The Buckle, Inc. (NYSE:BKE) shares advanced in pre-market trading on Friday after the specialty apparel retailer reported second-quarter results that exceeded Wall Street expectations for both earnings and revenue.
Adjusted earnings came in at $0.87 per share, beating the consensus estimate of $0.81 by $0.07. Revenue reached $319.8 million, ahead of analysts’ forecast of $314.06 million.
Buckle shares climbed 5.56% in pre-market trading following the release.
Comparable-store sales support revenue growth
Second-quarter revenue increased 4.6% year on year from $305.7 million, supported by a 2.1% rise in comparable-store sales.
Net income was broadly stable at $44.4 million, compared with $45.0 million during the second quarter of fiscal 2025.
Digital sales also moved higher, with online revenue increasing 2.3% to $44.6 million from $43.6 million in the corresponding period last year.
The combination of positive comparable-store sales and continued online growth helped Buckle deliver revenue above market expectations despite the modest decline in quarterly net income.
First-half sales climb above $600 million
Buckle also reported growth across the first 26 weeks of fiscal 2026.
Net sales for the period ended August 1 increased 5.3% to $608.6 million, compared with $577.9 million during the equivalent period last year.
Comparable-store net sales advanced 3.5% over the six-month period, while online sales increased 2.5% to $92.2 million.
Profitability also improved substantially on a half-year basis. Net income climbed to $91.3 million, or $1.79 per diluted share, from $80.2 million, or $1.59 per diluted share, a year earlier.
Buckle expands store footprint
The Kearney, Nebraska-based retailer continued to expand its physical presence during the period.
Buckle operated 446 stores across 42 states at the end of the second quarter, up from 440 locations across the same number of states a year earlier.
The positive market reaction reflects Buckle’s stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings and revenue, alongside continued sales growth across its physical and digital channels and improved profitability during the first half of the fiscal year.