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1. Company Snapshot

1.a. Company Description

Kontoor Brands, Inc., a lifestyle apparel company, designs, manufactures, procures, markets, and distributes denim, apparel, and accessories under the Wrangler, Lee, and Rock & Republic brands in the United States and internationally.It operates through two segments, Wrangler and Lee.The company sells its products primarily through mass merchants, specialty stores, mid-tier and traditional department stores, company-operated stores, and online.


As of January 1, 2022, it operated 80 retail stores across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific regions.The company was incorporated in 2018 and is headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina.

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1.b. Last Insights on KTB

Kontoor Brands' recent performance faces challenges due to weak organic growth in its core brands, Wrangler and Lee. The company's acquisition of Helly Hansen raises doubts about its strategic and financial rationale, given the segment's margin is below 5%. Additionally, Kontoor Brands' stretched balance sheet is a concern. Despite this, some analysts view the stock as undervalued, citing its robust cash flow, 3.43% dividend yield, and plan for margin and earnings growth. Institutional investors, such as Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH, have increased their holdings. (Source: Bloomberg)

1.c. Company Highlights

2. Kontoor Brands' Q3 2025 Earnings: A Strong Performance

Kontoor Brands reported a robust financial performance in Q3 2025, with global revenue increasing by 27% to reflect the contribution from Helly Hansen. Adjusted gross margin expanded 80 basis points to 45.8%, driven by the benefits of Project Jeanius and targeted pricing actions. Earnings per share (EPS) came in at $1.44, beating analyst estimates of $1.41. The company's strong EPS performance was driven by the better-than-expected gross margin expansion and disciplined expense management.

Publication Date: Nov -10

📋 Highlights
  • Helly Hansen Growth: Revenue up 11% with $0.03 EPS accretion, contributing $460M to full-year revenue.
  • Wrangler Market Share: 14th consecutive quarter of share gains, 12% digital growth, and 20% female business growth.
  • Lee Digital Recovery: -9% overall revenue, but 15% digital growth amid China inventory adjustments.
  • Margin Expansion: Adjusted gross margin 45.8% (+80 bps), excluding Helly, up 140 bps driven by Project Jeanius.
  • EPS & Outlook: Full-year adjusted EPS raised to $5.50 (+12%), with 19–20% revenue growth and $120M Q4 inventory reduction.

Segment Performance

The company's segment performance was mixed, with Helly Hansen growing revenue by 11% and Wrangler gaining market share for the 14th consecutive quarter. Lee revenue declined 9% due to proactive steps to improve the health of the marketplace in China. However, digital growth was 15%, and the company expects sequential improvement in the fourth quarter. Wrangler's global revenue increased 1%, including 12% growth in digital, with the female business having another strong quarter with growth of 20%.

Outlook and Guidance

The company raised its full-year outlook based on its year-to-date performance and improving profitability. The updated outlook includes full-year revenue growth of approximately 19% to 20%, with Helly Hansen contributing $460 million to full-year revenue. Adjusted EPS is now expected to be approximately $5.50, representing an increase of 12%. The company's guidance for 2026 indicates continued growth, mainly driven by the Wrangler brand, with the Helly business performing well and expected to delever quickly.

Valuation and Metrics

Using the current valuation metrics, Kontoor Brands has a P/E Ratio of 18.43, P/B Ratio of 7.57, and EV/EBITDA of 14.62. The company's ROE is 46.95%, indicating strong profitability. The Net Debt / EBITDA ratio is 3.82, reflecting the company's leverage. With the raised guidance and improving profitability, the company's valuation multiples may expand, driven by the expected earnings growth of 11.2% next year.

Operational Highlights

The company is making progress in its operational execution, with the integration of Helly Hansen progressing well, and the company is ahead of its planned deleverage path. The benefits of Project Jeanius are expected to scale to $100 million in annual savings by 2026, with a portion reinvested in the business and a portion driving profitability and returns improvement. As Joseph Alkire mentioned, the company's cash generation remains robust, with a raised cash flow outlook for 2025 and another year of strong cash generation in 2026.

