Abercrombie & Fitch Company (NYSE:ANF) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch Company (NYSE:ANF) have received an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twelve research firms that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and seven have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $124.60.

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on ANF. Wall Street Zen lowered Abercrombie & Fitch from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, December 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on Abercrombie & Fitch from $130.00 to $128.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Barclays increased their target price on shares of Abercrombie & Fitch from $94.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $145.00 price target on shares of Abercrombie & Fitch in a report on Monday, January 5th. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of Abercrombie & Fitch from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 25th.

Abercrombie & Fitch Stock Down 1.3%

Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch stock opened at $96.15 on Friday. Abercrombie & Fitch has a 52 week low of $65.40 and a 52 week high of $133.11. The company has a market capitalization of $4.41 billion, a PE ratio of 9.22 and a beta of 1.17. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $106.25 and its two-hundred day moving average is $93.28.

Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 26th. The apparel retailer reported $2.36 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.14 by $0.22. The firm had revenue of $1.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.28 billion. Abercrombie & Fitch had a net margin of 10.07% and a return on equity of 38.01%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.50 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Abercrombie & Fitch will post 10.62 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Abercrombie & Fitch

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Abercrombie & Fitch by 181.6% in the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 352 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 227 shares in the last quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC purchased a new position in Abercrombie & Fitch in the second quarter worth $38,000. Blue Trust Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Abercrombie & Fitch during the third quarter worth $38,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Abercrombie & Fitch by 108.2% during the 3rd quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 481 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 250 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bessemer Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Abercrombie & Fitch by 268.0% in the 3rd quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 666 shares of the apparel retailer’s stock worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 485 shares in the last quarter.

Abercrombie & Fitch Company Profile

Abercrombie & Fitch Co (NYSE: ANF) is an American specialty retailer that designs, markets and sells casual apparel and accessories for men, women and children. Founded in 1892 by David T. Abercrombie and Ezra Fitch, the company evolved from an outdoor gear outfitter to a global lifestyle brand renowned for its relaxed, preppy aesthetic. Its product assortment includes tops, bottoms, outerwear, intimates, swimwear, fragrances and personal care items.

The company operates under multiple brand names, including Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie Kids, Hollister and Gilly Hicks, each targeting distinct consumer segments from teens to young adults.