Back in the 1980's there was a hot company called L.A. Gear that hit the clothing/shoe market like a storm. They had the hippest designers and the stores could not keep the jeans and cool tennis shoes in stock long enough. Stuff just flew out the door. L.A. Gear coupled all of this with envelope-pushing sexy advertising.
Just as quickly as they dominated the market, they faded away----the company, not the jeans. It was a fad that did not have the wheels to sustain a long term business-growth model. Adios, L.A. Gear.
Enter Crocs, Inc. (NASDAQ:CROX). It IPO'd in early 2006 and is now sporting a $2.2 billion market cap. It just reported an excellent quarter and has even guided analysts to higher levels for fiscal year 2007. Consensus was for $2.03 and is now going to $2.30+ in EPS from 2006's $1.53. Revenues are now expected at about $525 million in 2007 from 2006's $338 million. The company is endorsing a 30% growth rate, but the Street is expecting north of 40%.
Crocs has a very functional website that sells the shoe line, as well as retail store distribution. The good news so far is Crocs has more than doubled the line-up of footwear offerings to its customers.Crocs has carefully nurtured the "coolness" of their footwear to the teenage market as well as the adult market. It is a fine line of marketing that they have navigated very well. What is unclear is the long term sustainability of the concept, but for now the earnings and revenue momentum could move this stock up 50% plus this year.
With growth accelerating, owning the stock is looking to be profitable investment. The second this company announces any slow down of growth I would sell it in a heartbeat. Remember L.A. Gear!!
Also from Georges Yared: Crocs is the next Nike
Georges Yared is the author of "Baby Boomer Investing...Where do we go from here?" and "Stop Losing Money Today". For more info on both books go to http://www.georgesyared.com











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-21-2007 @ 2:17PM
The_Village_Idiot said...
Ummm. Rubber shoes. It probably won't be long till we learn that the rubber causes toe nail fungus or something nasty like that. These ugly things are gonna fall out of favor real soon.
2-21-2007 @ 5:20PM
Carolyn said...
As a Crocs wearer I am a big fan of the company. They are the best thing that ever happened to my poor tired old feet! As long as they keep making them, I'll keep buying. I've even converted my 72 year old husband into a Crocs wearing senior citizen.
2-22-2007 @ 6:42PM
Tom C said...
One must question your motives with this article when you write:
Enter Crocs, Inc. (NASDAQ:CROX). It IPO'd in early 2006 and is now sporting a $2.2 billion market cap. It just reported an excellent quarter and has even guided analysts to higher levels for fiscal year 2007. Consensus was for $2.03 and is now going to $2.30+ in EPS from 2006's $1.53. Revenues are now expected at about $525 million in 2007 from 2006's $338 million. The company is endorsing a 30% growth rate, but the Street is expecting north of 40%.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
From the Company Earnings press Release:
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070220/20070220006361.html?.v=1
The Company also raised its fiscal 2007 revenue and diluted earnings per share growth targets to more than 45% over fiscal year 2006, and up from the previous guidance of more than 30%.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
So, Georges, is there a reason you have completely distorted what the company stated in their official Earnings release?
2-23-2007 @ 11:41PM
lamkf said...
When will people realize that it's the material that makes Crocs successful and not the style? Just listen to Carolyn, that's what the typical cutomer like about Crocs products, the material! But the style can help too.