TJX (TJX) could see a favorable stock setup as its Marmaxx division recovers from an isolated execution issue, while the company remains positioned to take major market share from department-store peers in the coming years, UBS Securities said in a Thursday note.
The company's fiscal Q2 adjusted EPS of $1.22 beat the street's $1.19 estimate, while comparable sales rose 4%, ahead of the 3.3% consensus estimate.
Fiscal Q2 results were strong, despite its Marmaxx division missing demand trends and being under-inventoried in stronger categories during the period. UBS said the Marmaxx slowdown was an isolated execution issue, with TJX management referring to it as "self-inflicted" rather than a structural demand or competitive problem.
Rebuilding inventory in the impacted Marmaxx categories should drive improvement in "credit card" data through fiscal Q3 and the holiday season, while helping comparable sales accelerate. The brokerage believes the setup for the stock improves as confidence builds that the Marmaxx slowdown was an isolated issue.
UBS raised its price target on TJX to $198 from $197 and reiterated its buy rating.
Shares of TJX were down 2.5% in Thursday trading.
Price: $140.89, Change: $-3.62, Percent Change: -2.50%