tiprankstipranks
Trending News
More News >
Children's Place (PLCE)
NASDAQ:PLCE
Advertisement

Children's Place (PLCE) AI Stock Analysis

Compare
599 Followers

Top Page

PLCE

Children's Place

(NASDAQ:PLCE)

Select Model
Select Model
Select Model
Neutral 45 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:45Neutral
Price Target:
$8.00
▲(6.95% Upside)
The overall stock score is primarily impacted by significant financial challenges, including declining revenues, high leverage, and negative equity. While technical indicators show some short-term bullish trends, the negative P/E ratio and lack of dividend yield highlight valuation concerns. The absence of earnings call data and corporate events means these factors did not influence the score.
Positive Factors
Brand Collaboration
This collaboration with a prestigious institution like the New York City Ballet enhances brand prestige and can attract new customers, potentially boosting sales and strengthening market position.
E-commerce Presence
A strong online presence allows the company to reach a broader audience, adapt to changing consumer behaviors, and drive sales growth, especially as e-commerce continues to expand.
Brand Loyalty Program
A robust loyalty program encourages repeat purchases and customer retention, which can lead to sustained revenue streams and a competitive edge in the retail market.
Negative Factors
High Leverage
High leverage and negative equity indicate financial instability, which can limit the company's ability to invest in growth opportunities and increase vulnerability to economic downturns.
Declining Revenue
Declining revenues suggest challenges in maintaining market share and consumer interest, potentially impacting long-term profitability and business sustainability.
Weak Cash Generation
Weak cash generation limits the company's ability to fund operations and invest in strategic initiatives, posing risks to financial health and operational flexibility.

Children's Place (PLCE) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Children's Place Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionChildren's Place (PLCE) is a leading specialty retailer of children's apparel and accessories, primarily targeting infants, toddlers, and kids up to size 14. The company operates through a network of retail stores across North America and an online platform, offering a wide array of products including clothing, footwear, and accessories. Children's Place focuses on providing high-quality, stylish, and affordable clothing, and is known for its vibrant branding and seasonal collections.
How the Company Makes MoneyChildren's Place generates revenue primarily through the sale of its apparel and accessories in its retail stores and online. The company's revenue model is driven by direct sales to consumers, with key revenue streams including in-store transactions and e-commerce sales. Additionally, Children's Place benefits from a membership loyalty program, which encourages repeat purchases and enhances customer retention. The company also engages in promotional activities and seasonal sales to boost sales volume. Significant partnerships with manufacturers and suppliers ensure a steady flow of inventory, while collaborations with other brands for exclusive collections can also drive additional revenue. Overall, the company's strategic focus on value, quality, and customer experience plays a crucial role in its earnings.

Children's Place Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Dec 03, 2024
(Q3-2024)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Mar 11, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call highlighted strong digital growth and successful marketing strategies but was overshadowed by a decline in overall sales and increased distribution costs. Management expressed confidence in addressing these challenges, but the current financial pressures were evident.
Q3-2024 Updates
Positive Updates
Digital Sales Growth
E-commerce sales grew in the low single digits, with e-commerce representing 57% of retail sales in Q3, up from 50% last year and 37% in 2019.
Inventory Reduction
Ending inventories were down 16%, exceeding expectations, contributing to a healthy inventory position entering the holiday season.
Successful Marketing Campaigns
Significant marketing campaigns including partnerships with Jonas Brothers and Mariah Carey delivered billions of impressions and high returns on ad spend.
Strong Wholesale Performance
The Amazon marketplace delivered an outstanding quarter with the largest week in history during Prime Day.
Negative Updates
Sales Decline
Net sales decreased by 5.7% to $480.2 million, with U.S. net retail sales down 8.9% and Canadian sales down 22.1%.
Increased Distribution Costs
Higher-than-planned distribution costs impacted the bottom line due to increased e-commerce volumes, higher labor costs, and delays in planned freight savings.
Gross Profit Margin Decrease
Gross profit margin decreased to 33.7% from 34.8% due to higher distribution and fulfillment expenses.
Interest Expense Increase
Interest expense increased to $7.9 million due to higher average borrowings and interest rates.
Company Guidance
During the third quarter earnings call for The Children's Place, the company exceeded expectations with net sales reaching $480.2 million, largely driven by a low single-digit increase in e-commerce sales and a significant rise in digital traffic. E-commerce represented an impressive 57% of retail sales, up from 50% the previous year. Despite a challenging macroeconomic environment, the company maintained strong merchandise margins. However, increased distribution costs due to higher fulfillment and labor expenses impacted the bottom line, with gross profit margins slightly declining to 33.7% from 34.8% the previous year. Inventory levels ended 16% lower, setting a strong foundation for Q4. For Q4, the company anticipates net sales between $460 million and $465 million and an adjusted operating profit margin of 2% to 3%. Full-year 2023 expectations include net sales of $1.605 billion to $1.61 billion, with adjusted net loss per share projected between negative $0.59 and negative $0.39. Looking forward, the company plans further inventory reductions and capital expenditures of $25 million to $30 million, focusing on digital initiatives and fulfillment enhancements.

