AEO Inc. Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2025 Results; Provides Fiscal 2026 Outlook
- Total revenue increased 10% to a record $1.8 billion, driven by total comparable sales increase of 8% with positive results across brands
- Aerie comps +23%, American Eagle comps +2%
- Returned $341 million to shareholders in 2025 from $256 million in shares repurchases and $85 million in dividends
- Fiscal 2026 operating income guidance of $390 to $410 million
PITTSBURGH, March 4, 2026 – American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE: AEO) today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended January 31, 2026, and provided its outlook for fiscal year 2026.
Jay Schottenstein, Executive Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, AEO Inc., commented, “I am extremely pleased with the strong execution in the back half of the year, which reignited growth across our brands and channels. Building on the improved trends beginning last summer, we achieved a record fourth quarter and holiday period, with double digit growth at Aerie and OFFLINE and solid, positive performance at American Eagle. Compelling new product collections, supported by fresh marketing campaigns, led to higher demand trends in the quarter. I want to thank our associates for their resilience and outstanding execution to deliver a strong finish to 2025.”
“We enter 2026 from a position of strength with the goal of building on this year’s successes. The first quarter is off to a positive start and we remain focused on investing in our brands and driving additional corporate savings and efficiency across the business. I’m confident that our strategic actions will lead to long-term profitable growth and shareholder value creation,” he concluded.
Fourth Quarter 2025 Results:
- Total net revenue of $1.8 billion increased 10% to last year. Total comparable sales increased 8%, on top of 3% comp growth last year.
- Aerie comparable sales increased 23% on a 6% increase last year. American Eagle comparable sales grew 2% following 1% growth last year.
- Gross profit of $651 million rose 9% from $599 million last year. The gross margin of 37.0% declined 30 basis points to last year.
- The net tariff impact was $50 million or 280 basis points to gross margin. Increased markdowns were largely offset by leverage on positive sales combined with lower costs, favorable currency and operational efficiencies.
- Buying, Occupancy and Warehousing (BOW) expenses leveraged 50 basis points due to positive sales.
- Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses increased 4% to $418 million, leveraging 120 basis points to a rate of 23.8% to revenue. Overall cost efficiencies and lower incentives were offset by planned investments in advertising.
- GAAP operating profit was $96 million, which includes $84 million of impairment and restructuring charges related to the company’s exit from the Quiet Platform third party logistics business, store impairments and general corporate restructuring.
- Adjusted operating profit of $180 million increased 27% from $142 million last year. The adjusted operating margin of 10.2% expanded 130 basis points from 8.9% last year.
- Other income of $15 million reflected unrealized gains on investments previously disclosed.
- GAAP Diluted earnings per share of $0.50 compared to $0.54 last year.
- Adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.84 compared to $0.54 last year. Average diluted shares outstanding were 176 million.
Fiscal Year 2025 Results:
- Total net revenue of $5.5 billion increased 3% versus last year. Total comparable sales increased 3%, on top of 4% comp growth last year.
- Aerie comparable sales increased 9% on 5% growth last year. American Eagle comparable sales were flat following 3% growth last year.
- Gross profit of $2.0 billion decreased 3%. Gross margin of 36.9% decreased 230 basis points largely reflecting an inventory write-down taken in the first quarter, higher markdowns and the impact of tariffs, partially offset by business improvement and cost efficiencies in the second half of the year.
- Selling, general and administrative expense of $1.5 billion increased 4%, up 10 basis points as a rate to revenue. Lower incentive costs and general cost savings were offset by planned investments in advertising.
- GAAP Operating income of $226 million, which includes $102 million of impairment and restructuring charges related to the company’s exit from the Quiet Platforms third party logistics business, store impairments and general corporate restructuring. GAAP operating income was $427 million last year.
- Adjusted operating income of $328 million compared to adjusted operating income of $445 million last year.
- GAAP diluted earnings per share was $1.09 compared to $1.68 last year.
- Adjusted diluted earnings per share was $1.50 compared to adjusted diluted earnings per share of $1.74 last year. Average diluted shares outstanding were 176 million.
Inventory
Total ending inventory increased 10% to $702 million with units up 3%. Ending cost inventory includes the impact of tariffs.
Shareholder Returns
In the fourth quarter the company repurchased one million shares for $25 million, bringing full year repurchases to 21 million shares for $256 million. The company also returned $21 million to shareholders via its quarterly cash dividend of $0.125 per share, bringing year-to-date cash dividends to $85 million.
