The Buckle Inc. (BKE)
NYSE:BKE
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Buckle
(NYSE:BKE)
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Rating:78Outperform
Price Target:
$61.00
▲(15.18% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:04/10/26
The score is driven by strong profitability/cash generation and an attractive valuation (low P/E with a high dividend yield). Technicals are supportive with the stock above major moving averages, though momentum looks somewhat stretched. Earnings-call commentary was positive on sales, comps, and margins, but inventory build and mixed category/unit trends remain key watch items.
Positive Factors
Profitability & Cash Generation
Buckle generates durable operating cash that historically exceeds reported earnings (~1.06x) and solid free cash flow conversion (~82% in 2026). This persistent cash generation underpins dividends, store investment, and resilience through retail cycles, supporting long-term financial flexibility.
Negative Factors
Rising Leverage
Leverage moving higher reduces financial flexibility and raises sensitivity to weaker sales or higher rates. With debt roughly approaching parity with equity levels seen in 2026, incremental borrowings limit capacity for opportunistic investments or larger buybacks and increase fixed-charge risk.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Profitability & Cash Generation
Buckle generates durable operating cash that historically exceeds reported earnings (~1.06x) and solid free cash flow conversion (~82% in 2026). This persistent cash generation underpins dividends, store investment, and resilience through retail cycles, supporting long-term financial flexibility.
Read all positive factors
Buckle (BKE) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$2.82B
Dividend Yield6.82%
Average Volume (3M)454.15K
Price to Earnings (P/E)11.3
Beta (1Y)0.81
Revenue Growth4.67%
EPS Growth3.46%
CountryUS
Employees2,800
SectorConsumer Cyclical
Sector Strength84
IndustryApparel - Retail
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)1.59
Shares Outstanding51,518,085
10 Day Avg. Volume349,859
30 Day Avg. Volume454,152
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio1.78
Price to Book (P/B)5.60
Price to Sales (P/S)1.83
P/FCF Ratio11.55
Enterprise Value/Market Cap1.04
Enterprise Value/Revenue2.27
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit4.63
Enterprise Value/Ebitda10.40
Forecast
1Y Price Target
$53.00Price Target Upside0.08% Upside
Rating ConsensusHold
Number of Analyst Covering1
EPS Forecast (FY)4.08
Revenue Forecast (FY)$1.33B
Buckle Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
The Buckle, Inc. operates as a retailer of casual apparel, footwear, and accessories for young men and women in the United States. It markets a selection of brand name casual apparel, including denims, other casual bottoms, tops, sportswear, outer...
How the Company Makes Money
Buckle primarily makes money by selling merchandise to consumers at retail prices through two main channels: its network of brick-and-mortar stores and its online store. Revenue is generated from product sales across key categories such as denim, ...
Buckle Earnings Call Summary
Earnings Call Date:Mar 13, 2026
(Q4-2025)
| % Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 22, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call communicated solid top- and bottom-line growth, driven by strong online performance and standout results in women's and kids merchandise, alongside healthy full-year margin expansion and a strong cash position after sizable dividends. Headwinds include modest declines in UPTs, softness in the men's and footwear categories, a quarterly uptick in SG&A (marketing and compensation), and a sizable inventory increase that introduces execution risk. Planned store expansion and inventory investments are positioned to support continued growth, though category and unit trends warrant monitoring.Positive Updates
Quarterly Net Income Growth
Net income for the 13-week fourth quarter was $80.8M, or $1.59 per diluted share, up from $77.2M, or $1.53 per share the prior-year quarter (≈+4.7% in net income; +3.9% in EPS).
Negative Updates
Unit Per Transaction (UPT) Declines
UPTs decreased ~1.5% in the quarter and ~1.0% for the full year, indicating fewer items sold per transaction despite higher average price points.
Read all updates
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive
Negative
Quarterly Net Income Growth
Net income for the 13-week fourth quarter was $80.8M, or $1.59 per diluted share, up from $77.2M, or $1.53 per share the prior-year quarter (≈+4.7% in net income; +3.9% in EPS).
