Needham & Co begins coverage on VF Corp, Ralph Lauren at Buy

Investing.com -- Needham&Co analysts started research coverage of VF Corporation (NYSE:VFC), and Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL) shares on Wednesday, assigning both a Buy rating.

Setting its price target at $28, Needham analysts see VFC as a compelling turnaround story, expecting the company's earnings per share (EPS) to recover significantly from a pandemic-induced low.

The analysts are optimistic about VF Corporation's (NYSE:VFC) ability to improve efficiency, revitalize key brands such as Vans, and reduce debt.

They forecast a potential fiscal year 2028 (FY25) EPS of at least $2.00, up from a pro-forma FY24 EPS of $0.64 excluding Supreme. This improvement could lead to a share price between $30 and $40 in the next two to three years,” which would still leave the company a lot of room to climb,” analysts led by Tom Nikic said.

The analysts also noted that VF Corporation's management targets imply substantial EPS growth over the next three years, with Vans on the road to recovery and other brands like The North Face and Timberland gaining traction.

Moreover, Needham believes that VF Corporation's balance sheet is moving in the right direction, with net debt reduced to approximately $3.3 billion following asset sales and improved working-capital management.

For Ralph Lauren, the analysts praised the company's nearly eight consecutive years of year-over-year growth in Average Unit Retail (AUR) within its direct-to-consumer channel.

They see Ralph Lauren as a “compelling momentum play,” with potential for EPS growth in the teens. The company's ability to elevate the brand, improve pricing and margins, and grow unit volume while continuing to increase AUR are seen as drivers of continued stock appreciation.

Ralph Lauren's Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) channel has shown strong AUR growth for 31 consecutive quarters, with unit volumes now stabilizing after a previous decline.

Last quarter, Ralph Lauren posted a 12% DTC comp growth, with strong and accelerating growth in all regions. Needham’s team believes that if Ralph Lauren can sustain top-line growth, it could begin to see expense leverage in the coming years, with minimal tariff risk impacting EPS.

“So all in, we see a balanced algorithm to drive EPS growth in the teens, which we think will cause the stock to keep grinding higher as earnings grow nicely,” analysts wrote.

Wall Street currently has 14 Buy ratings, 25 Neutral ratings, and 4 Sell ratings on VFC shares. Ralph Lauren has a more favorable sentiment, with 19 buy ratings, 15 neutral ratings, and 2 sell ratings.

This article first appeared in Investing.com