Capital Expenditures
Capital expenditures totaled $59 million in the fourth quarter, bringing full year spend to $261 million. The company expects 2026 capital expenditures to be in the range of $250 to $260 million.
Outlook
*All guidance is based on estimates and includes tariffs reflecting 2025 IEEPA guidelines.
| First Quarter 2026 Outlook | Fiscal Year 2026 Outlook | |
| Comparable Sales | +High Single Digit | +Mid Single Digit |
| Gross Margin | Up YoY | Up YoY |
| SG&A | +10% | +MSD |
| Depreciation and Amortization | $54 M | $225 M |
| Operating Income | $20 to $25 M | $390 to $410 M |
| Weighted Average Share Count | 176 M | 177 M |
| Capital Expenditures | – | $250 to $260 M |
* * * *
About American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE: AEO) is a leading global specialty retailer with a portfolio of beloved apparel brands including American Eagle, Aerie, OFFL/NE by Aerie, Todd Snyder and Unsubscribed. Rooted in optimism, inclusivity and authenticity, AEO’s brands empower every customer to celebrate their unique personal style by offering casual, comfortable, timeless outfitting and high-quality products that are made to last.
AEO Inc. operates stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with merchandise available in more than 30 countries through a global network of license partners. Additionally, the company operates a robust e-commerce business across its brands. For more information, visit aeo-inc.com.
Non-GAAP Measures
This press release includes operating income and diluted earnings per share presented on an “adjusted” or “non-GAAP” basis, which are non-GAAP financial measures. Non-GAAP financial measures are not based on any standardized methodology prescribed by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and are not necessarily comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Non-GAAP information is provided as a supplement to, not as a substitute for, or as superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. We believe that this non-GAAP information is useful as an additional means for investors to evaluate our operating performance when reviewed in conjunction with our GAAP Consolidated Financial Statements and provides a higher degree of transparency. These amounts are not determined in accordance with GAAP and, therefore, should not be used exclusively in evaluating our business and operations. The tables included in this release reconcile the GAAP financial measures to the non-GAAP financial measures discussed above for the 13 weeks ended January 31, 2026 and both the 52 weeks ended January 31, 2026 and February 1, 2025.
SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995
This release and related statements by management contain forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995), which represent management’s expectations or beliefs concerning future events, including, without limitation, expected results for the first quarter and full-year Fiscal 2026. Words such as “outlook,” “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “may,” “potential,” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. All forward-looking statements made by the company are inherently uncertain because they are based on assumptions and expectations concerning future events and are subject to change based on many important factors, some of which may be beyond the company’s control. Except as may be required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise and even if experience or future changes make it clear that any projected results expressed or implied therein will not be realized. The following factors, in addition to the risks disclosed in Item 1A., Risk Factors, of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 1, 2025 and in any other filings that we may make with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in some cases have affected, and in the future could affect, the company’s financial performance and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any of the forward-looking statements included in this release or otherwise made by management: the risk that the company’s operating, financial and capital plans may not be achieved; our inability to anticipate fluctuations in customer demand and respond to changing consumer preferences and fashion trends and to manage our inventory commensurately; the seasonality of our business; our inability to achieve planned store financial performance; our inability to react to raw material cost, labor and energy cost increases; our inability to gain market share in the face of declining shopping center traffic or attract customers to our stores; our inability to respond to changes in e-commerce and leverage omni-channel capabilities; our inability to execute on our key business priorities; our inability to expand internationally; difficulty with our international merchandise sourcing strategies; the impact that import tariffs and other trade restrictions imposed by the U.S., China or other countries have had, and may continue to have, on our product costs, as well as continued uncertainty with respect to tariffs and other trade restrictions; the possibility that product costs may be affected by other foreign trade issues, such as currency exchange rate fluctuations, increasing prices for raw materials, supply chain issues, political instability or other reasons; challenges with information technology systems, including safeguarding against security breaches; changes to U.S. or other countries’ trade policies and tariff and import/export regulations, and global economic, public health, social, political and financial conditions, and the resulting impact on consumer confidence and consumer spending, as well as other changes in consumer discretionary spending habits, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and liquidity.
The use of the “company,” “AEO,” “we,” “us,” and “our” in this release refers to American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.