Gap Inc. soared after strong quarterly sales showed that Chief Executive Officer Richard Dickson’s turnaround playbook is working.
Gap x Cult Gaia
The retailer exceeded analyst estimates for comparable sales, led by better-than-expected results at the namesake brand, Old Navy and Banana Republic. Athleta, the struggling athleisure brand, posted an unexpected decline.
Gap shares surged 17% in trading before US markets opened on Friday. The stock had fallen 18% this year through Thursday’s close.
The performance of Gap’s namesake brand was “particularly impressive,” Paul Lejuez, an analyst for Citi wrote in a research note. The unit’s comparable sales rose 7%, topping Wall Street’s prediction for an average gain of 1.7%. This performance suggests it’s resonating with consumers, he said.
Under Dickson, the company has leaned into celebrity partnerships and is refreshing its leadership roster, including appointing fashion designer Zac Posen as creative director.
Gap sees revenue flat to up slightly in the current quarter. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg were looking for 1% growth, on average. For the full year, Gap forecasts revenue will be up as much as 2%.
The retailer included 20% tariffs on China and 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico in its forecast. Less than 10% of Gap products are sourced from China and less than 1% are from Canada and Mexico combined, Dickson said in an interview with Bloomberg News.
“It’s important to note we’ve been operating in a highly dynamic backdrop for the last few years, and we’re expecting the same for 2025,” Dickson said.
