StockNews.com Downgrades Skechers U.S.A. (NYSE:SKX) to Hold

Skechers U.S.A. (NYSE:SKX - Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities researchers at StockNews.com from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday.

Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on SKX. TD Cowen decreased their price objective on Skechers U.S.A. from $78.00 to $76.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, October 14th. Bank of America cut their target price on Skechers U.S.A. from $81.00 to $80.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Barclays increased their target price on Skechers U.S.A. from $79.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Skechers U.S.A. from $81.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their target price on Skechers U.S.A. from $83.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $78.09.

Skechers U.S.A. Price Performance

NYSE:SKX traded down $0.62 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $61.98. 2,634,087 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,891,268. The firm's 50-day moving average is $65.25 and its 200-day moving average is $66.44. The stock has a market cap of $9.44 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.27, a P/E/G ratio of 0.85 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 1.96 and a quick ratio of 1.25. Skechers U.S.A. has a 1-year low of $47.98 and a 1-year high of $75.09.

Skechers U.S.A. (NYSE:SKX - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 24th. The textile maker reported $1.26 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.15 by $0.11. Skechers U.S.A. had a return on equity of 13.71% and a net margin of 7.19%. The firm had revenue of $2.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.31 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.93 EPS. Skechers U.S.A.'s quarterly revenue was up 16.0% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that Skechers U.S.A. will post 4.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Skechers U.S.A. declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback program on Thursday, July 25th that allows the company to buyback $1.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the textile maker to repurchase up to 10.3% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are typically an indication that the company's management believes its stock is undervalued.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Skechers U.S.A.

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bessemer Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Skechers U.S.A. by 66.7% in the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 410 shares of the textile maker's stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 164 shares in the last quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc increased its holdings in shares of Skechers U.S.A. by 4.7% in the second quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 3,820 shares of the textile maker's stock valued at $264,000 after buying an additional 173 shares in the last quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Skechers U.S.A. by 2.0% in the first quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 10,047 shares of the textile maker's stock valued at $615,000 after buying an additional 194 shares in the last quarter. X Square Capital LLC increased its holdings in shares of Skechers U.S.A. by 0.5% in the second quarter. X Square Capital LLC now owns 40,903 shares of the textile maker's stock valued at $2,827,000 after buying an additional 215 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd increased its holdings in shares of Skechers U.S.A. by 18.8% in the third quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,678 shares of the textile maker's stock valued at $112,000 after buying an additional 265 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 79.96% of the company's stock.

About Skechers U.S.A.

Skechers U.SA, Inc designs, develops, markets, and distributes footwear for men, women, and children worldwide. The company operates through Wholesale and Direct-to-Consumer segments. It offers footwear under Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins, Skechers Arch Fit, and Skechers Air-Cooled Memory Foam brands.

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