Kontoor Brands, Inc. (NYSE:KTB) Accelerates Recovery As Momentum Signals Near-Term Upside

Momentum indicators and an earnings beat point toward a tactical rebound, while elevated leverage and a positive MRO argue for selective caution. Valuation as determined by WMDST classifies the stock as under-valued.

Recent News

On Feb. 10, 2026 the company announced its fourth-quarter 2025 results release date and an accompanying conference call scheduled for March 3, 2026. On Feb. 13, 2026 the Board declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.53 per share payable March 20, 2026 to shareholders of record March 10, 2026.

Technical Analysis

ADX at 31.15 signals a strong trend presence; strength of directional movement supports conviction in the current directional bias without assigning direction to ADX itself.

DI+ sits at 27.68 and is increasing while DI- reads 17.34 and is decreasing — a clear bullish directional setup that favors near-term upside momentum.

MACD equals 1.19, the MACD line lies above the signal (0.38), and the MACD trend shows increasing momentum; that crossover constitutes a bullish momentum signal and supports continued price appreciation pressure in the coming weeks.

MRO registers 11.28 (positive), which indicates the price currently sits above the model target and introduces a measurable potential for a corrective pullback even as momentum indicators remain constructive.

RSI at 49.79 and rising places momentum near neutral-to-favorable territory, implying room for upside before reaching overbought levels.

Price sits at $67.85, above the 12-day and 26-day EMAs ($65.79 and $64.26 respectively) and above the 20-day average ($65.10), while remaining below the 200-day average ($69.91); this configuration favors a short-to-intermediate bullish tilt but retains a longer-term resistance band near the 200-day average.

Bollinger context: price trades near the 1x upper band (~$68.5) with the 1x lower band at $61.7, suggesting limited immediate upside before volatility-driven reversion risk. SuperTrend lower support sits at $63.2 and offers a clear tactical support reference for momentum-driven positioning.

 


Fundamental Analysis

Revenue drivers and margins: total revenue equals $853,215,000 with YoY revenue growth of 183.99% and quarter-over-quarter revenue growth of 421.79% as reported; those gains reflect sizable top-line expansion over the reported periods.

Profitability: EBIT equals $60,292,000 and EBIT margin equals 7.07%, below the industry peer mean of 12.65% and slightly below the industry peer median of 7.91%; EBIT margin declined roughly 58.17% QoQ and 51.65% YoY, indicating notable margin compression on recent periods despite higher revenue.

Cash flow and dividends: free cash flow totaled $54,902,000 with a free cash flow yield of 1.26%. The Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.53; dividend payout ratio runs at 78.23% while dividend yield equals 0.66%, underscoring a high payout relative to earnings and modest yield in cash-return terms.

Leverage and coverage: total debt equals $1,500,437,000, net debt $1,259,689,000, and debt-to-equity equals 283.31%. Debt-to-EBITDA measures ~20.0x and interest coverage approximates 3.18x. Those figures indicate materially higher leverage after recent financing activity and a compressed cushion on earnings versus interest expense.

Efficiency and returns: asset turnover equals 0.306 (near the industry peer mean of 0.308). Return on equity equals 6.98%, slightly above the industry peer mean of 6.68%, while return on assets equals 1.32%, below the industry peer mean of 3.13%. Operating margin stands at 7.73% with operating margin declines of roughly 35.24% QoQ and 47.14% YoY.

Earnings: EPS came in at $1.44 versus an estimate of $1.40, producing a $0.04 beat and an EPS surprise of +2.86%.

Valuation: price multiples show a trailing P/E around 54.38x and a forward P/E near 53.37x, with price-to-book at roughly 8.22x and an enterprise multiple near 76.95x. The current valuation as determined by WMDST classifies the stock as under-valued relative to the firm’s cash-flow profile and the firm’s adjusted outlook, while acknowledging the premium multiples versus some near-term cash metrics.

