Deckers Outdoor shares dash ahead on surging demand for Hoka shoes

Deckers Outdoor shares jumped about 11% on Friday after the shoemaker raised its annual sales forecast betting on strong demand for its shoes and boots during the crucial holiday season.

Trendy and innovative brands such as Deckers’ Hoka, New Balance and Roger Federer-backed On are a hit among consumers and have dented the market share of giants such as Nike in the running category.

Barclays analyst Adrienne Yih said strong wholesale and store sales and early strength in the back-to-school season bodes well for a robust holiday season “despite near-term headwinds such as freight expenses”.

Sales of Deckers’ UGC boots rose 13% in the second quarter and Hoka sales jumped 35%, driven by demand for its Clifton and Bondi shoes.

Its Hoka shoes have been gaining shelf-space at Dick’s Sporting Goods and Nordstrom as the retailers replenish their stock with consumer favorites.

Hoka’s recent products such as Skyward X and Cielo X1 have been able to penetrate the $200 plus price point, enhancing margin projections, KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst Ashley Owens said, while UGG is seeing year-round demand for Tasman and Ultra Mini styles.

Deckers expects annual sales to rise 12% to $4.8 billion, compared with previous forecast of 10% rise to $4.7 billion.
Its forward price-to-earnings ratio for the next 12 months, a common benchmark for valuing stocks, was 25.95, compared with Nike’s 26.59 and On’s 43.62.

“Deckers continues to deliver strong results in an uncertain macro operating environment, speaking to its strong market position with a healthy brand portfolio that can continue to drive growth longer-term,” Dana Telsey, analyst with Telsey Advisory Group said.