Revenge of the mall: Urban Outfitters and American Eagle lead gains after guidance updates satisfy

Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ:URBN) shot up 7.35% on Tuesday and American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE:AEO) gained 1.99% as sentiment improved on apparel retailers after a series of positive updates from the ICR Conference on Monday and Tuesday. Burlington Stores (BURL) was up 1.40%, Duluth Holdings (DLTH) gained 1.35%, and Citi Trends (CTRN) rose 1.15%. For the early part of 2024, the list of mall stocks that have risen at least 5% includes Torrid Holdings (CURV) +8.11%, (LVLU) +6.99%, Citi Trends (CTRN) +2.88%, and Gap (GPS) +2.37%. While the sector had been under some pressure due to concerns on consumer spending pressures and the potential impact on markdowns, the tone from analysts is now slightly more constructive following the ICR updates, which came in more to the positive side more than negative side.

For its part, Jefferies singled out Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) as a potential outperformer in the sector. "We see sales momentum continuing, as multi-year efforts spanning marketing, product, and in-store presentation have yielded distinctive brands that strongly resonate with their particular audiences," updated analyst Corey Tarlowe. "We believe the market underestimates the impact of occupancy reductions on ANF's go-forward operating results." he added.