© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Abercrombie & Fitch products are seen at their store at the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, New York, U.S., February 15, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo
(Reuters) -Abercrombie & Fitch Co on Tuesday raised its annual net sales growth forecast, signaling strong demand for its lifestyle brands heading into the crucial holiday shopping season.
Updated inventories and trendy logoless basics and jackets have allowed the company to rein in promotions and markdowns from a year earlier, when it was dealing with softer consumer demand.
This reflected in an 11% rise in net sales at its Hollister brands, targeted at teen customers, as the company logged a strong back-to-school season, echoing results from footwear retailers Hibbet and Dick’s Sporting Goods (NYSE:).
“The retailer’s expansion into new categories like occasion wear and athleisure is helping it capture more spending and stay relevant,” said Rachel Wolff, senior analyst at Insider Intelligence.
Demand for the company’s “on-trend” selection should insulate Abercrombie from a broader decline in discretionary spending, she added.
Still, the company’s shares, which have climbed…
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