MOST-RECENT QUARTERLY REPORT
REPORT PERIOD ENDING: 2025-09-30
REPORT DATE: 2025-11-03
NEXT REPORT DATE: 2026-02-02
CASH FLOW  Begin Period Cash Flow 107.5 M
 Operating Cash Flow 64.1 M
 Capital Expenditures -9.24 M
 Change In Working Capital 21.8 M
 Dividends Paid -28.90 M
 Cash Flow Delta -25.05 M
 End Period Cash Flow 82.4 M
 
INCOME STATEMENT REVENUE
 Total Revenue 853.2 M
 Forward Revenue 477.9 M
COSTS
 Cost Of Revenue 501.1 M
 Depreciation 14.7 M
 Depreciation and Amortization 14.7 M
 Research and Development
 Total Operating Expenses 787.3 M
PROFITABILITY
 Gross Profit 352.2 M
 EBITDA 75.0 M
 EBIT 60.3 M
 Operating Income 65.9 M
 Interest Income 349.0 K
 Interest Expense 19.0 M
 Net Interest Income -18.62 M
 Income Before Tax 41.3 M
 Tax Provision 6.0 M
 Tax Rate 14.545 %
 Net Income 36.9 M
 Net Income From Continuing Operations 36.9 M
EARNINGS
 EPS Estimate 1.40
 EPS Actual 1.44
 EPS Difference 0.04
 EPS Surprise 2.857 %
 Forward EPS 1.49
 
BALANCE SHEET ASSETS
 Total Assets 2.9 B
 Intangible Assets 973.2 M
 Net Tangible Assets -443.58 M
 Total Current Assets 1.3 B
 Cash and Short-Term Investments 82.4 M
 Cash 82.4 M
 Net Receivables 366.0 M
 Inventory 765.0 M
 Long-Term Investments 267.0 M
LIABILITIES
 Accounts Payable 348.7 M
 Short-Term Debt
 Total Current Liabilities 702.3 M
 Net Debt 1.3 B
 Total Debt 1.5 B
 Total Liabilities 2.3 B
EQUITY
 Total Equity 529.6 M
 Retained Earnings 256.3 M
VALUATION & PER-SHARE METRICS EQUITY & PER-SHARE METRICS
 Book Value Per-Share 9.53
 Shares Outstanding 55.585 M
 Revenue Per-Share 15.35
VALUATION
 Market Capitalization 4.4 B
 Enterprise Value 5.8 B
 Enterprise Multiple 76.953
Enterprise Multiple QoQ 78.888 %
Enterprise Multiple YoY 111.736 %
Enterprise Multiple IPRWA high: 97.054
median: 84.66
KTB: 76.953
mean: 73.374
low: -16.472
 EV/R 6.764
CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 Asset To Equity 5.405
 Asset To Liability 1.227
 Debt To Capital 0.739
 Debt To Assets 0.524
Debt To Assets QoQ -6.785 %
Debt To Assets YoY 1957.793 %
Debt To Assets IPRWA high: 0.783
KTB: 0.524
mean: 0.324
median: 0.296
low: 0.038
 Debt To Equity 2.833
Debt To Equity QoQ -7.614 %
Debt To Equity YoY 2301.925 %
Debt To Equity IPRWA high: 6.666
KTB: 2.833
mean: 0.869
median: 0.821
low: 0.046
PRICE-BASED VALUATION
 Price To Book (P/B) 8.219
Price To Book QoQ 7.76 %
Price To Book YoY -29.025 %
Price To Book IPRWA high: 9.067
KTB: 8.219
median: 7.923
mean: 6.771
low: -1.48
 Price To Earnings (P/E) 54.383
Price To Earnings QoQ 2.021 %
Price To Earnings YoY -0.617 %
Price To Earnings IPRWA high: 147.441
mean: 105.056
median: 98.424
KTB: 54.383
low: -120.802
 PE/G Ratio 2.861
 Price To Sales (P/S) 5.102
Price To Sales QoQ -11.646 %
Price To Sales YoY -17.277 %
Price To Sales IPRWA high: 17.59
mean: 9.513
median: 9.104
KTB: 5.102
low: 0.27
FORWARD MULTIPLES
Forward P/E 53.372
Forward PE/G 2.808
Forward P/S 9.811
EFFICIENCY OPERATIONAL
 Operating Leverage -1.546
ASSET & SALES
 Asset Turnover Ratio 0.306
Asset Turnover Ratio QoQ 2.042 %
Asset Turnover Ratio YoY -25.506 %
Asset Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 0.375
median: 0.317
mean: 0.308
KTB: 0.306
low: 0.026
 Receivables Turnover 2.544
Receivables Turnover Ratio QoQ -0.86 %
Receivables Turnover Ratio YoY -17.348 %
Receivables Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 9.456
mean: 2.979
KTB: 2.544
median: 2.422
low: 0.693
 Inventory Turnover 0.691
Inventory Turnover Ratio QoQ 10.308 %
Inventory Turnover Ratio YoY -11.485 %
Inventory Turnover Ratio IPRWA high: 0.869
median: 0.812
mean: 0.732
KTB: 0.691
low: 0.226
 Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) 35.867
CASH CYCLE
 Cash Conversion Cycle Days (CCC) 143.781
Cash Conversion Cycle Days QoQ 12.708 %
Cash Conversion Cycle Days YoY 37.407 %
Cash Conversion Cycle Days IPRWA high: 302.197
KTB: 143.781
mean: 106.235
median: 95.172
low: -55.897
CAPITAL DEPLOYMENT
 Cash Conversion Ratio 1.342
 CapEx To Revenue -0.011
 CapEx To Depreciation -0.629
 
