Stock Markets March 4, 2026

Abercrombie & Fitch Sees Annual Earnings Ahead of Street, Flags Tariff Headwinds

Company projects modest sales growth for fiscal 2026 while accounting for U.S. tariff changes tied to recent court and administration actions

By Priya Menon ANF
Abercrombie & Fitch Sees Annual Earnings Ahead of Street, Flags Tariff Headwinds
ANF

Abercrombie & Fitch projected annual net income per share above analyst consensus and predicted muted top-line growth for fiscal 2026, while incorporating the expected effects of U.S. tariffs on apparel imports. The company also reported a fourth-quarter adjusted EPS that exceeded estimates and said its full-year outlook assumes a 70 basis-point tariff drag without potential recoveries from struck-down duties.

Key Points

  • Abercrombie & Fitch expects fiscal 2026 net sales to rise 3% to 5%, versus analysts' projected 4.2% increase - impacts retail sector and apparel supply chains.
  • The company forecasts annual net income per share of $10.20 to $11, with the midpoint above analysts' $10.36 estimate - relevant to equity investors and consumer discretionary markets.
  • Abercrombie assumes a 70 basis-point full-year hit from tariffs and does not include any potential refunds or recoveries tied to struck-down duties - affects import-reliant sourcing countries and retail gross margins.

Abercrombie & Fitch on Wednesday issued guidance indicating restrained sales expansion for the coming year and outlined how recent U.S. tariff developments are being reflected in its outlook.


The retailer said it is factoring in the consequences of 15% U.S. tariffs that were set out by President Donald Trump following the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the government’s emergency levies. Prior to the Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the broad tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), many of Abercrombie & Fitch’s principal sourcing countries - including Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia - had been subject to higher import duties into the United States.

The U.S. has been collecting a temporary 10% blanket tariff on imports since last week, with the administration planning to raise that rate to 15%. Abercrombie said its full-year forecast incorporates an assumed tariff impact of 70 basis points, and the company noted this outlook does not reflect any potential refunds or recoveries associated with the struck-down duties.

On profitability, Abercrombie & Fitch expects annual net income per share to fall between $10.20 and $11. The midpoint of that range is above analysts’ consensus of $10.36, based on data compiled by LSEG. For the fourth quarter, adjusted net income per share came in at $3.68, topping expectations of $3.57.

For fiscal 2026, the company is forecasting net sales growth of between 3% and 5%, compared with analysts’ average projection of a 4.2% increase.


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The company’s guidance and its tariff assumptions leave a mix of factors that market participants will weigh: an earnings outlook that outpaces Street estimates at the midpoint, modest sales expectations, and explicit sensitivity to tariff policy and any subsequent recoveries.

Risks

  • Tariff uncertainty - changes in U.S. tariff policy or the outcome of any refunds or recoveries could materially alter the company’s cost picture and margins; this risk affects apparel retailers and upstream suppliers.
  • Sales growth may remain muted - the company’s modest 3% to 5% sales forecast could underperform expectations, creating pressure on retail revenue and inventory dynamics.
  • Dependence on key sourcing countries - tariffs applied to goods from Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia pose supply-chain cost risks for import-reliant apparel firms.

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