Urban Outfitters beats on strength of Anthropologie, Free People
By
Bloomberg
Published
May 22, 2024
Apparel retailer Urban Outfitters Inc. reported first-quarter sales that beat Wall Street’s estimates, with the company’s Anthropologie and Free People brands driving momentum.
Comparable sales — a key gauge of retail performance — rose 4.6% in the company’s retail segment, outpacing the average estimate from analysts. Revenue rose 7.8% from a year earlier to $1.2 billion, in line with estimates.
The Free People and Anthropologie brands, both of which have gained a visible presence on social media in recent years, both posted higher-than-expected sales in the fiscal quarter ended April 30. Those brands’ performance offset weakness at the namesake Urban Outfitters brand, where sales declined 12%.
The company said that digital sales, including online and mobile platforms, drove the advance in comparable sales.
Urban Outfitters shares jumped 8.2% at 4:29 p.m. in New York in extended trading. The stock has gained 16% so far this year through Tuesday’s close, outperforming the 12% advance of the Nasdaq Composite Index.