Equity Research Focusing on the Consumer Sector, Small Cap Consumer Research

Small Cap Consumer Research

Equity Research Focusing on the Consumer Sector

Small Cap Consumer Research, LLC is a leading company-sponsored equity research provider focusing on the consumer sector (apparel, brand licensing and specialty retailing segments).

Equity Bottom-Up

PVH Corp. designs, sources, manufactures, and markets men's, women's, and children's apparel and footwear.  The Company markets its products at a wholesale level through department store chains and directly to consumers through retail stores. PVH Corp offers attire that includes dress shirts, sportswear, neckwear, and footwear.

<ul><li>We are initiating coverage of Vince Holding Corp., a leading ready to wear brand, offering luxury men's and women's apparel, accessories and home goods via their own stores, online and in wholesale partnerships with key retailers, with a Buy rating and $3 price target, or 6.5X our FY25 EBITDA projection.</li><li>We believe, after a momentous FY23, where the company formed a partnership with Authentic Brands Group, a leading brand licensor, materially recast their balance sheet with debt paydowns and maturity extensions, and began a $30 million transformation program, Vince is ready to shine once again in 2HFY24 and return to top line growth, with higher returns and a more enduring business model.</li><li>As such, and with investor skepticism remaining a drag, we view the longer term risk/reward as compelling, and are initiating coverage of VNCE with a Buy rating and $3 price target.</li></ul>

We are initiating coverage of Vince Holding Corp., a leading ready to wear brand, offering luxury men's and women's apparel, accessories and home goods via their own stores, online and in wholesale partnerships with key retailers, with a Buy rating and $3 price target, or 6.5X our FY25 EBITDA projection.We believe, after a momentous FY23, where the company formed a partnership with Authentic Brands Group, a leading brand licensor, materially recast their balance sheet with debt paydowns and maturity extensions, and began a $30 million transformation program, Vince is ready to shine once again in 2HFY24 and return to top line growth, with higher returns and a more enduring business model.As such, and with investor skepticism remaining a drag, we view the longer term risk/reward as compelling, and are initiating coverage of VNCE with a Buy rating and $3 price target.

Pvh Corp - VNCE: Upside Clarity Increasing; Initiating Coverage with a Buy Rating, $3 PT

e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. operates as a cosmetic company. The Company offers beauty products for eyes, lips, and face. e.l.f. Beauty provides eyeliners, lipsticks, lip care and brushes, powder, and skin care products.

<ul><li>We are reiterating our Buy rating and price target for Starco Brands, but lowering our 2024 and 2025 projections to primarily reflect higher marketing costs to support multiple newly announced door expansions for each of the company's key brands beginning in 2Q24 and concentrated in 4Q24.</li><li>We believe Starco's offerings are poised to take highly material leaps, with major expansions at over 10,00 doors in 2024, which we believe will position the company for material, multi-year top line growth and, with the ability to begin to leverage their somewhat fixed infrastructure, margin expansion.</li><li>Further, we believe these agreements position Starco to drive even further sales per door as they increase offerings and categories.</li></ul>

We are reiterating our Buy rating and price target for Starco Brands, but lowering our 2024 and 2025 projections to primarily reflect higher marketing costs to support multiple newly announced door expansions for each of the company's key brands beginning in 2Q24 and concentrated in 4Q24.We believe Starco's offerings are poised to take highly material leaps, with major expansions at over 10,00 doors in 2024, which we believe will position the company for material, multi-year top line growth and, with the ability to begin to leverage their somewhat fixed infrastructure, margin expansion.Further, we believe these agreements position Starco to drive even further sales per door as they increase offerings and categories.

elf Beauty Inc - STCB: 1Q Review: Building for the Future; Reiterate Buy, Price Target

Lands' End, Inc. manufactures men's, women's and children's apparel and accessories. The Company produces and distributes swimwear, clothing, bedding, totes, furniture, bath accessories, uniforms, outter wear and various related products. Lands' End offers its products through its catalog and website around the world.

