Lands’ End, Inc. (NASDAQ:LE) Short Interest Update

Lands’ End, Inc. (NASDAQ:LE) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest during the month of March. As of March 31st, there was short interest totaling 2,906,790 shares, an increase of 54.6% from the March 15th total of 1,880,525 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 708,399 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 4.1 days. Approximately 9.7% of the shares of the company are sold short.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

LE has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Lands’ End from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, March 21st. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Lands’ End in a research report on Monday, December 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Hold”.

Lands’ End Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ LE opened at $11.55 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $355.16 million, a P/E ratio of 64.17 and a beta of 2.49. Lands’ End has a one year low of $7.65 and a one year high of $20.04. The company’s fifty day moving average is $14.72 and its two-hundred day moving average is $15.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 0.41 and a current ratio of 1.61.

Lands’ End (NASDAQ:LE) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 19th. The company reported $0.76 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.77 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $462.37 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $471.01 million. Lands’ End had a return on equity of 9.80% and a net margin of 0.41%. Analysts forecast that Lands’ End will post 0.41 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Lands’ End announced that its Board of Directors has approved a stock repurchase program on Wednesday, April 1st that authorizes the company to buyback $100.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to purchase up to 28.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are generally a sign that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Lands’ End

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Lands’ End in the 3rd quarter worth about $1,053,000. Bailard Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Lands’ End in the 3rd quarter worth about $157,000. Sage Investment Counsel LLC boosted its position in shares of Lands’ End by 19.6% in the 3rd quarter. Sage Investment Counsel LLC now owns 19,140 shares of the company’s stock worth $270,000 after buying an additional 3,140 shares in the last quarter. Creative Planning purchased a new stake in shares of Lands’ End in the 3rd quarter worth about $261,000. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Lands’ End in the 3rd quarter worth about $260,000. 37.46% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Lands’ End

Lands’ End, Inc (NASDAQ: LE) is an American retailer specializing in casual apparel, accessories and home goods. Headquartered in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, the company sells its products through a combination of direct-to-consumer channels including e-commerce, catalogues and a network of outlet stores. Lands’ End is known for its nautical-inspired designs, functional outerwear and commitment to quality fabrics.

Founded in 1963 by Gary Comer as a mail-order sailing supply business, Lands’ End rapidly expanded its product offering beyond marine gear.