Morgan Stanley maintains an Equal-Weight rating on NASDAQ:FIVE, with the stock priced at $79.93.
Five Below reports earnings of $3.48 per share, surpassing expectations and indicating a positive market response.
JPMorgan analyst highlights concerns over 2025 earnings guidance and operating margin contraction, maintaining an Underweight rating.
Five Below Inc. (NASDAQ:FIVE) is a discount retailer known for offering a wide range of products priced at $5 and below, targeting teens and pre-teens. The company operates over 1,000 stores across the United States, with plans for further expansion. Five Below competes with other discount retailers like Dollar Tree and Dollar General, focusing on value and trend-right products.
On March 20, 2025, Morgan Stanley maintained its Equal-Weight rating for Five Below, advising investors to hold the stock. At the time, the stock was priced at $79.93. This rating comes amid a positive market response to Five Below’s fourth-quarter earnings report, which exceeded expectations. The company reported earnings of $3.48 per share, surpassing the anticipated $3.37 per share.
Despite the positive earnings, JPMorgan analyst Matthew Boss maintained an Underweight rating for Five Below, with a price target of $98. He noted sequential improvement in comparable sales but highlighted that the company’s 2025 earnings guidance was 14% below Street expectations at the midpoint. The guidance also indicated an operating margin contraction of approximately 180 basis points to around 7.3%.
Five Below’s stock price surged following the release of its financial results, reflecting a 6.21% increase to $80.29. The company reported net sales of $1.39 billion, a 4% year-over-year increase, and plans to open 150 new stores this year. CEO Winnie Park emphasized the company’s focus on product, value, and store experience, projecting revenue between $4.21 billion and $4.33 billion for 2025.
The company’s market capitalization stands at approximately $4.42 billion, with a trading volume of 3,672,657 shares. Despite a challenging retail environment, Five Below’s strategic initiatives and expansion plans contribute to its positive outlook, as highlighted by COO Ken Bull. The stock has fluctuated between a low of $78.18 and a high of $82.25 today, with a 52-week high of $187.83 and a low of $64.87.
