VF unlocks value with jeans spinoff

Article Excerpt

Clothing maker VF Corp. surprised investors in August when it announced plans to spin off its Lee jeanswear business as a separate company. That pushed the stock up to a new all-time high of $97, although it has since moved down slightly. We feel VF has room to move higher, particularly as it focuses on its faster-growing brands. Those include Vans, which makes sports apparel for younger shoppers. The company expects Vans’ annual sales could grow from the current $3 billion to over $5 billion by 2023. VF CORP. $92 (New York symbol VF; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 396.5 million; Market cap: $36.5 billion; Dividend yield: 2.0%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.vfc.com) is one of the world’s largest apparel suppliers, and a leader in the jeanswear, outdoor, sportswear, and workwear markets. The company has the largest share of the jeans market in the U.S. It also sells footwear. VF has over 30 brands, including Lee, Wrangler, The North Face, Dickies, JanSport, Vans, Napapijri, Smartwool, Altra,…