[Note: BBWI fiscal year ends January]
After a 22% decline year-to-date, at the current price of around $33 per share, we believe Bath & Body Works stock (NYSE: BBWI), the largest specialty home fragrance & body care product retailer in the U.S, formerly known as L Brands, could go higher in the long-term. BBWI stock has declined from around $43 to $33 YTD, compared to the S&P index which saw an 11% growth during this period. BBWI’s stock decline can be attributed to the declining foot traffic and uncertainties from a high inflationary environment. Although the outlook is cloudy in the near term, the franchise quality and valuation should help the stock rise in the longer run. Management plans to open new off-mall stores, remodel selected stores, and invest in technology and the supply chain, with a $300 to $350 million capital expenditure budget for FY2023 (compared to $328 million CAPEX in FY2022, $270 million in FY2021 and $228 million in FY2020). The company offers a variety of products, including men’s deodorant and fragrance products, where management believes an $8 billion market exists. To add to this, BBWI also has an advantage with its loyalty program, which now has over 38 million members, and loyalty sales represent approximately two-thirds of its U.S. sales. This is valuable in the current environment to drive repeat sales. It should also be noted that BBWI’s all product categories continue to exhibit substantial growth compared to 2019 figures, which bodes well for the company’s long-term expansion. Currently, BBWI is trading at nearly an 11x P/E multiple, which is below its historical average, so there is room for multiples to re-rate higher if it is able to show faster growth than expected.
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