3. NewsRoom

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Kontoor Brands Announces Fourth Quarter 2025 Earnings and Conference Call Date

Feb -10

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Comparing Kontoor Brands (NYSE:KTB) & Lanvin Group (NYSE:LANV)

Feb -09

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5 Goldman Sachs Top Stock Picks Have Huge Upside Potential and Pay Dividends

Feb -04

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Here Are Wednesday’s Top Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: AES Corp, Airbnb, Cloudflare, Devon Energy, Levi Strauss, Lumentum, PayPal, and More

Feb -04

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Head to Head Review: Gildan Activewear (NYSE:GIL) and Kontoor Brands (NYSE:KTB)

Feb -01

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Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH Increases Holdings in Kontoor Brands, Inc. $KTB

Jan -26

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Kontoor Brands: Wrangled Into A Risky Setup - Sell

Jan -22

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Kontoor Brands: Back In The Undervalued Zone

Jan -21

4. Business Breakdown

4.a. Revenues by Country

4.b. Revenues by Segment

5. Expected revenues mid-term growth (1.93%)

6. Segments

Wrangler

Expected Growth: 2.0%

Wrangler's 2.0% growth is driven by increasing demand for comfort-focused denim, successful product innovations, and strategic marketing campaigns targeting younger consumers. Additionally, the brand's expansion into new markets, such as Asia, and e-commerce growth contribute to its growth momentum.

Lee

Expected Growth: 1.8%

Lee's 1.8% growth is driven by increasing demand for outdoor apparel, strategic pricing, and expanding e-commerce presence. Additionally, the brand's focus on sustainability and innovative products resonates with environmentally conscious consumers, contributing to its growth momentum.

Other

Expected Growth: 1.5%

Kontoor Brands' 1.5% growth is driven by increasing demand for outdoor apparel, strategic partnerships, and expansion into new markets. The company's focus on sustainability and digital transformation also contributes to growth. Additionally, the rise of athleisure wear and growing popularity of outdoor activities further boost sales.

7. Detailed Products

Wrangler Jeans

High-quality denim jeans for men and women, offering comfort, durability, and style

Lee Jeans

Premium denim jeans for men and women, featuring innovative fabrics and timeless designs

Rock & Republic

Fashion-forward denim and trendy apparel for men and women, emphasizing style, comfort, and quality

8. Kontoor Brands, Inc.'s Porter Forces

Forces Ranking

Threat Of Substitutes

Kontoor Brands, Inc. operates in the apparel industry, where substitutes are available, but the company's strong brand portfolio, including Wrangler and Lee, helps to mitigate the threat.

Bargaining Power Of Customers

Kontoor Brands, Inc. sells its products through various channels, including wholesale, retail, and e-commerce, which reduces the bargaining power of individual customers.

Bargaining Power Of Suppliers

Kontoor Brands, Inc. relies on a diverse supplier base, which reduces dependence on individual suppliers, but the company still faces some pressure from suppliers, particularly in the areas of raw materials and logistics.

Threat Of New Entrants

The apparel industry has high barriers to entry, including significant capital requirements, established distribution networks, and strong brand recognition, making it difficult for new entrants to compete with Kontoor Brands, Inc.

Intensity Of Rivalry

The apparel industry is highly competitive, with many established players, including VF Corporation, Levi Strauss & Co., and Ralph Lauren Corporation, which increases the intensity of rivalry and competition for market share.

9. SWOT Analysis

10. Capital Structure

10.a. Balance Sheet

10.b. Weighted Average Cost of capital

Value
Debt Weight 69.35%
Debt Cost 5.65%
Equity Weight 30.65%
Equity Cost 9.62%
WACC 6.87%
Leverage 226.31%

11. Quality Control: Kontoor Brands, Inc. passed 6 out of 9 key points

12.a Historical Valuation

12.b Price/Earnings Ratio

12.c Margin Valuation

12.d Peers Valuation

Peers Group Analysis

Stock-Card
Ralph Lauren

A-Score: 5.6/10

Value: 2.4

Growth: 6.1

Quality: 6.8

Yield: 3.0

Momentum: 9.0

Volatility: 6.3

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
Kontoor Brands

A-Score: 4.6/10

Value: 3.8

Growth: 4.0

Quality: 5.7

Yield: 7.0

Momentum: 3.0

Volatility: 4.3

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
Columbia Sportswear

A-Score: 4.6/10

Value: 5.7

Growth: 5.4

Quality: 6.2

Yield: 3.0

Momentum: 1.0

Volatility: 6.0

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
PVH

A-Score: 3.9/10

Value: 7.8

Growth: 4.4

Quality: 4.7

Yield: 0.0

Momentum: 2.5

Volatility: 4.0

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
Albany International

A-Score: 3.5/10

Value: 5.1

Growth: 4.8

Quality: 2.2

Yield: 3.0

Momentum: 1.0

Volatility: 5.0

1-Year Total Return ->

Stock-Card
Under Armour

A-Score: 3.2/10

Value: 7.5

Growth: 2.1

Quality: 4.2

Yield: 0.0

Momentum: 1.0

Volatility: 4.3

1-Year Total Return ->

Peers Metrics

12.e Scoring Insights

12.f DCF BETA

Parameters

Short Term Growth

Short term Time

Long-Term Growth

WACC

Target Price

66.34$

Current Price

66.34$

Potential

-0.00%

Expected Cash-Flows