The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who not so much). Let’s take a look at how footwear stocks fared in Q2, starting with Steven Madden (NASDAQ: SHOO).

Before the advent of the internet, styles changed, but consumers mainly bought shoes by visiting local brick-and-mortar shoe, department, and specialty stores. Today, not only do styles change more frequently as fads travel through social media and the internet but consumers are also shifting the way they buy their goods, favoring omnichannel and e-commerce experiences. Some footwear companies have made concerted efforts to adapt while those who are slower to move may fall behind.

The 8 footwear stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q2. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 2.3% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 34% below.

Thankfully, share prices of the companies have been resilient as they are up 9.1% on average since the latest earnings results.

Steven Madden (NASDAQ: SHOO)

As seen in the infamous Wolf of Wall Street movie, Steven Madden (NASDAQ: SHOO) is a fashion brand famous for its trendy and innovative footwear, appealing to a young and style-conscious audience.

Steven Madden reported revenues of $559 million, up 6.8% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 3.5%. Overall, it was a softer quarter for the company with and a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Edward Rosenfeld, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “As anticipated, the second quarter was challenging, driven largely by the impact of new tariffs on goods imported into the United States. Our team continues to act with agility to mitigate near-term impacts while remaining focused on positioning the company for long-term growth by executing our strategy to deepen consumer connections through the combination of compelling product and effective marketing. The integration of Kurt Geiger is proceeding smoothly, and we are more confident than ever in its potential to be a significant driver of growth for the company in the years ahead. While tariffs have created near-term pressure and added uncertainty, we believe our key strengths — powerful brands, a robust balance sheet and a proven business model — position us well to navigate the current environment and deliver sustainable growth over time.”

Steven Madden delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates of the whole group. Interestingly, the stock is up 15.8% since reporting and currently trades at $30.46.

Read our full report on Steven Madden here, it’s free.

Best Q2: Nike (NYSE: NKE)

Originally selling Japanese Onitsuka Tiger sneakers as Blue Ribbon Sports, Nike (NYSE: NKE) is a global titan in athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories.

Nike reported revenues of $11.1 billion, down 12% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 3.4%. The business had an exceptional quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ constant currency revenue estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 18.3% since reporting. It currently trades at $74.

Is now the time to buy Nike? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Slowest Q2: Caleres (NYSE: CAL)

The owner of Dr. Scholl's, Caleres (NYSE: CAL) is a footwear company offering a range of styles.

Caleres reported revenues of $658.5 million, down 3.6% year on year, in line with analysts’ expectations. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

Interestingly, the stock is up 4.9% since the results and currently trades at $15.70.

Read our full analysis of Caleres’s results here.

Genesco (NYSE: GCO)

Spanning a broad range of styles, brands, and prices, Genesco (NYSE: GCO) sells footwear, apparel, and accessories through multiple brands and banners.

Genesco reported revenues of $546 million, up 4% year on year. This number topped analysts’ expectations by 2.6%. Aside from that, it was a mixed quarter as it also produced a decent beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates but full-year EPS guidance missing analysts’ expectations.

The stock is up 1.1% since reporting and currently trades at $33.36.

Read our full, actionable report on Genesco here, it’s free.

Skechers (NYSE: SKX)

Synonymous with "dad shoe", Skechers (NYSE: SKX) is a footwear company renowned for its comfortable, stylish, and affordable shoes for all ages.

Skechers reported revenues of $2.44 billion, up 13.1% year on year. This result beat analysts’ expectations by 3.5%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also logged a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ constant currency revenue estimates.

The stock is flat since reporting and currently trades at $63.22.

Read our full, actionable report on Skechers here, it’s free.

Market Update

As a result of the Fed’s rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has come down from frothy levels post-pandemic. The general rise in the price of goods and services is trending towards the Fed’s 2% goal as of late, which is good news. The higher rates that fought inflation also didn't slow economic activity enough to catalyze a recession. So far, soft landing. This, combined with recent rate cuts (half a percent in September 2024 and a quarter percent in November 2024) have led to strong stock market performance in 2024. The icing on the cake for 2024 returns was Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. Presidential Election in early November, sending major indices to all-time highs in the week following the election. Still, debates around the health of the economy and the impact of potential tariffs and corporate tax cuts remain, leaving much uncertainty around 2025.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Hidden Gem Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

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