On Wednesday, Telsey Advisory Group adjusted its stock price target for Nordstrom Inc . (NYSE:JWN), increasing it to $26.00 from the previous $24.00, while keeping a Market Perform rating on the stock. The adjustment follows Nordstrom's third-quarter results, which surpassed expectations due to stronger sales, an improved gross margin, and better operating expense leverage.
Nordstrom's third-quarter performance marked a continuation of the positive trend seen in the first half of the year, with the company reporting an earnings beat. This was attributed to a notable increase in sales, particularly in the full-line segment, which saw growth for the third consecutive quarter after a period of six quarters of decline. The company's off-price Rack segment also maintained its momentum.
The retailer experienced an expansion in gross margin, benefiting from a higher rate of full price selling. This, along with effective expense management, contributed to a robust earnings per share (EPS) beat.
Despite this positive outcome, Nordstrom's management noted a slowdown in sales towards the end of October and into November. Consequently, while the company adjusted its full-year 2024 revenue growth forecast slightly upwards, it chose to maintain its guidance ranges for EBIT margin and EPS.
Nordstrom is approaching the fourth quarter with caution, as it is a critical period for annual performance. The company has acknowledged challenges such as increased inventory levels due to slower sales in cold weather categories and the overall importance of Q4 results.
Telsey's report recognized the early stages of growth across Nordstrom's various business banners and the limited visibility regarding significant benefits from a potential take-private transaction, which supported the decision to maintain the Market Perform rating.
The new price target of $26 reflects Telsey's higher estimates following Nordstrom's third-quarter earnings beat. The target is based on a 12.3x multiple on the firm's two-year forward EPS estimate, a slight adjustment from the near-term multiple of 12.6x that was previously applied.
In other recent news, Nordstrom reported strong third-quarter earnings, with adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.33, surpassing Guggenheim's estimate of $0.20. The company also reported net sales of $3.35 billion, beating forecasted figures.
This marked Nordstrom's fourth consecutive quarter of top-line growth, with both Nordstrom and Rack brands achieving a 4% comparable store sales increase. The company's digital business continued its upward trajectory, recording a 6.4% growth.
Despite the strong quarter, Nordstrom has revised its full-year guidance to flat to 1% revenue growth due to potential challenges in the upcoming fourth quarter. Guggenheim maintained its Neutral rating on Nordstrom, cautiously increasing its full-year 2025 and 2026 EPS estimates for the company to $2.00 and $2.10, up from the previous $1.90 and $2.00 estimates respectively.
Evercore ISI maintained its "In Line" rating for Nordstrom's stock, adjusting its price target to $22.00 from the previous $20.00 in light of the company's recent earnings report. In contrast, UBS maintained its Sell rating on Nordstrom stock, but increased the price target from $13.00 to $14.50, expressing concerns about the company's potential loss of market share to off-price retailers and direct-to-consumer channels.
Recent developments also include the expansion of Nordstrom Rack with the opening of 23 new stores and double-digit top-line growth.
InvestingPro Insights
Nordstrom's recent performance aligns with several InvestingPro Tips that highlight the company's current financial position. The stock has shown significant momentum, with InvestingPro data revealing a strong 67.02% price total return over the past year and a 17.46% return in the last three months. This upward trend is reflected in the stock trading near its 52-week high, at 98.76% of that peak.
The company's profitability, as mentioned in the article, is corroborated by InvestingPro Tips indicating that Nordstrom has been profitable over the last twelve months and analysts expect this trend to continue. The P/E ratio of 14.14 suggests a relatively modest valuation compared to the company's earnings, which could be attractive to value-oriented investors.
Nordstrom's dividend yield of 3.09% may appeal to income-focused investors, complementing the potential for capital appreciation highlighted by the stock's recent performance. For readers interested in a more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers 7 additional tips that could provide further insights into Nordstrom's financial health and market position.
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