CAPITAL, LIQUIDITY & COVERAGE CAPITAL STRUCTURE
 Total Capital 1.9 B
 Net Invested Capital 1.9 B
 Invested Capital 1.9 B
 Net Tangible Assets -443.58 M
 Net Working Capital 635.8 M
LIQUIDITY
 Cash Ratio 0.117
 Current Ratio 1.905
Current Ratio QoQ -12.495 %
Current Ratio YoY -23.646 %
Current Ratio IPRWA high: 3.928
median: 2.19
mean: 2.14
KTB: 1.905
low: 0.339
 Quick Ratio 0.816
Quick Ratio QoQ -14.074 %
Quick Ratio YoY -42.342 %
Quick Ratio IPRWA high: 2.318
median: 1.447
mean: 1.354
KTB: 0.816
low: 0.065
COVERAGE & LEVERAGE
 Debt To EBITDA 20.008
 Cost Of Debt 1.071 %
 Interest Coverage Ratio 3.178
Interest Coverage Ratio QoQ -61.46 %
Interest Coverage Ratio YoY -63.734 %
Interest Coverage Ratio IPRWA high: 47.355
KTB: 3.178
mean: -1.613
median: -13.836
low: -25.85
 Operating Cash Flow Ratio -0.009
TIMING / LIQUIDITY
 Days Payables Outstanding (DPO) 79.339
DIVIDENDS
 Dividend Coverage Ratio 1.278
 Dividend Payout Ratio 0.782
 Dividend Rate 0.52
 Dividend Yield 0.007
PERFORMANCE GROWTH
 Asset Growth Rate 5.33 %
 Revenue Growth 29.617 %
Revenue Growth QoQ 421.794 %
Revenue Growth YoY 183.987 %
Revenue Growth IPRWA high: 59.184 %
KTB: 29.617 %
mean: 10.039 %
median: 5.614 %
low: -33.951 %
 Earnings Growth 19.008 %
Earnings Growth QoQ 2181.873 %
Earnings Growth YoY -52.236 %
Earnings Growth IPRWA high: 335.294 %
median: 95.699 %
mean: 82.128 %
KTB: 19.008 %
low: -600.0 %
MARGINS
 Gross Margin 41.275 %
Gross Margin QoQ -10.872 %
Gross Margin YoY -7.642 %
Gross Margin IPRWA high: 76.294 %
mean: 51.074 %
median: 42.176 %
KTB: 41.275 %
low: 27.732 %
 EBIT Margin 7.066 %
EBIT Margin QoQ -58.17 %
EBIT Margin YoY -51.652 %
EBIT Margin IPRWA high: 23.963 %
mean: 12.648 %
median: 7.91 %
KTB: 7.066 %
low: -7.117 %
 Return On Sales (ROS) 7.726 %
Return On Sales QoQ -35.244 %
Return On Sales YoY -47.137 %
Return On Sales IPRWA high: 23.209 %
mean: 12.691 %
median: 7.91 %
KTB: 7.726 %
low: -6.481 %
CASH FLOW
 Free Cash Flow (FCF) 54.9 M
 Free Cash Flow Yield 1.261 %
Free Cash Flow Yield QoQ 122.399 %
Free Cash Flow Yield YoY -59.648 %
Free Cash Flow Yield IPRWA high: 10.581 %
KTB: 1.261 %
mean: 0.036 %
median: 0.014 %
low: -20.114 %
 Free Cash Growth 154.624 %
Free Cash Growth QoQ -318.952 %
Free Cash Growth YoY 278.368 %
Free Cash Growth IPRWA high: 221.465 %
KTB: 154.624 %
median: -95.868 %
mean: -98.75 %
low: -285.423 %
 Free Cash To Net Income 1.486
 Cash Flow Margin -0.719 %
 Cash Flow To Earnings -0.166
VALUE & RETURNS
 Economic Value Added 0.03
 Return On Assets (ROA) 1.324 %
Return On Assets QoQ -60.63 %
Return On Assets YoY -69.359 %
Return On Assets IPRWA high: 7.035 %
mean: 3.127 %
median: 1.967 %
KTB: 1.324 %
low: -10.003 %
 Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) 2.791 %
 Return On Equity (ROE) 0.07
Return On Equity QoQ -52.938 %
Return On Equity YoY -64.705 %
Return On Equity IPRWA high: 0.245
KTB: 0.07
mean: 0.067
median: 0.054
low: -0.216
 DuPont ROE 7.188 %
 Return On Invested Capital (ROIC) 2.753 %
Return On Invested Capital QoQ -38.713 %
Return On Invested Capital YoY -107.859 %
Return On Invested Capital IPRWA high: 15.734 %
mean: 5.246 %
median: 3.405 %
KTB: 2.753 %
low: -3.04 %

