:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-2209799552-dd2e771692334d19a46cf02370766688.jpg "Crocs Stock Soared Nearly 20% on Thursday— What Investors Need to Know")
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Key Takeaways
- Crocs shares surged on Thursday after the footwear maker’s fourth-quarter results topped Wall Street estimates.
- International and direct-to-consumer sales grew in the quarter, while sales in North America and through its wholesale partners fell.
Crocs were cool with investors on Thursday.
Shares of the footwear maker soared 19% after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results. The company’s revenue of $958 million and adjusted earnings per share of $2.29 were both down from a year earlier but came in above the consensus estimates of analysts compiled by Visible Alpha.
Crocs (CROX) said its wholesale revenue fell more than 14% in the quarter, while direct-to-consumer revenue grew by nearly 5%. International sales rose 14%, while its North American business was down about 7% for the period.
Why This Matters to Investors
Thursday’s jump suggests investors are bullish on Crocs’ international sales results and plans to cut costs as the company works to return to sales and profit growth.
CEO Andrew Rees said the holiday season was better than the company had expected. He also said Crocs has identified about $100 million in costs it can cut this year to become more efficient while still investing in its namesake brand and Heydude shoes.
Crocs expects first-quarter revenue to be down 3.5% to 5.5% from a year ago, with adjusted EPS of $2.67 to $2.77, while analysts estimate a 3.5% revenue decline and $2.66 adjusted EPS. The company forecasts full-year sales between a 1% decline and a slight gain, and adjusted EPS between $12.88 to $13.35—both better than the analyst consensus.
The company has been cutting costs for a while. In August, Crocs said it cut $50 million in costs in the first half of last year amid concerns about the impact of tariffs on its sales and margins. Crocs shares plunged nearly 30% in one day following the release of that earnings report.
Thursday’s gain was the biggest for Crocs since its quarterly report a year ago, when results handily topped estimates. Crocs shares, which are back to their August levels, have risen 11% over the past 12 months following today’s surge.