Children's Place Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Children's Place faces significant financial challenges across all verticals. The income statement reflects declining revenues and persistent losses. The balance sheet shows high leverage and negative equity, raising concerns about financial stability. Cash flow issues are evident with negative growth and weak cash generation. The company needs to address these challenges to improve its financial health.
Income Statement
45
Neutral
The income statement shows a declining trend in revenue with a negative growth rate of -1.59% TTM. Gross profit margin has decreased from 41.49% in 2022 to 31.89% TTM, indicating reduced profitability. The net profit margin is negative at -2.04% TTM, reflecting ongoing losses. Despite a slight improvement in EBIT and EBITDA margins TTM, they remain low, highlighting operational challenges.
Balance Sheet
30
Negative
The balance sheet reveals significant financial instability with a negative stockholders' equity of -$4.87 million TTM, leading to an extremely high and negative debt-to-equity ratio. The return on equity is also negative, indicating poor returns for shareholders. The equity ratio is concerning, showing high leverage and potential solvency risks.
Cash Flow
35
Negative
Cash flow analysis indicates a challenging situation with negative free cash flow growth of -92.95% TTM. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is very low at 0.63% TTM, suggesting weak cash generation relative to net income. The free cash flow to net income ratio is negative, further emphasizing cash flow difficulties.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue1.34B1.39B1.60B1.71B1.92B1.52B
Gross Profit426.98M459.46M445.27M514.16M794.74M333.25M
EBITDA50.37M25.96M-36.52M138.96M434.64M-20.30M
Net Income-27.30M-57.82M-154.54M-1.14M187.17M-140.37M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets805.10M747.55M800.31M986.28M1.04B1.14B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments7.80M5.35M13.64M16.69M54.79M63.55M
Total Debt164.53M586.33M463.84M511.80M450.86M643.42M
Total Liabilities809.96M806.96M809.33M827.80M811.99M1.04B
Stockholders Equity-4.87M-59.41M-9.02M158.48M225.47M93.38M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-4.54M-133.42M65.24M-53.80M103.97M-66.30M
Operating Cash Flow3.66M-117.59M92.80M-8.22M133.28M-35.72M
Investing Cash Flow-8.20M-15.83M-27.79M-45.95M-29.29M-30.37M
Financing Cash Flow2.50M128.40M-68.27M17.06M-112.74M60.93M

Children's Place Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price7.48
Price Trends
50DMA
7.59
Negative
100DMA
6.49
Positive
200DMA
6.45
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.05
Positive
RSI
44.32
Neutral
STOCH
30.66
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For PLCE, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 7.48 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 7.90, below the 50-day MA of 7.59, and above the 200-day MA of 6.45, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.05 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 44.32 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 30.66 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for PLCE.

Children's Place Risk Analysis

Children's Place disclosed 35 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Children's Place reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Children's Place Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
66
Neutral
$1.15B12.7710.27%4.92%-0.34%-61.00%
61
Neutral
$18.38B12.79-2.54%3.03%1.52%-15.83%
51
Neutral
$209.57M-9.98%4.59%-4.63%-637.55%
48
Neutral
$44.80M-43.51%-11.10%-10.31%
45
Neutral
$160.27M-12.08%93.16%
45
Neutral
$68.73M-7.52-5.58%-1.01%65.04%
45
Neutral
$140.82M45.51-5.76%-75.71%
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
PLCE
Children's Place
7.23
-4.43
-37.99%
CRI
Carter's
31.58
-22.91
-42.04%
CATO
The Cato
3.48
0.19
5.78%
DBI
Designer Brands
4.19
-1.68
-28.62%
TLYS
Tilly's
1.47
-3.04
-67.41%
CURV
Torrid Holdings
1.32
-2.11
-61.52%

Children's Place Corporate Events

The Children’s Place Reports Q2 2025 Results and Transformation Plans
Sep 6, 2025

The Children’s Place, Inc. is the largest pure-play children’s specialty retailer in North America, known for its omni-channel portfolio and digital-first model, offering fashionable and high-quality children’s apparel at value prices. In the second quarter of 2025, the company faced challenges due to adverse weather and macroeconomic conditions, leading to a 6.8% decrease in net sales compared to the previous year. Despite these challenges, the company saw positive momentum in its back-to-school season and improved inventory management, reducing inventory by $78 million from the prior year.

Executive/Board Changes
Children’s Place Announces New Compensation for Vice Chairman
Neutral
Aug 25, 2025

On August 21, 2025, The Children’s Place, Inc. announced an additional compensation arrangement for board member Muhammad Asif Seemab, who was recently appointed as Executive Vice Chairman. Effective August 1, 2025, the arrangement includes an annual cash payment of $280,000, a $100,000 cash retainer for his Vice Chairman role, and eligibility for the company’s health and benefits plan, reflecting the company’s strategic approach to director compensation and governance.

The most recent analyst rating on (PLCE) stock is a Hold with a $5.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Children’s Place stock, see the PLCE Stock Forecast page.

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.Date of analysis: Nov 28, 2025