<ul><li>We are reiterating our Buy rating, $14 price target, and projections for Lands' End after reviewing the May catalogs for 2023 and 2024.</li><li>The overwhelming focus for this month is swim, one of the core categories for the company.</li><li>Lands' End continues to drive deeper levels of newness to capture higher pricing and create a sense of urgency for purchases.</li></ul>

We are reiterating our Buy rating, $14 price target, and projections for Lands' End after reviewing the May catalogs for 2023 and 2024.The overwhelming focus for this month is swim, one of the core categories for the company.Lands' End continues to drive deeper levels of newness to capture higher pricing and create a sense of urgency for purchases.

LE: Snapping the Catalog: The "New" Lands' End Swim; Reiterate Buy & $14 PT

<ul><li>We are reiterating our Buy rating, projections and $0.25 price target for Starco Brands with the company reporting 1Q24 (March) results after the close on Wednesday.</li><li>We believe 1Q saw continued progress on multiple levels, with Whipshots rolling out new flavors and now in almost all 50 states, Soylent expanding their protein offerings, Art of Sport beginning its soft launch on Amazon and Skylar expanding new product categories and fragrances.</li><li>As such, and with management remaining focused on driving cost savings and leveraging their relationship and knowledge of the aerosol-driven manufacturing segment, we remain focused on both top line and margin opportunities at STCB. We reiterate our Buy rating and $0.25 price target.</li></ul>

We are reiterating our Buy rating, projections and $0.25 price target for Starco Brands with the company reporting 1Q24 (March) results after the close on Wednesday.We believe 1Q saw continued progress on multiple levels, with Whipshots rolling out new flavors and now in almost all 50 states, Soylent expanding their protein offerings, Art of Sport beginning its soft launch on Amazon and Skylar expanding new product categories and fragrances.As such, and with management remaining focused on driving cost savings and leveraging their relationship and knowledge of the aerosol-driven manufacturing segment, we remain focused on both top line and margin opportunities at STCB. We reiterate our Buy rating and $0.25 price target.

elf Beauty Inc - STCB: 1Q Preview: Adding Value, Driving Upside; Reiterate Buy, $0.25 PT

Abercrombie & Fitch Co Cl A / Equity Bottom-Up

Abercrombie & Fitch Co.  a specialty retailer that operates stores and direct-to-consumer operations. Through these channels, the Company sells: casual sportswear apparel, including knit and woven shirts, graphic t-shirts, fleece, jeans and woven pants, shorts, sweaters, and outerwear; personal care products; and accessories for men, women and kids.

<ul><li>We are reiterating our Buy rating, raising our pice target to $25 (from $14), and upping our projections for a.k.a. Brands after the company registered better-than-expected revenue and Adjusted EBITDA for 1Q24 and raised 2024 guidance, driven by strong domestic results, as all the company's concepts continue to gain market share in the United States via new stores, expanding digital marketplace relationships and the "test and repeat" method driving newness and fashion excitement.</li><li>Further, we believe the Australian operations, especially Culture Kings, are setting up for a 2H24 turn, with leaner inventories and better product mix.</li><li>As such, even after raising our projections, we believe upside remains in 2H24 and 2025 and are confident raising our price target to $25 and reiterating our Buy rating on AKA.</li></ul>

We are reiterating our Buy rating, raising our pice target to $25 (from $14), and upping our projections for a.k.a. Brands after the company registered better-than-expected revenue and Adjusted EBITDA for 1Q24 and raised 2024 guidance, driven by strong domestic results, as all the company's concepts continue to gain market share in the United States via new stores, expanding digital marketplace relationships and the "test and repeat" method driving newness and fashion excitement.Further, we believe the Australian operations, especially Culture Kings, are setting up for a 2H24 turn, with leaner inventories and better product mix.As such, even after raising our projections, we believe upside remains in 2H24 and 2025 and are confident raising our price target to $25 and reiterating our Buy rating on AKA.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co Cl A - AKA: 1Q Beginning of a Powerful Turn; Raising PT to $25, Reiterate Buy

Equity research on small cap consumer names.