Read all positive updates
Company Guidance
The company reiterated it does not provide forward sales or earnings guidance, but offered operational guidance for fiscal 2026: it plans to open 12–14 new stores and complete 12–14 full remodels (with at least half of remodels relocating into new outdoor centers), has closed one store year‑to‑date with no additional closures planned, and enters the year with 440 stores (vs. 441 a year ago); for context, FY2025 metrics included net sales of $1.298B (+6.6%), Q4 sales $399.1M (+5.3%), comparable‑store sales +5.6% for the year (+3.9% Q4), online sales $217.1M for the year (+9.8%) and $74.2M in Q4 (+6.4%), inventory $139.5M (+15.5% YoY), cash & investments $306.6M after $225.1M of dividends, fixed assets net $162.4M, FY capex $45.4M (Q4 $10.9M), depreciation $25.4M (Q4 $7.2M), and recent margins/traffic trends such as FY gross margin 49.0% (+30 bps), Q4 gross margin 52.6% (flat), UPT down ~1% for the year (~1.5% Q4), AUR up ~3.5% for the year (~5.5% Q4), and operating margin 20.2% for the year (25.2% Q4).Buckle Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Income Statement
78
Positive
Balance Sheet
70
Positive
Cash Flow
74
Positive
| Breakdown | Jan 2026 | Jan 2025 | Jan 2024 | Jan 2023 | Jan 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | |||||
| Total Revenue | 1.30B | 1.22B | 1.26B | 1.35B | 1.29B |
| Gross Profit | 635.86M | 592.79M | 619.07M | 676.00M | 653.01M |
| EBITDA | 261.44M | 263.50M | 291.89M | 346.99M | 354.19M |
| Net Income | 209.74M | 195.47M | 219.92M | 254.63M | 254.82M |
Balance Sheet | |||||
| Total Assets | 991.28M | 913.17M | 889.81M | 837.58M | 780.88M |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 274.16M | 290.73M | 290.42M | 273.07M | 266.90M |
| Total Debt | 383.81M | 326.26M | 315.41M | 303.79M | 288.34M |
| Total Liabilities | 566.64M | 489.37M | 476.59M | 461.26M | 467.96M |
| Stockholders Equity | 424.64M | 423.80M | 413.22M | 376.31M | 312.92M |
Cash Flow | |||||
| Free Cash Flow | 205.78M | 199.74M | 217.37M | 212.02M | 292.65M |
| Operating Cash Flow | 251.14M | 242.01M | 254.64M | 242.38M | 311.75M |
| Investing Cash Flow | -43.52M | -45.28M | -41.77M | -41.40M | -28.77M |
| Financing Cash Flow | -225.09M | -198.02M | -196.74M | -202.88M | -347.80M |
Buckle Technical Analysis
Positive
52.96
Price Trends
51.52
Positive
51.78
Positive
51.28
Positive
Market Momentum
0.80
Negative
63.30
Neutral
83.12
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For BKE, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 52.96 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 50.96, above the 50-day MA of 51.52, and above the 200-day MA of 51.28, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.80 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 63.30 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 83.12 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for BKE.
Buckle Risk Analysis
Buckle disclosed 18 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Buckle reported the most risks in the "Legal & Regulatory" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks
Buckle Peers Comparison
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
78 Outperform | $2.82B | 11.34 | 45.18% | 6.82% | 4.67% | 3.46% | |
69 Neutral | $4.42B | 6.48 | 38.98% | ― | 7.57% | 1.75% | |
61 Neutral | $18.38B | 12.79 | -2.54% | 3.03% | 1.52% | -15.83% | |
56 Neutral | $484.01M | 14.39 | 8.72% | 3.12% | -6.22% | -22.81% | |
54 Neutral | $3.05B | 11.22 | 12.12% | 2.09% | -1.15% | -0.98% | |
51 Neutral | $117.00M | -2.54 | -21.26% | ― | -8.31% | 36.10% |
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
BKE
Buckle
54.49
22.08
68.11%
ANF
Abercrombie Fitch
93.30
20.45
28.07%
AEO
American Eagle
18.08
7.77
75.30%
SCVL
Shoe Carnival
17.55
-0.33
-1.85%
TLYS
Tilly's
5.10
3.32
186.52%
Buckle Corporate Events
Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board ChangesFinancial Disclosures
Buckle Posts Strong Sales, Promotes Werth to Senior VP
Positive
Apr 9, 2026
On April 9, 2026, The Buckle, Inc. reported that comparable store net sales for the five-week period ended April 4, 2026 rose 7.0% year-on-year, with total net sales up 8.2% to $118.0 million, while year-to-date comparable sales for the nine-week ...
Dividends
Buckle Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend, Reinforcing Shareholder Returns
Positive
Mar 24, 2026
On March 23, 2026, The Buckle, Inc. board authorized a quarterly cash dividend of $0.35 per share, reaffirming its practice of returning capital to shareholders. The dividend will be paid on April 29, 2026, to investors of record as of the close o...
Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Buckle Announces Key Executive Retirements and Leadership Changes
Neutral
Feb 20, 2026
On January 23, 2026, The Buckle, Inc. announced that Executive Vice President of Stores Kari G. Smith and Senior Vice President of Sales Michelle M. Hoffman would retire from their roles effective February 13, 2026. The retirements mark leadership...
Executive/Board Changes
Buckle Sets 2026 Executive Pay and Incentive Plan
Neutral
Jan 29, 2026
On January 28, 2026, Buckle’s board compensation committee approved the executive compensation program for fiscal 2026, maintaining the same core structure as in 2025 with competitive base salaries, performance-linked cash bonuses, standard ...
Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Buckle Announces Retirement of Longtime Store and Sales Leaders
Neutral
Jan 27, 2026
On January 23, 2026, The Buckle, Inc. announced that longtime executives Kari G. Smith, Executive Vice President of Stores and board director, and Michelle M. Hoffman, Senior Vice President of Sales, will retire effective February 13, 2026, ending...
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer
This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.