Stifel reiterated its Buy recommendation on Wolverine World Wide (NYSE: WWW) and assigned a $25.00 price objective, which represents about 39% upside from the prevailing share price of $17.99. Analyst target prices for the stock span from $16 to $26.
The firm flagged potential upside to Wolverine World Wide's fourth-quarter 2025 results, attributing that outlook to sustained resonance behind the Saucony and Merrell brands and consumer patterns during the Holiday 2025 period that were better than anticipated. Corporate net income is expected to increase this year, and the company has its next earnings release scheduled for February 26, 2026.
Looking to fiscal 2026, Stifel expects management will set guidance conservatively, consistent with the company's recent practice. The firm projects a guidance range of $1,960 million to $1,980 million in revenue and $1.25 to $1.35 in adjusted earnings per share for fiscal 2026. For context, Wolverine World Wide posted $1.85 billion in revenue over the last twelve months and showed a 3.61% growth rate over that period.
Despite the conservative guidance assumption, Stifel remains more optimistic than some peers and believes the business has the capacity to achieve roughly $2.0 billion in revenue and $1.40 in adjusted EPS in 2026. The analyst expects the company to validate stronger normalized topline growth rates and progress toward a healthier multi-year EBIT margin profile.
On valuation and balance-sheet health, the company currently trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.94 and records a Piotroski Score of 8, signaling solid financial metrics by that measure. Stifel highlighted several internal improvements supporting its constructive stance: Saucony reportedly breaking through a prior ceiling on performance, Merrell displaying trends healthier than seen in recent years, evidence of strengthening pricing power, and an improved balance sheet that reduces downside risk.
Dividend continuity and recent share performance are additional context points cited. Wolverine World Wide has paid dividends for 39 consecutive years and yields about 2.16% at current levels. The stock returned 21.13% over the past year, notwithstanding a notable decline in the last six months.
Not all sell-side views align with Stifel's optimism. Argus reduced its recommendation on the company from Buy to Hold, flagging several headwinds: uncertainty around trade policies, a decline in sales within the Lifestyle category, and weak direct-to-consumer revenues reported in the third quarter, which the firm saw as an ongoing challenge in a key growth channel.
By contrast, UBS retained a Buy rating and set a $28.00 price target. UBS emphasized the strength of the company's brand pipeline and argued that continued investment in the Active brands portfolio should underpin sustainable sales and earnings-per-share expansion.
These divergent analyst positions underscore differing assessments of near-term execution risks and the sustainability of brand momentum. Investors evaluating Wolverine World Wide are presented with a mix of bullish indicators from brand performance and balance-sheet improvement, alongside cautionary signals related to certain product categories and direct-to-consumer trends.
Next scheduled events
- Next earnings report: February 26, 2026