Six-Week Outlook

Momentum structure favors a tactical upside: DI+ rising, DI- falling, a bullish MACD crossover, rising short-term EMAs, and ADX above 30 align toward continued price appreciation over the next six weeks. That constructive bias carries conditional risk: MRO sits positive (price above target), leverage metrics remain elevated, and price trades below the 200-day average, all of which increase the probability of intermittent pullbacks or volatility-driven consolidations. Key near-term technical reference points include the super trend support near $63.2 and the 1x upper Bollinger band near $68.5; a sustained move above the 200-day average (~$69.91) would materially strengthen the outlook, while a break below the $63 area would shift momentum toward consolidation.

About Kontoor Brands, Inc.

Kontoor Brands, Inc. (NYSE:KTB) develops and distributes lifestyle apparel with a primary focus on denim, apparel, footwear, and accessories. The company operates through two main segments: Wrangler and Lee, both renowned for their iconic denim offerings. Kontoor Brands also licenses and markets apparel under the Rock & Republic brand. The company reaches consumers through a diverse range of channels, including mass merchants, specialty stores, mid-tier and traditional department stores, as well as company-operated retail outlets and e-commerce platforms. With a global presence, Kontoor Brands serves markets across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific regions. Established in 2018, Kontoor Brands maintains its headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina, leveraging its expertise in the apparel industry to deliver quality products that resonate with customers worldwide.



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