Dillard’s (NYSE:DDS) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $5.91 EPS

Dillard’s (NYSE:DDS) announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The company reported $16.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $10.13 by $5.91, Zacks reports. The firm had revenue of $1.59 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.55 billion. Dillard’s had a return on equity of 31.89% and a net margin of 10.09%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $10.39 EPS.

Dillard’s Stock Performance

Shares of DDS stock traded up $5.65 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $540.51. The stock had a trading volume of 150,524 shares, compared to its average volume of 103,556. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $580.45 and its 200 day simple moving average is $619.96. The company has a quick ratio of 1.31, a current ratio of 2.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24. Dillard’s has a one year low of $386.85 and a one year high of $741.97. The firm has a market cap of $8.44 billion, a PE ratio of 12.85 and a beta of 1.17.

Dillard’s Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, May 4th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 31st were given a $0.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 31st. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.2%. Dillard’s’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 2.85%.

Institutional Trading of Dillard’s

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its position in shares of Dillard’s by 4.2% during the 4th quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 399 shares of the company’s stock worth $242,000 after buying an additional 16 shares during the period. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Dillard’s by 69.3% during the 3rd quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 369 shares of the company’s stock worth $227,000 after buying an additional 151 shares during the period. Abel Hall LLC bought a new position in shares of Dillard’s during the 4th quarter worth approximately $219,000. Mangrove Partners IM LLC bought a new position in shares of Dillard’s during the 4th quarter worth approximately $216,000. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Dillard’s by 51.3% during the 1st quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 283 shares of the company’s stock worth $101,000 after buying an additional 96 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 67.15% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on DDS. UBS Group raised their price target on Dillard’s from $460.00 to $465.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. Zacks Research downgraded Dillard’s from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on Dillard’s from $524.00 to $449.00 and set an “underweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Dillard’s from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 28th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Dillard’s in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Dillard’s currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $521.33.

Dillard’s News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Dillard’s this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 earnings came in well above estimates at $16.04 per share versus about $10 expected, while revenue also topped forecasts, signaling better-than-anticipated profitability and demand. Dillard’s, Inc. Reports First Quarter Results
• Positive Sentiment: Comparable-store sales rose 3% and total retail sales increased 3%, showing improving traffic and stronger merchandise demand across all major categories. Dillard’s Q1 Earnings & Sales Beat Estimates, Retail Sales Up 3%
• Positive Sentiment: Gross margin improved to 45.8% and net income jumped to $250.6 million, helped by a favorable litigation settlement and better operating leverage. Dillard’s Shares Rise After Earnings Beat Fueled by Litigation Settlement (DDS)
• Neutral Sentiment: Management opened a new store in Ohio and raised inventory slightly, but also noted higher operating expenses, which could temper margin gains if costs stay elevated. Dillard’s, Inc. Reports First Quarter Results
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts remain cautious, arguing the strength may be temporary because results were aided by one-time litigation gains and may not fully reflect underlying retail demand. Dillard’s: Strength Is Temporary

Dillard’s Company Profile

Dillard’s, Inc (NYSE:DDS), headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, is a U.S.-based department store chain founded by William T. Dillard in 1938. Over more than eight decades of operation, the company has grown from a single store in Nashville, Arkansas, to a prominent retailer with a national footprint. Dillard’s equity is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker DDS.

The company operates approximately 280 departmental stores across 29 states, offering a broad assortment of merchandise that includes men’s and women’s apparel, accessories, cosmetics, footwear, and home furnishings.