifies as one of those high-growth stocks with a luxurious valuation; it's trading at 32 times forward earnings. Hot is certainly one way to look at the company's historical growth (for example, last year it grew per-share earnings by 55%). Its double-digit growth projections are impressive, too (it's expected to grow EPS by 33% this year), but of course, that might quickly imply that this company is probably close to fairly valued at this time.
Of course, stocks like Zumiez often give patient investors a chance to get a bargain, sooner or later. If you recall Zumiez's first-quarter earnings announcement in May, investors shredded the stock, in a phenomenon common to high-growth stocks; good, but not great, quarterly results often cause many investors to run for the exits.
For those who own Zumiez, I'm certain they're not complaining about yesterday's run-up in the stock's price (up more than 8%). (Of course, dramatic stock moves on one month's data strike many of us Fools as short-term and silly.) For those looking to get in, waiting for a better price to come along might be the most prudent idea.
Grab your board and surf these articles:
- Fool on the Street: Volcom Catches Air
- Last quarter, Zumiez shares got shredded.
- However, there were no zzzz's at Zumiez in the quarter before that.
Zumiez and Volcom are both Motley Fool Hidden Gems recommendations. Pacific Sunwear is a Motley Fool Stock Advisor pick. Need more ideas for your money? Talk stocks with other investors and our analysts when you give our newsletters a try.
Alyce Lomax does not own shares of any of the companies mentioned.
