Abercrombie Surges as Jefferies Sees ‘Bottom Near’ for Retailer

NEW YORK, United States — Abercrombie & Fitch Co. jumped to a three-month high after Jefferies Group analysts said product changes enacted by the retailer's new management team will soon begin attracting more customers.

Abercrombie shares climbed 3.3 percent to $23.32 at 3:09 p.m. in New York, poised for a sixth straight gain. The stock has rallied 19 percent after slumping to a six-year low on May 27, amid growing speculation the apparel retailer can make a comeback from slumping sales and a loss of fashion credibility with teen shoppers at its Hollister chain.

“Product changes are beginning to bear fruit, especially at Hollister,” Jefferies analysts led by Randal Konik wrote in a note to clients Tuesday. “We are encouraged by the massive change the new team has been able to accomplish in a short amount of time.”

Abercrombie is struggling to reinvent itself after Chief Executive Officer Michael Jeffries stepped down in December. Though the company has been without a CEO for six months, it has been retooling stores and products. It’s also contending with flagging mall traffic and the strong dollar, which took a bite out of its international sales last quarter.

Hollister’s same-store sales slipped 6 percent in the first quarter, a decline less severe than the previous period’s 11 percent drop, giving investors hope that Hollister may help lead the company out of its slump.

Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Ramsden, speaking at the Jefferies 2015 Global Consumer Conference Tuesday, said he expects the business to stabilize in 2015. Two weeks ago, Susquehanna Financial Group analyst Thomas Filandro said there was increasing confidence that sales will bounce back this year.

Jefferies’ Konik reaffirmed a buy rating on the stock. He said issues with the product, company processes and the environment in stores are being fixed.

A “bottom appears near,” he said.

By Annelise Alexander; editors: Jeff Sutherland, Jeremy Herron.